Edouard Michelin, CEO of the French tyre giant, can see opportunities for technical alliances with competitors, a French magazine reports. As an example, he cites the new tyre and wheel system ‘Pax’, which will be presented jointly by Michelin and Pirelli in Geneva.
In Karlsruhe Michelin has introduced an “Agricultural Service Centre” for the three agricultural tyre brands Michelin, Kleber and Taurus. All questions from German customers regarding use and sale of tyres as well as mounted wheel and tyre systems will be answered.
Goodyear has introduced a new, supermodern agricultural tyre specifically for harvesters and tractor units. The new products have been developed with soil protection and high load resistance in mind. Thanks to its 900 mm width, tractor units equipped with the new DT830 remain within the three metre maximum legal width for highway use without the need for a special license. With a maximum pressure of 2.2 bar the new tyre is capable of carrying loads up to 11.8 tons. For use on delicate soil conditions the DT830 is well qualified with a low pressure of 0.8 bar and a wheel load of 7.5tons it creates a footprint of 96 cm by almost 90 cm, offering a contact area of more than 0.8 square metres. In addition the radial belt cords guarantee an even distribution of pressure over the whole contact area. Goodyear offers the DT830 in three sizes; The 900/55 R 32 to be available in Spring 2001, the 900/60 R 32 available in pre-series at present, and the 900/50 R 42 which is already available through Goodyear outlets. Find out more in the November issue of NEUE REIFENZEITUNG.
Edouard Michelin, CEO of the French tyre giant, can see opportunities for technical alliances with competitors, a French magazine reports. As an example, he cites the new tyre and wheel system ‘Pax’, which will be presented jointly by Michelin and Pirelli in Geneva.
Hayes Lemmerz sales and earnings in the first quarter 2000 were at the same level as last year. A significant drop in orders for heavy truck wheels and brake components was compensated by a successful expansion of aluminium wheel capacity worldwide.
The automotive business is moving more and more towards an “intelligent” chassis control or a “total chassis management”. In this scenario tyres are playing a role of growing importance. Today consumers and tyre manufacturers still focus on comfort, rolling resistance, handling etc. But what about tomorrow? Electronic sensors within the tyre will be able to supply additional information to the driver or to systems like ESP. For 20 years, the interaction between road and tyres has been studied at the University of Darmstadt and has for example led to the so-called “Darmstädter Tyre Sensor” or a special trailer for measurements concerning tyre noise emission. But in mid October – after events in 1996 and 1998 – this was also the place where the third “Reifenkolloquium” was held for international experts to discuss topics related to research and development in the tyre, wheel and related businesses. About 90 attendees were at the event this year. After an introductory speech entitled “The Tyre – Key Component For Driving Dynamics And Steering” another twelve lecturers followed. Divided into four sections “Tyre/Road Noise”, “Tyre Evaluation/Test”, “Models & Simulation” and “Sensors & Road Parameter Evaluation” they reported the recent results of their studies. Some of these, which are not too technical, are summarised in the November issue of NEUE REIFENZEITUNG.
Sales of tyre and wheel manufacturer Titan (Quincy/Illinois, USA) have dropped last year to US$ 588 million (1998: US$ 660,8 million). Striking and a bad condition of the American agriculture are assumed to be responsible for the figures showing an EBIT of US$ -11.4 million compared to US$ 8.4 million in 1998.
As Sales And Marketing Director at Trelleborg Wheel Systems (TWS) Rotatec GmbH & Co. KG, Oliver Gehlker has been responsible for the German market since 3rd July. According to TWS, Gehlker, who is 33 years old, is very experienced in the tyre business. Before he signed up to his new job, he held different positions in the tyre industry and retail sector.
Michelin and TRW Automotive Electronics have agreed to develop advanced tyre pressure monitoring technology, hand in hand with Michelin’s PA System Technology. The companies displayed their linked technology . The technology is being displayed at the Convergence 2000 International Congress on Transportation Electronics, being held in Detroit. The TRW system will give drivers advance knowledge of underinflation and allow them to remedy the fault before pressure falls to a dangerous level. In the event of a fast puncture the PAX system ensures the tyre stays on the wheel. The TRW system uses a sensor mounted in a high tec valve that sends details by radio signal to the on board control unit. The agreement will see both companies working towards the most effective method of alerting the driver to possible problems.
Meritor Automotive, a subsidiary of the Rockwell group, has announced the expansion of production at its wheel plant in San Luis Potosi (Mexico) to two million units annually. The expansion is necessary because of increased demand in the North American OE market for light truck and pick-up wheels and includes the completion of assembly facilities. A major consumer is Daimler Chrysler (Dodge Ram).
With the sale of assets Titan International (Quincy/Illinois), a manufacturer of speciality tyres and wheels, has exited the oe business with lawn and garden equipment as well as all terrain vehicles (ATVs) and improved its second quarter results due to the price paid by Carlisle Tire and Wheel Co. The new strategy of Titan will be to concentrate on agricultural and construction wheel business and tyre assemblies and to focus more on aftermarket demands.
The tyre can no longer be regarded as an isolated part of a car but is integrated into an increasingly complicated network or system. Progress in electronics especially has been revolutionary and has enormous influence on the work of tyre technicians. The engineers have to think in systems and integrate the tyre into all parts of the motive power of the car. Between the two corners “tyre wheel system” and the engine, is a wide field which the car makers and their suppliers are exploiting step by step. Immediately next to the tyres are modules such as brakes, shock absorbers and axles. Around the tyre is the “chassis”. The producers of certain of these elements in the past developed their own product without contacting the producers of neighbouring chassis parts. They were driven by their customers in the car industry, who gave information about the performance of the product with the target that all the parts should be compatible. As development progresses, this becomes harder and harder. In the future the suppliers will be forced to cooperate one with another, in order to make the best possible technology available for the car.
Three years of litigation about breach of styling rights and unauthorised copying in accordance with paragraph 1 UWG (law on unfair competition) have ended with a verdict in favour of BBS by the Federal Court of Justice, so announces the wheel manufacturer. BBS had sued an Italian manufacturer for producing and distributing an imitation of the BBS RX wheel and for damages. Following the defendant’s reply, an expert opinion on the design and a hearing at the provincial law court in Frankfurt the BBS case was to a large extent conceded: The wheel made by the Italian producer was declared to be an imitation of the new BBS RX wheel, which is new, original and therefore protected. There followed an appeal, several postponements and the exchange of a number of documents at the higher provincial court in Frankfurt, and then this verdict: The appeal of the Italian manufacturer was rejected; there was no serious doubt that it was a copy, and appeal to the Federal Court was not allowed. The costs have to be borne by the appellant. Therefore the verdict of the higher provincial court in Frankfurt of 19th November 1998 has the force of law.
Four years ago Südrad Autoräder GmbH und Co. KG had to call in the receiver, who in the meantime sold the aluminium wheel division of the company. Now the steel wheel production at Ebersbach has also found a new owner in the guise of Mefro Räderwerk Ronneburg GmbH. In 1999 Südrad with 600 employees will produce approximately five million car steel wheels as well as steel wheels for trucks and light trucks. The turnover is given as 140 million marks, and Südrad is back in the black now that the restructuring measures have been completed. Mefro had its origins in a wheel combine of the former GDR and now has an annual production of approximately two million steel wheels for agricultural and construction site vehicles as well as for industrial vehicles and fork lift trucks. With a workforce of about 220 employees Mefro has an annual turnover of approximately 60 million marks.
The contact area between tyre and road surface is generally compared to the size of a postcard. An area, whose smallness bears no relation to its importance as the central spot where the interaction between motorcar and supporting ground takes place. Generations of experts have thought long and hard how to optimise this A6-sized contact area in the interest of road safety. The 21st and 22nd October saw the beginning of a new round in the eternal quest for more knowledge. On these dates the seventh conference in twelve years of the Association of German Engineers (VDI) took place under the headline “Reifen – Fahrwerk – Fahrbahn” (“Tyres – Chassis – Road Surface”) at the Hanover Congress Centre. As at several earlier meetings, the wheel was not studied in isolation but as the link between chassis and road surface. The central theme of the meeting was therefore the interaction between those three components. Each lecture or discussion session consisted of three half-hour presentations grouped together under subject matters such as “Reciprocal influences between tyres and road surface”, “Tyre noise”, “Measuring and devising models”, “Warning and run-flat systems”, “Vibration and comfort” as well as “Chassis concepts”. Almost 225 VDI members from the sectors of research and manufacturing had accepted the invitation. Apart from many car manufacturers the tyre industry was also well represented in Hanover and thanks to the disciplined lecturing techniques and to well-informed and motivated questions from the public the conference was able to live up as a genuine discussion forum to a large extent.
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