Wheels
As of 1 April, the Speedline Truck brand’s sales activities have been combined into Ronal Performance GmbH based in Forst, which was formerly Ronlog GmbH. Under the leadership of managing director Michael Rothhass, all operational activities emanating from the German aftermarket will be integrated into the renamed organization Ronal Performance GmbH as a separate business unit by the end of the year.
Next month, Pieter Klinkers will succeed Marcos Oliveira as President and Chief Executive Officer of Brazil-based automotive components manufacturer Iochpe-Maxion SA. The CEO of the Maxion Wheels division will take on this role as of 16 April, at the end of Oliveira’s tenure and in line with the company’s senior leadership succession plan. Mark Gerardts will become the new CEO of Maxion Wheels.
About a year ago, Kenda shared news of a 4.5-million-euro investment for its steel wheel factory in Beli Manastir, Croatia. The Kenda team tell us that this investment in automated technology and renewable energy is now complete, making the factory “perfectly poised to deliver even more responsibly produced products in higher volumes.” This augmentation will make itself known throughout the course of this year and into 2026 and deliver the added benefit of “highly improved” working conditions within the plant.
moveero, which is known for making off-highway wheels and hubs, has announced the appointment of Kevin Bailey to the position of Product Manager, Americas. In this new role, Bailey will be responsible for developing the company’s product strategy in alignment with its divisional and group objectives and then enabling its deployment.
Mak has launched the Asphalt wheel, which is aimed at the aftermarket and “designed for all crossovers and passenger cars of the leading car manufacturers on the market”.
Accuride Corporation has announced that its two manufacturing facilities in Germany have filed for insolvency. In a statement issued earlier today, the wheel and automotive components manufacturer shares that European subsidiary, Accuride Wheels Europe & Asia GmbH, filed for insolvency on 5 February 2025.
Mak has added no less than 7 new products to its light alloy range. Specifically, Mak presents Monza, Stark, Chelsea, Asphalt and Qvarz, which are designed for Alfa Romeo, Audi, Mini and Volkswagen drivers.
Wheel manufacturer Maxion Wheels has announced changes to its executive leadership team. These appointments accompany an integration of the company’s Engineering, OPEX and Quality functions.
In a strategic move aimed at enhancing its presence in European markets and driving growth on a global scale, Italian alloy wheel manufacturer G.M.P. Group has acquired Netherlands-based tyre distributor Reedijk Wheels and Tyres Group. For Reedijk, this development represents “the next step in the development of a historically profitable collaboration between the companies” that began back in 2007. G.M.P. Group intends to use the acquisition as a vehicle for relaunching its Antera wheel brand.
Maxion Wheels has integrated solar power into its light vehicle aluminium wheels facility in Chihuahua, Mexico, following the launch of its own 499 kW capacity photovoltaic system that can deliver an estimated annual generation of 960 MWh. By reducing CO2 emissions by approximately 420 tonnes per year, equivalent to the annual growth of 6,930 trees, the solar farm will supply around two per cent of the plant’s annual energy needs.
In the USA, Accuride Corporation and “certain of its U.S. and Canadian affiliates” has filed a voluntary Chapter 11 petition and commenced proceedings in Canada under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act. Restructuring is expected to be completed in 90-100 days. “All plants continue to operate”, according to the wheelmaker. Accuride’s Mexican, European, and Asian subsidiaries are not included in the filings.
Last year, the Ronal Group and Kurz, which makes thin-film technology, presented the Performance+ hot stamping process, which can be used to refine wheel inserts. At Fakuma, the leading international trade fair for the plastics processing industry, the two companies will be presenting further developments relating to their cooperation project this year.
In addition to displaying its first ever forged aluminium wheel at the IAA Transportation show, Maxion Wheels is giving visitors a taste of the superlative with its lightest sustainable steel truck wheel as well as a new solution for carrying greater loads without additional wheel weight.
Maxion Wheels, purportedly the world’s largest wheel manufacturer, introduced a line of “lightweight, corrosion-resistant forged aluminium” truck wheels at IAA Transportation 2024.
Accuride Corporation reports has presented a “newly redesigned product portfolio” at the IAA Transportation show. Specifically, Accuride is launching a newly designed range of flow-formed steel wheels and forged aluminium wheels which offer “TPMS compatibility and improved durability”.
If you would like the latest news from the Chinese tyre industry in Chinese, visit our partner site TyrepressChina.com. Or click below to continue on Tyrepress.
