Wheels
Declining car production in the UK has contributed towards lower wheel unit shipments in the third quarter of 2018, reports Superior Industries International, Inc. Compared with the prior-year period, Q3 2018 shipments were down 300,000 units to 4.7 million.
GKN Wheels and Structures has produced a new catalogue covering the company’s extensive range of hubs and spindles. With detailed technical and application information, together with images and dimensioned line drawings of each product in the range, the catalogue also includes full details of the company’s recently launched Profi-Hub range.
Safety Seal’s Rollock and Safe Wheel Nut Retainers for commercial vehicle wheel-nuts are reportedly still enjoying increasing popularity, along with the more recent addition of the Safewheel Twin. The products made by Safety Seal are not indicators, but TÜV-tested retainers to prevent the wheel nuts from loosening.
For those looking for something unique, the ‘ball-polished’ version of R50 Aero wheel might be just the thing. Despite being based on a nigh-on 40 year old design, this is a wheel that works on almost every type and size of car (and van).
GKN Wheels Profi-Grip says its wheel is proving its value in the heatwave experienced across Europe, with the extremely dry ground requiring much higher traction for soil tillage. Featuring a unique profile designed to eliminate tyre-to-rim slippage, Profi-Grip was launched last year specifically to meet the growing demand from ever-larger and more-powerful tractors.
GKN Wheels recently launched a new high-performance wheel for high-load capacity vehicles, with the new wheel capable of taking tyres with 13 bar pressure. The wheel was developed by GKN Wheels’ engineering team specifically to meet the requirements of one of Europe’s leading manufacturers of aircraft tow tractors, Goldhofer AG. In particular it has been designed for the company’s latest tractors which are capable of moving the new larger generations of aircraft such as the Boeing 777 and Airbus A380.
GKN Wheels has launched a new high-speed tractor wheel, designed to address the issues of run-out that can occur on manually adjustable track wheels when used on high speed applications.
GKN Wheels and Structures has appointed Ron Peta to the position of Sales Director, Americas where he will take responsibility for the company’s sales activities across the United States, Mexico and Canada. Having joined GKN Wheels in 1998, Peta has reportedly undertaken a number of roles in design, engineering, business development and sales.
MWheels’ technical experts and Michelin Training Centre are working together to further improve overall knowledge of commercial vehicle wheel safety throughout the industry. Based predominantly around hands-on workshop participation alongside traditional seminar lessons, the companies aim to provide in-depth knowledge of the wheel itself, fitting and general maintenance, wheel security, and an understanding of affiliated parts such as axles, nuts and threads.
Switzerland’s Ronal Group, a leading manufacturer of light metal wheels, showcased the latest Ronal, Speedline Corse and Speedline Truck brand products in a 150 square metre exhibition space at the premiere of Tire Cologne from 29 May to 1 June 2018.
GKN Wheels and Structures is commissioning a brand new manufacturing cell at its plant in Nagbøl, Denmark.
The programme will see the introduction of robotic technology, with the largest and fastest robot in Denmark being installed to improve both the company’s speed of manufacture and flexibility of production. On completion, the new manufacturing cell will be capable of producing very small batch sizes efficiently and cost-effectively, with changeover times brought down to an absolute minimum. Depending on customer’s specific requirements, the new production cell can also weld different valve guards and make a high spot mark.
Negotiations to rectify the Department for Transport’s apparent failure to incorporate European Union Directives 2014/45/EU and 2014/47/EU into the wheel-related section of the new Heavy Goods Vehicle Inspection Manual has yielded a positive result for MWheels. The commercial vehicle wheel specialist shares that following a meeting with the DfT, DVSA and Parliamentary representative Mike Kane MP on 17 May, the DfT “has agreed to work with MWheels to investigate ways in which the Heavy Goods Vehicle Inspection Manual’s section on wheels can be enhanced to improve vehicle safety.”
Aluminium wheel manufacturer Superior Industries International, Inc. reports shipping 5.5 million units in the first quarter of 2018, a 94.8 per cent increase compared with the first three months of last year. This sizeable improvement was primarily due to the inclusion of the company’s European operation in this year’s results but was also driven by higher unit shipments in North America.
West Midlands-based Wheely Safe, the first in-motion driver alert system for wheel loss, tyre pressure and brake overheating, has announced two senior appointments to drive its growth across the fleet market for cars, vans, buses, coaches, trucks, trailers and plant equipment.
At its 150 square metre exhibition space (Hall 7.1, Stand A010/B011), the Ronal Group will present products from its Ronal, Speedline Corse and Speedline Truck ranges, including a trio of new additions to the portfolio. These newcomers are the Ronal R64 and R65 as well as the Speedline Truck SLT 4015.
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