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“A Very Demanding Situation for Our Gravel Tyres”

Drivers at the upcoming Cyprus round of the World Rally Championship are to face an increased challenge on the island following the decision to supply competitors with only hard compound gravel tyres, despite the change of format to include a first day on asphalt in addition to the more traditional gravel surfaces of the later stages.

Mario Isola, the rally manager at Pirelli – the official tyre supplier to the WRC – stated, “this is a very demanding situation for our gravel tyres and surely the skills required from the drivers will be somewhat different. There is surely less grip but everyone has been surprised by how well the tyres stood up in the tests.”

12th March 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Verdek To Distribute Italian EV In America

Verdek-EV was formed a year ago, with ex-Pirelli USA president and CEO Guy Mannino as its president and CEO. In celebration of the company’s first anniversary, VERDEK-EV has signed an agreement to be the exclusive distributor for the Italian- manufactured Tazzari ZERO, a neighbourhood electric vehicle (NEV) with lithium-ion batteries that provide a range of 88 miles before recharging at a cost of less than $2.

Verdek-EV’s distribution rights include North America, Mexico and the Caribbean islands. Along with battery electric vehicles (BEVs), plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) and other alternate-fuelled vehicles, NEVs are a growing and critical niche within the future of worldwide transportation, says the company. With 40 per cent of the world driving less than 40 miles per day, NEVs are optimally suited to satisfy much of the local transportation demands.

9th March 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Polish Tyre Storage Specialist Expanding in Export Markets

Arcom was founded in 1996 and is run by its two partners; Artur Wilk and Robert Zieba. There are 80 staff in all and Arcom is situated in the town of Rzezawa, 45 kilometres east of Cracow. The company manufactures welded metal structures, mainly for the automotive industry. The core products are pallets, racks and carts for consumers from the tyre-manufacturing industry: tyre manufacturers, wholesale stores, warehouses and workshops. These products are used for storing all kinds of tyres, from small tyres for fork lift trucks, quads, scooters and bikes, through tyres for passenger cars, off-road vehicles, delivery vans, lorries, agricultural and industrial tyres, to large-sized tyres, weighing even several hundred kgs.

For 10 years, Arcom has increased its output and market share and, in 2008, growth in excess of 20 per cent was recorded, despite the fact that production was being carried out in a plant with outdated machinery. Today, Arcom is undoubtedly a leader in tyre pallet manufacturing in Poland and is one of the top three manufacturers of these products in Europe. Exports form a major part of Arcom’s business – over 95 per cent of products are sold abroad, with customers in more than 30 countries on four continents.

4th March 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

BBS Parent Company Reports “Extremely Difficult” Market Conditions

Belgium based Punch International nv, parent company of wheel manufacturer BBS International GmbH, has posted an net profit of 43.3 million euros for the 2008 year, an increase of 51.9 per cent – however the company has made the less than sanguine statement that the performance of its automotive operations were “weak” and the market “extremely difficult. Altogether, the company generated sales of 341.5 million euros, an increase of 3.0 per cent on 2007.

3rd March 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Ranger Provides Tuition with New Changers, Balancers

Ranger Products has announced that the launch of its new range of “robust and reliable” tyre changers and wheel balancers will be accompanied by a special team of installation and after sales demonstration engineers. The company believes that “a lot of the problems workshops have when they buy wheel service equipment for the first time is that personnel do not know how to use the equipment correctly.” It hopes that by offering additional technical advance, workshops will experience fewer problems with fitting and balancing modern tyres and wheels.

Based in the Hampshire town of Alton, Ranger Products provides nationwide service from its depots in the north and south of England.

3rd March 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Yokohama Displays Wide 4×4 Range

While the Japanese tyre marque Yokohama is mainly known for its high performance road, race and rally tyres, the manufacturer also produces a large range of tyres for the off-road and SUV market. The latest crop of SUVs as well as genuine off-roaders includes the ADVAN ST and Sport – part of the manufacturer’s flagship range – the Parada Spec X for the tuner market, and the Geolander range, designed for everything from on-road and light off-road to “hardcore” OTR usage.

The UK distributor, Yokohama HPT has recently introduced several new sizes across all ranges and now lists a further eight sizes for the Geolander A/T-S from 15” to 20”, four for the Prada SpecX from 20” to 24” and four for the ADVAN Sport XL from 17” to 21”. The M/T+ is available from 15” to 17”, allowing the off-road market to fit larger tyres than traditionally possible while the H/T-S ranges from 15” to 18” and the ADVAN ST, from 17” to 24”.

2nd March 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Autopromotec 2009 Goes Green With ‘Futurmotive’ Feature

The Bologna Trade Fair Centre is set to host the 23rd, biennial Autopromotec show between 20 – 24 May 2009. According to the company behind the show, the 2009 event is set to be the biggest and most future-orientated yet. Show organisers Promotec SpA recently visited London and gave Tyres & Accessories details of what we can expect in May

A key new feature confirmed at Autopromotec 2009 is “Futurmotive,” which the organisers call “an attention-grabbing new feature showcasing environmentally sustainable technological innovations for car servicing companies. One of the show’s highlights, Futurmotive is being coordinated by Autopromotec in collaboration with Polo per la Mobilità Sostenibile (POMOS) (Centre for Sustainable Mobility) at the University of Rome La Sapienza; and the Centro Salesiano di Formazione Professionale (CNOS FAP). The new Futurmotive feature is designed to respond to increasingly widespread interest among consumers towards alternative car fuelling and maintenance, with special attention being given to fuel economy and CO2 emissions.

26th February 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

The Wheels USA Show: Over Sized, Over Powered – and Over Here!

If your idea of ‘proper’ transport involves acres of chrome, a displacement measured in cubic inches and plenty of cylinders, then Santa Pod Raceway UK reckons you’ll love the Wheels USA show, held at the circuit between May 1 and 4. For an entire weekend, the Northamptonshire countryside will echo to the blissful sound of big block Hemis and flathead Fords as the cream of the UK’s American car (or should we say automobile?) fleet and their enthusiastic owners descend on the venue for a weekend of racing, dancing, and enjoyment. And although it’s a Yank-tank lovers paradise, the event is open to all genres of custom, classic and retro cars – and even motorcycles. So if you can’t afford a couple of tonnes of Detroit Iron, there’s no need to borrow or peculate the cash: Santa Pod says you’ll be made very welcome, regardless of whether you show up in a Chevy – or a Chevette.

26th February 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Home on the Ranger

The 4×4 line-up produced by Avon Tyres goes under the ‘Ranger’ brand name, and covers five distinct tyre ranges, each designed to cope with the varying demands of modern four-wheel drive vehicles. Those SUV owners more at home on the road may find what they are looking for in the Avon Ranger Sport, a tyre with most of its dynamic abilities focused towards performance on the blacktop. Especially suited to the latest 18-20in fitments used both as standard equipment and extensively in the aftermarket, the Ranger Sport is a low profile, V-shaped tread pattern high performance tyre available in V-rated sizes.

24th February 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Goodyear DuraTrac Helps Pick-Up Owners Work & Play Hard

Goodyear’s North American truck tyre line-up has received a boost with the introduction of the Wrangler DuraTrac, a tyre the manufacturer says comes with new features that make it ideal for a broad range of work applications, from construction and farming to landscaping and mining. And just to prove the new tyre is not just all work and no play, Goodyear adds that it also delivers the performance pickup truck owners are looking for when they clock out and hit the trails to partake in wholesome all-American recreational activities such as camping, fishing and hunting.

24th February 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Are You Ready For The Vehicles Of Tomorrow? Asks Philip Hodges

Philip Hodges is MD of Beissbarth UK and, in this article, he looks forward to the future facing vehicle servicing and repair technicians. Says Philip: It would be interesting to hear the comments and see the reaction of early pioneers of the Motor Car – Henry Ford, Rolls Royce, Auto Union, Benz and a host of others – who in their own way provided us with what is an everyday pleasure for some and for others a tool for every day means of transport and commerce.

All of these pioneers would, I expect, be amazed at the technology of today’s vehicles but also be speechless at the speed of the new developments which drivers of the future will take for granted.

24th February 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Goodyear Releases first Kevlar Reinforced 4×4 tyre

In the US Goodyear has released its first off-road tyre containing DuPont’s Kevlar. The para-aramid fibre is used in the sidewall area of its new Wrangler MT/R range for enhanced puncture resistance. The utilisation of Kevlar, a material that is, pound-for-pound, five times stronger than steel, brings improved sidewall cut- and puncture-resistance to an area of the tyre that demands extra toughness when driving off-road – it also helps reinforce the sidewall in case of any kerbside incidents on the drive home.

“The new Wrangler MT/R with Kevlar updates the legendary off-road performing namesake, which has had a great reputation among serious off-roaders,” said Melissa Montisano, Goodyear’s general manager for light-truck tyres. “This new tyre will certainly get the attention of anyone who takes off-road traction seriously.”

20th February 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Growth Continues in Many 4×4 Tyre Areas, says MTS/Southam

Micheldever/Southam reports having distributed three quarters of a million 4×4 tyres in the UK tyre market in 2008, a figure they say possibly makes the company the largest distributor of 4×4 tyres in Europe. Still the only UK wholesaler to operate a specialist 4×4 division (which is based at Southam), the MTS group offers next/same day delivery nationwide on all major brands including every OE fitment, a comprehensive range of quality budget 4×4 tyres from Enduro, and the market leading mid-range replacement brands including BFGoodrich, General, Kumho, Falken, Insa Turbo and Toyo.

20th February 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Kremenchug Wheel Plant Idles Production

Ukrainian cold-formed steel wheel maker JSC Kremenchug Wheel Plant has opted to suspended production between 12 February and 16 March. According to a report published at Russian news site, ityre.com, the company cited sharp declines in demand as the reason. Kremenchug Wheel Plant reportedly also intends to lay off 334 people. The latest move follows an earlier decision to reduce its working week from five to three days.

20th February 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Takata From Wolfrace

Wolfrace has added a new wheel to its Asia-Tec Black range; a range of wheels with a Japanese bias. The wheel is called Takata and features a dark grey Graphite matt finish, offset by a durable red anodised rim. The target market for the Takata is large, powerful, Japanese vehicles and hot hatches and it comes in two sizes (7.0×17″ and 8.0×18″) with both four and five stud fitments, to fit a variety of different models.

16th February 2009/by Tyrepress Editors