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Winter Tyres

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German Winter Tyre Sales Down, Reports Association

Germany has long been presented to UK motorists as the ‘poster boy’ for winter tyre sales in Europe, but it appears that this year the market boasting a winter segment accounting for around half the total passenger car tyre sector is shaping up to be somewhat lacklustre. Hans-Jürgen Drechsler, head of Germany’s tyre dealer and retreader association, the Bundesverband Reifenhandel und Vulkaniseur-Handwerk e.V. (BRV), has commented on this year’s lower sales in an interview with the Handelsblatt business newspaper.

27th November 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Bridgestone to Increase Prices in Japan

Bridgestone announced on November 22 that it will raise prices on March 1, 2008 for tyres, tubes and flaps sold in the Japanese replacement market, with prices for winter tyres to increase a month later. Specific price increases include 5.5 per cent for passenger car and light truck tyres, 7.0 per cent for truck and bus tyres, 10 per cent for construction vehicle tyres, 7.0 to 10.0 per cent for industrial vehicle tyres, 10.0 per cent for motorcycle bias tyres, 7.0 per cent for other kinds of tyres, and 10.0 per cent for tubes and flaps.

22nd November 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Semperit Launches Winter T&B Tyres

Semperit has launched a range of dedicated tyres for winter applications following the introduction of new legislation regarding the fitment of winter tyres on trucks and coaches in specific European countries.

For steer axles Semperit now offers the M440 Snow Front in 295/80R22.5 and 315/80R22.5 sizes. This tyre features numerous transverse edges ensuring safe steering and improved braking performance on roads in winter and has deep sipes which provide traction on packed snow and icy roads. Its wide open grooves and angled edges in the tyre shoulder are designed to enhance the self-cleaning characteristics of the tread pattern.

20th November 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

High Mileage Not a “Supreme Importance” for Winter Tyres, says Conti

Rating winter tyres according to just one criterion fails to take account of the many demands placed upon them, claim experts working with Continental Tyres. They report, for example, that mileage performance on its own cannot be considered to be of “supreme importance” for a winter tyre. Rather, a high level of grip on both wet and dry roads and in typical winter weather conditions – features that require a softer and therefore faster wearing compound – should be given higher priority.

“What makes a really good winter tyre is having a well-balanced design incorporating a wide range of driving characteristics,” explained Alexander Lührs, press officer at Continental. “And here what counts is not achieving outstanding performance in one or the other discipline, but rather offering a design that is as balanced as possible, so that overall its characteristics meet the highest demands.” Above all, a tyre needs to provide good driving characteristics in typical winter weather conditions, including effective aquaplaning prevention and short braking distances in the wet.

7th November 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Nokian Reports Strong Q3 Sales Growth

Nokian Tyres has reported a 27.9 per cent increase in third quarter net sales, having earned a total of 236 million euros during the three-month period. This gives the company a year to date net sales increase of 25.2 per cent, up from 533.9 million to 668.9 million euros. Operating profit for the quarter was 51.6 million euros, a 39.5 per cent increase on the same period last year. For the nine months of 2007 operating profit is recorded as 140.8 million euros, a sizeable 64.5 per cent rise from last year’s January to September operating profit of 85.6 million euros. Quarterly net profit was 37.4 million euros, a 36 per cent increase on the July-September 2006 profit of 27.5 million euros, and net profit for the nine-month period stands at 107.5 million euros, 81.2 per cent higher than during the same period last year.

Nokian Tyres’ president and CEO Kim Gran commented “the third quarter, in line with the earlier part of the year, was a success for Nokian Tyres. Net sales grew in all profit centres, and the operating profit improved from the previous year both during the third quarter and the period January-September. Sales grew in all key markets, particularly in Russia.

2nd November 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Deldo Announces Further Warehouse Extensions

Belgian wholesaler Deldo, who in September completed an 8,000 square metre extension of its central warehouse in the port city of Antwerp, has announced plans to further extend the facility. In January the company will begin the work of adding a further 10,000 square metres to its warehouse/storage premises, giving the company a total warehouse space of 70,000 square metres.

The company claims its facility to be the largest in Europe and intends in part to use the increased space to further its stock of winter tyres, thereby improving availability. The company reports it is now able to offer neighbouring countries, such as Germany, a 24/48 hour delivery service.

31st October 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Nokian Tyres Opening First US Vianor Outlets

Nokian Tyres is expanding its Vianor retail chain into the US following the purchase of the Goss Tire Company on October 25. The five tyre outlets in the state of Vermont and one in New York State operated by the US retailer will bring the total number of Vianor outlets in operation up to 340, but will be the first outside of Europe and the former Soviet bloc countries.

The acquisition of Goss Tire enables Nokian to increase its tyre sales and gain access to consumer sales in the US market. Vianor Holding Oy managing director Seppo Kupi said that the company is aiming in the near future to further expand Vianor’s US operations in the area of winter tyres. The 40 people employed by Goss Tire will continue working for the new US Vianor operation.

26th October 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Pirelli to Raise Prices in Europe

The rising cost of raw materials and energy has prompted Pirelli Tyre to increase the price of their passenger car, SUV, van and industrial vehicle tyres by an average of 3.5 per cent. These revised prices will apply to all tyre brands produced by the Italian manufacturer and will commence on November 1 in Italy and Spain before implementation in other European markets by the beginning of next year.

Hand in hand with these measures is Pirelli’s decision to reduce by 25 per cent the suggested price list reference prices applied by dealers in Italy to final customers for summer car, SUV and van tyres, with winter tyres included under this arrangement from January 2008 onwards. The aim of this reduction, states Pirelli, is to “ensure a transparent price positioning to Italian customers and align the domestic market with the major European markets.”

25th October 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Yokohama Announces New OE Contracts with Audi, Chrysler

Yokohama Rubber has announced that the latest addition to its high performance Advan Winter tyre range, the V902, has been approved by Audi as OE winter tyre for the S6 and Audi S8. Tyre sizes to be fitted are 265/35R19 98V XL for the S6 and 265/35R20 99V XL for the S8. Both sizes are for front and rear. The S6 and S8 are the first Audis to come equipped with Yokohama winter tyres, and will be factory-fitted options for the German market and available to order through Audi dealerships in other countries.

Yokohama states it is proud to have met the high technical standards required in the development process it has undergone with Audi AG, and comments that the Advan Winter range perfectly balances high-speed stability, comfort, handling and braking in wet and dry conditions, as well as showing good traction and braking on snowy and icy surfaces. Since 2004, “Advan Sport” summer tyres have been homologated by some of the world’s leading car manufacturers, including the Audi S8, the Bentley Continental series, Mercedes-AMG models and the Porsche 911 and Cayenne.

24th October 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Bridgestone Outlines Mid-Term Goals

Bridgestone has declared its intention to “establish the status of being the undisputed world number one tyre and rubber company both in name and reality” by means of a new five-year plan unveiled on October 22. This mid-term management plan has been formulated through planning on the part of each of Bridgestone’s strategic business units to maximise use of all global business resources available to them, with these efforts supported by the company’s global management platform.

The intended result of this mid-term plan is an increase in net sales of almost 20 per cent (over its 2007 sales forecast) to 4 trillion yen (£17 billion) by 2012. These funds will be channelled into a number of areas, and to facilitate this Bridgestone will implement a number of key strategies based upon what it calls its “four fundamental management policies.” These strategies include reinforcing and adding value to product areas in which the company has “preceded its competitors”, including run-flat tyres, PCR UHP and winter tyres, as well as Greatec and low profile tyres for trucks and buses. The company also intends to “secure overwhelming competency to ensure long-term superiority” in the area of large OTR radial plus aircraft and motorcycle tyres. Furthermore, Bridgestone reports that “full use” will be made of Bridgestone Bandag, with package solutions being made available to customers in the truck and bus tyre business. This move will potentially see Bridgestone competing on a level in the retreading business previously solely enjoyed by arch rival Michelin, who to date has been the only new tyre manufacturer to market its retreaded products as a tyre option on par with its new tyre range.

22nd October 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Winter Tyres Get the Cold Shoulder in New Zealand

Public perception of cold weather tyres in New Zealand has been dealt another blow, with the country’s leading motor industry organisation, the Motor Trade Association, again calling for a ban to be placed upon the importation of cars fitted with cold weather tyres, more commonly known in New Zealand as snow tyres. The association has also proposed denying a warrant of fitness – the 6-monthly New Zealand equivalent to the MOT – to any vehicle fitted with cold weather tyres outside the cold season and away from “colder regions of the country.” Demands for such measures have been repeated throughout this year following the occurrence of two well-publicised fatal accidents involving vehicles fitted with a combination of summer and winter tyres, and this negative attention appears to have overshadowed the benefits that correctly fitted winter tyres may bring to motorists.

16th October 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Winter Tyres Get the Cold Shoulder in New Zealand

Public perception of cold weather tyres in New Zealand has been dealt another blow, with the country’s leading motor industry organisation, the Motor Trade Association, again calling for a ban to be placed upon the importation of cars fitted with cold weather tyres, more commonly known in New Zealand as snow tyres. The association has also proposed denying a warrant of fitness to any vehicle fitted with cold weather tyres outside the cold season and away from “colder regions of the country.” Demands for such measures have been repeated throughout this year following the occurrence of two well-publicised fatal accidents involving vehicles fitted with a combination of summer and winter tyres, and this negative attention appears to have overshadowed the benefits that correctly fitted winter tyres may bring to motorists.

16th October 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Nokian – New Generation Winter Tyres Easy on Fuel

Much of Europe is currently getting ready for the seasonal change to cold weather tyres, and while many drivers assume that winter tyres increase a car’s fuel consumption, Nokian says that the truth may come as a positive surprise. The Finnish tyremaker claims that the latest generation of Nordic winter tyres roll fluently, save fuel and generate less harmful CO2 emissions than summer tyres.

Rolling resistance is measured in terms of a rolling resistance coefficient; the greater the coefficient, the heavier the tyre rolls. The average rolling resistance value for contemporary tyres varies between 1-1.2. Several test results indicate that the Nokian Hakkapeliitta RSi, the studless winter tyre designed for northern conditions, has the most economic rolling properties in its category, with a recorded value below 0.9. This makes the tyre, according to Nokian, 36 per cent superior in terms of rolling resistance than its worst performing competitors (in 205/55 R16 size).

12th October 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Yokohama Points to New Winter Tyre Engineering Breakthrough

Did you know that it is actually more hazardous to drive on ice when the temperature is between -6 and 0 degrees Celcius than when temperatures are colder? Yokohama engineers at the company’s headquarters in Japan have proposed the concept that a “danger zone” exists when ice can be more slippery. According to the company, understanding what makes ice slippery was the first step in creating a new generation of winter tyres better able to deal with this dangerous condition.

Tyre engineers have long understood that the very act of driving a car on ice makes the ice more slippery. The weight of the car and the friction of the tyre rolling over the surface of the ice acts to melt the ice under the tyre. The layer of water between the ice and tyre acts like a lubricant, reducing the traction the tyre can achieve. The engineers at Yokohama Rubber Company Ltd. studied the phenomenon and discovered that the thin film of water created by the tyre actually grew when the temperature was between minus six and zero degrees.

10th October 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Van den Ban Takes on Beijing Capital Tyres

Netherlands based wholesaler Van den Ban (VDB) has completed an agreement with BCT (Beijing Capital Tyres) which will see it initially offer three patterns of this Chinese tyre in their portfolio. The PCR S600 line will have the following sizes in the range 155/65/TR13 – 195/60/HR15, the Ultra High Performance S800 will be available in 205/40ZR17 – 235/35/ZR19. The High Performance a-symmetric pattern S900 will be sold in 185/55/VR14 – 205/55WR16. All the described sizes are available from November. VDB has plans to extend the range of sizes next year and towards the end of 2008 with the addition of a Light Truck and M&S programme also being added to the BCT range.

VDB also recently extended its Novex range on two fronts: a new SUV/4×4 range has recently been introduced under the ‘SUV Speed’ name, along with a new range of winter tyres called ‘Snow-Speed’. The SUV Speed initially offers 16 sizes whilst the Snow Speed consists of 56 sizes which also incorporates light truck patterns as well.

5th October 2007/by Tyrepress Editors