Company News
Vacu-Lug becomes Hankook Alphatread UK retread partner
Vacu-Lug has become the new retread manufacturing partner for Hankook in the UK. The company signalled its new status by including the manufacturer’s Alphatread retreading brand on its stand at the Commercial Vehicle Show (24-26 April, Birmingham NEC), coinciding with the beginning of production of the Alphatread bead-to-bead retread truck tyre range at the Vacu-Lug factory in Grantham.
UK News
‘Double success’ for Parts Alliance in Birmingham
Automechanika Birmingham 2018 (5-7 June, Birmingham NEC) proved a “double success story” for The Parts Alliance, who showcased Bendix braking at the event and sponsored the ‘Garage of the Year’ awards too.
- Ecobat exhibits ‘complete battery package’ at Automechanika Birmingham
- Grouptyre leads with range of high performance brands
- Stapleton’s high performance exclusive brands
- Colin Turkington in emotional BTCC win at Oulton Park
- Petrol car oversupply possible in the used market in the medium term, says VRA
Product News
See Sense: Introducing ELTA Visionpro and VXPro
ELTA Automotive Ltd marked its 25th anniversary by launching its new PRO brands at Automechanika Birmingham in June.
International News
Nokian increasing Finland tyre production 30%
Nokian Tyres is increasing production capacity for passenger car tyres at its Nokia, Finland factory by approximately 30 per cent.
- ETRMA and other tyre manufacturing associations convene in Washington DC
- Conti bans Snapchat and WhatsApp on company phones
- Pirelli celebrates nation day with Italian ambassador and tricoloured tyres
- Fischer-owner sells majority stake in tyre manufacturing machinery maker
- Sainsbury’s, Asda and truck tyre tariffs
Career Tracks
Experienced customer service account manager joins CAM
Mark Erwood is joining CAM as key account manager, tasked with providing high levels of customer interaction across the UK and Ireland to help tyre dealers develop their businesses through CAM’s IT enablement.
Motorsport News
Motorsport helps to keep Avon innovating
Avon Tyres’ Motorsport division is also using its knowledge from race programmes to develop its high performance car tyres. Its partnership with competitive Caterham championships has spanned more than 25 years and is still going strong. This year the brand retained the title sponsorship of the Roadsport Championship, which is for drivers fresh from the Caterham Academy starter series. This grassroots sport is what underpins Avon’s “arrive and drive” ethos – transferring its expertise and development from the production of race tyres to passenger car products that are track-ready.
Retreading News
Truck tyre tariffs to end Chinese import tsunami
The EU’s decision to implement import tariffs on Chinese-produced truck tyres marks a sea-change in both the truck tyre market in general and European governments’ approach to the subject in particular. As of the 8 May 2018, truck tyres produced in China and imported into the UK have become between 52.85 euros and 82.17 euros per tyre more expensive than before. And what’s more, with product registration having begun back in February 2018, such charges look likely to be backdated to February on tyres already sold. This cannot fail to have an enormous impact, but what exactly will it mean for the truck tyre sector?
- Directa Plus collaboration: graphene to boost Marangoni retreading performance
- Lukatec launches ROI-Tread HS 6011 cushion gum extruder
- Vipal Rubber showing new treads, tyre monitoring platform at The Tire Cologne
- Global Retreading Conference comes to Tire Cologne
- VMI exhibiting retreading equipment at Tire Cologne
Comment
Why Doublestar’s Kumho purchase is a good idea
15 months after bidding got underway, Qingdao-based Doublestar and its consortium of Chinese banks and investors bought 45 per cent of the South Korean tyremaker Kumho Tire over the Easter weekend. Whatever other clauses are written into the deal, following the release of shares issued for the purpose of the sale, Kumho Tire’s creditors will own a 23.1 per cent shareholding in the tyre maker, down from 42.01 per cent. This makes the Chinese tyre firm controlling shareholders in South Korea’s Kumho Tire.
