Expert questions tyre role in marine pollution claims

Professor Richard Thompson OBE, who leads the International Marine Research Unit at the University of Plymouth, has questioned claims made by the Marine Conservation Society relating the role played by tyre wear in marine microplastic pollution.

Engineers working on £120 million Fort William alloy wheel factory

On 5 February plans to make Fort William a UK alloy wheel centre of excellence reached another milestone as ground engineers moved onto the site earmarked for Liberty’s flagship factory.

According to the company, the technical team moved in with their rigs and excavators for six weeks of in-depth ground investigations which will provide vital information for the design of foundations for the planned plant that is intended to manufacture wheels for at least a fifth of all UK-made cars from 2022 onwards.

Bridgestone launches Blizzak LM005 winter tyre with A-grade wet grip

Bridgestone has launched its newest winter tyre, the Blizzak LM005. Continuing from the LM001 which heralded a new generation of the manufacturer’s cold weather rubber, the Blizzak LM005 features a new tread pattern and the tyre-maker’s new Nano Pro-tech compound. These developments have helped Bridgestone produce a tyre to compare favourably with existing market competitors in snow and ice braking and wet grip, according to tests conducted by independent testing institute TÜV SÜD.

Data increasingly important to future prospects in tyre and mobility sectors

It is not unusual for the start of the year to be replete with corporate acquisitions. Some even happen while much of the western world is enjoying Christmas and new year holidays. While European FinTyre Distribution (EfTD) did indeed enact the latest move in its ongoing strategic purchasing programme during the 2018 holiday break, it seems that this year February was the month of choice for getting the chequebooks out, with Bridgestone, Michelin and – in the UK at least – Goodyear all announcing strategic spending. For different but connected reasons all three challenge us to consider the impact of changing mobility trends.

Forget PCPs, you’ll soon pay for car travel like a Netflix subscription – KPMG study

UK automotive executives believe that the owner/driver of a connected car in future won’t own the data their vehicle generates, according to KPMG’s Global Automotive Executive Survey 2019.