Grouptyre’s latest prize draw promotion, in conjunction with Pirelli, has been won by Tyre Technician Sean O’Connor from Southampton Audi, part of the Harwoods Group based along the South Coast. O’Connor and his chosen guest Lee enjoyed the weekend’s action on 7-8 July at the 2012 Formula One Santander British Grand Prix at Silverstone, with overnight accommodation close to the circuit, and full hospitality at the event.
Cooper Tires has added its new A/T3 tyre to its Discoverer range of 4×4 tyres. The tyre’s modern six-rib all-terrain design is engineered to provide performance both for on-road and off road driving. The A/T3 tread pattern includes a broken centre and dual draft angles on the tread to aid soft surface traction. Strategically-placed lateral groove protectors on the tread help motorists avoid stone retention and ‘drilling’. It provides solid all-terrain handling, superior all-weather traction, stability and reliable tread wear.
With a head office and warehouse complex on a six acre site next to John Lennon airport in Liverpool and offices in Scotland, Ireland and China Kirkby Tyres report that the company remains at the forefront of tyre and wheel wholesaling. In addition to holding a range across sectors, Kirkby offers what it calls a “comprehensive stockholding of off-the-road (OTR) tyres and wheels from manufacturers including Alliance, BKT and Double Coin. There is even talk of double-digit growth despite the tough economic environment.
Kal Tire, which traded under the OTR Tyres name for many years before its merger with the Canadian Kal Tire group, has added Brawler Cutting Edges to its offering. Brawler Cutting Edges are marketed exclusively in the UK by Kal Tire.
China’s largest tyre maker, Hangzhou Zhongce Rubber, has become the country’s latest manufacturer to sign up with the Imported Tyre Manufacturers’ Association (ITMA). Its membership gives Hangzhong Zhongce access to the very latest technical and legislative regulations affecting the sale of tyres within Europe.
TyreSafe has announced that its next industry briefing will take place on the afternoon of Wednesday 19 September at the Ardencote Manor Hotel in Warwickshire. The organisation will use the occasion to unveil the latest materials and resources available for deployment in October’s Tyre Safety Month and to explain how delegates can get involved with the annual campaign. An update on TyreSafe’s ongoing part worn tyres campaign will also be given during the free event.
Sailun Tyres has announced that it will be exhibiting at the MIMS Automechanika Show being held in Moscow in late August 2012. The show is held from 27-30 August 27th at the Moscow Expocentre fairground – Pavilions 2, 7 and 8 and the Forum. The Sailun stand is located in Pavilion 2, Hall 3 – stand D611.
June was a good month for new bus and coach (>3.5 tonnes) registrations, which increased by 16.5 per cent, boosted by the good performance recorded in the UK (+97.9 per cent), Germany (+39.0 per cent) and France (+24.5 per cent). The Spanish (-15.4 per cent) and Italian (-21.5 per cent) markets declined.
With tyre labelling legislation less than 100 days away, EC1222.com has announced the launch of a tyre labelling database. EC1222.com is a subsidiary company of DriveRight, which already provides vehicle and component data to garages.
Size does matter, and this is precisely the reason why Prestons of Potto doesn’t regret a switch from 295/80 R 22.5 drive axle tyres to 315/80 R 22.5 fitments on its new tractor units. The different size tyres – all Michelin XDN2 Grip – were specified on 20 new Scania R480 6×2 tractor units that entered service with the Northallerton-based company in February and March 2010. After more than two years on the road, Prestons reported that the highest-mileage tractor unit had clocked up 325,683 miles (524,137 kilometres) before its tyres needed replacing.
In addition to reporting its financial results for the quarter ending June 30, at JK Tyre & Industries’ annual general meeting the company shared its plans to acquire natural rubber plantations in Southeast Asia. Vice-chairman and managing director Raghupati Singhania told the broadsheet DNA at the 30 July meeting that the tyre maker has identified plantations of interest in Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam and is “now zeroing in on them.” The company intends to source 10 to 15 per cent of its natural rubber from these plantations.
Repsol Honda’s Casey Stoner claimed victory from behind as he rolled the dice on a softer rear tyre than his championship rivals at Laguna Seca. Approaching the race differently to his main championship rivals Yamaha Factory Racing’s Jorge Lorenzo and teammate Dani Pedrosa, Stoner trailed Lorenzo for most of the race, but having managed his tyres well he was able to exploit the extra rear grip on offer to pass Lorenzo down the main straight on the entry to turn one on lap twenty-two. While only six of the twenty-one riders on the grid selected the harder compound for the rear, the four riders between second and fifth all chose the medium compound Bridgestone tyre. Stoner remains in third position in the riders standings, though his fourth victory of the season means he narrows the gap to Lorenzo to thirty-two points and just nine to Pedrosa.
Across the EU, demand for new trucks (3.5 tonnes to 16 tonnes, excluding buses and coaches) was down 4.1 per cent in June, with 25,459 new registrations in the EU. However the UK bucked this general trend.
Michelin’s EBIT result of 1.3 billion euros beat market expectations by a huge 14 per cent, according to financial analysts. At the same time the company also announced a virtually unprecedented margin of 27 per cent in its Specialty Tyre division.
Pirelli’s financials means that the Italian tyre manufacturer outperformed market expectations of its second quarter EBIT performance by 5 per cent, according to financial analysts. The firm also maintained its full-year financial guidance, Morgan Stanley wrote in an investors note reflecting on the figures:
