September 2014 saw 425,861 new cars registered, and those still on the road are expected to need a first MOT in September 2017, resulting in a significant business opportunity for garages that have skilled staff and the right facilities at hand. With this in mind, Bosch is encouraging independent garages to ensure their technicians have the right MOT skills and qualification before the busiest testing period of the year.
Bridgestone showcased its range of premium services, including its new M-Series commercial tyre line-up, to representatives of “hundreds of businesses” at the CV Show 2017. It adds that it concluded “a prestigious fleet agreement” with dairy firm Arla during the event.
The Sameer Africa tyre plant in Nairobi, Kenya is being dismantled, with equipment being relocated to India, according to local news reports. This follows the cessation of production back in September 2016 following an announcement last June that that plant would close due to high competition from cheap imported tyres. The company did not specify if the equipment was being sold or used to establish manufacturing in India.
Yokohama Rubber Co. Ltd. executives have confirmed that the firm’s chairman recently visited Belshina. According to the company, the visit followed earlier meetings with Belarussian managers in Japan. However, Yokohama executives stopped short of confirming joint venture reports and instead issued the following carefully worded statement:
Cooper Tire Europe is partnering with tyre distributor and retailer Arabian Tires to expand the brand’s presence in the Middle East. Cooper currently offers a broad range of 4×4 tyres in Saudi Arabia.
Michelin launched its new generation of truck tyres at the 2017 Commercial Vehicle Show in the UK and Ireland, stating that the new fitments deliver 15-20 per cent more mileage than the current Michelin X MultiWay 3D series, at no extra cost. The new X Multi tyre line-up has been designed to supply users with the lowest cost per kilometre and high levels of grip in all weather conditions throughout the life of the tread. Michelin has made the new tyres available immediately in four key fitments: 315/70R22.5 multi-position and drive tyres and 385/55R22.5 steer and trailer tyres. The range will be expanded with the launch of 295/60R22.5 and 315/60R22.5 X Multi D in September 2017 and then the 315/70R22.5 X Multi D Remix early in 2018.
The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders’ (SMMT) Open Forum returns to Automechanika Birmingham on 6 June, bringing together automotive supply chain companies and other stakeholders to highlight the cutting-edge technologies and trends that will influence the next generation of vehicles.
The Nürburgring 24h Race saw Dunlop continue its good form in endurance racing, securing its 18th victory after a close battle between Land Motorsport Audi and WRT Audi. Aston Martin, with whom Dunlop has recently enjoyed a productive endurance partnership, took the SP8 class win with its Vantage GT8.
Linglong recently came out as the leading Chinese brand in a respected tyre test. The recent 2017 Test World summer tyre test, which was conducted by the Finnish Test World team in France, tested 17 tyre products against each other. Linglong Tire won a total score of 8.3 points in the test, ranking in first place among the five Chinese brands involved.
Falken Motorsport achieved eighth place overall at the 45th ADAC Zurich Nürburgring 24h race with its new BMW M6 GT3. The Sumitomo global brand’s motorsport division makes the race one of the flagship events in its promotional calendar, and added a second car to its team for the 2017 edition. Falken’s newest addition, competing at the endurance race for the first time in the company’s colours, was the third-best BMW home after a collision on Saturday evening led to the retirement of its Porsche 911 GT3 after completing just 26 laps.
Hankook supplied the tyres for the TCR and GT4 classes, including the new BMW M4 GT4, which made its official race debut in the Nürburgring 24 Hour race. 21 cars out of the 160 starters ran on with its Ventus Race range; the manufacturer supplied a total of 1,500 tyres for the Eifel region event. Hankook states that the slick tyre provided a consistently high level of grip both in daytime track temperatures of up to 47 degrees and on a cooler track during the night. The manufacturer added that the tyres’ high level of consistency allowed drivers to clock fast lap times at the end of their stints.
Remus has launched a new performance exhaust system for the new Mk7 Golf GTI Clubsport. The system is designed to improve performance and sound, with a Racing downpipe with sports cat to be fitted in conjunction with the Remus front silencer. The exhaust also features a resonated stainless steel cat-back centre section and a connection tube which enables the mounting of either the L/R sports exhaust or the non-resonated L/R Racing axle back system.
The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) has recognised Cooper Tire’s Tupelo and Clarksdale, Mississippi plants as members of its environmental stewardship enHance initiative. A voluntary programme consisting of three-year membership terms, the enHance initiative, which stands for “envision heightened awareness nurturing conservation and environmental excellence,” recognises committed environmental leaders in Mississippi that put in place environmental initiatives beyond those that are required.
ATS Euromaster has received the Gold Award from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) for the fourth year running. The award follows ATS Euromaster’s introduction of additional programmes to consolidate its industry health and safety record.
Effective June 12, 2017, speciality chemicals supplier Cabot said it will increase prices on all carbon black products in its reinforcement materials segment sold in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA).