Goodyear a Dakar winner
After two weeks and some 5,000 miles of battling in the most demanding terrain across the Arabian Desert, the Dakar Rally concluded with a second podium lockout by Kamaz-master. The all-conquering team took the top four positions with an intense battle between five-time winner Eduard Nikolaev and reigning Dakar champion Dmitry Sotnikov.
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Focus on Europe: Delticom sells North American business
On 14 January, Delticom AG signed a contract for the sale of its majority shareholding in Delticom North America Inc. with Tire Capital LLC. The Hannover, Germany-based online tyre company expects to receive between US$7.5 million and $8 million for its 75 per cent stake in the US subsidiary, the sales price being subject to customary market adjustment mechanisms. Delticom anticipates a finalisation of the contract in the second half of February.
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Yamaha MT-10 riding on Battlax Hypersport S22
Yamaha Motor has selected Bridgestone Battlax Hypersport S22 tyres for its flagship MT model, the 2022 Yamaha MT-10. The MT-10 wears the Hypersport S22 in size 20/70ZR17 M/C (58W) on the front and 190/55ZR17 M/C (75W) on the rear.
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Spring launch for ‘high mileage’ Continental UltraContact summer car tyre
Continental will launch its new summer car tyre for 14-20” applications in 100 sizes in spring 2022. The new UltraContact will address the latest trends in mobility with a new compound and tread designed to increase mileage potential, while delivering safe handling characteristics and low rolling resistance. The carcass of the tyre is designed to promote durability too. The Conti UltraContact is designed to offer increased sustainability in motoring and has been engineered to be suitable for fitment on electric vehicles. Conti sites global sales of EVs to hit 14 million annual sales by 2025. Estimates shared with Tyrepress by leading tyre business analyst Astutus Research suggest European demand for plug-in electric vehicle tyres could reach around 40 million tyres by 2025, with roughly half in the replacement market.
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WISAMO: Ship to test Michelin’s inflatable sail
If you weren’t aware that Michelin has developed a system of sails for larger boats and ships, then you’re not alone. But it has indeed, and presented an automated, telescopic, inflatable wing sail system that can be fitted on both merchant ships and pleasure craft at the 2021 Movin’On event. The Wing Sail Mobility (WISAMO) system will soon be installed on a ConRo vessel sailing between Spain and the UK.
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Autocentres continue to drive Halfords sales post National Tyres purchase
Halfords Group plc has reported strong group sales up 10.4 per cent like-for-like over two years driven by “an outstanding Autocentres performance through the third quarter 2021 MOT peak.” Indeed, ‘Motoring services’ now account for 70 per cent of sales due to the combination of Autocentres growth and the recent National Tyres purchase. Not only do these movements reflect Halfords’ efforts to lead the tyre retail/motoring services market, but represent steps towards the creation of motoring retail “fusion towns.
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Cooper introduces Evolution Van All Season
Cooper Tire Europe has launched a new product for van drivers. Called the Cooper Evolution Van All Season, the tyre is approved for year-round usage in countries with seasonal tyre regulations and bears the 3PMSF snowflake within a three-peaked mountain logo on the sidewall as evidence of this.
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Tyre shortage slowing North Korea down
According to US government-funded news service Radio Free Asia (RFA), North Korea is facing a shortage of tyres that is forcing many vehicles off the road. RFA explains that the tyre shortage results from the two-year-long border closure and trade ban with China imposed to stop the spread of COVID-19. It adds comments from sources who say domestic tyre production is “negligible” and importing these products has been “almost impossible.”
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Michelin preparing to drive on the Moon
One giant leap for Michelin. The French tyre maker has taken on the challenge to develop an airless tyre to equip the future Lunar Terrain Vehicle (LTV). It is working on this project in conjunction with the team formed by Northrop Grumman within the framework of a tender from NASA last November. The aim for the Michelin R&D teams is to make a tyre capable of resisting the extreme conditions at the lunar pole in order to explore the lunar surface and allow a sustainable presence on the Moon in 2025, and ultimately on Mars.
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Tyre particulate study heaps praise on Michelin
Comparative tests typically evaluate the way tyres perform day-to-day, and the wider environmental impact of tyre use doesn’t get much of a look-in. German motoring association ADAC is rectifying this by examining tyres’ contribution to the problem of microplastic emissions. It looked at almost 100 products in total.
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Kwik-Fit owner ETEL set for FY22 break-even after FY21 loss
Itochu’s European Tyre Enterprises Ltd (ETEL) business, which owns Kwik-Fit, Stapleton’s and now Murfitts Industries, posted a loss of 3.6 billion yen (£22.97 million; 27.54 million euros; US$31.55 million) for the financial year ended 31 March 2021. According to Itochu’s annual report, which was published on 17 December 2021, ETEL will return to break-even in full-year 2022 results.
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Repairify and Launch sign global supply/patent agreement
Repairify, Inc., part of Kinderhook Industries, LLC’s portfolio, has signed a global agreement with Launch Tech Co Ltd. The agreement licenses Repairify patents to Launch while also establishing Repairify as its preferred service provider.
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Continental reorganises Public Affairs Department
Continental is consolidating its public affairs and external affairs activities under its Group Public Affairs department. Dr Thorsten Burger (43), previously head of external affairs, has become the new department’s head, also overseeing Conti’s Berlin political office.
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Itochu: Murfitts Industries acquisition about sustainability and vertical integration
When Kwik-Fit and Stapleton’s owner ETEL announced the recent acquisition of UK tyre recycling specialist Murfitts Industries on 20 December 2021, ETEL’s owner – the Japanese Itochu Group – also shared details of its rationale for the takeover.
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Itochu bids $1.7 billion for Hitachi Construction Machinery stake
Hitachi is selling around half its 51 per cent shareholding in Hitachi Construction Machinery Co Ltd for 200 billion yen (£1.271 billion; 1,524 billion euros; US$1.7 billion) to Kwik-Fit’s owner Itochu and investment fund Japan Industrial Partners, according to reports published by Nikkei on 13 January 2022. Itochu confirmed that it is “considering this matter”, but declined to give further details later the same day in a statement that read:
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