Hankook Europa League sponsorship goes into extra time
Hankook has announced that its sponsorship contract with the UEFA Europa League will continue for another three years. The tyre manufacturer will be an official partner to the prestigious club competition until the end of the 2017/18 season, having started in 2012. Explaining the latest contract extension, Hankook stated that sport sponsorship activities are an integral part of the company’s marketing strategy in the region. It claims this strategy has contributed to 13 and 6 per cent increases in consumers’ awareness of and references to the brand respectively in the European market. Many of the tyre industry’s biggest brands have capitalised on the huge global popularity of the beautiful game.
Continue ReadingStart-up tyre fitter introduces CAM technology to drive online sales
Essex-based tyre fitment start-up Tyre-Smart has invested in CAM technology to optimise stock availability and web prices. The technologically savvy business aims to attract and maximise e-commerce sales opportunities while speeding up transactions in real time.
Continue ReadingGuinness World Records fuel economy title for A6 TDI ultra
Audi and the RAC have officially set a new Guinness World Records title by driving to 14 countries on a single tank of fuel. The unmodified Audi A6 TDI ultra chosen for the challenge comfortably exceeded its official 67mpg-plus potential by averaging a remarkable 75.9mpg and completing a total of 1158.9 miles without the need for a fuel-stop. Motoring journalist Andrew Frankel and racing driver Rebecca Jackson drove the A6 TDI ultra almost non-stop for nearly 28 hours from the Netherlands to Hungary, passing through Belgium, Luxembourg, France, Switzerland, Lichtenstein, Austria, Germany, Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Serbia – 14 countries in all.
Continue ReadingContinental fully acquires Alençon Pneus, integrating into BestDrive network
In May 2011, Continental acquired a 49.9 per cent in French tyre chain Alençon Pneus; the company has now exercised its option to purchase the remaining share, and has become the 100 per cent owner of Alençon Pneus.
Continue ReadingDandelion rubber research scientists awarded Joseph von Fraunhofer Prize
For a number of years, Continental’s Tire division has collaborated with the Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology (IME) in Münster, Germany and the University of Münster’s Institute for Plant Biology and Biotechnology (IBBP) to develop rubber from dandelions that is suitable for series tyre production. The scientists heading the ‘Rubin – Industrial Emergence of Natural Rubber from Dandelion’ project have now been awarded the Joseph von Fraunhofer Prize for their research into Russian dandelion and the development of prototype passenger car tyres that used dandelion-derived rubber. The award was presented yesterday in Wiesbaden, Germany, to IME’s Professor Dr Dirk Prüfer, IBBP’s Dr Christian Schulze Gronover and Continental’s Dr Carla Recker.
Continue ReadingNew Jaguar XE fitted with Dunlop tyres
Dunlop has that a number of its tyres are approved fitments on the new Jaguar XE. With the XE coming with range of tyre and wheel fitments depending on the trim selected, Dunlop is providing five fitments in total.
Continue ReadingUS ups Chinese tyre import tariffs
On Friday 12 June, the US Department of Commerce (Commerce) gave its final determinations in the antidumping duty (AD) and countervailing duty (CVD) investigations relating to the importation of Chinese produced passenger vehicle and light truck tyres. While many analysts and observers had expected the tariff percentages to be reduced – based on previous experience of similar cases – in fact they were increased. In some cases the combined anti-dumping and countervailing duties are north of 188 per cent. While this is at the top end of the range, and notwithstanding one or two exceptions, most tyre companies manufacturer in China or importing Chinese tyres into the US, will now have to pay significantly more than was first thought.
Continue ReadingZeiss acquiring majority interest in Steinbichler Optotechnik
The company behind the ‘Intact’ shearographic tyre testing equipment range will soon have a new majority owner. Steinbichler Optotechnik GmbH announced on 12 June that the Zeiss Industrial Metrology Business Group intends to take a majority interest in the company. The transaction is subject to approval from the relevant authorities and due to be finalised in mid-summer 2015. Steinbichler’s headquarters will remain in Neubeuern, Germany following the majority share acquisition, and Dr Marcus Steinbichler will head the new company as its managing director over the long term.
Continue ReadingLanxess claims “record time” certification for Lipetsk Rhein Chemie site
In mid-2013, Lanxess’ Rhein Chemie Additives business unit opened a new facility in the Lipetsk Industrial Park, around 300 miles southeast of Moscow. Although the plant has produced polymer-bound rubber additives for almost two years now, Lanxess states “it was clear” that “lasting commercial success” with tyre and rubber industry customers in Russia wouldn’t be feasible unless the facility achieved the appropriate ISO certification, and therefore it set about obtaining this at the start of last year.
Continue ReadingDelticom announces TyresNet launch
Online tyre retailer Delticom has begun rolling out the first in a series of new national websites that combine tyre sales, tips and information in the one location. Delticom’s name for the new information portal is TyresNet, and it says it aims to “open up the world of tyres and wheels” to motorists and tyre, rim and wheel suppliers. The first two sites to go live cater to the German (reifen.de) and Austrian (reifen.at) markets.
Continue ReadingTitan International gains shareholder green light for Delaware reincorporation
Shareholder approval for Titan International’s reincorporation in the US state of Delaware was given at the company’s annual meeting of stockholders on 4 June, clearing the way for the off-road tyre manufacturer to take advantage of the state’s more flexible tax laws. Stockholders also elected Anthony L. Soave to serve as a company director for a three-year term and voted to ratify Grant Thornton LLP as the company’s independent registered public accounting firm for 2015.
Continue ReadingRollout of Michelin’s global consumer tyre platform commences
In future, prospective tyre buyers will be able to gain information about Michelin consumer products via a global platform. The tyre maker has begun the platform’s rollout and gone live with it in the first market, the USA, at http://www.michelinman.com.
Continue ReadingNexen gains Smart Forfour and Renault Twingo OE
Nexen Tires Nblue Premium has been selected as original equipment for the Renault Twingo and the Smart Forfour compact cars. According to Nexen, its tyres will be standard equipment for the two cars, which were co-developed by Renault and Daimler AG.
Continue ReadingAudi A6 in fuel economy world record attempt
Mile-devouring fuel economy is likely to be a key consideration for most drivers of the 67mpg Audi A6 TDI ultra, but on this occasion it is nothing short of crucial, because a Guinness World Records title attempt depends on it.
Continue ReadingContiTech’s Phoenix Compounding Technology to exhibit at the DKT
ContiTech specialist compounder Phoenix Compounding Technology will exhibit its latest developments and showcasing its international locations at Booth 213, Hall 12 at the Deutsche Kautschuk-Tagung 2015 (DKT; German Rubber Conference) in Nuremberg from 29 June to 2 July, 2015. The focal point of its trade showcase is compounds in various delivery forms, which all meet the current requirements of the REACH regulation. More of ContiTechs technologies will be unveiled during the lecture programme.
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