International News
Hankook Tire a Honda double award winner
Hankook Tire reports that two awards came its way at this year’s Honda Supplier Conference in the USA. The tyre maker was one of just four “double award” suppliers to receive Supplier of the Year awards for excellence in both Quality & Delivery as well as Value. In total, Honda honoured 85 North American OEM parts suppliers.
Sentury Tire: Plans for USA tyre plant on hold
It appears that Sentury Tire has paused its project to set up a tyre factory in the USA. Local newspaper the Valley Times News shares that work has been “placed on hold indefinitely.”
Autopromotec 2019 kickstarts
Autopromotec 2019 has opened with reports of a 4.4 per cent increase in the number of exhibitors. At the same time, total surface amounts to 162,000 square metres, 4,000 square metres larger than the last Autopromotec event in 2017. More than 1,650 companies are exhibiting and the share of non-Italian companies is 43 per cent, from 53 different countries.
Kenda partners Gruppo Sirio at Autopromotec
Kenda and its Italian partner Gruppo Sirio are cooperating to exhibit “the full breadth of [Kenda’s] product range” at this year’s Autopromotec. Key products on-show include the Kenetica 4S all-season tyre, the Kenetica ECO and the Emera A1.
BH Sens introducing universal truck TPMS in Bologna
With the launch of the IntelliSens UVS01HD, BH Sens now offers a universal tyre pressure monitoring sensor (TPMS) for commercial vehicles. Coverage includes other sensors manufacturer applications on all Mercedes Benz trucks and buses. The launch also coincides with the release of two new Truck TPMS diagnostic tools manufactured by Ateq (VT Truck) and Bartec (Tech700). All this is being presented at Autopromotec in Bologna (Italy).
Guangxi Linglong Tire starts earthmover tyre production
The first radial earthmover tyre made by Guangxi Linglong Tire rolled off the production line earlier today. For the wholly-owned subsidiary of Shandong Linglong Tire, the start of production represents an important milestone in Linglong’s RMB 4 billion (£454 million) investment programme. Through this investment, Linglong aims to manufacture 20 million high-performance car tyres, 2 million all-steel truck radials and 60,000 specialty tyres per annum.
Nokian Tyres: US factory launch team training in Europe
Following a month of orientation, Nokian Tyres has sent the first group of employees hired for its new factory in the USA on a six-week training experience at its facilities in Russia and Finland. The training trip’s aim is to equip members of the Dayton, Tennessee plant launch team with the skills they’ll need when beginning the production process ramp-up ahead of the start of commercial production in 2020.
Barcelona’s buses to roll on Hankook tyres
Hankook tyres will be fitted to more than 1,100 city buses in Barcelona under a new supply agreement with the city’s main public transit operator, Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona (TMB). Tyres will be supplied and fitted by Grupo Soledad, Hankook Tire’s distributor in Spain.
“Ladies first” for Vredestein at Mille Miglia 2019
Vredestein is the official tyre partner and main sponsor of the world-renowned Mille Miglia rally for the third year running. The tyre brand has five teams participating in this year’s Mille Miglia, two of which are exclusively female. Female participation in the historic 1000 Miglia (1927-1957) was only recorded in 16 out of 24 events but, apart from one crew in 1957, a male pilot or co-pilot was always included.
Hexpol growth driven by compounding and exports
Almost 10 years after Hexpol embarked on a prolonged growth-by-acquisition strategy, here Tyres & Accessories examines the company’s overall progress as well as the particular example of UK-based Hexpol Group member, retreading compound supply specialist Berwin Polymers.
2 Hexpol management changes during first quarter
During the first quarter of 2019, Hexpol announced a couple of senior management changes. Most recently, at the end of February, Karin Gunnarsson decided to leave her position as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and Investor Relations Manager at the Hexpol Group in pursuit of “new challenges”:
Kwik Fit Italy hits 51 branches
Kwik Fit has grown into the fourth largest branded tyre retail network in Italy just three years after the chain got underway in Italy. 51 centres now operate under the Kwik Fit brand across the country, with the network most recently adding a well-established operator in San Marino.
Triangle showing new ranges at Autopromotec 2019
Triangle is exhibiting products including a new winter UHP pattern, two tyres from the European truck range and one OTR product. Specifically, Triangle is giving its Snowlink PL02 UHP asymmetric winter pattern its European debut. According to the company, this tyre offers excellent handling performance and grip on wet and snowy roads. And what’s more, it is expected to help boost sales during the next winter period.
Wheelworld under new ownership
Wheelworld GmbH has a new owner. As of 15 May, Thomas Mögelin is the alloy rim specialist’s new managing director, having acquired the firm from founders Rolf and Sabine Bene.
Introducing tyre royalty…
Here in the UK and in Europe, Uniroyal belongs to the Continental tyre portfolio, but in North America it is a Michelin brand. And across the pond, Uniroyal Tires has gained a new brand mascot – Royal.