Continental test driver Mikaela Ahlin-Kottulinsky joins Extreme E
In mid-March Jenson Button’s JBXE Extreme E team announced who will be racing electric SUVs alongside the former Formula 1 world champion. He will be sharing the cockpit of his Odyssey 21 with Mikaela Ahlin-Kottulinsky. In recent years, the Swedish driver has successfully competed in the Scirocco R-Cup Germany and in the rallycross discipline. In 2015, she took part in the newly established Audi Sport TT Cup. She also started in the junior classification of the ADAC GT Masters in 2016 and in the Audi Sport Racing Academy in 2017, before switching to the Scandinavian Touring Car Championship in 2018, where she made history as the first and only woman ever to win races in that series.
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Green light for Dutch tyre wholesale giant’s acquisition of PBG
The Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) has approved Global Automotive Investments Holding BV’s acquisition of PBG BV (Pon Tyre Group). The ACM reached its decision on 10 March after determining that the wholesale tyre market will remain sufficiently competitive following the takeover.
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Pirelli intends to make Covid-19 vaccinations available to employees
Well-known Italy-based tyre manufacturer Pirelli has indicated its willingness to “make Covid-19 vaccinations available to employees”. Writing in a statement published on 17 March 2021, Pirelli representatives said the move specifically relates to “taking part in the Confindustria initiative” and that the company wants to do this “through its own structures and in accordance with the national plan.”
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Apollo targets India’s CSUV market with Apterra Cross
Apollo Tyres has launched a new tyre range to satisfy demand in India’s fast-growing compact SUV market. The tyre maker says it has introduced the Apollo Apterra Cross following two years of development and testing, and will initially offer the range in five sizes for 16- and 17-inch rim diameters. While Apollo Tyres currently has no plans to bring the Apterra Cross to Europe, it intends to distribute the range in ASEAN and SAARC markets at a later date.
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Kal Tire nears full start-up of OTR tyre recycling facility in Chile
Kal Tire reports that a full start-up is imminent at its new off-the-road (OTR) tyre recycling facility in Antofagasta, Chile. One of two thermal conversion reactors has completed commissioning and is now undergoing full load tests to process 20,000 kg of tyres, the equivalent of five 63-inch tyres. Commissioning of the facility’s second reactor is nearly complete and full production in sight.
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Continental a Major Partner of Australian football
Continental Tyres has signed a significant sports sponsorship agreement in Australia, and for the 2021 season becomes a Major Partner of the Australian Football League (AFL). This deal with the pre-eminent Australian rules football association also sees Continental become exclusive naming rights partner of the AFL Trade Period and official sponsor of the AFL Runners, the messengers who exchange information between the coach and players on the field.
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Galgo extends its range of 3PMSF-certified winter treads
Retreading material supplier Galgo has confirmed that its DGR (Drive Galgo Regional) tread design is now part of the GALGOMR 3PMSF (Three Peak Mountain Snow Flake) accredited product line. As a result, Galgo offers a total of 21 certified 3PMSF treads to its customers as part of the GALGOMR range.
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New Serbia plant key to more profitability – Toyo
Toyo Tire Corporation’s 2021 to 2025 ‘Mid-term 21 plan’ indicates the brand’s intentions for its new Serbian plant, due to commence production in April 2022. The Japanese brand says the facility will not merely offer “local production for local consumption.” It says the plant will play a major role in further international expansion, becoming by far its most cost-effective.
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Master’s thesis rates circular economy methods for recycling end-of-life tyres
In addition to the flurry of research relating to tyre pyrolysis published at the end of 2020 and the start of this year, in February it emerged that another related study has been released. In his master’s thesis for Tampere University, Mikko Sirén explored the best technologies for turning scrap tyres into secondary raw material and value-added products. The research project started in May 2020 as an initiative of Black Donuts, the turn-key tyre industry consultants, who desired up-to-date research of the recycling of discarded tyres as part of their circular economy initiatives.
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Saterex celebrates 1 million Iris tyres on Algeria’s roads
During February 2021, tyre manufacturer Saterex has been celebrating its latest production milestone. Since the second month of the year 1 million of its Iris brand tyres have been driving on the roads of its home market Algeria.
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Jab for cash: Bridgestone Americas offers employees $100 for vaccination
Bridgestone Americas is providing a one-time, US$100 payment to all of its more than 33,000 employees in the USA who choose to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. The company is also exploring options to deploy a comparable programme to employees in Canada and Latin America as the vaccine becomes more widely available. Bridgestone is among the first major employers in its industry to initiate a financial payment to employees who decide to be vaccinated.
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Fentec merges with ToP Tunniste
ToP Tunniste, which supplies RFID solutions to businesses including the tyre industry, has merged with Fentec Partners Ltd. The merger, which was completed on 31 December 2020 means the company is now known as Fentec Ltd, effective 1 January 2021.
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Brand Finance: Michelin most valuable and strongest tyre brand
Following last month’s preview of the 2021 report, Brand Finance has released its full Tyres 10 ranking. According to the 2021 table, the tyre sector has taken a hit over the last year, with all 10 brands losing brand value. Brand Finance unsurprisingly puts this decline down to the pandemic-related behavioural changes: “Owing to the lack of travel due to lockdowns, car sales are declining, which means tyre brands are selling less units, resulting in a drop in market equity across the industry. Furthermore, since the economy has been riskier in general over the past year, investor risk has increased, triggering a rise in the cost of capital.”
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Test World becomes first centre in Europe to offer ASTM 1805 winter tyre testing
This year the well-known Finland-based tyre testing centre Test World turns 30. What better way to celebrate than to redouble its efforts to become a comprehensive test centre for summer, winter and all-season tyres? Following the acquisition of Test World’s parent company Millbrook by UTAC CERAM, which was completed at the start of February 2021, key developments towards this goal include: the purchase of the world’s first all-electric winter tyre traction testing light truck and the addition of a new soon-to-be opened proving ground in Morocco. Tyres & Accessories me up Jukka Antila, Technical Director at Test World as well as Millbrook business development manager Andrew Kern in order to find out more.
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Pirelli announces US tyre price increases
Pirelli Tire North America (PTNA) has announced car and light truck tyre price increases in the United States. The price increases, which range up to 7 per cent, are set to take effect as of 15 April 2021.
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