SUVs the best-selling vehicle segment in Europe
We’ve heard that European new car registrations went up by 9.3 per cent in 2015 and we’ve heard that the UK delivered record figures. But what has been less widely reported is the fact that the strong European increase has been driven by what analysts have called “an SUV boom”. A boom that the British market played a key part in. For the first time in the history of European car sales, SUVs led the way, outselling the traditional subcompact and compact segments, posting an increase of 24 per cent at 3.2 million units. Their market share grew from 19.8 per cent in 2014 to 22.5 per cent in 2015, leaving the subcompacts in second position with 22 per cent share, and the compacts segment third with 20.6 per cent. These vehicles along with the mid-size saloons and sports cars were the only segments to gain market share in 2015.
Continue ReadingFalken Tyre launches European football advertising campaign
A new Falken Tyre television commercial campaign is being aired during Bundesliga football matches broadcast in Northern and Eastern Europe. The ads promote the Falken brand’s ‘Be On the Pulse of High Technology and Performance’ theme and range from seven to 20 seconds in length. They are screened by Eurosport before kick-off and a half-time during the German premier league games.
Continue ReadingNew Australian distributor, website for Nitto tyre brand
Jose Angeles, marketing manager for Nitto Tyres Australia, reports that the Nitto brand will now be sold exclusively in Australia through the 136-outlet Bob Jane T-Marts tyre retail chain. Announcing the new distribution deal, Angeles commented that “this national retail partnership, along with the new dedicated website, will dramatically expand Nittos presence in Australia and make our tyres much more accessible to an already extensive fan base.”
Continue ReadingGrowth in Norway – Rema Tip Top acquires local distributor
Rema Tip Top reports the acquisition of Norwegian distributor Flexpro AS. The conveyor systems and plant component specialist entered the Rema Tip Top fold on 1 January; the two companies have “agreed to preserve silence” on the acquisitions financial details.
Continue ReadingChelsea FC tyre on display at India’s largest motor show
Auto Expo 2016 will open to the public later this week. The exhibition, which takes place in Greater Noida, near New Delhi, is said to be Asia’s largest and the world’s second-largest motor show, and attracted more than 700,000 visitors last time round. Yokohama Rubber has confirmed its presence there as an exhibitor.
Continue ReadingUS investigating dumping of Chinese truck and bus tyres
The United States International Trade Commission has launched an investigation into dumping allegations related to Chinese-produced truck and bus tyres sold in the US market. The ITC released information on its action on 29 January; the decision to commence preliminary anti-dumping and countervailing duty investigations follows the lodging of a petition by the United Steelworkers union.
Continue ReadingOfficial opening for Trelleborg’s US tyre plant
On 27 January, Trelleborg held a ceremony to inaugurate its first agricultural radial tyre factory in the USA. The official opening followed the start of production at the facility late last year. Production at the US$50 million, 430,000 square foot (40,000 square metre) factory in Spartanburg, South Carolina will be gradually ramped up, with all manufacturing equipment expected to be installed by 2018. Trelleborg anticipates that the project will have created around 150 jobs by this time.
Continue ReadingWhat to do about the EU?
The morning we went to press we awoke to the news that David Cameron has almost negotiated an “emergency brake” deal. In other words, the British Prime Minister is working to control the number of migrants entering the country and the amount of benefits the state should have to pay them. Early indications suggest that Cameron will be able to pull the “emergency brake” for up to four years if the UK can prove Britains social and welfare system is under “excessive strain” from immigration. However, all this obscures the wider political debate that is going on within British politics and the conservative party itself. And it belies the fact that parties of all colours are positioning themselves politically ahead of the UK referendum on whether or not to remain a member of the European Union.
Continue ReadingFirst tyre runs off new ZC Rubber TBR production line in Thai factory
The first truck and bus radial tyre ran off ZC Rubber’s (also known as Hangzhou Zhongce) newly installed product line at its Thai factory – ZC Thailand – just before Christmas.
Continue ReadingZenises begins distribution Triangle truck tyres in Germany
Zenises CEO Harjeev Kandhari has confirmed that the company began distributing Triangle truck and bus tyres in Germany at the start of 2016. The company’s general manager for Central Europe, Stephan Nungess, has been tasked with developing Triangle’s presence in the German market. The goal is to establish Triangle in key distribution channels, with company representatives having already held training sessions with our customers and launched new brochures.
Continue ReadingEuropean Independent Automotive Data Publishers Association ADPA established
Representatives of major independent automotive data publishing companies have joined forces and founded a new European Industry Association in Brussels. Created on 21 January 2016, the European Independent Automotive Data Publishers Association, referred to as ADPA, has been formed to “ensure fair access to automotive data and information and to provide competitive framework conditions for independent data publishers”, according to its founders.
Continue ReadingGEAR 2030: ETRMA urges Europe to work towards achieving “true fairness” in markets
On 26 January, the European Commission announced the launch of GEAR 2030, a High Level Group that aims to address the challenges facing Europe’s automotive industry. The European Tyre & Rubber Manufacturers’ Association (ETRMA) states that it “welcomes” the Commission’s decision to set up GEAR 2030, adding that it “looks forward to contributing constructively to identifying those policy and legislative interventions that are needed to indeed boost the competitiveness and growth of the automotive industry.”
Continue ReadingZenises launches new website
Zenises has launched a new website “designed to accommodate the company’s expanding business activity and showcase its multi-brand tyre brand portfolio”. Zenises.com carries details of the firm’s Z and T brands and introduces the firm’s long-standing association with Westlake passenger and commercial tyres as well as more recent tyre brand additions such as Triangle truck tyres.
Continue ReadingContinental Malaysia first tyre maker to offer three-life ContiCasing warranty
Continental Malaysia has introduced “C3 – The ContiCasing Warranty”, which guarantees key Continental and General Tire branded truck products for three lives or up to six years. This means a new truck tyre can last up to 6 years when retreaded by Continental or one of its ContiLifeCycle partners. Should the new tyre require an […]
Continue ReadingLanxess to share latest rubber research at Tire Technology Expo
In addition to showcasing its latest tyre industry developments at next month’s Tire Technology Expo in Hannover, Germany, the Tire and Specialty Rubbers (TSR) business unit of specialty chemicals company Lanxess will deliver two presentations on research into potential ways to further optimise tyre rubber compound.
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