Legislation
US tyre cord makers could close due to steel tariffs
In mid-June US president Donald Trump announced plans to impose 25 per cent tariffs on US$50 billion worth of Chinese goods. However, the above round of tariffs was actually an additional wave that followed as part of the Trump administration’s ongoing trade war with China. Steel is at the centre of this dispute, with President Trump suggesting that China is dumping steel in America. But now US tyre cord makers could close due to steel tariffs.
Klarius: How will WLTP real-world emission tests affect the automotive aftermarket?
The automotive industry is now implementing a new ‘real-world’ emissions testing procedure for vehicles that will hopefully make quoted mpg figures a bit more accurate but could mean higher tax brackets for many cars. The push by manufacturers to produce vehicles that are more optimised for the new test will therefore likely see some trends in engine design change.
German government gets tough with Daimler and VW over emissions
The German government has ordered car maker Daimler to recall 238,000 vehicles in Germany after they were found to be fitted with illegal software that masks diesel emissions.
Trump puts 25% import tariff on Chinese aircraft tyres
US president Donald Trump has announced plans to impose 25 per cent tariffs on US$50 billion worth of Chinese goods, according to various leading news sources. The tariffs affecting over 800 products including aircraft tyres and are due to come into effect on 6 July. The White House said it would consult on tariffs on the other $16 billion of products with a view to applying these later.
ETRMA and other tyre manufacturing associations convene in Washington DC
Chief executives from regional tyre manufacturing associations including the European Tyre & Rubber Manufacturers’ Association (ETRMA), the Tire and Rubber Association of Canada (TRAC), the Japan Automobile Tyre Manufacturers Association, Inc. (JATMA), the Korean Tire Manufacturers Association (KOTMA), and the U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association (USTMA) convened a two-day meeting 5-6 June 2018 in Washington, DC. The goal was to discuss “issues of importance to the tyre manufacturing industry and the stakeholders it serves across the globe”. Major topics included industry commitments in sustainability and environmental stewardship, the comprehensive global regulatory landscape and a platform for increased dialogue.
‘Motorists who lease their vehicle could be falling foul of the law when driving overseas’ – LeasePlan
According to a recent Co-op survey, over 37 per cent of Brits who take their cars abroad worry about driving on the wrong side of the road and misunderstanding road signs has resulted in almost 860,000 avoidable road crashes.
Three MPs visit NFDA dealers
Three different MPs visited NFDA dealer members on Friday 25 May 2018 as the NFDA Parliamentary Engagement Programme continues to raise awareness of the retail side of the automotive industry.
TBR tariffs: Giti displays two commercial tyres ‘Made in Indonesia’ at The Tire Cologne
Giti Tire has given its first indication of the measures it is taking to shore up its European position in light of the EU tariffs introduced on commercial vehicle tyre produced in China. Presenting two of its most popular tyres, including the Giti GTR955 Combi Road, with “Made in Indonesia” highlighted on their sidewalls, the manufacturer is showing it is capable of shifting European truck tyre production to its Tangerang manufacturing complex in Jakarta, following a development completed in late 2016.
Prometeon: no transfer of Aeolus production to Prometeon factories
Following statements from Aeolus suggesting "Aeolus moves production to Egypt and/or Turkey", Prometeon Tyre Group has announced that the project to transfer the production of tyres in the production plants of Prometeon Tyre Group, “is still under initial assessment by the two groups, as it is part of the broader integration project of the two companies”.
Hankook: ‘We are not affected’ by truck tyre tariffs
South Korea-based tyre manufacturer Hankook, which is a leading player in the UK truck tyre market in terms of unit volumes, has stated that it is not affected by the recently introduced European anti-Chinese truck tyre import tariffs. Commenting as part of a statement on the company’s current and ongoing exhibition plans, Tony Lee, Hankook Tire Europe vice president for marketing and sales said:
Truck tyre tariffs to cause shortages
On 7 May the European Commission announced that it is implementing provisional anti-dumping duties of between 52.85 euros and 82.17 euros per tyre on new and retreaded tyres imported into Europe from China. It is a landmark move that is already having a huge impact on truck tyre markets across Europe. Tyres & Accessories spoke with TYM International managing director, Steve Eke and Triangle Tyre's general manager for Europe, Corrado Moglia (representative examples of affected importers and manufacturers respectively) in order to find out more.
MOT repair calculator ‘could save British drivers £1.8bn’
UK motorists could save an estimated £1.8bn thanks to the first ever MOT test repair cost calculator for drivers ahead of the new MOT changes, which come into effect on 20 May.
IAAF supports coalition’s call for EU Commission digitalisation opportunities action
The Independent Automotive Aftermarket Federation (IAAF) has lent its voice to a broad industry coalition, including automotive industry and mobility services operators, insurers, motorist consumers and SMEs, calling upon the EU Commission for fair and equal access to in-vehicle data and resources.
Sainsbury’s, Asda and truck tyre tariffs
At the end of April the UK’s second largest supermarket Sainsbury’s announced that it is merging with the Walmart-owned Asda supermarket. The goal? To push first-placed Tesco off the top-spot and to give the newly combined chain better access to different geographic areas and consumers. Strange as it may seem at first glance, this story can be read across to the tyre market in general and the truck tyre segment in particular (click here for complete coverage on developments associated with the recently initiated European anti-Chinese truck tyre import tariffs).
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