CGS Promotes New Semperit Brand
CGS Tyres has presented a new tyre brand for agricultural products at the Agritechnica, exhibition in Hanover. In effect the moves equates to the re-branding of its Uniroyal products under the Semperit moniker. According to CGS, the Semperit brand is characterised in particular by an excellent price/performance ratio.
Continue ReadingGoodyear Eagle F1 Wins Again
Goodyear’s ultra-high performance Eagle F1 GS-D3 has been awarded first place in a test of 11 top competitors conducted by the editors of Car & Driver. The F1 was praised for its strong wet performance and for have dry handling characteristics comparable with the best dry performers. Continental’s ContiSportContact 2 took second place earning compliments for its “very good” performance in the wet. Yokohama’s Advan Neova AD07 took third place and was praised for its grip: “If youre looking to cut the quickest lap times while using a street tyre, this is the one to have,” the magazine reported.
Continue ReadingKumho Launches New Ecsta AST, Road Venture MT Tyres
(Akron/Tire Review) At the SEMA Show in Las Vegas, Kumho Tire USA Inc introduced its new Ecsta AST high performance, all-season tyre as well as its new Road Venture MT, reportedly the widest and tallest light truck tyre the company has ever offered. The Ecsta AST tyre, designed for sports cars and tuned sedans, according to Kumho, features a directional tread design with dual-angle cross grooves and asymmetrical lateral grooves for cornering grip, hydroplaning resistance and wet traction.
Continue ReadingHankook Launches Numerous Tyres at SEMA
(Akron/Tire Review) Hankook Tire America Corp unveiled a host of innovative tyre products and its new model at the SEMA Show last week. Among the new tyres on display was the Dynapro MT RT03, the latest addition to Hankook’s off-road and light truck tyre line. The Dynapro MT RT03 features a V-shaped center block to firmly grip the road surface for added traction and better handling, as well as a side protection block that protects against the shock of foreign objects and pothole damage while improving traction in mud and soft terrain. The Dynapro MT RT03 will be available in sizes ranging from 15 to 22 inches.
Continue ReadingBridgestone To Build Tech Centre Alongside Wuxi Plant
Bridgestone Corp has announced that it plans to build a technical centre beside its existing tyre plant in Wuxi in Jiangsu Province. The US$14 million facility, Bridgestone (China) Research & Development Co, will be responsible for testing raw materials supplied to the companys Chinese tyre factories, according to a statement issued by the Japanese manufacturer. The centre is expected to go into operation next July with some 20 employees and will be Bridgestone’s fourth technical centre worldwide in addition to facilities in Tokyo, Rome and Akron in the US state of Ohio.
Continue ReadingCITExpo is Poised to Reshape the Tyre World
(Akron/Tire Review) China has been reshaping the tyre world in the recent years, with most of the world’s leading brands either launching or expanding their manufacturing bases and sales networks in China. But even there, the key players need a trade show to effectively meet the needs of distributors, suppliers and manufacturers. The third annual China International Tire Expo (CITExpo), to be held in Shanghai from 14-16 December aims to link the professionals from the worldwide tyre industry. According to the organisers of CITExpo, thousands of buyers from over 66 countries attended last year’s event, and hundreds more are expected this year. Exhibitors were satisfied with the results and found that it was much easier for them to close the trade leads and obtain buyer information at CITExpo, according to organisers.
Continue ReadingThe Boss – “A New Concept in Tyre Fitting”
Hofmann Megaplan has launched what it claims is “a totally new concept in tyre fitting and removal technology,” namely The Boss super automatic tyre station. The Boss revolutionises the way tyres are changed by mounting the tyre in a vertical position, enabling a better view of both beads, and eliminating the need for a tyre lever. Designed specifically for stiff, low profile tyres and run flat tyres, the machine is operated by a keypad control, making the whole process fully automated and non-contact.
Continue ReadingMAHA – Beware of Imitations
MAHA is well known as a manufacturer of high quality garage equipment for both the passenger car and truck market. According to Gus Gregory, managing director of MAHA UK Limited, some people are trying to cash in on the company’s good name and reputation, leading MAHA to warn that there have been companies over the years which have tried to copy MAHA products but have failed to meet their reliability or testing functions.
Continue ReadingPirelli Claims Majority of Fitments at SEMA Show
Pirelli is claiming that it has exhibited the most OE fitments at this year’s SEMA exhibtion. For example, one of the stars of the Ford exhibit was the Ford GTX1 roadster and to celebrate the introduction of this topless GT concept, both of the GTs on the stand were shod with 19-inch Pirelli P Zero Rossos. Also at the Ford display, 19-inch P Zero Neros could be found on the all new Fusion.
Continue ReadingGoodyear Goes Smoke Free
Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co is aiming to be a smoke free company, and this time the development has nothing to do with burning rubber. Instead Goodyear is the first major employer in the US state of Ohio to take part in an anti-smoking programme that provides free nicotine patches to employees who smoke and want to quit, the Akron Beacon Journal has reported. The programme is a joint effort with the Ohio Tobacco Use Prevention and Control Foundation, which is splitting the cost of the patches with Goodyear.
Continue ReadingSumitomo Rubber to Introduce Low-Oil Tyres
Sumitomo Rubber Industries has developed a tyre that uses less synthetic rubber than normal. Approximately 55 per cent of the material in a conventional tyre, including synthetic rubber and other polymers, is petroleum-derived. The new Sumitomo tyre drops this down to around 30 per cent. In addition to reducing the amount of synthetic rubber used, the manufacturer also plans to increase the share of genetically engineered natural rubber, which is made from the latex sap of the rubber tree, the Green Car Congress has reported.
Continue ReadingHi-Q Partners with Salford City Council
Hi-Q’s fleet operation has continued to forge links with local authorities by adding Salford City Council to those councils already involved with its North West based Local Authority Purchasing Partnership (LAPP). The contract will see Hi-Q provide all tyres and tyre servicing to the entire Salford City Council fleet, which comprises over 300 vehicles ranging from large tippers to grass mowers.
Continue ReadingSlovakian Bandag Dealer Relocates
ARS spol s.r.o. has opened a brand-new facility close to major highways in the Bratislava area. The inauguration was part of an Open House event held on 22 September 2005 and was attended by the management of Bandag Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA). The new premises combine a state-of-the-art Bandag retreading workshop, a huge service outlet for trucks and the company’s new offices. Customer benefits include faster, much-improved service and easier access.
Continue ReadingB-Quik – Tyre retail service Thai style
Here’s a question for you – which tyre retailer has 42 outlets in the capital and in November opened the 43rd on a Tesco hypermarket, making this the 10th centre on a Tesco forecourt? The answer is B-Quik, of Thailand and the capital city is, of course, Bangkok. For many people in Europe, the first they heard of the name was during the period when the Ford Motor Company was going through its “showroom to scrapyard” phase and it bought Kwik-Fit in Europe and B-Quik in Thailand.
Continue Reading3mm Radio Campaign
The NTDA reports that the official launch of the 3mm tread depth awareness campaign has been deemed a major success. The association is confident that the campaign has received widespread publicity throughout the UK, citing 75 minutes of radio airplay, which is said to have reached over 3.5 million listeners.
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