Vintage Tyre Preview
Some people call them veteran tyres, on the continent they are called old-timer tyres, in the UK they are generally know by the more stately title of vintage tyres. Reminding the owners of by-gone days is all well and good, but what role do they play in industry today? Tyres & Accessories will take a look at the vintage tyre market, and some of the key players in this niche market.
Continue ReadingTyre Pressure Monitoring Systems on the Advance
When a concept, like Tyre Pressure Monitoring Systems (TPMS), is still relatively new, it means that developments are more clearly noticeable. Even in a few months it is possible to trace the concept’s development. There are two versions of this technology; direct and indirect measuring systems. As you would expect, both have advantages and disadvantages. Direct systems are substantially more expensive but more precise than indirect systems. Indirect systems are cheaper, but less accurate. These systems were originally based on the ABS infrastructure, but are now also based on ESP. Indirect systems cross-link with the vehicle’s electronics so they cannot be installed after manufacture. Conversely, direct systems are components of the wheel and therefore can be re-tooled relatively straightforwardly in the aftermarket. It is not yet clear which system will be accepted as the standard, something that is largely to do with American legislation. The American road safety authority, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), will have to decide which criteria will govern the regulation of these devices before they can become components in newly certified vehicles in the USA. In the past decisions had to be taken back because interest groups opposed them. Sometimes representatives of the other competing technology protested, sometimes consumer federations did, and on other occasions the automakers makers used their influence. Again and again new arguments arose, most of which contained at least a few good ideas. The consumer federations, for example, argued that drivers have a right to the best technical solution, which supports direct measurement. The manufacturers, on the other hand, referred to the fact that, in the US, ABS is still far from penetrating the market as well as the technology has in Europe (100 per cent of new vehicles produced in Europe are now fitted with ABS). If one side decides to support indirect measuring systems, ABS has to be introduced at the same time, which gives significantly more leverage to the safety argument. In short the decision remains up in the air.
Continue ReadingAmcast Finalises its Assets Sale
Amcast Industrial Corporation has completed the sale of its Aluminum Components business assets. The sale, which was made to Park-Ohio Holdings Corp, included the companys Wapakoneta Ohio, Richmond Indiana and Cedarburg Wisconsin plants. The manufacturer’s remaining businesses now include Aluminum Wheels, Squeeze-Cast Components and Lee Brass.
Continue ReadingA-Z Formen and Maschinenbau Divide Business
A-Z Formen and Maschinenbau GmbH Germany has sold its Rubber Extruder Division and the related IPR and know-how to VMI - AZ Extrusion GmbH Germany, a newly founded company which is part of the VMI Group. All staff have been transferred to the new company. VMI is a supplier of tyre manufacturing and rubber compound handling machinery. Plants operating in Europe, North America and East Asia will now produce the systems. Following the acquisition the VMI Group is now in a position to supply products, process know-how and service to rubber extrusion and retread customers worldwide. The new company’s production facility and headquarters will be based in Runding Germany, whilst its sales offices will remain in Munich and Akron USA at their existing addresses. Business contacts within both locations will remain the same, however Mr Florian Fischer, currently manager of the Machine Division of A-Z will now become the new general manager. Mr Auke Dalstra, currently VP and CFO of the VMI Group will assist him. A-Z Formen and Maschinenbau GmbH, has been supplying molds and mold closing systems for the tyre industry, special machinery for tyre mold production and components for the aerospace and other industries for over 40 years and will now fully concentrate on this sector of its business.
Continue ReadingUK Car Manufacturing and European Car Registrations Fall
In July UK car production dipped 3.8 per cent or 5500 units, but remains 1.1 per cent up over the course of the year, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). At the same time new car registrations fell 4.6 per cent. Meanwhile diesel registrations equalled their highest ever-level occupying 32.5 per cent of the total market.
Continue ReadingGerman Cars are Least Reliable Says Study
German cars are among the least reliable and some luxury vehicles are particularly bad, says a survey conducted by The Consumers’ Association.
Continue ReadingBatteries for All Applications
The Delphi Corporation is one of the worlds leading technology companies, with substantial business in the automotive and transportation industries as well as other high-technology sectors, such as telecommunications and computers. Its world headquarters are at Troy, Michigan and the corporation has regional headquarters in Paris, Tokyo and Sao Paulo. The global workforce numbers 188,000 and Delphi operates 53 customer service centres and 32 technical centres, has 167 manufacturing facilities and 42 joint ventures. Sales in 2002 were $27.4 billion (£14.8 billion) By any standards, Delphi is a big company, so it is not surprising that its involvement in the battery business is on a large scale, with manufacturing carried out at eleven factories worldwide and a product range that covers 98 per cent of the vehicle parc. Delphi is active in both the aftermarket and in original equipment sales, where it supplies many leading manufacturers in Europe, the USA and Japan – a recent success was the winning of a contract to supply batteries worth $22 million for the Renault Megane II, Scenic II and Clio. In Europe, battery production is at a factory in Sarreguemines, France. The plant was built in 1980 and covers 35,000 square metres on 18 hectares of land. It is certified QS 9000 and VDA (quality), OHSAS 18001 (safety) and ISO 14001 and EMAS II (environment) and production this year will top 5.4 million batteries. Worldwide, Delphi produces more than 30 million batteries.
Continue ReadingThree More Years for the Turnaround
In a recent interview Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co’s CEO Robert Keegan has told Germanys daily Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung that the company needs three years to get its US tyre business back on track to healthier profits. Mr Keegan is reported to have said that Goodyears European business was making better progress. The company hasn’t posted a consolidated net profit since 2000, however it managed to record profits in the second quarter from North America and other regions.
Continue ReadingA look behind Gajah Tunggal’s scenes
The Indonesian company Gajah Tunggal is one of the biggest tyre manufacturers in south-east Asia producing its leading brand GT Radial for demanding markets like Europe. At the moment Gajah Tunggal is expanding its product ranges in order to offer up-to-date tyres for an increasing number of customers around the world. With a tour of the factory Tyres & Accessories was given the opportunity to get an idea of how tyres are produced on Gajah Tunggal’s all-in-one site in Tangerang near Jakarta where the company is also developing and producing tyres for the domestic and regional markets.
Continue ReadingOver 900 Tyre Tests Available Online
The Internet’s largest compilation of Tyres Tests is now available online. The tests, which cover more than 940 tyres from across the UK and Europe have been collated and published on the Tyres & Accessories for the first time. Each entry contains a brief profile, review and a reference to the original source. In order to navigate this huge database, products can be searched in terms of brand, model, year, width, height, diameter or speed index. The test database is regularly kept up-to-date and will include the results of the new winter tyre tests when they come out in early October. To visit the tyre test database click here or look out for the ‘tyre tests online’ animation.
Continue ReadingSept preview Marangoni
Alpharing is Marangoni Tread’s latest innovation. With the use of the new fully automated moulding technology, raw rubber is extruded directly into the core of its ringtread moulds. The concept of retread production technology has undoubtedly been revolutionised by the company. As it makes the move to push sales of the Ringtread range so that it accounts for 70 per cent of its total sales levels, Tyres & Accessories explores what’s behind the new technology and determines what the product can offer to the market.
Continue ReadingToyo Speed into Rockingham
When Toyo decided to introduce two new tyres to the UK market, the company did it in style. The Proxes T1-R and R888 made their debut at Europe’s fastest racetrack, Rockingham Motorspeedway, highlighting the new lines’ ultra-high performance calibre. Dealers and press representatives from all over the UK spent two days at the 200mph circuit test driving the new tyres in BMW 330 coupes and Mini Cooper S cars. It is clear that Toyo is proud of its new products what’s more the tyre manufacturer is confident about the new tyres’ performance. The T1-R’s predecessor, the T1-S, received excellent reviews in the European media and the new tyre is expected to receive similarly good results when it is tested independently. Perhaps that is why Toyo representatives were so keen for their tyres to be put to the test at the Rockingham circuit. Toyo has really focused on the handling and wet performance of the T1-R, as it did with its predecessor. In addition Toyo have aimed to reduce the noise level of the T1-S. In order to achieve these goals, Toyo embarked on a completely new construction that utilised a more rigid carcass, based on either rayon or polyester, depending on the size. This modification is responsible for the impressive traction observed by drivers at Rockingham. Handling was improved by using flexible belts within the carcass and a one-piece nylon band in the tread shoulder is responsible for positively influencing the uniformity and high-speed performance of the tyre. The improved handling that made an impact on the slalom course has come by virtue of a stiffer bead construction. All the tyres in the range will include a rim guard to protect against curb damage.
Continue ReadingAnnual Meeting of “Auto-Kompleks”
Within a couple of weeks of the fall of the Berlin Wall, the Polish government abandoned its centrally planned economy and replaced it with a liberalised system based on free market thinking. Today, 14 years after those first steps towards a western economic system, Poland and most of its business sectors are dominated by change. This progression is true of the tyre business too. In early June, the members of the new Polish tyre retail association, Auto-Kompleks, met in Bogumilow in order to discuss its plans for the future and to correct the mistakes of the past. Since its foundation in 1999, the 40 or so members of Auto-Kompleks have met once a year in south-west Poland. After five years in existence, the association is still searching for a fundamental direction. Although Auto-Kompleks calls itself an “association” it is not entirely clear whether the title means the same as it would in the UK. For example, one legacy from the organisation’s foundation period is that two members from the same town are prohibited from joining. This kind of territory protection, which is usually bestowed upon retailers or wholesalers by the industry, suggests that Auto-Kompleks was initially formed in order to act as a retail co-operative that could strengthen the individual members’ buying power. Indeed the initiator and founder of Auto-Kompleks, Kazimierz Mazurkiewicz, who was elected as the group’s president in June, told Tyres & Accessories that the foundation was formed as a reaction against the attempts of Polish wholesalers to sell directly to the end-consumer. Auto-Kompleks was perceived to be the smaller and less powerful retailers’ best defence against the price dictating power of the tyre industry. Although the organisation was originally conceived to represent the interests of independent tyre dealers in Poland Mr Mazurkiewicz has to admit that Auto-Kompleks’ efforts have only been halfway successful. We are learning through experience, the new vice president Ryszard Maguder added. Although still “in discussion”, explains the tyre dealer from Kruszyn; a change of Auto-Kompleks’ admission policy is just a matter of time.
Continue ReadingVan den Ban Rejuvenates Flamingo
Van den Ban has upgraded the summer tyres from its Flamingo programme by replacing the 2000 Sport and 2001 Performance patterns with three new alternatives, CD1000, CD2000 and CD3000. The company has made a further move towards establishing greater manufacturing links with Europe, as once again a European manufacturer has produced the new tread designs. Van Den Ban explains that its latest move in adopting a new manufacturing supplier has been “established to create the initial foundation for further improved, high quality tyres offering impressive technological benefits.” Together its VDB 2010 pattern, which is produced in Japan, and the now complete Flamingo range represent what the company describes as “a popular stable of modern tyres which offers something for all sectors of the market.” VDB can now offer a range that caters for severe winter conditions right through to the highly competitive high performance sector.
Continue ReadingPirelli’s Ultra High Performer
It was no coincidence that Pirelli selected the world’s southern most urban extremity, Ushuaia, Argentina, to launch its new Winter Sottozero tyre. The latest addition in its Planet Zero range, the company claims that the tyre is its “most extreme ultra high performer to hit the market.” The tyre manufacturer considers itself to be a “global leader in ultra-low UHP tyres.” And so, the launch of its new tyre, to satisfy the increasing demand for high performance driving in winter conditions, was hardly unexpected. The tyre is being marketed as “the first real dual-season winter tyre.” Its significance comes from its ability to handle severe road conditions, the company boasts: “Sottozero does, in fact, represent a new concept: to ensure the maximum level of performance and safety in all the extreme situations that winter often imposes on the roads.” Sottozero is designed to serve from the end of October, until the beginning of April, whatever the conditions, whatever the car. This is a big statement by the Italian company, and suggests its confidence in the tyre’s future success. It even goes as far as to compare it to the most technically advanced summer tyres. However, its description as a ‘fall and winter’ tyre is somewhat contradicted by its name; as Sottozero, ‘below zero,’ brings the reference back to snow and ice. While it may have been popular in Germany this will certainly limit its appeal in markets such as the UK. The words on everybody’s lips this year are high performance winter tyres. Pirelli is no different, and claims to have experienced a 38 per cent increase each year, in the amount of HP tyres sold. It also maintains that, over the last five years, there has been a 12 per cent increase in demand for V rated tyres; whilst sales of H index tyres have levelled out, and only rose by 10 per cent in the same period. This shows an outstanding development in the market, when winter tyres were first launched they were only available in Q and S ratings. In light of this research, rim dimensions are a major concern of the new tyre. The company believes that this is high amongst consumers’ priorities because it means they no longer have to change down to smaller wheels in order to achieve maximum safety on ice and snow. Drivers can now utilise the same rims for good and bad weather motoring. To satisfy this demand, the new tyre range offers a portfolio of sizes that ranges from 15-19 inches, and includes the 19 inch directional-asymmetric pairing that is used as original equipment for the Lamborghini Gallardo. All sizes are available with speed ratings up to V. As well as pleasing the HP driver, the possibility to fit winter tyres to wider rims will also be welcomed by style connoisseurs, whose modern sports cars necessitate wide rims and tyres with lower shoulders. Pirelli claims 4.5 per cent of the $75 billion total world tyre market, and is predominantly based in Europe, where 45 per cent of its business is conducted. According to the company, the total European winter passenger car tyre market has risen 89 per cent in the last 10 years; from a 13.1 per cent share of the overall tyre market in 1993, to 24.7 per cent in 2003. This equates to sales levels of 18.5 million winter tyres in Europe in1993 to 45.7 million in 2003. The market segment (snow tyres) in which Pirelli’s new tyre will be launched, amounts to over 19 million tyres in Europe alone. With a market of this size there is little doubt that a demand for the product exists.
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