UK bus and coach market eases in Q2 2017
Registrations of new buses and coaches fell -15.3 per cent in the second quarter of 2017, according to figures released by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). A total of 2,105 units were registered in the period, with demand falling for the second time this year following five consecutive quarterly rises in registrations. This decline also follows a particularly strong Q2 2016, when the market grew by 26.9 per cent on the previous year.
Continue ReadingTechnotrac facility helps Hankook reduce costs, increase efficiency of winter testing
Hankook opened its Technotrac winter tyre testing facility in Ivalo, Finland early in 2017. With facilities ready for both commercial vehicle testing and future expansion, the facility will help the manufacturer push forward its winter and all-season ranges for the European and global markets. Tyres & Accessories spoke to vice president Klaus Krause, head of the Europe Technical Center about its European Technotrac winter testing facility and the segment in general.
Continue ReadingPirelli all-season fitments extend winter mobility, alongside UHP specialists
Acknowledging tyre growth in all-season tyres in the UK, Pirelli continues to recommend the use of winter tyres for its target performance car market, especially in extreme conditions. The manufacturer states that this position is reflected in its winter range, which includes both specialist and all-rounder products for the relevant segments.
Continue ReadingVredestein Quatrac 5 all-season tyre shows ‘lasting quality’
Having presented its first all-season tyre 20 years ago, the Vredestein brand has more experience than most manufacturer in supplying this segment. Its portfolio includes a comprehensive range of car as well as light commercial vehicles, and as a result of this experience, Apollo Vredestein states that its technologically-advanced solutions are particularly well suited to the UK climate.
Continue ReadingNew tread compound boosts Metzeler Racetec RR Slick ‘K2’ performance
An addition to the Metzeler portfolio last year, the Racetec RR Slick is available in soft K1 and medium hard K2 compounds. The grip, handling and ride precision offered by the K2 version, as well as its durability, has now been improved thanks to an entirely new tread compound that Metzeler has developed for this tyre. Ever since the second half of last year, the brand’s own test riders, as well as professional racers and ambitious amateurs, have been active on European race tracks in order to ascertain the best possible compound option.
Continue ReadingTruck registrations growing strongly
The latest SMMT registrations data shows that the new HGV (heavy goods vehicle) market in the UK saw strong growth in the second quarter of 2017, according to figures released today by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). 11,771 new trucks were registered – a 6.3 per cent rise on the same period last year as manufacturers delivered several large orders to fleets in quarter two.
Continue ReadingTRA: Irish tyre compliance scheme will ‘distort’ tyre recovery
According to the Tyre Recovery Association (TRA), the Republic of Ireland’s proposed tyre compliance scheme, which is due to come into effect on 1 October, will “seriously distort end of life tyre recovery and recycling efforts on the island of Ireland with knock-on-effects in the UK as a whole”.
Continue ReadingToyo sells chemical business to Nitta
Japanese rubber products manufacturer Nitta has is to acquire the chemical and chemical and industrial products businesses of Toyo Tire and Rubber for 3.7 billion yen. The purchase does not include the now infamous seismic isolation rubber business. Back in March Toyo Tire and Rubber said it was planning to sell its non-automotive operations and use the funds to strengthen its tyre business. Toyo Tire is expected to use the money from the sale to expand its tyre plant in Malaysia and invest in a US design centre set to open in 2018.
Continue ReadingKumho tyres OE on latest VW Polo
The original fitment of Kumho tyres on Volkswagen Polo models in Europe continues into the car’s sixth generation. The New Polo will be available from the Volkswagen plant in Pamplona, Spain fitted with the Kumho Ecowing ES01 KH27 as standard equipment. Kumho is supplying the KH27 to Volkswagen in size 185/65 R15 88H.
Continue ReadingWonderful Indonesia – Achilles signs co-branding MoU
The Achilles Radial tyre brand is one of 28 brands in Indonesia that recently agreed to promote the ‘Wonderful Indonesia’ tourism initiative. On 8 August, tyre maker PT Multistrada Arah Sarana Tbk and the companies behind the other brands signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Republic of Indonesia’s Ministry of Tourism.
Continue ReadingNew ATG website
An all-new Alliance Tire Group website has gone live. The www.atgtire.com site has a new look and functionalities, and the Yokohama Rubber-owned tyre maker states that it “provides visitors with a better and more interactive way to discover the full range of Alliance and Galaxy products.” Geo-specific homepages within the site cater to the different regions where Alliance Tire Group operates, and content and brochures are available in a total of eight languages – English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Dutch, Polish and Russian.
Continue ReadingCourt rules Hankook Tire partially responsible for worker’s cancer death
A South Korean court has ordered Hankook Tire to compensate the family of a former worker who died of lung cancer in 2015. According to an article published by The Korea Herald last Friday, the Seoul Central District Court ruled that the tyre maker was “partially responsible for the death of a factory worker surnamed Ahn who died of lung cancer caused by toxic chemicals.”
Continue ReadingTVS Srichakra names new CFO
According to a statement issued by TVS Srichakra, Mr K V Ganesh has been appointed the company’s new chief financial officer, effective 12 August 2017. Ganesh replaces K P Rangaraj, who left the tyre maker on 24 July.
Continue ReadingCooper Tire & Rubber issues 2016 Global Sustainability Report
In its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Sustainability report for 2016, titled ‘Responsibility the Cooper Way’, Cooper Tire & Rubber reports that its energy usage intensity has been reduced by 18 per cent since 2009, while the intensity of water used in its tyre production has decreased seven per cent. During the same period, Cooper’s landfill usage intensity has decreased nearly 30 per cent and its greenhouse gas emissions intensity are down 12 per cent.
Continue ReadingCooper Tire & Rubber issues 2016 Global Sustainability Report
In its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Sustainability report for 2016, titled ‘Responsibility the Cooper Way’, Cooper Tire & Rubber reports that its energy usage intensity has been reduced by 18 per cent since 2009, while the intensity of water used in its tyre production has decreased seven per cent. During the same period, Cooper’s landfill usage intensity has decreased nearly 30 per cent and its greenhouse gas emissions intensity are down 12 per cent.
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