Vipal Rubber starts production at Argentina tread rubber factory
Following US$20 million of investment, Vipal Rubber has started production at its new tread rubber and pre-cured tread factory in Argentina. Located in the Perez, province of Santa Fe, Argentina, the new factory will supply the Argentine and export markets.
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Farrall’s Group fleet goes 100 per cent Michelin
Farrall’s Group is moving its entire fleet of 65 trucks and 100 trailers onto a Michelin tyre policy. The decision follows a trial organised by local Michelin advocate dealer Quinton Tyres, which demonstrated the sustainability advantages of the Michelin product. The company used to run a mix of competitor brands but will now switch to Michelin.
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TRMG launches new website
In the USA, the Tread Rubber and Tire Repair Materials Manufacturers’ Group (TRMG) has launched a new website at www.retreadrepair.org The TRMG says that the new site is its first online platform featuring industry news and events, and links to educational materials including Industry Recommended Practices, designed to promote quality practices and processes in the tyre retread and tyre repair industry.
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10 year old tyre ban enters law
On 26 October 2020, The Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) (Amendment) Regulations 2020 statutory instrument was made. Three days later it was laid before Parliament. It comes into force on 1 February 2021. As a result, 10 year-old and older commercial vehicle tyres will be illegal in the UK from the 1 February 2021. And therefore, the Tyred campaign to ban old and dangerous tyres led by Frances Molloy has achieved a key goal.
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How to view the Tyre Industry Conference
Our virtual Tyre Industry Conference, in association with the National Tyre Distributors Association and supported by CAM, is available now. Click here to go to our conference page. The conference comprises four videos on Tyre Market Data, Tyre Standards, end of Life Tyres, and Tyre Recycling. If you would like to comment on any of the contents, use our social media pages and the hashtag #TIC2020, or email theeditor@tyrepress.com.
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Michelin debuts Recamic Line D tread
Truck tyre retreading is an integral part of Michelin’s sustainable mobility strategy and the company offers numerous solutions in Europe under its Michelin Remix, Laurent and Recamic brands. It has introduced a new long-haul transport tread for drive axle use, the Recamic Line D. Michelin says this addition to its Recamic pre-cure tread range offers up to 15 per cent higher mileage than the previous-generation product, the Recamic XDA2 Energy.
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Russian OTR tyre operation is Marubeni’s model for future expansion plans
Marubeni range of international tyre-related investment interests also includes projects in Russia. One example is the establishment of Marubeni Rubber RUS LLC (MRR) in February 2019. In this case the Marubeni Corporation chose to connect with Russia’s very active mining industry due based on the country’s rich natural resources.
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Vipal Machinery sales growing in the USA
Vipal Machinery is reporting growing sales in the USA, having sold five machines so far this year in the worlds largest tyre retreading market. According to the company, four major North American retreaders acquired the five pieces of machinery including Pete’s Road Services based in Corona, California.
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Hankook extending core competencies to drive future growth
Hankooks global launch of Laufenn brand commercial vehicle tyres, targeting the segment’s second tier, represents a substantial development for the company’s commercial vehicle tyre business. For the UK market in which Hankook is a leader in terms of sales, the initial nine Laufenn patterns cover more than 85 per cent of tyres in the market for goods and people transportation, as well as construction truck tyres. Most sizes also offer the three peak mountain snowflake (3PMSF) marking for use in winter conditions. The Laufenn range was due to be presented in the UK at the Commercial Vehicle Show, before the Birmingham NEC event was cancelled due to the pandemic. Tyres & Accessories took the opportunity of the launch to speak to Guy Heywood, Hankook’s European marketing and strategy director for its truck and bus business, and UK sales director Paul Emery about the addition of Laufenn to the manufacturer’s European commercial vehicle tyre portfolio, Hankook’s position as a leading player in the segment, and its response to the coronavirus crisis and the financial headwinds emanating from the pandemic.
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Retread achieves 500,000 miles in America
Marangoni Tread North America reports that an RDG 200 Ringtread Drive retread has been driven for over 500,000 miles. The RDG 200 Ringtread is a closed shoulder drive tread uses particular compounding technology for “extreme mileage”. The RDG 200’s original tread depth is 27/32nds (21.5 mm).
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Hankook producing Alphatread retreads in the DACH market
Hankooks story is undoubtedly one of extraordinary growth. The South Korean-based manufacturer inaugurated its car tyre plant in Hungary in 2007, which currently produces around 19 million tyres annually. In parallel, the company has succeeded in becoming an OE supplier to nearly all European premium manufacturers. The same applies to truck tyres, albeit to a lesser extent. Even if Hankook only postponed plans to expand its Hungarian factory to include truck tyre production until the end of last year due to economic uncertainties, market observers can see that the tyremaker holds double-digit truck tyre market shares in in many European. For Hankook, this isn’t the end of the success story, but rather the introduction to even more extensive growth. Moving forward, Hankook was respond more fully to the increasingly demanding needs of European truck tyre replacement market customers.
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Green restart: Retreaded tyres as a decarbonisation aide
Despite the fact that the UK was in the middle of lockdown, Michelin Tyre Plc’s ultra-modern retread manufacturing operation resumed production at the end of April. In fact, according to the company, there were only two reasons that the Campbell Road, Stoke-on-Trent site paused manufacturing at all: because the coronavirus-related closures coincided with a pre-planned maintenance stoppage; and because – again due to Covid-19 – there was trouble securing deliveries of the right raw materials from the continent prior to April (see Michelin Stoke up-and-running, looking forward to ‘steady market growth’ for Michelin UK factory manager Francois Levert’s view on how things have progressed after reopening). Therefore, Michelin UK’s retread manufacturing operation only actually endured a three-week factory shutdown. The neighbouring UK headquarters opened in mid-July and so now its truck tyre and retreading business is putting the focus on success in the new normal. This began with a communications drive that has seen the manufacturer promote the ecological benefits of retreads. Tyres & Accessories spoke with Michelin Plc managing director Chris Smith in order to find out more.
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Vipal sponsors Vaculug 70th anniversary celebration
Vipal Rubber sponsored the 70th anniversary celebrations of UK retreader Vaculug. Vipal also honoured Vaculug employees Liam Atkinson, Jason Hughes and Paul Farrington in recognition of their collaboration. Founded in 1950, Vaculug employs more than 140, making it one of the largest retreaders in Europe. The company manufactures hot and cold cure retreaded tyres for trucks and OTR.
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Marangoni introduces Ringtread Blackline ICE202 drive pattern
Marangoni has enlarged its range of pre-cure rings and treads for winter applications with a new product, the Ringtread Blackline ICE202. This 3PMSF drive tyre pattern was developed with long-haul use and “severe winter conditions” in mind, such as those encountered in Nordic countries. The ICE202 is already available in size 315/70R22.5, with 275/70R22.5 and 295/80R22.5 to follow soon.
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Nikki McCluney joins First Stop as marketing manager
First Stop Tyre & Car Services has appointed Nikki McCluney as its new marketing manager. Formerly HiQ’s marketing manager, McCluney brings with her over 25 years marketing experience across automotive, fast fit and retail brands having previously worked for Goodyear Dunlop, Maxxis Tyres and Halfords. Indeed, she played a key role at the HiQ rebrand while at Goodyear Dunlop in 2007 and launched the chain’s concept store while in the role.
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