Federal Travels to Brazil Event
Federal Tire took its Federal and Hero brands to the recent Salao De Accessorios Brazil, a major tyre and automotive trade and consumer show in South America. Federal said it was the first time it had presented both brands at an industry trade show. Federal was at Salao De Accessorios Brazil to meet with potential customers throughout Latin America. Federal’s booth at the show featured a motorsports theme, and included displays of its Federal 595 RS sport racing tyre, 595 EVO street tyre, Hero Milanza HZ1 ultra-high performance tyre and Atlanta AR01 passenger tyre.
Continue ReadingMichelin Releases Le Mans ‘Key Figures’
The Le Mans 24 Hours endurance race begins tomorrow, and Michelin states it welcomes the opportunity to showcase the performance of its products and push out the envelope in terms of the technology it employs. The French manufacturer has released a number of ‘key figures’ associated with the race: 150 : The number of different ingredients that go into a Le Mans tyre. These include both natural and synthetic rubber, styrene brutadiene (for grip) and polybrutadiene (durability), as well as textile fibres (nylon, polyester), resins, sulphur, wax and oils.
Continue ReadingSealey’s Summer Promotion
The Sealey Summer promotion offers deals and discounts on over 580 products, running from May to the end of September. Sealey are slashing prices on a diverse range of products including their new range of Premier topchests and rollcabs. Other products include pressure/petrol washers, air conditioning units, fans and trolley jacks to name but a few and all are featured in the companys 56-page Summer Sizzler catalogue. Further details and copies of the catalogue are available from Sealey distributors or directly from Sealey.
Continue ReadingBridgestone ‘Most Popular Tyre CV Show’
More Bridgestone tyres were fitted to display vehicles at the CV Show than any other brand. According to a company press release, 628 Bridgestone tyres were on display, 41.2 per cent of the total tyres on display at this year’s show. Bridgestone’s brand new, state of the art stand at the CV Show this year was also reportedly its busiest to date with over 800 visits from new and existing fleet customers and dealer partners. The stand, promoting Bridgestone and Truckpoint, incorporated the McLaren F1 Car of Lewis Hamilton and Valentino Rossi’s MotoGP Fiat Yamaha motorcycle.
Continue ReadingMichelin Wins 2 TAFF Awards for the 2nd Year
For the second year running, Michelin has scooped two NTDA Tyre And Fast Fit (TAFF) awards in one night. Michelin Tyre Plc won both the Tyre Manufacturer of the Year and Industry Advertising Awards. The success follows a strong showing at the 2007 awards when the French manufacturer received the Product Innovation and Industry Advertising awards. The 2008 TAFF awards also saw a return to winning ways for BITS who won Wholesaler of the Year for a record eighth time, including comparable prizes from before the TAFF awards began three years ago. As the award citation stated, “the Michelin name is recognised across the world, as is its iconic emblem, Bibendum.” When it comes to the UK, the company - uniquely - has three manufacturing facilities and it is a measure of its commitment to the UK that investment in all three sites remains ongoing. The larger a company becomes, the greater is its social and environmental responsibility, and these are areas that Michelin takes very seriously. Another environmental first for Michelin is visible at its plant in Dundee, where giant wind turbines generate electricity to power the factory. On a global scale, the annual Challenge Bibendum encourages the development of sustainable mobility and environmental responsibility. Michelin has a proud history in the field of motor sports and this continued with a victory in the Le Mans 24 hours race. Competition is the driving force behind development, the company believes, which is why it did not put its name forward to be the sole tyre supplier for Formula 1. 2008 Industry Advertising Campaign of the year - Michelin This is the second year running that Michelin has picked up this award, despite some fierce competition. Bibendum - the Michelin Man - is over 100 years old and still going strong. The worldwide icon has once again been at the centre of Michelins European 2007 advertising campaign. Notably, Bibendum returned to the television screens after an absence of three years in an advert giving a longevity message that a Michelin tyre can last more than once around the world. New media were also targeted with online campaigns featuring on a range of sites including MSN, Yahoo, AOL, iVillage as well as trade sites such as Autotrader and Pistonheads. These banner and skyscraper ads carried the longevity message, plus a safety theme emphasising the importance of maintaining correct tyre pressure as well as fuel saving & environmental messages. Voted the leading tyre brand on the Internet by Envisional, online advertising is another area in which Michelin is the industry leader. Wholesaler of the Year – BITS To win Tyre Wholesaler of the Year once is commendable, but to win it eight times (including the similar preceding equivalents) is simply a fantastic achievement. Putting the company’s success down to “consistently great service, day in and day out,” BITS managing director Brian Duguid explained: “For over 70 years we have had a service-first policy which means we put great customer care at the centre of everything we do. Our customers clearly appreciate it and we’d like to thank them for voting for B.I.T.S once again.” This service-first approach may be a simple philosophy, but it’s also a hugely successful one. Since being formed in 1970, the family-owned company has grown into one of the largest independent tyre wholesalers in the country. Its distinctive flame-liveried vans are a regular feature on roads up and down the country, as the company completes its regular daily deliveries from its eight key regional centres, including the newest B.I.T.S centre based in Southampton. Commenting on the growth of the business, Brian Duguid said: “We’re a people business. We look after our staff, who in turn look after our customers. This allows us to offer a highly personalised service which our customers really value. We get to know our customers’ needs and our dedicated team is always on-hand to help.” Product innovation award This year’s Product Innovation gong was won by Goodyear for the company’s Eagle F1 Asymmetric tyre. Goodyear representatives will no-doubt be pleased with the tyre’s performance as the TAFF Award joins the list of silverware the new Eagle tyre has won. Soon after being launched the Eagle F1 Asymmetric was named the best tyre by Evo magazine and was lauded by the Autocar in both its front and rear wheel drive test categories. Goodyear is thrilled to win this TAFF award. Already, the Eagle F1 Asymmetric has dominated the Autocar and Evo tyre tests, and it is great to see that the trade agree with the media! ActiveCornerGrip Technology, which maximises the footprint distribution of the Eagle F1 Asymmetric, is the latest in a long line of award winning Goodyear innovations including RunOnFlat, BioTred and HydraGrip. The Goodyear Eagle F1 family has won more industry awards and tyre tests than any other tyre. We thank the NTDA members for their nomination and support. It is important that we work with our dealers to communicate to drivers that not all tyres are the same, and recognition from this award will certainly help, stated James Bailey, Corporate Communications Manager. Environment award The 2008 NTDA TAFF Environment Award was won by Kingpin Tyres. The award was collected on behalf of the company by John Campbell representing last year’s winner, Vellco. In response to the company’s success, Kingpin representatives told Tyres & Accessories that the company’s management and staff are “honoured to have received the NTDA’S TAFF Award for the Best Environmental Company 2008 and wish to thank all those who contributed to this award.” With over 35 years in business, Kingpin Tyres is certainly not ‘the new kid on the block’ when it comes to providing environmental and recycling services to the tyre industry. The business commenced operations in 1973 manufacturing passenger and commercial van retreads, whilst also providing the service of collecting used tyres from its customers. At the peak of tyre retreading in the UK, Kingpin supplied in excess of 20,000 retreads per week directly to the domestic market. Today Kingpin is the only remaining UK passenger tyre retreader, supplying a full range of passenger, commercial van, 4x4 and truck retreads nationally and one of the UK’s largest used tyre collection specialists. In addition to providing retreading services and used tyre collections, Kingpin recognised the need to process scrap tyres in-house at its site in Wem, Shropshire - closing in the recycling process chain. All scrap tyres are processed through the company’s tyre shredding and granulation plant, eliminating the need for further transportation and so improving the company’s carbon footprint. Materials produced on-site include aggregate replacement and rubber granulates for use in the equestrian and leisure industries. A major contributor to the collection and disposal of tyres in the UK, Kingpin collects and disposes of over 3 million tyres a year. Kingpin is accredited with a full waste management licence and waste carriers licence as well as being fully compliant in its duty of care to the environment. Tyre & Aftermarket Equipment Supplier of the Year And lastly, but by no means leastly, for the second consecutive year, the Tyre & Aftermarket Equipment Supplier of the Year award was presented to Apaseal. The 79th NTDA Annual Dinner and Tyre And Fast Fit (TAFF) were held concurrently at the Hilton Metropole, alongside the Commercial Vehicle Show in the NEC and featured after dinner entertainment from former world snooker champion, John Parrott. At the end of the evening the NTDA raised around 6000 pounds in a prize draw in aid of the automotive industry benevolent fund, BEN. Approximately 5300 pounds was raised by the initial draw, with a further 650 pounds being added to the total following an impromptu auction after winner Mary Scanlon generously returned her two track-day tickets to the prize fund.
Continue ReadingHandle All Seasons Well With Avon
Of course the biggest news to-date this year for the Avon brand in the area of performance tyres is the release of the all-new ZV5 in March (featured in T&A April 2008), but the excitement surrounding the planned replacement for the ZV3 should not overshadow the other performance products in the Avon line-up – manufacturer Cooper Tire & Rubber produces Avon performance products for all conditions. Avon ZV5 Designed to offer premium performance in a variety of conditions, the new Avon ZV5 was developed using advanced tyre technology at the company’s new UK technical centre. The tyre is available in a broad range of sizes to fit a wide range of vehicles, from small hatchbacks to large saloons, as well as MPVs and sports cars. Cooper reports that the ZV5 boasts significant improvements in handling, fuel efficiency and road noise, thanks to the use of the latest silica compounds and computer-aided design techniques.
Continue ReadingMarshal to Introduce New UHP Line
The anticipated new flagship ultra-high performance tyre for the Marshal range, the Matrac FX MU11, makes its UK debut this summer and this replacement for the KU17 looks set to lift the bar in both looks and performance. Design-wise, the Matrac FX has been developed with the delivery of high levels of wet weather performance and resistance to aquaplaning in mind. Two other characteristics that featured highly as priorities during development are resistance to uneven wear and low noise generation. Noise has been minimised by tuning the size of the tread blocks to improve uniformity, and the shoulder blocks are specially designed to resist uneven wear. New polymers have been used in the tread compound to increase wet handling and aquaplaning resistance. In terms of appearance, the Matrac FX’s sidewall design has been deliberately kept clean and simple and the lettering is readily legible thanks to the use of a noticeably bold font.
Continue ReadingMichelin Wins 2 TAFF Awards
For the second year running, Michelin has scooped two NTDA Tyre And Fast Fit (TAFF) awards in one night. Michelin Tyre Plc won both the Tyre Manufacturer of the Year and Industry Advertising Awards. The success follows a strong showing at the 2007 awards when the French-manufacturer received the Product Innovation and Industry Advertising awards. The 2008 TAFF awards also saw a return to winning ways for BITS who won Wholesaler of the Year for a record eighth time, including comparable prizes from before the TAFF awards began three years ago. TAFF Winners: Tyre Manufacturer of the Year and Industry Advertising Awards - Michelin Wholesaler of the Year - BITS Production Innovation Award - Goodyear (Eagle F1 Asymmetric) Environment Award – Kingpin Tyres Tyre & Aftermarket Equipment Supplier of the Year - Apaseal
Continue ReadingGolf GTI Pirelli Returns to the UK
It’s almost a year since we first reported the return of the Volkswagen Golf GTI Pirelli (see our previous stories here and here), yet these past months the hot hatch – the first to bear the Pirelli name in a quarter century – has been the exclusive domain of our friends on the continent. But all this is about to change with its upcoming UK release.
Continue ReadingNew Concepts From Rema Tip Top
At this years Reifen exhibition, the emphasis for Rema Tip Top Automotive will be on new service concepts. In addition, the companys complete range of products and services will be on show on the 900 m2 stand and highly qualified specialists will be present to explain and demonstrate these products and services. There are only a few exhibitors who offer comprehensive system solutions, covering the whole range from high-quality products, through services to training and expertise. As an example of the latter, Rema Tip Top will be demonstrating its new training truck in a further exhibition area near the main stand. The truck provides mobile training concepts with the emphasis placed on runflats and UHP tyres. It also provides companies with a cost-saving option for training on site. The training truck will be the venue of a daily tyre-changing contest, where Germanys best tyre fitter will be selected. The winners will be awarded attractive prizes, and will also be featured on Rema Tip Tops website after the show.
Continue ReadingNew Concepts From Rema Tip Top
At this years Reifen exhibition, the emphasis for Rema Tip Top Automotive will be on new service concepts. In addition, the companys complete range of products and services will be on show on the 900 m2 stand and highly qualified specialists will be present to explain and demonstrate these products and services. There are only a few exhibitors who offer comprehensive system solutions, covering the whole range from high-quality products, through services to training and expertise. As an example of the latter, Rema Tip Top will be demonstrating its new training truck in a further exhibition area near the main stand. The truck provides mobile training concepts with the emphasis placed on runflats and UHP tyres. It also provides companies with a cost-saving option for training on site. The training truck will be the venue of a daily tyre-changing contest, where Germanys best tyre fitter will be selected. The winners will be awarded attractive prizes, and will also be featured on Rema Tip Tops website after the show.
Continue ReadingPneu-Logic to Supply 2 million RFID Chips to Mesnac in China
Advanced ID, a leading supplier of RFID systems to the tyre industry, is to supply millions of RFID chips to Mesnac through its Pneu-Logic division. Mesnac, a leading Chinese tyre production equipment and software maker yesterday signed a memorandum of understanding to buy a minimum of 2 million chips. The agreement also includes a quantity of RFID readers. Tyres & Accessories understands that Qingdao-based Mesnac is already working through a stock of 100,000 chips bought for use in a “range of testing purposes.” No details of the financial terms have been disclosed. The deal is something of a coup for the Swadlincote, UK-based Pneu-Logic for two reasons: Firstly the scale of the deal ensures that there is a bright future for RFID use in tyre production, with signs that take-up could increase rapidly and substantially; and secondly because Mesnac is already applying the technology in both truck/bus tyres and passenger car products.
Continue ReadingAdvanced ID to Supply 2 million RFID Chips to Mesnac in China
Advanced ID, a leading supplier of RFID systems to the tyre industry, is to supply millions of RFID chips to Mesnac through its Pneu-Logic division. Mesnac, a leading Chinese tyre production equipment and software maker yesterday signed a memorandum of understanding to buy a minimum of 2 million chips. The agreement also includes a quantity of RFID readers. Tyres & Accessories understands that Qingdao-based Mesnac is already working through a stock of 100,000 chips bought for use in a “range of testing purposes.” No details of the financial terms have been disclosed. The deal is something of a coup for the Swadlincote, UK-based Pneu-Logic for two reasons: Firstly the scale of the deal ensures that there is a bright future for RFID use in tyre production, with signs that take-up could increase rapidly and substantially; and secondly because Mesnac is already applying the technology in both truck/bus tyres and passenger car products. Yuan Zhongxhue, the chairman of the board at Mesnac, explained that the concept at this stage is to tag the tyres throughout the production process, with a view to uploading tyre data to a central and even web-based system. The UHF RFID technology is intended to establish a new level of transparency in tyre production and throughout the whole tyre life, which is key improving perceptions of the reliability and traceability of Chinese-produced tyres. Asked how long he thinks it will take for RFID to filter throughout the 300 million tyre Chinese market, Mr Yuan told T&A: “The projection is it shouldn’t take too long to filter through. In the Chinese philosophy when [one] decides something, you just do it.” The first stage of what Mesnac hopes will soon be a nation-wide roll out already underway trials. The crucial next stage is a national standardisation programme. In a market as large and diverse as the Chinese tyre business, this could be seen as something of a challenge. However, Mr Yuan’s decision to go down the RFID route carries a fair bit of weight in the Chinese market. In addition to being chairman of the board at Mesnac, Yuan Zhongxue is also a director of the Shandong Province Technical Center of Rubber Industry and Qingdao Municipal Major Laboratory of Industrial Information Technology. Even more importantly, from a lobbying perspective, the Mesnac chairman has a close working relationship with China Rubber Industry Association (CRIA) president, Ju Hong Zhen. Speaking to T&A, Mr Ju explained that the CRIA is in the process of determining the relevant RFID requirements in China, adding that the industry’s interest in this area demonstrates the attention it is giving to improving the quality of and confidence in Chinese produced tyres. Chinese manufacturer to RFID-tag car tyres too In March Pneu-Logic sold a five-digit quantity of chips to an as-yet unnamed European tyre manufacturer for evaluation purposes for three-month long commercial vehicle tyre trials in Germany, Italy and the UK. It is understood that most of the leading manufacturers in Europe are in or approaching similar positions, but the logic here had previously been that RFID would be most useful for truck casing tracking in the retreading process. The Mesnac deal sees movement within the Chinese industry to include RFID tags virtually across the board, and specifically including passenger car products. In order to demonstrate this the Mesnac stand at the China International Rubber & Tyre Industry (Qingdao) Exhibition featured a car tyre and a 4x4 tyre with up to six RFID tags built in. Pneu-Logic managing director Laren Yeomans, explained that this was for demonstration purposes only and, when it comes to mass production, only one chip will be used in each tyre. Teamwork Qingdao Mesnac Co., Ltd, was established in 2000, but in this short time the company has developed key relationships with organisations both at home and internationally. At home Mesnac is involved with a postdoctoral research programme that sees the company join hands with CRIA and the Shandong Rubber Industry Association in the establishment of the Qingdao Rubber and Tire Engineering College. In addition, Mesnac has established a number of international cooperation agreements in order to keep up with worldwide technological advances. According to company literature, the Chinese manufacturing systems supplier has cooperated with Matador Machinery and Konstrukta in Slovakia and US-based Farrel in relation to the development of informatization equipment and technology of radial tyres. Furthermore the Mesnac brochure reports that it has strategic partnerships with world-renowned suppliers such as Siemens, Rockwell and Mitsubishi on the subject of industrial automation production. Mesnac’s relationships with Slovakian companies Matador and Konstrukta are well established and have been going for some time. Both deals agreements were formalized in November 2002, with the Chinese company cooperating with Konstrukta in the production of a 15-70 degree steel ply cutting machine and inner-liner extrusion line. By March 2003 the company was working with Matador on an all-steel, three-drum, radial tyre building machine. By May 2004 this particularly cooperation had expanded to include the establishment of an international technical centre and the manufacture of hydraulic curing machines and radial passenger tyre building machines with Matador. The Matador-Mesnac Technical Centre was opened at the same time, in parallel with the Shandong Rubber & Tyre Technical Centre.
Continue ReadingHiQ’s First Motorsport Forum
HiQ hosted its first ever motorsport forum at its Grays store on Thursday March 27, where Vauxhall driver Tom Onslow-Cole showed off his four wheels before answering questions about the championships. The event was the first of its kind ever staged, and was the ideal precursor ahead of the first round at Brands Hatch on Sunday. The aim of the forum was to bring the excitement of the BTCC into the community. The evening featured a question and answer forum with Tom Onslow-Cole and the Vauxhall team, an autograph signing session, competitions to win free tickets and computer simulations. Similar events are set to be staged at HiQ stores near to race tracks around the country as the championship progresses.
Continue ReadingPirelli P6 & Cinturato P4 Fare Well in UK, European Tests
Pirelli’s Cinturato P4, launched in January, and the Pirelli P6, has gained favourable attention from experts in the UK. The consumer magazine Which?, in the tyre test featured in its edition released February 28, has defined the two Pirelli products as the best in their respective categories. The magazine reviewed 99 premium and economy tyres in the nation’s two top-selling sizes – 195/65 R15V and 175/65 R14T. A total of seven Pirelli tyres were included in the test, including the Cinturato P4 in size 175/65 R14T and the P6 in both sizes. Following wet and dry grip testing plus evaluations of road noise and wear, the P4 was defined as the best tyre to buy thanks to its mileage under all examined parameters, so much so that it was recommended as a good value for money product. The P6 was evaluated as very safe and the best in its category in the important area of braking on wet surfaces.
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