
Bridgestone OE on Ferrari California T
Bridgestone has been appointed as one of the tyre suppliers for the new Ferrari California T. The new V8 turbocharged Ferrari now can leave Maranello production line with Bridgestone Potenza S007 RFT (Run-Flat Technology) sport tyres.
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Nokian claims world first with AA-labelled winter SUV tyre
The introduction of the European tyre label in November 2012 resulted in murmurs from some tyre makers – most notably Nokian Tyres – about its unsuitability for appraising their winter ranges, and the Finnish manufacturer even went as far as introducing its own ‘winter grip label’ that aimed to place labelling criteria within a winter context. This was withdrawn after a short period of time, but now Nokian Tyres has made another label-related winter tyre announcement: Despite the label’s use of criteria that is more compatible with summer tyres, this autumn Nokian will launch a SUV winter tyre that has achieved an ‘AA’ label rating. The tyre maker points out its size 265/50 R19V WR SUV 3 is the first winter tyre in Europe – and by default the world – to achieve this top label rating.
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Tyrepress visits Michelin Training Centre
One junction along the A500 from its UK headquarters in Stoke-on-Trent, the Michelin Training Centre is a point of reference for just about every point of the tyre industry. Offering a portfolio consisting of more than 100 training courses, the centre covers technical product training in the car, motorcycle, industrial, truck and agricultural tyre segments, as well as technical information for police and “tyre forensics”, and management and sales training appropriate for the industry. Many of the courses offered also include City & Guilds and REACT accreditation, giving attendees the backing of external qualifications on top of training coming from one of the few brands to achieve total recognition. Tyrepress toured the Stoke-on-Trent centre with its manager Charly Bailey, who explained the litany of tyre business knowledge available to those attending the MTC’s courses: “Sometimes when you’re really busy in a workshop you don’t get the chance to ask a question.”
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BKT hopes to raise its global OTR market share into double figures in 2015
Indian OTR tyre manufacturer BKT estimates its global market share at “around six per cent” in the off-highway tyre segment, but following its appearances at major European trade shows Intermat and Sima in 2015, it stated that an increase in market share is one of BKT´s goals in terms of strategic growth. The company aims at a turnover of 2 billion US dollars by 2020; a challenging target based on a positive trend of growth of 30 per cent over the last five years corresponding to six per cent market share in the specialist segments for agriculture, earthmoving, mining, and industrial vehicles and machinery as well as port, ATV and gardening applications. The last financial year ending on March 31, 2014 closed with BKTs turnover at 780 million US dollars. The company employs more than 7,000 people and sells over 2,300 products in 130 countries worldwide.
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MWSD preparing to take wheel messages onto European markets
Motor Wheel Service Distribution (MWSD) achieved vindication for its wheel safety message at European level when the component was named as a “safety critical item” in European law within the Roadworthiness Package. The issue – in this case the potentially unchecked fatigue caused to commercial vehicle wheels by being fitted to unsuitable hubs – is not considered over now that provision has been made in European law. “It’s made changes – real changes – out there, there’s no doubt about it,” Motor Wheel Service Distribution (MWSD) managing director John Ellis tells Tyres & Accessories. “There’s a commercial side to everything, but there is a real debate going on now, and that hasn’t even started in Europe yet.”
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Michelin to capitalise on Blackcircles.com, ATS Euromaster ‘synergies’
Michelin chief operating officer, Florent Menegaux told Tyres & Accessories that the manufacturer would promote synergies with ATS Euromaster following its acquisition of Blackcircles.com. Speaking to Tyrepress following the announcement of its £50 million purchase, Michelin’s chief operating officer said that the UK’s biggest online tyre retail operation would gain “access to ATS Euromaster branches in the UK”, which numbered 343 in the recent T&A survey of the retail landscape.
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Michelin buys Blackcircles.com for £50 million
Michelin has bought Blackcircles.com, the number one internet tyre sales company in the United Kingdom, for £50 million. Based in Edinburgh, Blackcircles.com generated £28 million in revenue in 2013. Run by Mike Welch, its founder, Blackcircles.com has enjoyed growth of around 20 per cent per annum since 2008. The company reports that the first quarter of 2015 saw the company achieve revenues 34 per cent higher than Q1 2014.
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Maxam enters agricultural tyre market
Over the past 50 years, Luxembourg-based Maxam Tire has built up a reputation for the supply of quality, cost effective OTR radial, construction and industrial tyres, making a name for itself as a force in the off-the-road speciality tyre sector. At the start of 2015, the company broadened its product portfolio by offering the first of a new range of agricultural tyres; the Agrixtra MS951R. The new tyre is a radial, aimed at medium horsepower tractors and is available in nearly 40 sizes for rims from 24” up to 42”. It comes in aspect ratios of 85, 70 and 65 series, with the 65 series developed for applications at 65 km/h.
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GT Radial launches Champiro FE1 in Tuscany
The Tuscan hills south of Montepulciano during an unusually warm and sunny spring are an idyllic setting for most occasions. Yet the choice of location for the official launch of GT Radial’s Champiro FE1 passenger car tyre was more significant than just as one of the world’s most picturesque places. The tyre is designed to tackle what Fabio Pecci-Boriani (senior product marketing manager – PCR, Giti Tire) described as “one of the most important market sectors – 15-17”, H-W speed rated, 50-65 series.” Positioned as an all-round premium passenger car tyre for C and D vehicles (including such bestsellers as the Volkswagen Golf, Peugeot 308 and Kia Cee’d) the tyre now has more than 95 per cent coverage of its target sector, following the introduction of nine new sizes (the FE1 was first (soft) launched in 2014).
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Mitas introduces new ERL-30 earthmover tyre
Mitas unveiled the newest addition to its family of ERL-30 earth-moving tyres at France’s Intermat show. The new 29.5R25 ERL-30 tyre will be available for worldwide sales early in June 2015. ERL tyres are used on loaders, dozers and graders in mining operations. The all-steel radial construction of Mitas 29.5R25 ERL-30 tyre is particularly designed for large wheel loaders such as Liebherr L 586 and Caterpillar 980. The Mitas ERL series features 12 various tyres of 28 to 90 mm tread depth.
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François Michelin – the 20th century’s greatest tyre manager
On 29 April François Michelin died in Auvergne, shortly before reaching his 89th birthday. He’d spent the final years of his life in a Christian home for the aged. François Michelin led the Michelin Group for 47 years and his life was marked by outstanding success, yet it was also a life punctuated by tragic turns of fate.
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Cooper reports ‘electrifying’ World RX season opener
The FIA World Rallycross Championship entered its second year in Montalegre, Portugal on 24 April, with the series again supplied by Cooper Tire. The manufacturer has also agreed to supply exclusively the supporting RX Lites grid in 2015. The World RX season opener began with a total of 52 cars, including 21 supercars with 600 brake horsepower, going head-to-head in Portugal.
Continue ReadingCollaboration is the future…or is it?
This month I went back to school. Tyre 2015 – the fourth International Tyre Colloquium, hosted by University of Surrey to be precise. While much of the science was beyond those of us that don’t work in R&D, the concepts behind the really technical stuff are fascinating. And what’s more, they offer a unique insight into what is on the horizon in terms of tyre development, vehicle dynamics and indeed original equipment (OE) trends.
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François Michelin dies
Earlier today the former Michelin head and grandson of Michelin co-founder Edouard Michelin, François Michelin, passed away at the age of 89.
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How Goodyear’s tyre products and technologies support ongoing growth
Looking around the 2015 CV Show, it’s easy to see that there is a significant amount of Goodyear-shod vehicles being exhibited. One particular example that Goodyear representatives pointed Tyres & Accessories to is the well-known truck manufacturer DAF, which brought a particularly high number of Goodyear-equipped trucks to the show. So, with this in mind, can such a strong showing in the exhibition fitment stakes be seen as a metaphor for the company’s ongoing growth? T&A met with Marc Preedy, Goodyear commercial director UK & Ireland, to find out.
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