Next ‘Apollo Challenges’ Manchester United contest begins
The second test in the Manchester United ‘Apollo Challenges’ skill challenge has been released. This unit is called the ‘Apollo Control Challenge’ and sees Manchester United and Belgium international midfielder Marouane Fellaini demonstrate how to master perfect ball control, an invaluable skill when playing in one of the most competitive and fast-paced areas of the pitch. The challenge can be viewed at the apollochallenges.com website.
Guayule tyre performance at least equal to conventional tyres, says Cooper
Cooper Tire & Rubber is now evaluating the first tyres it has built using rubber derived from guayule plants, and says that to-date the wheel, road and track tests suggest tyre performance that is at least equal to tyres manufactured using traditional Hevea-sourced rubber. The tyre maker reported this development to its consortium partners – PanAridus, Arizona State University, Cornell University, and the Agricultural Research Service of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA-ARS) – at the group’s recent meeting for its third annual meeting and progress report on their US$6.9 million Biomass Research and Development Initiative (BRDI) grant, ‘Securing the Future of Natural Rubber—An American Tire and Bioenergy Platform from Guayule.’
CAM and CAM International have signed a technical cooperation agreement with Pineapple Creative Ltd. The agreement will help the tyre industry software supplier to provide customers in the UK and Republic of Ireland with the opportunity to access cost effective web-oriented design and development for e-commerce related projects in conjunction with its own services.
In a joint promotion with Amazon.co.uk, Pirelli is offering a gift certificate to purchase an Amazon Kindle when purchasing two or more 17” or above Pirelli tyres. The promotion, designed to foreground technology, is available to customers at all of the manufacturers 95 nationwide Pirelli Performance Centres.
The TerraClean network, providing the deep engine cleaning service to motorists throughout the UK, has now reached more than 300 workshops. The network, which comprises independent garages, mobile mechanics and franchised dealers, has surpassed expectations and is growing rapidly with the appointment of new TerraClean service centres daily.
The National Association of Bodyshops (NAB), has been nominated by some of the UK’s leading body repair specialists to represent them in a Creditors’ Committee looking into the conduct of directors of failed accident management company, Drive Assist. When Drive Assist, once one of Britain’s leading non-fault accident vehicle replacement companies, collapsed in December 2012 with debts of more than £82 million, 150 bodyshops were left with more than £7m in unpaid repair bills.
On 20 October Freescale Semiconductor introduced the FXTH87 tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS) family, which the company claims is the smallest integrated TPMS solution available. Weighing in at just 0.3 grams the FXTH87 family is said to be 50 per cent smaller than competing products. Freescale reports that its newest TPMS provides low power consumption combined with the highest level of functional integration in one package, featuring a dual-axis accelerometer architecture, pressure and temperature sensor, integrated MCU, RF transmitter and low frequency receiver.
Russian tyre manufacturer Nizhnekamskshina has is broken through the 2 million all-steel radial truck Tyre barrier at its Nizhnekamsk factory. Nizhnekamskshina commissioned the factory in 2011 after a two-year, $575 million construction project, according to online news reports.
Multiple Indian news sources are reporting that Taiwanese tyre maker Cheng Shin/Maxxis is planning to invest in an Indian factory. According to one Business Standard report, group president Dr. Wally Chen called upon Gujarat chief minister Anandiben Patel on 15 October.
Sensing and electrical protection supplier Sensata Technologies has completed its acquisition of Schrader, the global tyre pressure monitoring sensor (TPMS) and valve solutions manufacturer. The transaction provides Sensata with a leadership position in the growing TPMS market, the company said in a statement announcing the news.
Euro Car Parts opens 14 former Unipart Automotive sites
Euro Car Parts has announced that 14 of the 27 branches it acquired from KPMG, the administrators for Unipart Automotive, are already open for business. Two further branches, Braintree and Penzance, will also open by end of October and mid-November respectively.
Sami Toljamo has been appointed managing director of well-known Finnish test centre Test World effective 3 November 2014. According to the company, Toljamo has strong background in international business and in managing test facilities.
Strathclyde Tyres joins Horndean Tyres as investor in CAM UniSerV platform
Truck and car tyre retailer Strathclyde Tyres has joined Hampshire’s Horndean Tyres in introducing CAM’s UniSerV platform. The Scottish retailer is expanding its operations, and the further investment in technology platforms will enable it to offer local authority contracts paperless and streamlined job sheet processing and invoicing. Horndean will seek to improve connectivity with its truck and earthmover customers, increasing efficiency through the tablet-based electronic jobsheet, which will be used by its 12 fitters in the field.
Insolvent German tyre industry company the Reifen Ihle Group will evidently be broken up for sale. According to information from our sister publication Neue Reifenzeitung, despite attempts from insolvency administrator Prof. Dr. Martin Hörmann to sell the four-division group – which includes the Point S operation Reifen Ihle Service, a tyre wholesale operation, retreader R-I-G Technische Produkte and casing dealer R-I-G Karkassen – these efforts have failed to find a buyer.
Conti offering free winter tyre experiences at Mercedes-Benz World
Continental Tyres is offering motorists the chance to experience the difference in performance between summer and winter tyres, with free tests during half-term at Mercedes-Benz World, Weybridge.
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