UK Government to Enforce Tyre Noise Legislation
The Secretary of State for Transport, Lord Adonis, has confirmed in Parliament that the EU tyre noise regulation (Regulation EC No 661/2009) has direct legal force and consequently does not require transposition into UK law. In response to a question from Liberal Democrat peer Lord Dykes as to what steps the Government plans in order to reduce vehicle tyre noise following the recent EU decision, Lord Adonis stated that it would implement enforcement powers and penalty provisions to ensure the regulation’s requirements can be adequately enforced in the UK.
Continue ReadingTWG Chair: Tyre Wholesalers Again Show Recession Resilience
As a man of 40 experience in the tyre trade – and with it the knowledge of three recessions – Tyre Wholesalers Group chair Ashley Croft is in a good position to comment on the effects of the current financial crisis (which, depending on whose opinion you are heeding, may or may not have come to an end). In his speech at the 2009 TWG Annual Lunch, Croft described the past year as a “harsh period”, but made clear that the recession had hit hardest in the tyre business where manufacturers were most committed to supplying original equipment. However, he stated, “replacement market traders have once again proved themselves to be relatively recession-proof”.
Continue ReadingAlliance Bid for GPX Assets Accepted
Alliance Tire Group has successfully fought off Titan International’s bid for key GPX International Tire Corporation assets. On December 2, Titan submitted a US$44 million bit for GPX International’s US and South African business assets to the US Bankruptcy Court for the District of Massachusetts, an offer $5.7 million higher than that previously announced by Alliance. However, on December 8 Alliance announced the court approval of its agreement to acquire key GPX International assets, customer relationships, warehouse footprint and engineering capabilities. The agreement will also give Alliance worldwide rights to the Galaxy and Primex brands, the company’s medium radial truck tyre distribution business and South African subsidiary, GPX Tyre South Africa (Pty.). Exact details of Alliance’s final bid are unknown, however it is said to be in excess of $50 million.
Continue ReadingTyrepac Launches China Tyre E-Tail Portal
Singapore-based online tyre retailer Tyrepac announced the official launch of Tyrepac China (www.tyrepac.com.cn) on 8 December. Like the many similar services operating across European and World markets, upon purchase and payment online, consumers can select from a list of appointed retailers to have their tyres changed, or have them delivered to a location of their choice. The difference is that this service is based in the key production and emerging replacement market of China.
Continue ReadingAlliance Europe Opens New Head Office
Alliance Tire Group has selected the Netherlands town of Halsteren as the location for Alliance Europe BV’s new office, commenting that the site positions it well to ensure improved responsiveness and to serve the market in a quick and reliable manner. The company adds that the move to a new office “facilitates the group’s ability to provide excellent customer support and sales services to its European business partners.”
Continue ReadingPremium Tyre Message Must Permeate Supply Chain: Rickard
In what Tyre Wholesalers Group chair, Ashley Croft called, “a clear challenge to the tyre industry”, Jim Rickard – managing director of Michelin Tyre plc – called on the members of the TWG to match the “sophistication…of the manufacturers within the whole supply chain”. Speaking at the Group’s Annual Lunch in Droitwich Spa, Rickard expressed uncertainty about the way information about tyres is transmitted to customers: “I’m not sure the message about performance characteristics gets through at the point of sale.” He argued that new legislation – exemplified by forthcoming tyre labelling laws governing noise, wet grip etc – was making visible to the consumer proof of a tyre’s superior characteristics over rival brands, thus allowing components of the supply chain to justify to customers the relative cost of one product to another.
Continue ReadingMalaysia to Regulate Regrooved Tyre Imports
Malaysia’s national news agency reports that as of next year permits will be required for the importation of regrooved tyres. According to Bernama, Deputy Transport minister Datuk Abdul Rahim Bakri said this change was occurring to ensure imported regrooved tyres were safe for use in Malaysia. "The ministry has made new legal provisions for motor vehicles which will be gazetted and implemented in 2010 to control the entry of regrooved tyres from other countries," he said.
Continue ReadingKumho Donates to ‘Needy Neighbours’
Kumho Tire parent company the Kumho Asiana Group has donated three billion won (£1.58 million) to help needy South Koreans. On December 1 the CEO of Kumho Asiana’s Strategic Management Headquarters, Nam-Su Oh, visited the ‘Community Chest of Korea’ charity group in Seoul and made the donation. Following the donation, a Kumho Asiana spokesperson commented: “While we have been focused on corporate restructuring, we cannot neglect our contribution to needy neighbours. We decided to become the first [corporate] donor, considering our needy neighbours who have been suffered from a hard winter in this global financial crisis.”
Continue ReadingGoodyear EfficientGrip OE on Electric Renault Fluence
The prototype tyre containing the BioIsoprene technology developed by Goodyear and Genencor is gaining much attention at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, yet Goodyear points out that products it has already made available to consumers are also represented at the high profile event. The tyre major notes that journalists covering the conference are being transported around the Danish capital in a pre-production example of the electric-powered Renault Fluence Z.E. fitted with its EfficientGrip tyres.
Continue ReadingEnvironmental Award Acknowledges Green Efforts at BATO’s Aiken County Plant
Efforts to reduce pollution have earned the Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations (BATO) factory in Aiken County, South Carolina an award from the state’s Department of Health and Environmental Control. The “Spare the Air” award for positive environmental impact was given in recognition of staff activities, such as carpooling, the use of motorcycles or hybrid vehicles and volunteering an community environmental events, along with plant innovations such as the utilisation of volatile organic compound reducing cementless ‘Innovative Tire Building Technology’ and the use of emission-free hydrogen powered forklifts.
Continue ReadingDriveRight Partners eBay
DriveRight has partnered with online sales giant eBay, introducing eParts as a feature of any eBay Store involved in wheel and tyre sales. Searching for products is now easier for online shoppers, reportedly resulting in superior conversion of eBay traffic for store owners. With more wheel and tyre retailers launching websites to attract online shoppers, eBay stores are a popular way to manage web-based sales. DriveRight’s Tyrefit product behind eParts allows smaller sellers to leverage their eBay stores to even greater effect, providing their customers with an enhanced search function to locate a wider range of suitable aftermarket product for their vehicles.
Continue ReadingAnalysts: Tyre Makers to Raise Prices in 2010
Financial analysts expect tyre makers to increase prices between 5 and 8 per cent in January 2010, in part due to increased demand and supply shortages in some markets. The Morgan Stanley analysts once again singled out Hankook for particular praise and a “Buy” rating, saying: “After raising tyre prices by an average 7 per cent in the US in mid-October, Hankook is planning to raise average selling by…6 – 7 per cent in other major markets from early next year.” Yokohama, Continental and Nexen have all announced plans to raise prices by 5-8 per cent from January next year, the analysts explained, adding: “Hankook is also scheduled to begin price negotiations with…OEMs this month and is targeting a 3 per cent average selling price increase. These price hikes should help it offset natural rubber price hike to a large extent.”
Continue ReadingTyres & Accessories November 2009
The November 2009 issue includes our popular annual motorsport review, a fleet business report and a special lifting equipment feature. Subscribers can read online by clicking more.
Continue ReadingGuangdong Greatoo Aims to Offer Cutting Edge Moulds
Guangdong Greatoo Molds Inc’s global appeal has increased since gaining ISO9001-2001 International Quality Certification, with company representatives describing the company’s current products as “the gold standard.” Tyres & Accessories/tyrepress.com met with the company’s senior technical consultant RNK Krishnan at November’s Reifen China show and asked what makes this Chinese mould making operation stand out? What is different about Greatoo is the fact that, unlike some competitors, the company offers three kinds of mould manufacturing – CNC direct engraving, aluminium precision casting and Electric Discharge Machine (EDM) technology. The latter was obtained from aluminium casting experts at German firm AZ Mould. As a result the company reports it is now capable of producing “high quality aluminium moulds including winter moulds.” Their philosophy is that moulds are “critical parts in tyre manufacturing and require precision in all stages…their maintenance plays a vital role in ensuring the consistency of the tyre.”
Continue ReadingHankook OE on RUF Electric Cayenne
The Porsche Cayenne is possibly not the first vehicle that springs to mind when pondering environmentally friendly transport. Indeed, it is rumoured that some of the more militant green warriors would rather be harpooned by whalers than ensconce themselves within the German off-roader’s two-plus tonne bulk. But rip out the Cayenne’s sizeable petrol or diesel engine and replace it with an electrically driven system and you have another, more ocean friendly kettle of fish – the RUF Stormster. The German Porsche modifier has released a zero emission version of the SUV powered by a Siemens electric drive. Hankook’s UHP Icebear W300A SUV winter tyre in size 295/30 R 22 has been chosen as standard fitment.
Continue Reading
