Bridgestone Completes First F1 Slicks Test
The official tyre supplier to Formula One, Bridgestone, spent the last three days (17-19 November) on hand at the Circuit de Catalunya near Barcelona. Twenty-two drivers participated in the three days of testing, producing sample data for the company’s new compound slick tyres, which will be used in the 2009 season, as well as running on the 2008 specification grooved tyres. Dry conditions at the track meant that there was no need for Bridgestone’s wet, extreme wet or development single wet tyre; although the weather was cold, meaning that attaining and maintaining tyre temperature was a challenge for teams, particularly with the hard compound slick. Teams used visibly different packages, with development 2009 aerodynamic packages, interim and 2008 specification cars all in use. There was also some use of KERS (Kinetic Energy Recovery System) by certain teams.
Continue ReadingDelticom’s mytyres.co.uk Ramps up Online Service
Delticom’s British online web shop, mytyres.co.uk has integrated a new search tool, which the company believes will help consumers find the correct tyres with greater ease. The tyre search form allows online users to search for the correct tyres on the site by entering their vehicles’ number plates/registration number makes the fast and accurate selection easier. Via this entry e-consumers can access information about their vehicles and a pre-selected list of suitable tyres. With mytyres.co.uk’s selection of tyres numbering more than 100 tyre brands and over 25,000 tyre makes, the company hopes that the search gives customers an increased convenience level and more efficient service. This has been a focus of the company’s operations, with the recent addition of a “fully-fitted” service, run in conjunction with more than 1,650 service partners currently operating in the UK.
Continue ReadingTrouble Removing Rusted Studs?
Removing rusted, broken or corroded studs is a problem at the best of times and then there is the added frustration when access to them is restricted. To combat this, Laser Tools has put together a set of short series stud removers and a lock on go through ratchet to make sure even the most inaccessible stud can be located. The concentric rollers grip onto the stud as the ratchet mechanism is applied and will continue to grip until the stud eventually twists off. The double ended ratchet has 14mm drive for the 6/8mm stud removers and 17mm for the 10/12mm. The Stud Remover Set – 5piece (Part number 4462), typically retails at around £28. Repairs and spares for all parts are available.
Continue ReadingGoodyear GPS Models: Picture
Goodyear has released images of the NCC-produced, Goodyear-branded GPS units displayed at the SEMA show (as reported in late October on Tyrepress.com; ‘NCC Directs Goodyear to SEMA Show’). Readers don’t need a satellite navigation system to see that the picture is reproduced directly to the right of this text…
Continue ReadingTalk of Redundancies at Mount Vernon Mere Rumours, Says CTNA
Circulating talk of imminent redundancies at Continental Tire North America’s Mount Vernon factory are just rumours, a company official reported on November 18. While the company has reduced its temporary workforce by approximately 50 employees, the facilities 2000+ permanent employees have not been affected. We have been adjusting our production levels and controlling inventories to bring them in line with where the current market demands are, Hank Eisenga, vice president for manufacturing at the plant told Illinois newspaper The Southern. Rumours of major layoffs have been circulating, and thats not the case. We are reducing some of our temporary workforce but we do not anticipate anything in the nature of layoffs to our permanent workforce.
Continue ReadingTemporary Layoff Agreed For Nokian Employees
The statutory negotiations concerning the lay-offs of the Nokian Tyres employees at the Nokia factory in Finland ended on the 19th November, 2008. The company decided after the negotiations to lay off its personnel for 10 days and the majority of the employees will be laid off between 21.12.2008 and 11.1.2009.
Continue ReadingToyota iQ Is Japan’s Car Of The Year
The revolutionary Toyota iQ, the world’s smallest four-seater passenger car, has won the 2008 Japan Car of the Year award by a landslide over rivals such as the Citroën C5, Audi A4 and Jaguar XF. The innovative iQ scored more than double the points of the second placed, receiving top marks from 39 of the 65 jurors who voted. The judges praised the iQ for its space efficiency and design, particularly the iQ’s capacity for seating four people within a body less than three metres long, as well as its combination of high levels of safety and low CO2 emissions.
Continue ReadingB&J Rocket Launches Web Shop
B&J Rocket has developed a new online shop. As of November 2008 selected articles from B&J’s wide range will be available to everyone via www.bj-rocket.com. These include items for tyre repair, carbide tools as well as products for tyre shops and service stations.
Continue ReadingBridgestone Europe Outlines Green Performance in New Brochure
It’s as fresh as the morning dew upon a rainforest fern frond - Bridgestone Europe has published its updated environmental report, which sets out the company’s commitment to high environmental standards and the latest steps it is taking to achieve them. In keeping with its theme, the colour brochure is printed with vegetable-based inks on FSC label recycled paper, and is aimed at all organisations and groups interested in the company, including shareholders, government authorities, journalists, car manufacturers and other business partners.
Continue ReadingAnalysts: Slowdown May Cause Russian Tyremaker Growth
Following several years of consistent sales increases, full year 2008 figures may hit show a drop in Russian passenger car tyre sales by value. The profitable premium segment, which is dominated by non-Russian premium manufacturers, is expected to be the first to feel the pinch. On the other hand, the share of the market occupied by budget products is likely to increase, and some sources predict that Chinese and Korean tyre sales will be replaced by domestic Russian tyre makers’ products.
Continue ReadingPirelli Planning Job Cuts and Plant Idling, says Union
Job cuts are said to be a possibility at Pirelli & C. SpA. According to Italian labour union Filcem, whose comments have been published by Bloomberg, the company will eliminate approximately 200 administrative jobs in Milan and will probably continue to idle plants to counter a global drop in demand.
Continue ReadingSurvey: Canadians Steer Clear of Snow Tyres
A survey conducted by insurance firm RBC and researcher Ipsos Reid shows that a little over half of Canadian motorists put snow tyres on their cars, despite the country’s snowy winter months. Feedback showed that more than half of those who do not use the specialist tyres do not due to the additional costs involved. Francois Boulanger, president and CEO of RBC General Insurance Company, stated on the release of the information, Installing winter tires should be a critical safety measure for all Canadian drivers. Canadians need to think of it as an investment in their familys safety.
Continue ReadingFreedom from the ‘Black Gold’
By 2013 Sumitomo Rubber plans to be selling tyres containing absolutely no petrochemical materials. This news was printed in the company’s 2008 – 2011 environmental statement, which was published in Japanese only on November 17. It appears likely the oil free tyres will initially be sold on the Japanese market only.
Continue ReadingMichelin Primacy HP to Benefit Vauxhall ecoFLEX
Michelin reports it has developed a tyre – the energy-efficient Primacy HP – specifically for Vauxhall’s new Insignia ecoFLEX. The tyre is said to reduce fuel consumption by as much as 0.2 litres per 100 kilometres, thereby lowering CO2 emissions by more than four grams per kilometre. In this way, the tyre contributes to the Insignia ecoFLEX’s notable performance in terms of fuel consumption and CO2 emissions, which for the 160-horsepower vehicle are fewer than 140 grams per kilometre.
Continue ReadingInvestors Buy US Wheel Maker Weld Racing
A Chicago, US based investor group has purchased aluminium manufacturer wheel Weld Racing LLC for an undisclosed sum. Included in the buyer group is Weld Racing management members Kyle Fickler, and Scott Rider, the latter engineering and motor sports group manager for American Racing/Weld Motorsports. The 41-year old company, which 100 per cent manufactures and designs its wheels in Kansas City, Missouri, was bought out of bankruptcy by American Racing Equipment Ltd in October 2006 for US$24.4 million. According to Fickler, the investment group has carved out the assets of Weld Group from American Racing, allowing Weld to once more stand on its own.
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