Michelin Kicks Off Tyre Pressure Campaign at Eurotunnel
Following on from its 2007 campaign, Michelin’s latest “Fill up with Air” roadshow kicks off at the Folkestone Eurotunnel Terminal on 1-2 July. Motorists travelling to France passing through the terminal will have the chance to get a free tyre pressure check and advice on their tyres from Michelin technicians before setting out on their journey. This Folkestone event is the start of a UK-wide roadshow designed to educate motorists on the importance of correct tyre pressures. Over two days in 2007, a similar Michelin survey at Eurotunnel concluded that 83 per cent of vehicles checked by the technicians had under-inflated tyres and a staggering 63 per cent were dangerously under-inflated.
Continue ReadingKumho Tire Increases Q1 Revenue – but Income Remains in the Red
The Kumho Asiana Group has posted its first quarter 2008 results, and despite achieving what the company has called ‘favourable business results’ group-wide and increasing revenue in its Kumho Tires business division, income figures for the company’s tyre operation continued to be negative. The entire group recorded the highest quarterly revenue in the company’s history, KRW4.98 trillion (£2.45 billion). From this came an operating income of KRW270.2 billion (£132.93 million) and net income of KRW41.1 billion (£20.22 million). Kumho Tires posted an increase in revenue of KRW 71 billion (£34.93 million) or 15.6 per cent to reach a figure of KRW 524.7 billion (£25.81 million). Similarly, operating income rose by KRW 6.7 billion (£3.30 million) or 30.3 per cent compared to the same quarter last year, to KRW 28.8 billion (£14.17 million). The operating margin was 5.5 per cent.
Continue ReadingCooper Co-Sponsors 2008 Formula Drift Series
Cooper has again partnered with Formula Drift for the entire seven-event 2008 Formula Drift Pro Championship Series. “During a drift competition, tires play a huge role in keeping drivers on track and in the race, and we’re confident that Cooper Zeon high performance tires will allow drivers to showcase their drifting expertise,” said Chris Pantani, Cooper’s director of UHP marketing and motorsports At the Formula Drift events, Cooper will be promoted as a co-sponsor on all printed and online event materials, as well as in banners, advertisements, programs/handouts, PA announcements, and television programming. (Tire Review/Akron)
Continue ReadingBBS to Acquire Certain Hayes Lemmerz Assets in Europe and US
German developer and producer of lightweight wheels for premium segment vehicles, BBS International GmbH, a division of Punch International nv, has announced the acquisition of the Hoboken, Belgium subsidiary of Hayes Lemmerz International, Inc. Under the terms of the agreement announced on June 16, BBS has acquired all of the outstanding shares of Hayes Lemmerz Belgie B.V.B.A., including its factory based in Hoboken, near Antwerp. The Hoboken factory produces cast aluminium wheels for passenger cars and currently employs approximately 315 people. In addition, Punch Property International nv, the Punch group’s property investment company, has entered into a definitive agreement with Hayes Lemmerz International - Georgia, Inc. to purchase the real estate and certain equipment associated with the Hayes Lemmerz subsidiary located in Gainesville, Georgia, USA. This acquisition is expected to be completed following Hayes Lemmerz cessation of production at the Gainesville factory. On May 12, Hayes Lemmerz announced it would close the factory by the end of December 2008. The Gainesville factory is situated less than 15 miles from the BBS factory in Braselton, and BBS will use the facility to support its non-OEM activities in the USA.
Continue ReadingFederal 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 ReadingThe Long and the Short of It
In Europe more than 80 per cent of total freighted transport is shipped by road. This huge chunk of the logistics industry has been secured courtesy of two main benefits offered by truck transport, plus one disadvantage apparent in the primary alternative. Despite this position of dominance, ever-rising operating costs make optimising value for money a growing priority in all aspects of the business – not least in choice of tyre. Dunlop’s introduction of two key products for the regional and long haul sectors is intended to meet this need plus deliver the safety and handling features drivers have come to expect from the brand. The popularisation of supply management techniques such as just-in-time since the 1970s has made the delivery of just the right amount of materials exactly when needed a matter of vital importance, and if multiple deliveries of varying product quantities are needed, road freight is clearly the most logical option. Furthermore, the point to point delivery offered by trucks eliminates dependency upon a railhead or other freight interchange facility. Thirdly, those arguing that a shift to rail transport would clear our congested motorways – perhaps a notion many have entertained on occasion – are most likely unaware of how little coordination occurs between Europe’s 25 or so national rail networks. Although a 2003 EU directive permitting the formation of private rail freight operators has brought about a more competitive environment, rail has yet to deliver a product matching road transport in terms of speed and flexibility of delivery.
Continue ReadingK-Tool Publishes Catalogue, Reveals TPMS Upgrades
Wixom, Michigan-based tool manufacturer K-Tool International (KTI) has announced a number of new products, updates and promotions with the launch of their new 2008 AirAware Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPSM) Sensor and Service Pack Application Catalogue. The catalogue, published by marketer Schrader-Bridgeport International, Inc, includes part listings and a tool and accessory section within its 44 100-per-cent-recycled pages. Among KTI’s new products are: software for TPM tools, enabling their usage on all vehicles in 2008, and for the programming interface module to support Microsoft Vista; the TPMS T-10 torque tool for the easy installation of replacement Schrader snap-in TPMS sensors; 23 new sensors covering 163 new applications; and a new TPMS quick reference kit.
Continue ReadingiVoice Technology Talks Tyre Trash
The US-based company iVoice Technology has announced its filing of a patent application on a rubbish bin made entirely from recycled tyre crumb rubber. The application supports the organisation’s stated aim for its wholly-owned subsidiary B Green Innovations Inc of becoming “a ‘green’ technology company, focused on acquiring and identifying promising technologies that address environmental issues.” The company’s interest in recycling tyres peaked when the Environmental Protection Agency identified worn out tyres as a major environmental risk, a conclusion supported by the Rubber Manufacturers Association’s 2003 estimate that there were 275 million stockpiled tyres in the USA and that 290 million were added each year.
Continue ReadingBridgestone Announces F1 Tyre Compound for Final 2008 Races
Bridgestone has announced the compound allocation in the Potenza tyres to be used in the final five rounds of this year’s Formula One series. For the German Grand Prix at Hockenheim, the hard and medium compounds will be used, the first time these tyres have been approved at this track. In Hungary, the soft and super soft compounds will be used, the same allocation as last season. The European Grand Prix at Valencia – the first Grand Prix at this new street course, will utilise the soft and super soft compounds. In Spa and in Monza the hard and medium compounds will be used, a change from last season when the medium and soft compounds were brought to both of these tracks. “The data we have gained from the first seven races of the season have enabled us to make our allocation choices for the following five events,” commented Hirohide Hamashima, Bridgestone Motorsport director of motorsport tyre development. “Of these races, Valencia and Hockenheim are notable. We did not race at Hockenheim last year, so this will be the first time we have raced there with the current family of tyres. Valencia, of course, is a new street track and we do not have any previous data, and there is none from other race series. It will be interesting for everyone concerned to learn the track characteristics here. For Spa and Monza we have moved the allocation a position harder and will bring the hard and medium compounds, instead of the medium and soft used in 2007. We have made this change after analysing the data from last year, as these tracks were harsher than we had predicted. We will make an announcement about the tyre allocations for the final four races in the season later in the year.”
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 ReadingTwo-Thirds of Jobs to Go at Goodyear Tyler Plant
About two-thirds of the remaining workforce at Goodyear’s Tyler, Texas facility will be made redundant in August. According to the Tyler Morning Telegraph newspaper, the tyre major has informed the United Steelworkers Union of its plan to lay off approximately 110 people between August 6 and 19. A Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act notice received by the union stated the “permanent mass layoff has been necessitated by a lack of work at the plant.”
Continue ReadingNokian Tyres Named a Candidate for Nordic Environment Price
Finland’s Nokian Tyres is one of 37 candidates competing for the Nordic Council’s Nature and Environment Prize 2008. The regional environmental prize is contested by companies throughout the region, and this year sees entries from Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Norway, Iceland and the hard-to-spot-in-the-atlas autonomous island of Åland The theme for this year’s Nature and Environment Prize is lower energy consumption with better tools. The prize will be awarded to a Nordic product, invention or service that helps to reduce people’s energy consumption. To be eligible, a product, invention or service must be potentially applicable to all of the Nordic countries and make a significant impact. It can be anything from a single object to a major system.
Continue ReadingBridgestone European Prices to Increase
Bridgestone Europe NV/SA has announced price increases on all of its tyre brands and categories. The price rise will apply in all European countries, however the UK and Northern Ireland will be affected more than those countries in the euro zone. Increases here will be in the range of between 8 and 12 per cent, as opposed to between 5 and 8 per cent for most of Europe. The new prices will take effect in each market in coming few months. “Even after we increased our prices earlier this year, the raw material prices continue to increase beyond our expectation,” commented According to Gerry Duffy, vice president Sales & Marketing of Bridgestone Europe. “The recent increase in the cost of commodities such as oil, natural rubber, iron ore and others heavily affects the costs of almost all the raw materials we consume. As its financial impact is so huge and hard to offset only by our internal efforts, we have to recover some of those costs by this price increase.”
Continue ReadingKirkby Reports Sales Growth of 20%
Kirkby Tyres and Wheels is one of Europe’s oldest established tyre and wheel wholesalers and distributors, having been in the business for roughly half a century. At Reifen 2008 the company chose to use the popular exhibition as a platform for further enhancing the company’s progression in a number of market sectors, including truck, agricultural, OTR and mining and quarry tyres. And this progress is going well; Kirkby achieved a sales growth of 20 per cent during 2007.
Continue ReadingCambridge Solar Car Runs on Michelin Motorbike Tyres
A group of Cambridge University students has been praying for plenty of sunshine – but not because they are on holiday. The team of four students are responsible for the first ever solar-powered journey from Land’s End to John O’Groats. Backed by a team of around 40 other students from the Cambridge University Eco Racing team (CUER), the drivers aim to inspire the public about environmental issues and sustainable technologies. The solar car, Affinity, which has been given a special order to drive as a prototype vehicle, is thought to have a top speed of around 50-60mph and scheduled displays schools and other venues along the 934-mile route. And for those of us in the tyre trade, it is interesting to note that team are achieving their impressively low rolling resistance results on a set of Michelin M45 motorcycle tyres!
Continue Reading