Beru f1Systems’ New Truck TPMS
With all eyes on green issues at the moment, Beru f1Systems is pointing out that tyres are the second or third largest expense for most truck fleet operators. Tests by tyre manufacturers have shown that under-inflation by 15 per cent reduces fuel economy by 2.5 per cent. Incorrectly inflated tyres also wear faster and are more prone to premature failure. That’s where BERU f1systems’ new Truck Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS). The new system has been engineered specifically for the challenges of tyre pressure monitoring on large, multi-wheeled vehicles operating in fast-moving logistics environments. It is capable of automatically detecting trailer changes, and re-calibrating itself to keep the driver informed.
Continue ReadingMagnum Signs 5-Year Recycling Deal
Recycling and waste management solutions provider Magnum DOr Resources, Inc. (Magnum) has announced the signing and closing of a five-year contract, valued at US$12.5 million a year, with US supplier of outdoor and landscape products National Sales & Supply (NSS) for rubber nuggets, effective immediately. Magnum, under this new agreement, will sell and supply NSS with rubber nuggets in addition to its current contract for rubber buffings. Magnum will use its patented scrap tyre recycling technology to produce this new product.
Continue ReadingFirst New MG Roadsters Expected in May
Shanghai Automotive (SAIC) is aiming to start producing MG TF roadsters in Nanjing in May and at its plant in Longbridge, Birmingham, within three months of then, a senior executive told the Financial Times. However the cars relaunch could be delayed further by quality and production. According to the report, MG is also studying at least three new models, including a replacement for the TF, which it hopes to produce from 2010, Chen Hong, SAICs president told the newspaper. About 70 per cent of the new models manufacture - including their engines - will be made in China. The remaining 30 per cent is expected to be produced in Europe.
Continue ReadingStamford Tyres Releases New Falken Range in India
Stamford Tyres Distributors India Pvt Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Stamford Tyres, has launched the new Falken ZIEX ZE912 radial across its distribution network in India. Working in partnership with Falken tyre manufacturer Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Stamford Tyres will market the ZE912 tyre to owners of passenger cars, wagons and mini-vans. Mr. Wee Kok Wah, president of Stamford Tyres said, “the ZE912 will become the core product of the Falken range that we sell. It sits in the middle between its top ultra-high performance tyres and its entry-level line. The ZE912 is a high-performance tyre with broad market appeal, with sizes that can fit at least 80 per cent of the mid to upper segment passenger cars and MPVs now used on Indian roads. This means if a driver pulls up at one of our dealer outlets, we will have a ZE912 tyre that will be just right for his car.”
Continue ReadingUS Outlines Duties on OTR Tyre Imports
The US Department of Commerce has set in place preliminary anti-dumping duties of up to 210 per cent on Chinese made OTR tyres allegedly sold in the US at artificially low prices. These duties were implemented on February 6, and tyres thereby now become the sixth Chinese product to fall foul of US anti-dumping duties since the start of 2008. “Price distortion by Chinese exporters puts American manufacturers at an unfair disadvantage, said David Spooner, assistant secretary of commerce for Import Administration, in a statement announcing the action. “In an effort to encourage a healthy economic environment and to strive to maintain a strong and fair relationship with our trading partners, the administration will continue its commitment to aggressively enforce Americas trade remedy laws.”
Continue ReadingDouble Coin Introduces North America Fleet Program
Double Coin Truck Tire is rolling out a fleet programme for its North American customers. Known as the Double Coin National Account Fleet Program, the scheme enables medium and large-sized trucking fleets to purchase high quality Double Coin TBR products at competitive pricing through the extensive dealer network across North America. “Fleets that have a large geographic coverage across North America currently purchase Double Coin truck tyres from local dealers independently. This program now allows these fleets to receive standardised, centralised pricing and billing direct from Double Coin,” company officials said.
Continue ReadingMMH Supplying Eldan Equipment at Home and Abroad
West Sussex based marketer and distributor of recycling equipment, MMH Recycling Systems, reports it is continuing to supply top quality equipment for the tyre recycling industry through its partnership with Danish manufacturer Eldan Recycling A/S. During 2007 MMH supplied new equipment to four recycling facilities, and in the coming few months several more plants, currently under production, will be delivered to UK customers. The company provides a complete service to its customers, which can include designing, building and commissioning everything from a single machine to a complete, highly automated, tyre recycling plant. Equipment supplied by MMH Recycling Systems and used by many successful tyre recyclers employs a simple, reliable and cost effective method of shredding & granulating tyres and separating the resultant rubber, steel and fibres.
Continue ReadingConti OE for Numerous 2008 BMW Models in US
Continental will supply tyres as original equipment for a variety of 2008 BMW models in North America. The German manufacturer will provide its SportContact, SportContact 2 (regular and SSR run-flat), SportContact 3 SSR, ProContact (regular and SSR run-flat), TouringContact, PremiumContact SSR, PremiumContact2 and Contact UHP SSR for a variety of BMW models, including the 3 and 5-series models, X5 & X6 SUVs, M Coupe & Roadster, and also the Mini. “We are very pleased about our continued relationship with BMW,” said Meletis Xigakis, global key account executive of the BMW group account. “We’ve worked with BMW for a number of years to provide the highest quality tyres that deliver the high performance, handling and control demanded by the premium automaker and its discerning customers.” (Tire Review/Akron)
Continue ReadingRoad Transport up 0.6% Between 2006 and 2007
The Department for Transport has published National Statistics on Traffic in Great Britain for the fourth quarter of 2007 and for 2007 as a whole. Comparing the whole of 2007 with 2006, traffic is provisionally estimated to have increased by 0.6 per cent. This is lower than the underlying annual rate of increase of 1.3 per cent from 2001 to 2006. The 198-page report goes into significant detail, but reveals that, comparing 2007 with 2006 as a whole, car traffic decreased by 1 per cent.; light van traffic was 9 per cent higher; and heavy goods vehicle traffic was 1 per cent higher. This means, according to the report, cars account for 78 per cent of all motor vehicle traffic, light vans (14 per cent), good vehicles (6 per cent) and other vehicles (2 per cent).
Continue ReadingUniversal Chooses Credential
The South East’s largest independent tyre distributor, Universal Tyre and Autocentres, has handed a two-year contract to market-leading Credential Automotive for waste tyre collection from its 15 depots. Established in 1923, Dartford-based Universal supplies, fits and services cars, trucks, agricultural, earthmoving vehicles and motor cycle tyres for private and fleet owners. The profile fits neatly with Credential’s model, according to the company.
Continue ReadingG-Power Claims World Record on Dunlop Tyres
G-Power has claimed that its souped-up BMW M5, the 360-km/h G-Power Hurricane is the fastest in the world. At the heart of the high-performance saloon is a five-litre V10 engine with a G-Power Evo II supercharging system that delivers 730 hp. Needless to say, the enormous performance places extreme demands on aerodynamics, tyres, suspension and brakes. At this point the G-Power reports that it hit a roadblock because the OE tyres that came with the care are limited to 340km/h. First they switched to an unnamed Continental product that allowed a speed of more than 350 km/h. Not content with this G-Power reports that the team selected 295/25 ZR 21 Dunlop tyres mounted on Brilliant Graphite Silverstone 21-inch (9.5 J x 21) light-alloy wheels.
Continue ReadingContinental Americas in the Black
After more than 10 years of losses, it seems Continental AG’s eternal optimism about the success of its Americas business is beginning to pay-off. At the beginning of February Continental announced it had managed to get into the black in 2007. According to one Welt am Sonntag report, this means “single digit millions” of operating profit. The business had been loss-making for 10 years, costing the company roughly 1 billion euros, the paper said. Earlier Continental chairman, Manfred Wennemer told journalists that he expects at least 50 new dealers to join the company’s US network this year, bringing the total to more than 600. “We have rigorously implemented our turnaround plan strategy and are happy to reach an operational break even,” said Dr. Alan Hippe, Continental Executive Board member and CFO and – in his capacity as president of Continental Tire North America, Inc. (CTNA). “In the current year we foresee further growth in profits.” Dr Hippe continued: “With a volume increase of 12 per cent in 2007, our replacement business expanded at a much faster rate than the market as a whole, finishing well in the black. In 2004 we were still deep in the red in this area. Since then we have managed to up the price obtained per-tyre by more than 20 per cent.” However, breakeven has not yet been achieved in the region’s OE business. According to Hippe, this is because the company has been unable to “sufficiently pass on to the customers the raw material price hikes of the past two years.” Continental’s original equipment deliveries in North America have been reduced by roughly 25 per cent since 2005. According to the company, this was achieved by not renewing unprofitable delivery agreements, but was also partly a result of the decline in US car production. Dr. Hippe underscored the fact that in addition to rigorous cost optimization in production, logistics and administration, the turnaround was also helped along by a complete overhaul of the product range, target groups and market strategy. “Around fifty per cent of the passenger tyres we’ll sell in North America this year weren’t even thought of at the beginning of 2005. These new products, both in the premium Continental brand and our newly positioned US brand, General Tire, resulted from in-house market analysis as well as from an intensive dialog with our customers,” said Dr. Hippe. “Setting up a sort of advisory forum, we made a point of capitalizing on the experience and counsel of our dealers, who we regard as partners, and actively integrated what we learned into our planning. We didn’t want to repeat past mistakes, but, where possible, we wanted to avoid making new ones, too.” Continental has set clear geographically target areas. In North America the company initially zeroed in on California and Florida in the US as well as Quebec and Ontario in Canada. Texas and the surrounding states will now follow. Matthias Schönberg, head of Passenger Tire Replacement the Americas, explained: “In parts of these target regions we control eight per cent of the market. We proceeded similarly in Mexico and Brazil, where we were also able to post two-digit growth in 2007. What is more, our product selection allowed us to come close to achieving the targeted market coverage of eighty percent in North America – from approx. fifty percent at the start. Also contributing to our success is the winter tyre business, where we have been recording above-average growth since 2005 and have experienced an approximately fifty-per cent surge in volume.”
Continue ReadingCompanies Announce Real Time TPMS
Par Logistics Management Systems, a subsidiary of Par Technology, along with Advantage PressurePro LLC, have announced the introduction of what has been called first real time tyre pressure management system for the transportation industry. For the first time trailer managers can be given real time information on trailer location, temperature, fuel levels and door activity while also receiving critical alerts on reefer failures, rapid fuel loss and now, insufficient tyre pressure. Automated alerts can be sent via e-mail or text message. “We are proud to be integrating our technology with that of Par’s,” commented Phillip Zaroor, president and CEO of PressurePro. “PressurePro continues to be committed to bringing the best possible TPM Solutions to the market, with the latest in cutting edge technologies. This partnership allows us to do just that, bringing to the market a genuinely complete solution.”
Continue ReadingWheel Washer Takes To The Track
The Drester Wheel Washer - distributed by Beissbarth UK – has always been a firm favourite with customers who want that show-room sparkle. But now the Drester has moved from the showroom to the race circuit. It turns out that the Drester Wheel Washer is the preferred choice for the highly successful RML team, who are targeting more glory in 2008 as they aim to add to their tally of 15 titles over the last 10 years. The team is gearing up for its challenge for WTCC glory following its best-ever season last year. RML will also compete at Le Mans itself and in the Le Mans Series – the scene of their most recent success in 2007.
Continue ReadingFifth Azerbaijan Autoshow to be Held in March
The fifth annual Azerbaijan International Automotive Exhibition – Autoshow 2008, takes place between 13 and 16 March 2008 in Baku, Azerbaijan. Alongside it Autoparts 2008 will showcase the region’s aftermarket offerings. The event is organised by the British Company ITE Group PLC (www.ite-exhibtions.com) and its partner in the Caucasus - ITECA Caspian LLC (www.iteca.az). AutoShow 2008 presents the opportunity to meet the traders and representatives of business circles from Azerbaijan, Georgia, Russia, Turkey, Iran and Central Asia. You can visit the official site at www.autoshow.az.
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