Segmented Tyre System a Popular Environmental Choice
A Rotherham based firm claims its products are proving popular with businesses concerned about waste tyres and landfill. Hytex Airboss manufactures a segmented tyre system that reportedly reduces waste rubber and maintenance costs plus possesses the added bonus of a lower carbon footprint than regular tyres. Each tyre is comprised of individual rubber segments fitted around a metal rim, and the only parts that ever need replacing due to wear are the segments, eliminating the need to dispose of a whole tyre each time the tread wears. The Airboss tyre system is also promoted as a solution to vehicle downtime due to punctures. Airboss tyre segments can be changed in minutes by machine operators, thus avoiding being put out of action for a long period of time while a tyre is replaced – a frequent occurrence for heavy equipment operators. Furthermore, Hytex Airboss point out that a large proportion of the tyres scrapped each year come from heavy machinery and plant vehicles, and these tyres are often replaced before they are fully worn out because the frequency of punctures they experience reaches an unacceptable level. A user friendly segmented tyre alleviates the pressure placed upon the nation’s scrap tyre stockpile, an important consideration following the UK implementation of the EU Landfill Directive in 1999.
Continue ReadingMichelin Embarks on Truck-Side Adverting Campaign
The Michelin Man is being featured in a new high profile advertising campaign on the side of trucks within the Great Bear Distribution fleet, which are used to deliver more than three million Michelin tyres across the UK. Promoting the message “Michelin, for performance that lasts,” the brightly coloured graphics show a 6ft high Michelin Man running alongside a car tyre, and links with the return of the Michelin Man in 2007 to television advertising. The first stage of the campaign sees the graphics fitted to 22 new Mercedes-Benz Atego rigids, plus a further 50 demountable box bodies. Before the end of the year, they will be joined by a further eight new Ategos and 40 demountable box bodies.
Continue ReadingMan Loses Arm in Recycling Plant Accident
A worker at the Anaxiom tyre recycling facility in Scotland has lost him arm following a conveyor belt accident. Alan Gallagher, 27, had been attempting to remove pieces of rubber from the conveyor belt early on April 5 when his arm became jammed between the belt and a roller, causing the arm to be severed. Ambulance crews took Mr. Gallagher and the severed arm first to Hairmyes Hosptial and then to Glasgow Royal Infirmary, but they were not able to reattach the limb. Mr Gallagher was discharged from hospital on April 10. The Health and Safety Executive launched an investigation into the accident on April 5, instructing Anaxiom not to use the conveyor belt until their examination was completed. Anaxiom, upon the advice of police and the Health and Safety Executive, have declined from commenting on the incident at present.
Continue ReadingGoodyear Considering HQ Upgrade
Goodyear is looking to replace its 80-year-old global headquarters in Akron, Ohio. Many within the company believe the existing premises to be obsolete and are concerned about the first impression visitors receive upon entering the aging building. Eager to keep the tyremaker based in its traditional hometown, an Akron developer has approached Goodyear with a plan to build a new headquarters alongside the company’s technical centre. Once this has been completed it proposes to redevelop the old headquarters into a mixed-use complex housing other office, commercial and retail space. ``If the economics can be worked out, Goodyear will establish a new building for their global headquarters... on existing Goodyear property, said Akron mayor Don Plusquellic during a news conference on April 11. Plusquellic believes the redeveloped Goodyear campus could create as many as 2,000 new jobs.
Continue ReadingPositive Feedback from Automechanika Asia
Major Southeast Asian automotive parts and equipment exhibition Automechanika Asia has been staged for the fifth time, and has been praised as a great success. At least 5,480 buyers from 60 countries and regions visited the exhibition, held at the new Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre between 29 March and 1 April 2007. While the majority of the visitors were from Malaysia, the exhibition also attracted many attendees from other Asian countries, most notably China, India, Indonesia, Pakistan, Singapore, Taiwan and Thailand. The organisers of the exhibition report that attendee feedback was very favourable, with most exhibitors responding positively to the high quality and professionalism of the buyers onsite. As part of the Automechanika global group of trade fairs, Automechanika Asia offers a professional forum where automotive industry suppliers and buyers can meet, create partnerships and build their business in the booming ASEAN region. A total of 151 exhibitors from 18 countries & regions joined the show, including those from Australia, Canada, China, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, the Netherlands, Singapore, Spain, Taiwan, Thailand and the UK.
Continue ReadingNew Commercial TPMS from Mobile Awareness
Transportation safety products company, Mobile Awareness, released a new generation of TPMS (Tyre Pressure Monitoring System) products geared toward Commercial Trucks, Utility Vehicles, RVs and Trailers - the MA-TPMS. The system automatically and continuously monitors tyre status, alerting the driver to abnormal conditions with an audible alert and LCD display indicator. It not only warns of low-pressure and high-pressure levels, but also monitors hazardous tyre temperature conditions. All three warning settings are programmable by the user. There are many advantages to monitoring and maintaining properly inflated tyres, the most important being the reduction of fatalities and injuries from tyre related hazards, remarked Gary Rothstein, president of Mobile Awareness. As we expand our offering of transportation safety products, tire monitoring will be a key part of our focus to prevent vehicle accidents.
Continue ReadingTire Society Calls for Papers
The Tire Society has put out its second call for technical papers for its 26th conference that runs 25-26 September in Akron, Ohio. Abstracts are due by 1 June. Final paper manuscripts need to be submitted by 1 August, the Akron-based non-profit organization said. There will be a special award of $500 for the best paper authored by a university student. The keynote speaker will be Tadanobu Nagumo, president of Yokohama Rubber Co. Abstracts in Microsoft Word format can be submitted electronically to conference2007@tiresociety.org and seen at www.tiresociety.org.
Continue ReadingStudded Tyre Ban to be Extended in Iceland
The Reykjavík City Environmental Health and Protection Committee has suggested that studded tyres should be banned for a longer period in winter. Studded tyres are used for driving in snow and, according to an Iceland Review report, are “known to cause air pollution.” Currently, studded tyre usage is permitted in winter from 31 October to 15 April across Iceland. The suggestion is that two weeks could be added to the off season in Autumn and Spring. Despite the fact that there is usually snow in Reykjavík that other areas, there are now plans to regionalise the legislation. Iceland Review quoted government sources as saying that studded tyres are hardly needed in Reykjavík thanks to regularly salting and gritting.
Continue ReadingGive Your Old Phone a New Home
Unipart has joined forces with automotive industry charity BEN to set up a recycling service for unwanted mobile phones. Collection points will be installed across Unipart’s sites and BEN will mail 25,000 pre-paid envelopes to its supporters encouraging them to join in. For each phone received, Unipart will donate £3 to BEN, helping them carry out their work. Unipart Group Chief Executive, John Neill, said: “BEN is a charity close to our hearts at Unipart because of our automotive industry heritage.
Continue ReadingChanges to Beru’s Executive Board
TPMS manufacturer Beru AG has announced that the company’s appointment of chairman of the board of management and employment Marco von Maltzman will not, by mutual agreement, be extended beyond its current term, which is due to end on January 31, 2008. According to a statement released by Beru, the supervisory board “thanks Mr. von Maltzan for his efforts and his successful work for the company over the past four years.” His successor has not yet been decided upon. Beru’s supervisory board has also appointed Marcus Knödler, formerly responsible for finance and reporting, as deputy member of the board of management. Mr. Knödler will be responsible for Finance and IT.
Continue ReadingThis Side of Eden
Cars on the equivalent real-life grid are capable of producing a staggering 4,000-plus BHP between them. Yet budding Jenson Buttons can experience all the thrills and spills of a competitive F1 race at the Eden Project this month (April), using only pedal power to fire them to victory! An unusual attraction at the Bodelva attraction enables teams of two to go head-to-head on a demanding six-lane slot car circuit. One person pedals furiously on a specially-rigged exercise bike to provide power, while the other uses a controller to guide their car towards the chequered flag and hopefully a place on the podium.
Continue ReadingNew Alloy Wheel Repair System Proving Successful
Yorkshire based Ayce Systems has seen sales of Wheelrite Pro, the company’s new all-in-one alloy wheel repair kit, grow dramatically since it was introduced last year. Managing Director Ron Rae puts the success down to the flexibility of the machine. “Unlike some systems on the market Wheelrite Pro uses automatic pneumatic clamping so that it can handle all designs of car and motorcycle wheels up to 20 inch diameter, with or without a central hole. Because of this adaptability it is proving particularly popular with independent repair workshops”, he enthused.
Continue ReadingCold Weather Handling
Yokohama is already looking ahead to the next cold season – March, a month in which people began to pack away their winter coats and winter tyres, saw the launch of their new W.drive, a high performance tyre designed to provide confident roadholding in all winter conditions. With speed ratings up to V, the new Yokohama tyre is clearly not intended only for jaunts to the supermarket on a frosty morning – indeed its target market is very broad, encompassing everything from compact cars right through to performance vehicles.
Continue ReadingEuro Strength “Concerning”
The high relative value of the euro against the Japanese yen is causing concerns for those trading with Japan. According to an analysts report published today the euros is trading at an all-time high versus the yen and is only 2 cents away from an all-time high versus the dollar. Deutsche Bank analysts reported that the profitability of European exports to Japan “which are hardly profitable…even though Japanese pricing levels remain on the high side in a global context” are of particular concern.
Continue ReadingTyreweb Opens New 20,000 sq ft Warehouse
As Tyreweb approaches its 30th year in business, company founders Karl and Susan Webber are celebrating their business’ expansion into a new 20,000 square foot warehouse. But what triggered the company’s recent success? “Over the years, Tyreweb found on many occasions it was impossible to source tyres that were required the same day that were non stock tyres, being aware that other companies would be in the same position, we put a van on the road to offer two deliveries a day to customers a little further afield,” the Webbers told Tyres & Accesssories.
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