Finland’s Nokian Tyres says that its large investment phase is now over and, following revisions to the company’s mid-term strategy, the goal is now to “fully benefit” from these investments. The company aims for organic growth ahead of the market and increasing market share in all key regions, with a target to achieve net sales of 2 billion euros in the mid-term.
Under a new ten-year agreement, Nordic energy company Gasum will supply renewable wind energy for the electricity Nokian Tyres uses in its factory in Finland as well as its Vianor operations within the country. Supply of power produced at a new wind farm in North Ostrobotnia will start in 2023.
After commencing tests of its tyres in Europe last year, Prinx Chengshan returns in 2021 to continue its testing programme. The Chinese tyre maker is utilising a number of sites, including Applus IDIADA in Spain and a facility in Ivalo, Finland, in order to test its winter, all-season and UHP summer tyres.
Trade association the Chemical Industry Federation of Finland has awarded Nokian Heavy Tyres Ltd during its annual Safety Awards ceremony, which took place yesterday. It honoured Nokian in the large companies category, acknowledging the tyre maker’s senior management for their strong commitment to improving safety.
Nokian Tyres is increasing production capacity for passenger car tyres at its factory in Finland approximately 30 per cent by adopting a four-shift production schedule. To accommodate this capacity increase, it will hire around 70 new workers for passenger car tyre production in Nokia, Finland. Recruiting begins immediately and four production shifts will be in action by the start of August at the latest.
Ahead of May’s introduction of the new-style European tyre label, Test World has begun ice grip testing for customers at its facility in Ivalo, Northern Finland. The existing 3PMSF ‘snowflake’ symbol indicates that a tyre is suitable for both Central Europe and Nordic countries, but Test World says that, in reality, the technical demands of these two markets are very different. Nordic winter conditions are typically far harsher than in Central Europe, with more snow and ice on the roads.
In addition to the flurry of research relating to tyre pyrolysis published at the end of 2020 and the start of this year, in February it emerged that another related study has been released. In his master’s thesis for Tampere University, Mikko Sirén explored the best technologies for turning scrap tyres into secondary raw material and value-added products. The research project started in May 2020 as an initiative of Black Donuts, the turn-key tyre industry consultants, who desired up-to-date research of the recycling of discarded tyres as part of their circular economy initiatives.
ToP Tunniste, which supplies RFID solutions to businesses including the tyre industry, has merged with Fentec Partners Ltd. The merger, which was completed on 31 December 2020 means the company is now known as Fentec Ltd, effective 1 January 2021.
This year the well-known Finland-based tyre testing centre Test World turns 30. What better way to celebrate than to redouble its efforts to become a comprehensive test centre for summer, winter and all-season tyres? Following the acquisition of Test World’s parent company Millbrook by UTAC CERAM, which was completed at the start of February 2021, key developments towards this goal include: the purchase of the world’s first all-electric winter tyre traction testing light truck and the addition of a new soon-to-be opened proving ground in Morocco. Tyres & Accessories me up Jukka Antila, Technical Director at Test World as well as Millbrook business development manager Andrew Kern in order to find out more.
At the start of this year, independent tyre distribution specialist Vimexa expanded its offices at the Technopolis facility near Helsinki-Vantaa airport. Managing director Rutger Veerman says more office space was needed to accommodate the “substantial” growth that Vimexa has enjoyed in Scandinavia and the Baltic region during the last three years.
In December 2020 French group UTAC CERAM announced that it was buying British test specialists Millbrook, which also owns well-known tyre test centres such as Test World in Finland. The plan is to merge the two companies, creating “a market-leading group in vehicle testing, vehicle type approval and emerging technologies for autonomous, connected and electric vehicles”.
A new contract covering the workforce at the Nokian Tyres plant in Finland will allow for more flexible working hours in 2021. Nokian Tyres says the contract covers approximately 400 people engaged in various functions related to car tyre production and “enters into effect immediately.” The contract remains in force until the end of the year.
Nokian Heavy Tyres is once again celebrating an important achievement – an entire year without the occurrence of occupational accidents that led to absence. praises Marko Oksanen, production engineer for Nokian Heavy Tyres, describes an accident-free 2020 as “an extremely important milestone” that the workforce has achieved together.
Pirelli’s new rally tyre for snow and ice, which has studs longer than 8mm, will make its first appearance this weekend. Fitted to R5 cars on the Arctic Rally from 15-16 January, the Sottozero Ice WJ debuts at the opening round of the Finnish Rally Championship. Its long titanium-tipped studs are locked into place using Pirelli’s patented vulcanisation process for retention. A new tread pattern design helps the tyre to capitalise on the increased grip supplied by the studs. Pirelli says the new tyre will be available commercially for national championships run in extreme winter conditions, such as those run in the Scandinavian and Baltic regions. It is suitable for R5, R2 and historic rally vehicles.
Test World has converted its ‘Indoor 3’ facility to pure ice, adding to the site’s capacity for indoor ice testing. With updates to the EU Tyre Label and the new ‘Ice Mark’ due next year, Test World has noted a significant increase in enquiries related to ice testing at the Ivalo-based tyre testing facility. Indoor 3 builds on Test World’s existing indoor ice offering, giving its customers unrivalled access to accurate and reliable tyre testing all year round.
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