Hopium, France’s first manufacturer of hydrogen-powered vehicles, is partnering with Bridgestone to develop tyres for its Hopium Machina saloon. Bridgestone will create the tyres using its proprietary Virtual Tyre Development technology, working to a remit of minimising rolling resistance in order to enhance the car’s 1,000-kilometre range.
Bridgestone has confirmed a second year of partnership with the Hawkers European Talent Cup (HETC). As of this year, the tyre manufacturer is also official partner of the Federation Française de Motocyclisme (FFM) and sole supplier for the Objectif Grand Prix (OGP), the French national championship dedicated to promising young riders. Bridgestone says it shares the passion for competition and performance that are the basis of motorcycle racing.
Following its 100 per cent acquisition by the Michelin Group, French online tyre firm Allopneus has a new chief executive officer. Michel Vincentelli succeeds Mathieu Blaise, who launched the Allopneus site in 2004 together with father Didier and brother Antoine.
French competition regulator the Autorité de la concurrence has approved the Michelin Group’s move to acquire sole control over French tyre e-tailer Allopneus SAS and its subsidiaries. In a statement published on 28 December, the Autorité said it cleared the deal unconditionally in the belief that it is “not likely to harm competition.”
After recently selecting Bridgestone as exclusive tyre partner for its upcoming Ocean all-electric SUV, Fisker Inc. has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that covers Bridgestone’s provision of comprehensive aftersales and related maintenance solutions, beginning in France and Germany. Bridgestone will leverage its retail and service network to provide aftersales services to Fisker customers in these countries through the Speedy, Pitstop and Reiff-ABS networks.
French software and online applications company CrossID is integrating its point-of-sale (POS) and enterprise resource planning (ERP) technologies into CAM International’s TiDaeX online hub. By leveraging CAM’s open- e-jobsheet tyre service app, CrossID’s 320 tyre dealer customers will be able to update their stock in their core systems while offering automatic data sharing with their customers.
Michelin and labour unions have signed various successive telework deals covering its workforce in France since 2019 and worked together since the start of the Covid-19 crisis to develop a teleworking vision, strategy and arrangements. On 2 December, senior Michelin management and representatives from four unions signed a new telework agreement.
Michelin has boosted its non-tyre business portfolio with the 100 per cent acquisition of French start-up AirCaptif, a firm with “unique know-how in the field of ultralight inflatable structures for protection and insulation.” Announcing its purchase of AirCaptif, Michelin notes that it has been “developing renowned expertise within the field of inflatable structures and highly technical materials” for the past 130 years and the acquisition of AirCaptif will now “allow for much faster development of activities on new markets.” It adds that the acquisition falls within Michelin’s “beyond the tyre” sustainable growth strategy.
Hankook is highlighting its range of regional hybrid tyres, the SmartFlex AH51 steer and SmartFlex DH51 drive tyre at Solutrans (16-20 November at Eurexpo in Lyon, France, stand 3B127). The manufacturer’s premium retread offer, Alphatread, and its 2020-launched Laufenn TBR tyre range are also a focus of Hankook’s exhibition.
Triangle is presenting its latest truck tyres alongside French distributor XL Pneus at the Solutrans show in Lyon, France, from 16 to 20 November 2021. Triangle’s commercial tyre range covers all positions and applications: from long haul to regional, mixed services, coach and urban, and dedicated winter products. The companies are showcasing two representative drive tyres: the TRD02 long-haul commercial vehicle tyre and the TR918 mixed service model.
Rugby World Cup France 2023 has an official off-highway tyre supplier, and that supplier is BKT. Commenting on the company’s involvement in what may well be the world’s third-largest sporting event, Lucia Salmaso, chief executive officer of BKT Europe, says her team is “proud and honoured to be able to support Rugby World Cup France 2023 in this wonderful adventure.”
The future of tyre making at the site of Bridgestone’s recently-closed Béthune plant in France has been secured by a deal signed in July between major European vehicle maintenance and mobility firm Mobivia and French retreading specialist Black Star. With support from Bridgestone, the partners are gearing up to retread car, SUV and light commercial vehicle tyres in Béthune – products that Bridgestone intends to sell through selected retail outlets. The project will commence in January and gradually ramp up; Mobivia’s communications manager, Laurie Lalloyer, informs us that the aim is to retread 900,000 tyres a year by 2025. By that time the project is expected to have created nearly 200 jobs, including employment for many former Bridgestone workers.
The SimatLab public-private research laboratory, created in 2017 by the Michelin Group and the Clermont-Ferrand Chemical institute (ICCF), is renewing its works on modelling future materials for another four years. Furthermore, the laboratory is speeding up its development by integrating new partners and widening its areas of research to the medical and hydrogen fields.
Michelin has chosen utility firm Engie to optimise energy consumption at its Cataroux site in Clermont-Ferrand, France, and hence strongly reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. In addition to managing utilities such as steam, heating, chilled water and compressed air, the ten-year contract provides for the design and operation of new energy facilities and the installation of a waste heat recovery system.
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