Call for Manufacturer Modifications
If every manufacturer made modifications to new cars at an estimated cost of £75 per car, the lives of 1,700 pedestrians and cyclists could be saved across Europe, according to the RAC Foundation.
If every manufacturer made modifications to new cars at an estimated cost of £75 per car, the lives of 1,700 pedestrians and cyclists could be saved across Europe, according to the RAC Foundation.
According to Vredestein, winter didn’t begin until it had launched its new winter tyres. Described as “extreme design and function combined in an ultra high performance winter tyre,” the Swiss launch of the Dutch company’s latest offering was always going to be an interesting event. So far the company has remained tight-lipped about its latest product. Tyres & Accessories will report from Switzerland where invited guests will be given the opportunity to test the new tyre under what the company calls “extreme conditions,” including mountain top snow.
Dunlop is launching a new lifestyle supplement called Tread, to be featured in Saturday’s Independent.
Automotive supplier, Delphi Corp has reported third quarter revenues of $6.65 billion and a net loss of $114 million (20 cents per share). When this is compared with net losses of $353 million (63 cents per share) last year, this figure shows signs that the company’s cash is flowing again.
Wholesale warehouse distributor, WDS, has added XL and Kilen to its portfolio of aftermarket brands. The trading division of FPS was launched just over a year ago to support FPS’ same-day distress purchase delivery service by offering an overnight stock order service to independent motor factors.
A cooperative financing venture has been created by Peugeot to partner Banque PSA Finance and Dongfeng Peugeot Citroën Automobiles (DPCA) with the Bank of China.
Alcoa Automotive has announced that it has launched eight new cast aluminium wheels for Nissan and Chrysler Group.
Taking what the company describes as a “brand new approach,” Goodyear commissioned the UK’s first HydraZorbs to mark the launch of its HydraGrip tyre.
Yokohama Rubber is to launch its new ADVAN brand at the Paris Motor Show 2004 (Mondial de l’automobile 2004), which commences on the 25 September.
The company describes the new product as its “symbolic” brand, representing its “global concept.” Yokohama plans to aggressively confront its new business strategy through the new brand, which includes developing flagship tyre products, participating further in motorsports, and co-developing activities with world leading carmakers and tuners. ADVAN is said to represent the company’s spirit of pursuing high performance and high quality products.
The new products will be introduced in markets around the world and sale of the tyres is scheduled to begin in 2005.
First introduced in 1978, ADVAN has been used for motorsports activities and high performance tyres in Japan. Its presentation at the Paris Motor Show will be the first fully-fledged introduction in the European market. Yokohama will exhibit ADVAN Sport and ADVAN S.T, its SUV tyre. The company’s run flat tyre systems, including the Z.P.S. and the Support Ring System will also be displayed at the exhibition.
PSA Peugeot Citroën has today announced its industrial development plan for Argentina through which it plans to launch two new models at its Buenos Aires plant.
The Peugeot 206, 307 and Partner and the Citroën Berlingo are currently manufactured at the plant and production of the two new models is expected to begin by 2007.
The company believes the “favourable outlook” for the Argentine automobile market supports these developments. There is no doubt that the move will heighten the facility’s competitiveness, and reflects the country’s improved economic situation.
According to the company the new models will be exported to other Mercosur countries, as well as to other Latin American markets and possibly around the world.
Annual output at the Buenos Aires facility is expected to increase from the 45,000 cars planned in 2004 to 100,000 in 2007. Total investment is expected to amount to 450 million Argentine pesos (125 million euros).
Honeywell Friction Materials will launch the new 2005/2006 edition of its Jurid brand friction catalogue for passenger cars and light trucks at the Autoechanika 2004 show.
Tyres have been made from rubber for more than 100 years, using the same fundamental manufacturing processes. However American tyre corporation, Amerityre, claims to have invented a polyurethane material that will replace rubber and revolutionise the entire tyre manufacturing industry, within the next 15 years.
This proposed polyurethane elastomer tyre production is essentially a unique process. Revolutionary it may be, but what does it mean for the tyre manufacturing industry?
The new polyurethane elastomer material can be used in the manufacture of tyres and automated manufacturing equipment. The significance of the new material is placed on the cost efficiency of the manufacturing process. According to Amerityre, manufacturing tyres from polyurethane is considerably more efficient than manufacturing tyres from rubber.
It may be new to the market, but the company has big objectives for its new technology. The company claims that polyurethane will ultimately replace rubber in tyres. It also predicts that the transition from rubber to polyurethane tyres will occur quickly, because of the amount of benefits it provides. It estimates that this conversion will begin in the next 12 months, and will be complete in the next 12 to 15 years. And on top of this, its prototype tyre, ‘ARCUS,’ awaits its launch into the market and its opportunity to silence critics. Whichever way you look at it, these are high aims for a product the industry knows little about.
The company was originally formed in 1995 as the American Tire Corporation. Its initial business objective was to take advantage of, and develop, existing urethane formulations. At first the company used these formulations to produce Flatfree bicycle tyres from polyurethane foam. In 1999 the company changed its name to Amerityre Corporation. Located in Nevada, it occupies a 49,200 square foot site. And has now developed two distinct proprietary chemical systems for tyres: a polyurethane elastomer and a closed-cell polyurethane foam.
German manufacturer Fulda has launched a brand new website in the UK – www.fulda.co.uk. The site will provide the company with a greater opportunity to showcase its ‘German High Technology’ and allow visitors to navigate easily through its range of products.
The new online service offers news and information covering all of the company’s market segments, including passenger car, 4×4, light van, heavy truck and farm tyres. The site also looks at the production process, features, benefits and the sizes available in each of these ranges.
The ‘Fulda Challenge’, an endurance competition run by the manufacturer is one of the site’s more unique features. The company is searching for a one man and one woman team to represent Great Britain in the 2005 Fulda Tyres Extreme Arctic Challenge, an alpine sporting event, applications are available online.
Marcus White, brand manager for Fulda Tyres UK comments: ‘I am delighted with the launch of this brand new website. It really does complement the current range of high quality products now available in the UK across the market segments of car, 4×4, light van and truck. We have a strong belief that this current focus on Fulda will drive forward the brand and position ourselves strongly in the UK market.’
Goodyear have announced that, with the fruit and grape harvesting season not far away, it is launching its Optitrac DT812 DT818 in an expanded range of sizes.
After passing US Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards Amerityre is set to launch its polyurethane car tyres into the market within the next 12 months. The American corporation believes that it will initiate a conversion from rubber to polyurethane tyres throughout the whole industry and estimates that the complete conversion will take 12-15 years. Tyres & Accessories will take a look at this unique concept and in particular at the manufacturing differences and advantages that it holds over its rubber alternative.
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