Tag: premium
Growth in every size segment from 17” up, but rapidly slowing
The UK’s high performance tyre sector – in this case defined by tyre diameters of 17” and above – has continued its growth trend, but at a very much slower rate than in 2017.
Goodyear launches OTR proactive solutions/TPMS
Responding to the digital transformation in the Off-the-Road (OTR) vehicle and equipment industry, on 23 April Goodyear introduced two new digital innovations to help OTR fleets reduce their total cost of ownership at the Intermat show in Paris.
New Hunter aligner is ‘ACE’ solution for workshops – Pro-Align
Pro-Align has launched the latest Hunter wheel alignment system, developed through widespread customer feedback to merge mid-level imaging with a fully upgradable package. The UK distributor told Tyres & Accessories that the new Hunter PA200 ACE has been developed for budget conscious workshops keen to enter the world of premium Hunter four wheel alignment servicing, receiving the best of the American brand’s alignment features in a mid-level system – a result of feedback from UK workshops.
Goodyear FACEs the future with new tyre concepts
Goodyear’s latest concept tyre, introduced at the 2018 Geneva International Motor Show in March, once again sees the company look forward in a bid to lead discussions relating to the future of mobility. However, this also has an inevitable impact on the future of the tyre industry – which is where Goodyear’s FACE (Fleet Autonomous Connected Electric) acronym comes in. More on that later. First, the headline grabbing products – the Oxygene and the EfficientGrip Performance with Electric Drive Technology.
MWheels to discuss unchanged CV wheel inspection law with DfT, DVSA
MWheels will meet with the Department for Transport (DfT) and DVSA to understand why the EU Roadworthiness Directive, and its section on CV wheels, has not been incorporated in UK law. The DfT’s draft Heavy Goods Vehicle Inspection Manual, due to come into force from 20 May 2018, shows “no major changes” to section 06, Road Wheels and Hubs. This is despite the British firm’s eight-year campaign, which saw major input in both Periodic (2014/45/EU) and Roadside (2014/47/EU) documents. Both were expected to be fully adopted by all 27 Member States as part of the EU’s drive to create standardised inspection procedures.
Cyber security comes to the fore
Bentley has been unveiling what it calls the first hybrid electric super-luxury car at the Geneva Motor Show. Other manufacturers (like Porsche) may disagree with this assertion, but the launch marks something of a landmark for the industry with more and more emphasis being paid to the new generation of electric and hybrid vehicles. Indeed, during the company’s latest financial results, Pirelli’s Marco Tronchettic Provera even spoke about the digitisation of the company’s business as if it is normal – something that was followed by the launch of Pirelli’s Cyber Car in Geneva at the start of March. In short, the Cyber Car system offers an OEM solution to send data from the tyres to the car and from the car to the cloud for the benefit of that particular driver as well as road-users in general.
4×4 SUV tyre sector value up 18 per cent
In our February Car Tyre feature, Tyres & Accessories published some of the latest UK tyre replacement market trends data produced by GfK. That data suggested that SUV tyre sales data was a key driver of both increased rim size as well as volume and value growth in the market. This month, as part of our SUV tyres feature, we take a closer look at the trends in the 4x4 and SUV sector specifically and find that the trends are repeated and developed within the sector.
Goodyear wins “Chassis Supplier of the Year” from Fiat Chrysler
On 7 December 2017, at the annual supplier conference at the Auditorium G. Agnelli Lingotto in Turin (Italy), Goodyear was awarded "Chassis Supplier of the Year" by the famous Italian-American car manufacturer Fiat Chrysler Automobiles EMEA. It is the first time a tyremaker has received the award.
Carnegie Fuels recommends Michelin’s X Works rugged tyre range following trial
Scottish fuel firm Carnegie Fuels typically delivers to farms, industrial areas and residential properties that can often only be accessed on rocky off-road terrain – putting the 6x2 rigid tanker fleet’s fitments at an increased risk of stone cuts and ingress. Following a visit from one of Michelin’s Technical Managers, Dan Lamb, last summer, owner Kevin Carnegie agreed to trial sets of Michelin X Works D drive axle tyres and XZY3 steer and tag axle fitments on two of his 13 delivery vehicles.
Petlas aims to increase car and truck tyre sales with factory investments
Already a market leader in the agricultural tyre segment in the North Africa, Middle East and Eastern Europe, Turkish tyre manufacturer Petlas is now aiming to increase its passenger car and truck tyre sales figures in the years to come. To this end, the firm reports that it made a series of investments in its passenger car tyre production during 2017.
Why combustion engines won’t disappear just yet
In our August edition, this column examined how “the clocking is ticking for combustion engines”, which also means the clock is ticking for conventional tyres designed with combustion engine-centric vehicles in mind. Four months later, both points are true. However, there are also significant challenges facing this market development that also warrant our attention. Two of the obstacles between the status quo and the electric vehicle car parc of the future are charging points and technological recall risk.
The Chinese tyre industry wants to move from biggest to best
Talk to westerners and they see China as a relative newcomer to the global tyre industry table. Talk to Chinese people and they may just point out that China has been the world’s leading tyre producing nation since 2005. Indeed, full-year 2016 figures show that 600 million tyres were “made in China”, many of which were passenger car and light truck products. However, China now wants to move on from its reputation as being the biggest tyre producing nation and progress towards a renewed emphasis on quality and technology. Tyres & Accessories spoke with Mary Xu, the China Rubber Industry Association (CRIA) deputy secretary general, in order to find out more about how the Chinese tyre industry wants to move from biggest to best.
Pirelli IPO marks landmark in new ownership structure
If Pirelli’s sale to the ChemChina-led consortium in 2015, along with the legal and integration work in 2016 wasn’t enough, 2017 is proving to have been another complex and busy year for Pirelli. The last 12 months have seen the company pass two key landmarks in its post-acquisition strategy: the separation of the industrial tyre business (including industrial, truck, OTR and agricultural operations) into the new Prometeon Tyre Group in the first part of year; and the successful re-listing of the Pirelli in the autumn. The latest news is that Pirelli’s major shareholder – Marco Polo International - has increased its shareholding in Pirelli following the IPO by exercising a greenshoe option.
Falken, Liverpool FC discuss tyre-football partnership and synergies
Falken's status as the official tyre partner of Liverpool Football Club is one of the latest in an extended series of tyre and football partnerships. Tyres & Accessories took the opportunity of Falken’s first event at Anfield to ask director and senior executive officer, Sumitomo Rubber Industries Yutaka Kuroda and chief commercial officer and managing director at Liverpool FC Billy Hogan to illustrate how the partnership will be used to benefit both parties. In addition to the particular synergies between the club and tyre brand, their answers also illustrate why there has been such a boom in partnerships between top-tier football clubs and tyres in recent years.
Why Doublestar’s Kumho purchase is a good idea
15 months after bidding got underway, Qingdao-based Doublestar and its consortium of Chinese banks and investors bought 45 per cent of the South Korean tyremaker Kumho Tire over the Easter weekend. Whatever other clauses are written into the deal, following the release of shares issued for the purpose of the sale, Kumho Tire’s creditors will own a 23.1 per cent shareholding in the tyre maker, down from 42.01 per cent. This makes the Chinese tyre firm controlling shareholders in South Korea’s Kumho Tire.
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