Britishvolt, which is purportedly making one of the UK’s largest-ever industrial investments, has announced the appointment of Ray Macera as project director for the construction of Britain’s first battery gigaplant. The new gigaplant is being designed by leading Italian design experts Pininfarina. It is set to be sited on a former RAF base in Bro Tathan, South Wales and will house Britishvolt’s manufacturing and research and development facilities.
Britishvolt has shortlisted Bro Tathan in South Wales and one other site for the UK’s first 30 plus GWh Gigafactory. Britishvolt eliminated 40 other proposals in the process. When the project is finalised, the company says the initial wave of £1.2 billion of investment into the site will eventually lead to around 3,500 jobs.
Saracens Tyres has put any plans to celebrate its 50th anniversary on hold to focus its efforts on helping its customers stay fully operational throughout the coronavirus pandemic. The Michelin Quality Centre-approved dealer is keeping its doors open during the UK’s lockdown period to support key workers in the transport and agricultural industries who are working around the clock to help keep essential supplies, including food, moving.
North Wales Fire and Rescue Service will fit Michelin tyres across its 100 heavy fire appliances, in the service’s first major tyre policy change in 20-plus years. Its vehicles are used to respond to around 3,200 fires, 500 road traffic collisions and 500 other emergency incidents annually. The new tyre policy mirrors that operated by the two other Fire and Rescue Authorities in Wales. The Michelin X Multi Z all-position tyres will be supplied and fitted by Tructyre ATS, with a small amount of fitment work undertaken by the service’s own in-house workshops, on a predominantly 15-tonne Volvo truck fleet.
Huw Lewis Tyres has become the first Michelin Auto Professional (MAP) dealer to benefit from bespoke new training. Michelin is delivering custom on-site coaching in a ‘real-world’ environment to help advocate dealers enhance customer offer and boost sales. The new training is available to the MAP network in the UK and Ireland during 2019, with the local Michelin territory business manager working closely with owners to focus training where it can have the biggest impact.
Pontypool based, windscreen wiper blade manufacturer, Trico will again sponsor the Swansea University Ladies’ Hockey Team at this year’s annual Welsh Varsity game, on Wednesday 10 April.
According to David Lewis, Mark Water Pumps Limited has always promoted OEM quality across its product range, and he considers the ’ProFlow’ range of automotive water pumps no exception. Mark Water Pumps acts as supplier to leading OEM manufacturers such as Jaguar Land Rover, Aston Martin and Volvo; plant manager Lewis believes ProFlow products provide this “OEM quality and performance for the aftermarket.”
Tyre pressure management system (TPMS) Wheely-Safe Light has been installed on 90 Welsh Ambulance Service NHS Trust emergency vehicles after proving its worth during extensive trials earlier this year.
Cenex – transport and energy not for profit consultancy – has been appointed by Cadwyn Clwyd, a Rural Development Agency, and Wrexham County Borough Council (WCBC), to determine the feasibility of installing electric charging points across the county of Wrexham. This project has received funding through the Welsh Government Rural Communities – Rural Development Programme 2014-2020, which is funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and the Welsh Government.
Connor McCloskey claimed outright victory on Pirelli tyres at the Severn Valley Stages, round three of the Pirelli MSA Welsh Rally Championship. Co-driven by John Rowan, McCloskey led throughout in his Ford Fiesta WRC, winning by 45 seconds at the finish in Builth Wells. Charlie Payne finished second in another Pirelli-equipped Fiesta WRC.
Automotive parts distributor, Fast Parts Wales, has announced the date of its second ‘Fast Parts Wales, Tŷ Hafan, Rainbow Family Rally’ in aid of local children’s hospice Tŷ Hafan, with the event set to take place from Saturday 29 April to Monday 1 May 2017.
Toyo Tires has lent its support and tyres to the Mission Motorsport team competing in the Race of Remembrance event at Anglesey circuit. As the name implies, Race of Remembrance sees ex-service personnel and veterans competing a 1,000km endurance event at the notoriously demanding North Wales track. Toyo supplied the Milltek Sport/Mission Motorsport/KPM Racing MkVII Golf R, which was piloted by British Olympian Sir Chris Hoy; British Paralympian Jon-Allen Butterworth; GT racer, Tom Onslow-Cole; Paul White; and Jade Edwards.
HiQ has added a new tyre retail outlet to its franchise network in Ruthin, North Wales. Previously known as Automark, the store will reopen as HiQ Ruthin. It brings 12 years of experience and an excellent reputation within its customer base to the network, HiQ states.
Kumho’s continued participation in national rally championships has been rewarded with another success, as Bob Fowden and Paul Wakely’s Subaru Impreza WRC clinched the 2016 JD Tyres Welsh National Tarmacadam Rally Championship with one round to spare. The pairing won the Peter Lloyd Stages event on 23 October at the Pembrey Motorsports Centre, and was fastest over all five stages of the rally, which was held in sunny but windy conditions.
Dmack said it would target another top gravel result on its home round of the FIA World Rally Championship next weekend at the penultimate event of the season, Wales Rally GB. The 2016 UK round of the WRC could be one of the toughest in recent history, Dmack states, with new stages, significantly extended competitive sections and lack of mid-leg servicing making it a huge challenge for drivers and tyres alike. Since the supplier introduced a new range of gravel tyres in May, Dmack World Rally Team’s Ott Tänak and Raigo Mõlder have scored 16 fastest stage times and led events in Poland and Finland in their Ford Fiesta RS WRC.
Northvolt
Saracens Tyres