- New Vauxhall Astra to be produced in UK; £125m invested
- DfT to investigate hubs following MWS research
- Euro car registrations continue to drop
- GT Radial launches truck retread at “successful” CV Show
- New association calls for trade liberalisation
- Point S moves into South Africa
- Goodyear Dunlop moves two to Dunlop Motorsport, Birmingham
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UK debut for flagship Falken UHP tyre
Falken is preparing for the UK launch of what it calls its strongest and quietest ultra high performance tyre, the Azenis FK453. The new tyre succeeds, both numerically and in Falken’s line-up, the FK452, a tyre Falken says has been revered by many... -
Avon performance range a popular choice
As the tyre brand of choice for numerous race teams and track enthusiasts around the world, Avon tyres has taken its expertise and understanding of race tyres and applied the same principles and technology to its ultra high performance road tyre... -
New Himalaya range expands Federal’s winter portfolio
When Federal Tyre returns to the Reifen show in Germany this June, the Taiwanese manufacturer will showcase its Himalaya ICEO winter tyre, which is aimed at consumers in Northern Europe, Russia/CIS and Japan. Sizes initially on offer range from... -
Road legal track tyre a first for Conti
Continental has introduced a road legal track day tyre into the UK, and the company says this latest product sets a new benchmark for high performance cars. The tyre is the ContiForceContact, which visitors to February’s Geneva Motor Show may have... -
DfT to investigate hubs following MWS research
Following research by Motor Wheel Service last month that showed commercial wheels sustaining undetected damage when fitted to non-standard hubs, the Department for Transport has stated that it will undertake independent testing to verify the... -
Trelleborg extends TM100 range
Trelleborg Wheel Systems has added two new sizes to its TM100 tyre range designed for row-crop applications - the 380/90R50 151A8 (151B) and 380/90R54 158A8 (158B). As a result the Trelleborg TM100 range is now available in 11 sizes from 32 to 54... -
Commuter bikes offer only good news as two-wheel registrations dip 3.5%
The latest motorcycle and scooter registration figures show sales overall were down 3.5 per cent last month compared with April 2011. Under 50cc scooter sales were down the most (9.6%) in April, while over 50cc motorcycle decreased by 2.5 per cent.... -
High performance tyres, high performance service
High performance cars require high performance tyres - obviously. What’s not quite as obvious is that today’s tough market conditions are sharpening the motorist’s eye for real value and service - especially in the more discerning and therefore... -
DAF selects Goodyear low rolling resistance tyres
DAF has selected Goodyear Marathon + low rolling resistance tyres for standard equipment on its latest Advanced Transport Efficiency (ATe) trucks. According to the tyre manufacturer, the news comes as a result of the partnership between the two... -
High speed comfort from Firenza
The Firenza high performance brand has steadily grown within this competitive sector and is now a popular choice with discerning drivers who insist on a combination of speed, comfort and safety at a realistic price level. The company reports that its...
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Groupe Massa becomes Infinity Tyres’ French distributor
Infinity Tyres has signed a distribution deal with Groupe Massa in France. The group operates through several subsidiary companies focusing on retail, logistics, retreading and wholesale, and the brand will be distributed through the Massa Pneus... -
Institution of Mechanical Engineers welcomes Vauxhall decision
Philippa Oldham, head of transport and manufacturing at the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, welcomed Vauxhall’s decision on the new Astra production. “This is welcome news for Merseyside, and for UK manufacturing as a whole. The UK car... -
Kwik Fit doubles apprentice intake to 320 in 2012
Kwik Fit has announced that it will take on 320 apprentices in 2012, more than double the company’s intake of 120 in 2011. The firm will offer the two year schemes to 16-18 year olds in locations throughout the UK. The announcement coincided with... -
New Vauxhall Astra to be produced in UK; £125m invested
Vauxhall has confirmed that production of its new Astra model will take place at its Ellesmere Port, Cheshire manufacturing plant – the lead plant of two in Europe building the model. The decision was made after Vauxhall’s workforce signed a new... -
Toyo tyres OE on new Mazda CX-5
Toyo Proxes R36 tyres have been chosen as original equipment for the new Mazda CX-5 compact SUV. The 225/55 R19 99V Proxes R36 are said to complement the Skyactiv technology introduced on the Mazda CX-5. Skyactiv technology, which is described as a... -
Bridgestone says Russian Dandelions may be sustainable source of Natural Rubber
Bridgestone Corporation reports that recent research conducted by its Bridgestone Americas operations may indicate that the Russian Dandelion can become a commercially viable, renewable source of high-quality, tyre-grade rubber. -
Thornleigh fleet gets a Hankook makeover
Thornleigh Freight has announced it is overhauling the look of some of its vehicles, turning them into a striking Hankook branded fleet. Thornleigh Freight has worked with Hankook for over 10 years and has recently signed a new contract to store and... -
ATS Euromaster rewarded for van fleet service development
Birmingham-based ATS Euromaster has been presented with the Innovation Award for the second year in succession at the Van Fleet World Honours 2012. The company was commended by the publication for its “highly progressive approach” to van fleet... -
NDI appoints TRS Tyre and Wheel Ltd as New Zealand distributor
Nordisk Dæk Import A/S (NDI) has appointed New Zealand’s TRS Tyre and Wheel Ltd as its AP+ Dual Wheels distributor in the region. The decision took effect in May 2012. According to NDI, the company’s AP+ Dual Wheels are a “resounding success”... -
Point S UK reflects on successful 2011, seeks new members
Over 70 Point S UK members, staff and suppliers gathered in Solihull yesterday to reflect on the independent retail network’s development in 2011 and plans for 2012. At the end of 2011 Point S UK had 45 members and 125 points of sale. And although...
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GT Radial to launch 4 TBR, 2 PCR tyres at Reifen 2012
GT Radial has announced that it will launch four new truck tyres and two new car tyres in Hall Three at Reifen 2012, including a flagship product for the ultra high performance sector. The company’s first retreaded truck tyre – the GT REE Tread,... -
Groupe Massa becomes Infinity Tyres’ French distributor
Infinity Tyres has signed a distribution deal with Groupe Massa in France. The group operates through several subsidiary companies focusing on retail, logistics, retreading and wholesale, and the brand will be distributed through the Massa Pneus... -
Ekoprena production gearing up for commercial sales
It’s now been six years since Sumitomo Rubber introduced its first eco-oriented tyre containing a form of epoxidised natural rubber called Ekoprena. Yet despite Sumitomo’s success with this product, Ekoprena remains an unknown quantity in much of... -
Growth in quality, rather than scale, needed for China’s tyre industry
If you were to look back on the rising presence of Chinese tyres in recent times, you’d be mistaken for thinking manufacturers in the People’s Republic view the world as their oyster and the future as all good. Yet tyre makers in China are not... -
UK debut for flagship Falken UHP tyre
Falken is preparing for the UK launch of what it calls its strongest and quietest ultra high performance tyre, the Azenis FK453. The new tyre succeeds, both numerically and in Falken’s line-up, the FK452, a tyre Falken says has been revered by many... -
Avon performance range a popular choice
As the tyre brand of choice for numerous race teams and track enthusiasts around the world, Avon tyres has taken its expertise and understanding of race tyres and applied the same principles and technology to its ultra high performance road tyre... -
New Himalaya range expands Federal’s winter portfolio
When Federal Tyre returns to the Reifen show in Germany this June, the Taiwanese manufacturer will showcase its Himalaya ICEO winter tyre, which is aimed at consumers in Northern Europe, Russia/CIS and Japan. Sizes initially on offer range from... -
Triangle to research aircraft radial development
On 4 May, the Triangle Group and the Harbin Institute of Technology signed a strategic cooperation agreement for the development of radial aircraft tyre technology. The agreement was signed at Triangle’s headquarters in Shandong Province by company... -
Loader record broken on Bridgestones
World speed records for passenger cars may be approaching the 250mph or 400km/h range, but it is possible to be a record breaker at more modest speeds. Bridgestone reports a Volvo wheel loader fitted with its VHS tyres has broken 103 km/h, creating a... -
Road legal track tyre a first for Conti
Continental has introduced a road legal track day tyre into the UK, and the company says this latest product sets a new benchmark for high performance cars. The tyre is the ContiForceContact, which visitors to February’s Geneva Motor Show may have...
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Lassa producer Brisa investing US$117.5 million to expand tyre capacity in 2012
Brisa, the company producing Lassa brand tyres in a joint venture between Bridgestone and the Sabanci Group, has announced it will invest US$117.5 million expanding its tyre manufacturing units in Izmit, Turkey. The investment figure exceeds the $110 million of investment that was reported at the start of April. -
Nexen increases Italian market focus
Hot on the heels of the news that growing Korean tyre manufacturer Nexen has secured OE supply to Fiat, the firm has revealed details of its plans to expand in the well-known marques domestic Italian market. With a replacement market potential of over 30 million tyres a year in the passenger car segment, Nexen has suggested Italy is one of its key countries for expansion in Europe. -
Yokohama Tire Corporation debuts Mexico website
Yokohama Tire Corporation has launched a new Spanish-language website for Mexico. “The website is designed to meet the needs of our growing customer base in Mexico,” said John Cooney, Yokohama's director of export. “It has been customised with many of the features found on our English-language website in the US, including an interactive dealer locator, interactive product ‘hot spots’ and downloadable bulletins in Spanish. These... -
Gentipak to produce motorcycle tyres
Comments made in Pakistan’s Express Tribune indicate the General Tyre and Rubber Company of Pakistan, also known as Gentipak, plans to enter the motorcycle tyre market in mid 2012. The Karachi-based tyre maker, which produces passenger car radials under the General and Euro brand names and cross-ply tyres for light trucks, trucks and agricultural vehicles, recently invested Rs500 million (£3.5 million) expanding its production facility and... -
Report: Cheng Shin, Kenda earnings to grow fast in 1Q 2012
Taiwan-based tyre makers including Cheng Shin Rubber Ind. Co. and Kenda Rubber Industrial Co., are expected to see substantial growth in earnings in the first quarter of 2012 due to declines in raw material prices, particularly natural rubber. Furthermore, according to Taiwan Economic News, the European sovereign debt crisis means tyre manufacturers have slashed inventories to get rid of the risk in the prices of stocked goods. -
Hankook establishes new subsidiary in Poland
Hankook Tire has established an additional subsidiary in Europe. The opening of the company’s Polish branch in Warsaw is in keeping with the growing demand for Hankook tyres in the European markets. “Thanks to our new subsidiary in Poland we are now also able to provide full service to our partners and customers in the 6th largest tyre market in the European Union. This is in-line with Hankook’s strategy of close market and customer... -
New trade deal will aid US doing tyre business with South Korea
TIA says that the renewed free trade deal with South Korea is a good deal for the U.S. tyre market. President Obama signed the renewal of the U.S. Generalized System of Preferences (GSP), which was part of a trade pact originally agreed to between the U.S. and South Korea in 2007 – Korean-United States Free Trade Agreement. -
Tyre hijackers arrested
The Malay Mail reports that four armed intruders forced their way into a used-tyre factory in the township of Bandar Bukit Puchong, Malaysia, overpowering a security guard, who was bound and gagged, before driving off with a trailer loaded with 319 tyres. -
Pakistani tyre maker still under pressure from ‘smuggling’
Years of under-invoicing and rampant cross-border smuggling are still putting pressure on domestic tyre suppliers in Pakistan. So what’s the solution? Raid tyre markets in big cities instead of trying to stop smuggling along the long Pakistan-Afghanistan border, says General Tyre Pakistan chief executive Mohammad Shahid Hussain. -
Michelin extends with Ceva in Thailand
Michelin Thailand has renewed its logistics contract with Ceva for three years, to handle inbound tyres from Michelin’s production plants into warehouse facilities in three main locations across Thailand; Laemchabang, Nongkea and Nongree.
QUESTION OF THE MONTH
Following the early release of UK's worst offender, is tyre dumping legislation toothless?