20130071 atd april may 2013 4web

Australian Tyre Dealer | vol. 22 | issue 2 | Apr/May 2013

Increase proďŹ ts with Hunter Alignment Quick Checks

www.stocksauto.com.au

Phone: 1300 267 444

CONTENTS ATD is a publication of the Motor Trades Association of Queensland (MTA Queensland) and is endorsed by the Australian Tyre Dealers and Retreaders Association (ATDRA)

2. editors word

Print Post approved PPP444752/0002

4. Pirelli’s autographed P Zeros.

The opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the ATDRA or any State or Territory constituent body, or of the Publishers and they take no responsibility for them, except where specifically indicated.

Industry News

Airless tyres all the rage.

5. Bridgestone gets animated 6. Michelin teams up with AMG Black Series

Head Office Building 8/2728 Logan Road Eight Mile Plains Qld 4113 PO Box 4530 Eight Mile Plains QLD 4113 Tel: 07 3237 8777 Fax: 07 3844 4488 Toll Free: 1800 177 951 Email: atd@mtaq.com.au Website: www.mtaq.com.au

7. Top award for Kumho 8. Hunter’s new alignment system 14. Toyo joins Tyreright stable 23. Camp Quality seeks quantity

EDITOR Bill Key

24. New program approved by ACCC

ART DIRECTOR Marco Ilinic

FEATUREs

ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES Bill Key Mobile: 0421 057 094 Facsimile: 07 3844 4488 Email: billk@mtaq.com.auu

Camp Quality’s biggest annual fundraiser esCarpade, an outback motoring adventure for cars that are over 20 years old, is seeking entrants, p. 23.

10. Aussie milestone for YHI 16. Orange tyres have zest appeal

EDITORIAL Enquiries should be made to: The Editor 07 3237 8777 or email atd@mtaq.com.au

18. Neta tyres: Still going strong

ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION RATES: $45.60 (inc gst) in Australia $99.00 overseas (airmail)

Sports

20. The fastest tyres on ice

26. Aussie drifter takes on the best

MTA-Queensland ABN: 740 289 338 48

Finnish tyre giant Nokian Tyres, inventor of the winter tyre, set a new Guinness World Record for the fastest car on ice last month, p. 20.

Bridgestone teams with Deltawing

27. Sibling Rivalry on three wheels 28. Prancing horse gets moving 29. Michelin passes punishing test

world NEWS 30. Marangoni Tyres come back to Australia

Jack Daniel’s Racing team mates and brothers, Rick and Todd Kelly battled it out for line honours of a different kind, this time on three wheels, p. 27.

20120005 20120071

“Australian Tyre Dealer” welcomes submissions of information and prepared articles, but their publication will be at its sole discretion. Material appearing in “Australian Tyre Dealer” is copyright, and reproduction in whole or part without the Publisher’s written consent is prohibited. “Australian Tyre Dealer” is circulated to tyre dealers, senior executives of companies which supply the tyre industry, and representatives of relevant industry groups.

Pirelli showcased markings on new ultra-highperformance cars from Ferrari, Lamborghini, Maserati and McLaren at the Geneva Auto Salon, p. 4.

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Editor’s word

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yres, they are a commodity that nearly every adult in the western world has to buy at some stage in their life, usually every few years in fact, and yet one that most people, even myself until recently, gave little thought to until it comes time to dish out the money.

Bill Key Editor

Hi, my name is Bill Key and I have recently been appointed Editor and Publications Manager for the MTAQ, one of my key responsibilities is to deliver to you, the tyre industry experts, a comprehensive, informative and even entertaining magazine every two months.

I must admit the pool of information that I have been trawling through about the industry is a deep one and I don’t think I’ll ever look at my tyres the same way again.

In this edition of Australia Tyre Dealer, we feature the recent 20-year celebration dinner hosted

by YHI Australia. Held at Curzon Hall near Sydney the Singaporeborn company has been going from strength-to-strength since investing in the Australian market two decades ago, we interview

Managing Director of YHI Australia, Mr Tony Suhan. P10 Also celebrating a milestone is Brisbane business Neta Tyre Service and Sales. Originally working out of an Esso service station in Red Hill in 1962, the family-run company has grown to have a network distributing several brands of tyres across the majority of Queensland and Northern NSW. Neta’s 50th anniversary was also a somber occasion with the passing of founder Keith McKay in October, just weeks before the big night. P18 Check out the photos on Page 20 of the Guinness World Record for the fastest car on ice. Finnish tyre giant Nokian provided the rubber, Audi built the car and test driver Janne Laitinen had the courage.

Feel free to drop me a line at billk@mtaq.com.au or give me a ring on (07) 3237 8777 if you have some news you would like to share with the industry, or if you’re interested in grabbing some advertising opportunities.

Regards, Bill Key

Fleet managers under pressure to reduce the carbon footprint for environment-conscious companies have been given a helping hand by Yokohama, which has released its BluEarth AE01 ‘eco tyre’ made with orange oil and silica, for small to medium cars. P16

FREECALL ORDER HOTLINE

1800 722 822 plus many more brands including Continental

2

INDUSTRY NEWS Maserati offers two tire packages on the Quattroporte—245/45/19 front and 275/40/19 rear and 245/40/20 front and 285/35/20 rear—and Pirelli said it is developing a 21-inch version that should be available in a few months. * McLaren P1. This vehicle, a two-seat, mid-engined car, uses PZero Corsas 245/35ZR19 front and 315/30ZR20 rear.

Air Today, Gone Tomorrow Lamborghini Aventador LP 700-4 Roadster

Pirelli begins ‘autographing’ P Zero tyres Pirelli showcased the markings at the Geneva Auto Salon on new ultra-highperformance cars from Ferrari, Lamborghini, Maserati and McLaren.

For example the McLaren will have MC1 on their Pirellis.

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ach evolution is tailormade for the individual requirements of every specific model, Pirelli said, meaning there is no longer a single P Zero designated as OE. Pirelli claims there have been 250 homologations of the P Zero line since its introduction in 2007. Today there are roughly 130 versions in production, in sizes ranging from 17 to 21 inches rim diameter and aspect ratios of 25 to 50.

The P Zero uses special nano composites in the tyre compound and bead to enhance ride comfort and sporting performance, Pirelli

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said. The tread pattern’s three wide longitudinal grooves are designed to deliver grip on damp surfaces while also guaranteeing acoustic comfort. The asymmetric profile provides regular wear, according to the tyre maker.

Among the product launches at the 2013 Geneva Auto Salon using Pirelli tires were: * Ferrari’s LaFerrari gasolineelectric hybrid model.

Pirelli claims its researchers, working closely with engineers from Ferrari, have increased the tire’s contact patch to help reduce understeer and improve turn-in and grip. * Lamborghini Aventador LP 700-4 Roadster. A $455,000 two-seater with a plus-one front-rear treatment, the tires being used are sizes 255/30ZR20 front and 355/25ZR21 rear.

The car’s 6.5-liter V12 is rated at 700hp (515kW), delivering 0-100 acceleration in just 3-seconds and a top speed of 350kmh. * Maserati Quattroporte. Pirelli engineered lighter-weight P Zero tires to help keep the overall weight of the four-door luxury performance car down.

Reports that Polaris, a small US company specializing in allterrain vehicles plans to sell airless tyres to the general public from 2014 have been circulating around the motoring media for several MONTHs, but the time-frame could be a bit ambitious.

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he idea of ‘non-pneumatic tyres’ as they are more properly known is not new, various styles have been ‘floating’ around the concept world for some years.

Michelin showed off a version in 2005 and Bridgestone unveiled their contender over a year ago.

But until now none of these have been available to the common driver.

Polaris hopes to change that.

Developed by Resilient Technologies, a company bought by Polaris last year the tyre has a unique ‘honeycomb’ mesh of rubber that forms the core of the tyre and helps carry the vehicles load.

The structure is flexible enough to absorb bumps and because there is no air, punctures could become a thing of the past.

An outer tread composed of rubber means the tyre can be developed to suit various purposes, ranging from off-road driving to economy and even performance applications.

Military and security forces around the world should be first in line to buy up big, with the new tyre also bullet and road spike proof.

The demonstration model has no sidewall to show off the technology, but road going versions will and should look just like an ordinary tyre.

Additional benefits are said to include less waste as only the outer tread needs to be replaced and a more comfortable ride with less noise.

No definite word from the company yet on a launch date, but testing is

continuing and they are keen to get them to market as soon as possible.

Perhaps it was in response to this report that the cheeky staff at Continental Tyres sent out their own press release on airless tyres, titled ‘First air-free car tyre from Continental’. Thankfully they also added the small disclaimer “This media release is an April fools joke.”

And luckily I read the disclaimer.

Bridgestone partners with DreamWorks Animation Bridgestone Americas Tyre Operations is partnering with DreamWorks Animation on a multifaceted promotional campaign and sweepstakes tied to an animated film scheduled to hit theaters in July.

Bridgestone said Firestone racing tyres, the official tyre of IZOD IndyCar Series, are featured in the movie, which is partly set at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway during the Indy 500.

urbo is about a garden snail who dreams of competing in the Indy 500 and after a freak accident gives him the power of incredible speed, Turbo the snail fulfills his greatest wish.

The filmmakers worked closely with Al Speyer, Bridgestone Americas’ executive director of motorsports, and Firestone Racing engineers to understand the technology to ensure accuracy and authenticity, Bridgestone said.

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INDUSTRY NEWS Michelin Pilot Sport Cup to become standard on SLS AMG Coupé Black Series The new Michelin Pilot Sport Cup will be standard equipment for the all new Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Coupé Black Series cars.

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elivering superior performance is engrained in the genetic code of the AMG brand, and it’s also the mission assigned to the new Michelin tyres.

The partnership between MercedesBenz and Michelin is the result of close cooperation and even more importantly, it demonstrated their shared commitment to superior performance.

Mercedes-AMG set demanding criteria for the tyres that will equip its supersport model, and the new Pilot Sport Cup 2 complies fully with the carmaker’s specifications.

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The new range delivers the performance required by the auto manufacturer and is the only tyre to display Mercedes-AMG´s -own certification markings for the new SLS AMG Coupé Black Series.

According to Michelin the new tyres are capable of providing: • Continuous precision steering, whether the driver is taking to the track with cold tyres or leaving it with heated tyres.

• Agility and enhanced responsiveness that enable drivers to get the most out of the model’s sporty engine and chassis.

Michelin also announced that it would fit its specially developed Pilot Super Sport ZP as original equipment on the full 2014 range of Chevrolet Corvette Stingray models.

• Maximum grip, for faster lap times.

• Exceptional heat resistance to ensure consistent performance lap after lap.

• Adherence, balance and stability on wet surfaces for carefree driving, even when weather conditions worsen.

Delivering performance in these areas is the result of a co-development project involving teams from the Michelin Technology Center and engineers from the Stuttgart-based car manufacturer.

The project saw over100 dynamic evaluations and test sessions conducted on tracks in Northern and Southern Europe – in Italy, at the Michelin Technology Center in Ladoux and on the Nürburgring circuit.

1800 prototype and special series tyres and 800 pre-series tyres were used and speeds up to 315 kmh were obtained with the tyres, in safe driving conditions.

In addition to the Mercedes deal, Michelin also announced that it would fit its specially developed Pilot Super Sport ZP as original equipment on the full 2014 range of Chevrolet Corvette Stingray models.

The deal has come about as a result of Michelin’s relationship with Chevrolet at the American Le Mans Series.

NSW

DISTRIBUTOR WANTED

Kumho Tyres wins prestigious 2013 Red Dot Design Award Kumho Tyres has won the prestigious 2013 Red Dot Design Award in the category of product design with its eco-friendly tyre Ecowing ES01 (KH27). Kumho Tyres took the prize for the second straight year.

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esigned as an eco-friendly product targeting the European market, Ecowing ES01 demonstrated its excellent performance by meeting the strict requirement of the EU tyre labeling system.

Compared to conventional products, the new tyre minimizes energy losses by reducing rolling resistance and ensures optimal drive stability by increasing wet grip.

Kumho Tyres has already established a solid foothold in the domestic market of eco-friendly tyres by launching Ecowing S, which features the first-grade energy efficiency rating.

“Kumho Tyres second year straight winning of the Red Dot Design Award, one the world’s top three design honors, means the world recognizes Kumho Tyres’s eco-friendly tyre technology and design excellence.

We will continue efforts for technology development and our investment in design to increase our corporate image as an eco-friendly company in the global market,” said an official of Kumho Tyre’s R&D Center.

Last year, Kumho Tyres won the Red Dot Design Award with Ecsta LE Sport (KU39). In addition, it won the iF Design Award with three products – Ecsta LE Sport (KU39), Majesty Solus (KU50) and I’Zen (KW27). It also received the 2012 America Good Design Award with Ecsta 4X in the category of transportation.

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On the Hunt for increased profits As competition increases and more and more customers are purchasing on price it’s important that Tyre Retailers are continually on the hunt for a way to improve service delivery, differentiate themselves and ultimately increase profits. Well the search is over and the team at STOCKS Australia is proud to introduce the Hunter HawkEye Elite Quick Check alignment system.

“This machine is revolutionising the Australian tyre retail service industry,” explained Phil Goodwin, General Manager, Stocks Automotive Australia Pty Ltd. “When people see this alignment system for the first time they are amazed by the ease and speed of the set up process. Add the fact that there is no calibration requirement and virtually no maintenance which certainly sparks added interest.”

The whole premise behind the development of the HawkEye Elite Quick Check Machine is to maximize the potential profit of every vehicle that comes into a workshop.

As such the HawkEye Elite provides tyre retailers with the opportunity to check a vehicle’s wheel alignment against manufacturers’ specifications in under two minutes, and provide the customer with a print-out of the results that is easy to understand, graphical and written in ‘Layman’s’ language.

“You might ask yourself how would this assist me generate additional profitability, well the answer is easily.”

The first thing you need to consider is that around six out of ten vehicles that enter workshops will need their alignment adjusted to bring it back within manufacturer specifications,” explained Phil.

“Then remind yourself that wheel alignments are one of the most profitable tasks in the workshop and you’ll start to see the potential additional sales that investing in a HawkEye Elite can deliver.”

Tyre Retailers around the world, including Australia have exponentially increased wheel alignment sales by taking three easy steps:

1. Installing a HawkEye Elite in their workshop 2. Offering ‘Free Wheel Alignment Checks 3. Opening the conversation about the pitfalls of poor alignment using an easy to read print-out that the customer can understand “It couldn’t be easier,” said Phil. “Once customers are aware that they have an issue with alignment and you point out that it could not only prove dangerous, but also significantly reduce tyre life, you’ll literally have customer vehicles queuing at your Wheel Aligner,” he added.

“All you need to do is suggest a date and time to complete the work and book them in if your wheel aligner is currently engaged. It puts the proof right into their hands and makes it such an easy sell.”

There is little doubt that the Hunter HawkEye Elite is revolutionising Wheel Alignment sales in Australia. To find out more visit www.stocksauto.com.au or call 1300 267 444.

Step-by-step procedure for Alignment Quick Check

1. Pull car in and stop

5. Remove QuickGrip adaptors 8

2. Mount QuickGrip adaptors

6. Get printout

3. Roll vehicle forward

7. Sell the alignment (when needed)

4. Recall vehicle

Scan here to see the Quick Check in action!

QUALITY WHEEL SERVICE EQUIPMENT

Made in USA

Made in Italy

NCAST/074b

www.stocksauto.com.au 1300 267 444

Singapore-based manufacturing and distribution company YHI held their 20th anniversary dinner last month in Sydney.

Tony Suhan and Richard Tay

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YHI’s AUSSIE

MILESTONE E

xecutive Chairman and Group Managing Director Mr Richard Tay welcomed over 450 guests at the historic Curzon Hall to celebrate YHI’s 20 years in Australia.

Mr Tay was joined on the night by Managing Director of YHI Australia, Mr Tony Suhan, Multistrada /Achilles Tyres’ President and Director Mr Pieter Tanuri and General Manager of Nexen Tire, Mr Krish Kim at the gala evening hosted in the magnificent sandstone manor just outside of Sydney.

YHI started in 1948 as a sole proprietorship in Singapore called Yew Huat & Company selling tyres and batteries.

They later switched their focus from retail to the distribution of key brands, becoming exclusive distributor in Singapore for Hitachi Batteries, Yokohama Tyres and Enkei Alloy Wheels and in 1975 became a private limited company, Yew Huat Tyre & Battery (Pte) Ltd.

YHI became a public company in 2003 and was listed on the Singapore Stock Exchange.

Between 1981 and 1996 the company expanded further into the Asian Pacific region establishing seven overseas subsidiaries including Malaysia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, New Zealand, Taiwan and in 1993 Australia, both YHI (Australia) and YHI Power.

In 1996 YHI took a bold initiative to venture into alloy wheel manufacturing in Taiwan to position themselves as original design manufacturers of alloy wheels, they followed this in 2000 with a second wheel manufacturing plant in Shanghai. continued page 12

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YHI became a public company in 2003 and was listed on the Singapore Stock Exchange.

The company continued to expand, catering more and more to the growing global demand for alloy wheels opening new manufacturing plants and a chroming facility in China and Malaysia.

Konig (America) became part of the YHI group in 2005, allowing the company a presence in the US and a 35.51% shareholding in Renowned Italian alloy wheel manufacturer OZ Racing Italy saw them enter the international motorsport fraternity.

In 2008 YHI entered into a supply and sponsorship agreement with F1 Scuderia Toro Rosso to supply alloy wheels from the group’s proprietary brand Advanti Racing, earning them a global presence in the pinnacle of international motor racing and exposure to millions of fans worldwide.

In 1992, YHI approached Tony Suhan to spearhead their alloy wheel initiative in Australia, and one year later they commenced trading here as an alloy wheel importer and distributor.

Assisted by Andrew Tabacchi and Jerry Lai, YHI Australia rapidly increased its sales of wheels in the Sydney region and in 1995 opened a Queensland branch headed by Steve Cranney.

Tony, Andrew, Jerry and Steve are all still with the company and were singled out for praise at the anniversary dinner.

In 2001, a Perth branch was established and two years later Melbourne and Tasmania opened their doors for business followed by Adelaide in 2006.

This rapid expansion in Australia started with the selling primarily of Enkei Wheels, supplemented by their Viper brand, but in 1996 Advanti Racing Wheels was launched replacing Viper in Australia.

In the early days YHI was a wheel company selling a few tyres, but their tyre market penetration started in earnest in 1999 when they took on the Woosung tyre brand, which was renamed Nexen in 2000.

One year later they had the Accelera brand enabling them to service different market sectors, and then the Achilles brand in 2005.

Tony Suhan

In 1992, YHI approached Tony Suhan to spearhead their alloy wheel initiative in Australia.

They have a national fleet of 36 delivery vehicles, ranging from 23-tonne trucks to smaller vans for quick delivery in metro areas.

Achilles Tyres is a major sponsor and control tyre of the Suzuki Swift series and the Advanti Racing Eco wheel is the control wheel. Achilles also sponsors the series’ champion Allan Jarvis and Commodore Cup series champion Adam Beechey.

The brand is also heavily involved in international drifting events, sponsoring drivers and events including this month’s Formula Drift Australia Championship in Melbourne and recently signed a deal to continue sponsorship of the ADGP until 2015.

Their Nexen range of tyres is also a growing global range with new factories being built in China and Korea, and supplying Hyundai, Kia, SsangYong, Mitsubishi and Fiat.

All these brands are still part of YHI and today, the scale of their Australian tyre business overshadows their wheel business in size, but the latter is still their focal point, allowing them to specialize in combined wheel and tyre packages.

The latest innovations for the company include the Kustomizor online program that allows users to select their car, adjust the look, suspension, colour and fit their choice of wheels to see how they look before making their final selection, and later this year, YHI Australia will be releasing the top end Nitto brand nationally.

YHI Australia currently sells about one million tyre and wheel units per year, employing over 130 people nationally in 6 branches, holding about 350,000 tyres and wheels in stock.

YHI say they have covered a lot of ground in Australia over the last two decades, but are planning to go even further in the next 20 years.

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Q&A

with Tony Suhan on the night of the 20th anniversary celebrations for YHI Australia.

MTAQ: What has been YHI’s proudest achievement in Australia to date?

TONY SUHAN: I think it has been the longevity and competitive spirit of the business. The fact that we have lasted 20 years, survived through hard times and recessions and come out the other side is really the key to it.

MTAQ: What has been YHI’s secret to success in the Australian market?

TONY SUHAN: YHI Singapore Chairman and Group Managing Director, Richard Tay, tries to be very straight forward with our suppliers and customers while being very honest about these relationships and it seems to have worked for us here as well. Truth and honesty seems to be what works best.

MTAQ: What has Australia’s reaction been to having YHI in the market, how has YHI changed the landscape?

TONY SUHAN: When YHI came to the market place it was fairly new as an Asian distributor particularly amongst the major tyre importers such as Goodyear, Yokahama, Bridgestone etc. YHI was accepted into the Australian market providing quality options for customers in a very competitive arena. Many smaller importers entered the market after YHI, however YHI’s ability to maintain a more successful and professional operation has set the benchmark for acceptance in the market place.

MTAQ: What is it about YHI that sets it apart from its competitors?

TONY SUHAN: Distribution! Our network of six warehouses and 36 of our own trucks in the marketplace has definitely given us the competitive edge. We do not outsource logistics as do the smaller and larger companies. Controlling our own logistics in-house allows us to deliver in most major cities twice daily, and also monitor our deliveries closely.

MTAQ: What further plans do you have to expand the brand?

TONY SUHAN: Later this year, YHI Australia will be releasing the Nitto brand nationally. This will be a top end product and well suited to the Australian Market. YHI is very excited about this release and can’t wait.

MTAQ: What next for YHI? TONY SUHAN: Moving forward YHI will be looking at improving their IT capabilities including website and social media functions. Employing adaptable, more aggressive people who can drive these changes to cater to the changing audience and the power it can generate.

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Top brand joins Tyreright stable Tyreright announced a new business relationship with Toyo TYres last month that will make Toyo’s range of consumer and commercial tyres available through Tyreright’s national network of independent dealers and online at www.tyreright.com.au.

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or many years, Toyo has upheld its reputation in the Australian market for customer satisfaction due mainly to the quality of Japanese product in delivering better reliability, safety and value.

This quality has been recognised and Toyo tyres are now the original-equipment

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Tyreright’s Managing Director, Les DeCelis, said that the reception of Toyo brand into its existing portfolio is a natural fit. fitment on popular vehicles such as the Mazda CX-5 (Grand Touring), Nissan X-Trail (Ti & TL), Mazda 3 (Maxx Sport), and Audi TT (below), to name just a few.

With a commitment to the importance of safety, performance and value, Tyreright’s

Managing Director, Les DeCelis, said that the reception of Toyo brand into its existing portfolio is a natural fit.

“Tyreright places a great importance on the integrity of the brands we sell through Tyreright with the consumer’s overall satisfaction in mind. Toyo ticks all the boxes,” said Mr DeCelis.

Tyreright’s innovative approach to retail marketing and customer service is leading the tyre industry with its unique multiportal shopping utilising the internet and other modern technologies as a means to simplifying the purchasing process.

The introduction of the Toyo Tyre range will be a welcome complement to Tyreright’s existing brand portfolio.

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Orange tyres

have zest appeal F

leet managers under pressure to reduce the carbon footprint for environment-conscious companies have been given a helping hand by Yokohama, which has released its BluEarth AE01 ‘eco tyre’ made with orange oil and silica, for small to medium cars.

The BluEarth AE01 tyre range promotes fuel efficiency, longer lifespan, and an eco friendly orange oil additive for higher performance and environmental gains in fleets used by private enterprise, government as well as rural administration and services.

• On average an extra 50 Km of distance on a standard fuel tank • Multitask shoulder grooves for more even wear “These new tyres cover a lot of bases that should sit very comfortably with consumers and commercial users,” said Mr Hansen.

“The BluEarth range is made to be lighter and will last as long, if not longer than a conventional tyre.

“And unlike other low rolling resistance tyres they don’t lack grip The orange oil replaces some of the petroleum content on wet roads,” said Mr Hansen. formerly in the rubber whilst also keeping the tyre compound soft and flexible at a “With the BluEarth AE01, that elusive grip micro level, so it still grips the road. factor is restored and reinforced by Yokohama’s Orange Oil comes from the It also works just as well in cold and wet patented orange oil & silica nano blend rubber peel of the sweet orange (Citrus conditions when tyre rubber traditionally combination.” sinensis) and is extracted as a hardens and starts to lose grip, according to natural by-product of orange juice Yokohama tyre dealers around the country Christian T. Hansen, Yokohama’s National production through centrifugation expect the BluEarth AE01 to be very successful Marketing Manager. and cold-pressing. It is composed on the market, especially considering the price almost entirely of a natural On top of that, the combination of eco-friendly of these new tyres will be the same as the range solvent called Limonene. orange oil derived from orange peel and inert they are replacing. silica also makes these tyres nearly 10% lighter Limonene is what gives citrus which in turn lowers the fuel usage by fruit their aroma, and is also used The BluEarth AE01 ‘eco tyre’ range as of around 8-10%. in perfume, hand and household March 1 comes in 4 sizes: cleaners for its fragrance, as The tyres lower rolling resistance means a 1. The new BluEarth (AE01) car tyre for fuel an environmentally friendly vehicle requires less power to drive along, and relatively safe solvent, in efficient driving therefore using less power and adhesives, detergents and stain burning less fuel.

2. The C.drive2 (AC02) car tyre for extra removers, cleaners of various

safety on wet roads sorts, and it is also a very Some of the other features of the BluEarth useful product in agriculture.

AE01 ‘eco tyre’ include: 3. The Geolandar SUV (G055) which is a long Orange Oil is also used as a base

lasting tyre for 4x4s and SUVs • Longer than average tyre life for food flavours and is made in 4. The ADVAN A048 race tyre used in the • Reduced hydroplaning, leading Australia with other volumes coming to increased grip in the wet from the US, Brazil and China. national V8 Ute Racing Series.

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STILL GOING

STRONG Neta Tyre Service and Sales has just notched up 50 years and despite the sudden death of founder Keith McKay the business continues to grow.

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s over 170 guests sat down to enjoy their meals at Brisbane’s Mercure Hotel last November, to celebrate Neta Tyre Service and Sales 50th birthday, there was one notable absence.

Keith McKay, the founder of the company passed away suddenly on October 24, just weeks before the big night, but although his seat was empty, his spirit was felt throughout the whole room as the evening, although tinged with sadness, became a fitting memorial to a man who was described by friends as a great character and a rogue.

Keith and his wife Nita started the Keith McKay Tyre and Mechanical business in 1962, working out of an Esso service station in the Brisbane suburb of Red Hill.

In 1979 the couple bought a tyre retreading plant, creating the foundations of a family business that has grown from strength to strength and today has a main distribution depot on Brisbane’s northside and branches on the Gold Coast, Lismore, Toowoomba, Sunshine Coast and Rockhampton.

From these bases, and with a fleet of 35 vehicles, Neta Tyres is able to reach as far south as Coffs Harbour, west to Roma and north to Mackay.

Add to that a deal with a retailer in Cairns and Neta has the majority of Queensland and Northern NSW covered.

In 1986 the company moved to their current location and over the past 27 years thanks to the acquisition of several nearby properties the premises have got bigger and bigger and now occupy an entire block.

As you walk around the premises and meet the staff, it is clear that although Neta has grown bigger, this is still a family business and everyone is treated as such.

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Sales manager Gary Kendrick has been with the company for over 13 years and he says one of the keys to the success of the company is the willingness of everybody to go that bit further.

“Everybody is keen to get in and work, if one of the drivers if off sick, and we need a truck to get out, I’ll jump in and drive it, it’s the same for everyone who works here.”

For the last five years Neta has been supplying Federal Tyres to the Warner Brothers Movie World Hollywood Stunt Driver Team.

Gary Kendrick

Joining Gary on the management team are managing director, Nita McKay; general manager Bob Hunter who has over 40 years with the company, financial controller Therese Bochow who started in 1998 and operations manager Tony Barnes who has been with Neta since 1994.

Neta’s major tyre brands are Federal, Silverstone, Hero, Linglong, Ovation and Gecko steel wheels.

It’s no coincidence that all these brands all come from China or Taiwan.

“The quality of product that comes from China and Taiwan now is first rate, and there are so many brands coming from that region,” said Gary.

“Not only is the quality there but the price is so competitive, the difference between the costs of various brands now is not representative of the difference in quality.”

So much so, that for the last five years Neta has been supplying Federal Tyres to the Warner Brothers Movie World Hollywood Stunt Driver Team.

3500 Federal tyres are used during the year for the show and the tyre is the same product found standard on many taxis.

Federal Tyres is no stranger to sponsorship roles. It’s branding is synonymous with the drifting fraternity and in fact sponsors Neta staff member, stock controller and drift racer Robby Mounfield.

Robby has been racing for eight years, worked for Neta for five and been using Federal tyres for about 7 years.

Neta also embraces motorsport with sponsorship of the Stadium Drift Pro Tour that Robby competes in and various other grass roots motorsport series.

“Most of the guys in the Stadium Drift Pro and Street Sprint series use our products,” said Robby.

50 years on, and still going strong, Nita McKay is continuing the success of the family business and no doubt Keith McKay would have been happy with the legacy he left behind.

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“The stunt show is very important for us, it’s great exposure for the product and we are very happy to be corporate sponsors. The Federal Tyres tick all the boxes for the stunt show, Movie World has to be very conscious of smoke, noise, rubber debris and still have a tyre that stands up to the grueling work,” said Gary.

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Ice, Ice, Baby Nokian tyres fastest on the cold stuff.

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innish tyre giant Nokian Tyres, inventor of the winter tyre, set a new Guinness World Record for the fastest car on ice last month.

Nokian test driver Janne Laitinen, holder of multiple world records, drove an Audi RS6 fitted with the new Nokian Hakkapeliitta 8 studded tyre at a speed of 335.713kmh (208.602 mph) on an 12-kilometre (7.5 mile) track created on the ice from the Gulf of Bothnia, near the city of Oulu in Finland.

Grip and speed were the standout features for the new spearhead product from the world’s leading manufacturer of winter tyres. At high speeds, a winter tyre needs to have absolute grip, structural durability, and precise handling in order to manage the exceptional performance of a high-powered vehicle.

The unique Nokian Eco Stud 8 technology used on this newest member of the Hakkapeliitta winter tyre family ensured balanced lateral and longitudinal grip providing stable, predictable handling, essential elements at both extreme speeds on uneven ice as well as during regular overtaking on winter roads.

“Relentless testing at extreme limits always works to serve the interests of the consumer. We wanted to set an extremely tough challenge for the new Hakkapeliitta 8.

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Nokian Tyres is the world’s northernmost tyre manufacturer.

The company developed and manufactured the world’s first winter tyre for the winter frost in 1934.

“The forces focused on the tyres are enormous, as the car travels over 93m per second and the studs hit the ice 43 times. As the air resistance increases, we need even more grip to accelerate the car. In addition to grip, handling and stability are also essential,” says Matti Morri, Technical Customer Service Manager for Nokian Tyres.

Nokian Tyres is the world’s northernmost tyre manufacturer.

The company developed and manufactured the world’s first winter tyre for the winter frost in 1934. Their enormous Ivalo Testing Center, spanning over 700 hectares, is known as “White Hell”.

Watch the video and read more about the world record: www.nokiantyres.com/Fastest-On-Ice

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Raise money for children living with cancer by joining Camp Quality’s esCarpadeAustralia’s ultimate outback motoring adventure that’s totally fuelled by fun!

7 days, 3,500km, 13 towns

Register today at escarpade.org.au or call (02) 9876 0506

Quality seeks quantity Camp Quality’s biggest annual fundraiser, esCarpade, an outback motoring adventure for cars that are over 20 years old, is seeking entrants.

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he charity event takes place 12 – 19 October 2013, but participants are being invited to enter now so they have enough time to identify a 20+ year old car, make the necessary modifications and fundraise in time for the event.

The new route will travel through Bundaberg, Hivesville, Dalby, Boonah, Lismore, Grafton, Coffs Harbour, Comboyne, Muswellbrook, Rylstone, Bathurst, Moss Vale and Wollongong.

Once participants have identified their car, they fundraise in the run-up to October and often will pick a fancy dress theme for themselves and the car.

Entrants include Super Mario Brothers, Sesame Street, Fred Flintstone and the ‘Booger Mobile.’ All funds raised help create a better life for every child living with cancer in Australia.

“This is such a fun event. People get really excited about taking an old car and breathing new life into it, before putting it to the test on a week-long challenging outback/off-road course.

Think Pimp My Ride meets Top

The event is encouraging more women to participate this year.

Last year, only one of the 66 cars was an all-women team.

Gear – and all for a great cause,” said fundraising coordinator Monika Kodrun.

This is the first time esCarpade has recruited new cars for five years.

Last year, the event raised $1.2 million for Camp Quality, enough to give over 1000 children an essential break from the stresses of cancer at their programs which create optimism and resilience.

The event is encouraging more women to participate this year. Last year, only one of the 66 cars was an all-women team.

Along the route, the esCarpade cars will visit primary schools where the McDonald’s Camp Quality puppet show will be performed. The performance teaches pupils how to be supportive and understanding of children living with cancer.

To register visit www.escarpade.org.au or call Monika on 02 9876 0506.

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NEW PROGRAM APPROVED BY ACCC

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has issued a final decision to authorise a national Tyre Stewardship Scheme for five years. The aim of the Scheme is to reduce the amount of used tyres entering landfill, being illegally dumped or exported overseas.

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he Australian Tyre Industry Council (ATIC) applied for authorisation of the proposed scheme, which will be administered by Tyre Stewardship Australia (TSA).

“The ACCC is satisfied that the scheme is likely to result in a benefit to the public by reducing the volume of used tyres entering the domestic waste stream or being exported overseas and burned for fuel in an environmentally unsustainable way,” ACCC Deputy Chair Dr Michael Schaper said.

“This will reduce the environmental and health and safety hazards associated with such disposal methods.”

Broadly, all participants in the scheme will be required to commit to contribute to the environmentally sound use of end-of-life tyres, elimination of the inappropriate export of baled tyres from Australia, elimination of the illegal dumping of end-of-life tyres and elimination of the disposal of end-of-life tyres to landfill.

It also involves a levy of $0.25 per passenger car tyre equivalent being imposed on tyre importers to fund the operation of the scheme. Among other things, levy funds will be used by the scheme’s administrator to fund research and development activities for tyre-derived products.

“The ACCC is satisfied that the ability of members to deal with ‘non members’ in certain circumstances, the voluntary nature of the scheme and the small cost of the industry levy, means there is likely to be little, if any, public detriment generated,” Dr Schaper said.

However, the ACCC believes the success of the scheme will ultimately depend on its effective administration. Therefore, it has imposed conditions of authorisation in order to ensure robust and transparent annual reporting by the board of TSA and an independent review of the scheme will occur. It is important that the scheme delivers tangible benefits.

Authorisation provides immunity from court action for conduct that might otherwise raise concerns under the competition provisions of the competition and consumer act 2010. Broadly, the ACCC may grant an authorisation when it is satisfied that the public benefit from the conduct outweighs any public detriment.

More information about this application for authorisation and the ACCC’s decision will be available at www.accc.gov.au/AuthorisationsRegister

THINK PINK Kumho Tyre dealers around the country will team up for Pink Fitters Day on Saturday, May 4, in support of the McGrath Foundation.

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ova FM’s Fitzy & Wippa have also got on board to support the national initiative in 2013, asking all Aussies to wear pink on May 4.

On Pink Fitters Day, Kumho Dealer staff will replace their uniforms with pink shirts and Kumho Tyres Australia will donate $5 from every single Kumho branded tyre sold, aiming to raise a total of $50,000 to help support the work of the McGrath Foundation’s Breast Care Nurses.

More than 250 Kumho Tyre dealerships will be taking part in this event.

McGrath Breast Care Nurses provide professional support, counselling, and medical care to women diagnosed and undergoing treatment for breast cancer, that are located in rural and regional areas where services are not available or easily accessible.

“The money raised each year from Pink Fitters Day is essential to ensure that the work of our Breast Care Nurses can continue. We are very fortunate to have friends like Kumho Tyres who are committed to support our work,” says Tracy Bevan, McGrath Foundation Ambassador and Director.

More than 250 Kumho Tyre dealerships and suppliers around Australia will be taking part in this event.

Selected Kumho Tyres dealerships will also hold a free BBQ from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on the day, and in some locations McGrath Foundation Breast Care Nurses will be on hand to answer any questions and talk about their rewarding work. Nova radio’s street team, the Casanovas will also be at selected Kumho dealerships around the country with giveaways and more.

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The indusTry super fund for The auTomoTive indusTry.

www.mtaasuper.com.au motor Trades association of australia superannuation fund pty Ltd (aBn 14 008 650 628, afsL 238 718) is the Trustee of mTaa superannuation fund (aBn 74 559 365 913). you should consider whether or not mTaa super is appropriate for you. The mTaa super product disclosure statement (pds) can be obtained by calling us on 1300 362 415. you should consider the pds in making a decision.

SPORTS Bridgestone supplies Potenza tyres to DeltaWing Racing Cars Bridgestone Americas Tyre Operations said it will supply Potenza tyres to DeltaWing Racing Cars as a onecar entry in the 2013 American Le Mans Series.

Photo: Cheryl Tay for Driftpac

Queensland drift racer to compete at Formula Drift Asia Queensland drift racer Josh Boettcher will compete against the world’s best drivers in extreme motorsport as part of Formula Drift Asia in Melbourne this month.

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he Nissan S15 driver is one of 22 of the world’s best drivers to compete at Formula Drift Melbourne, the curtain-raiser for the region’s premier tour, the 2013 Achilles Formula Drift Asian Series.

Drift racing is similar to rally racing, but is done on a closed course and judged on execution and style rather than who finishes the course fastest.

This will be Boettcher’s third year in the Asian competition, having been rookie of the year in his first season in 2011, and most recently a fifth place in the final leg of the 2012 series in Indonesia.

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Achilles Formula Drift Australia is on April 27-28, the series then travels to Kuala Lumpur in June and Jakarta in October.

However Boettcher is hoping his home country support will help him gain an early advantage in the Asian series.

“We also had some promising results in Singapore and Malaysia last year but I’m hoping that a passionate Calder Park crowd might be able to push me onto the podium,” Boettcher said.

“I was blown away last year by the passion for the sport throughout Asia and think the Calder Park crowd is going to get a real kick out of seeing some of these top drivers in action.”

Achilles Formula Drift Australia is on April 27-28, the series then travels to Kuala Lumpur in June and Jakarta in October.

T

he DeltaWing features the racing performance of contemporary Le Mans race cars, but is differentiated by its better efficiency, consuming only half of the fuel and tyres of today’s more traditional race cars, and using only half of the power, aerodynamic drag and weight.

Bridgestone’s presence as the new tyre partner with DeltaWing Racing Cars was confirmed when the new livery release of the DeltaWing powered by Elan.

DeltaWing Racing Cars managing partner Dr. Don Panoz is excited by the new partnership.

“We have had discussions with Bridgestone, who were the original supporters of the DeltaWing, when it was being considered for IndyCar. Unfortunately IndyCar decided to go with the other supplier, Dallara, and the DeltaWing didn’t get it.

“But in Bridgestone’s effort to support it, they had made molds, made tyre evaluations and construction evaluations and supplied the tyres for the first show car.

“Bridgestone was involved with DeltaWing from the very beginning, and had considerable knowledge about it. Of course, they were the logical choice for us to consider.

and brothers, Rick and Todd Kelly battled it out for line honours of a different kind, this time on three wheels.

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The new sponsorship will see Bridgestone branding on the Jack Daniel’s Racing Nissan Altima’s of Todd and Rick Kelly for the 2013 series.

o celebrate Bridgestone’s new partnership with Nissan Motorsport, Rick and Todd faced off against each other on Bridgestone trikes.

“Bridgestone had not been a supplier in the American Le Mans Series, before, in sports car racing. This is a good opportunity for the ALMS to highlight another tyre source, and a good opportunity for Bridgestone to expose their product to sports car fans.”

With top speeds of 15kmh and no trophy up for grabs, it was all about bragging rights, but in keeping with the spirit of it all and to maintain family unity no winner was declared, despite fierce competition.

brothers battle it out for line honours of a different kind At the season opening Clipsal 500 V8 Supercar race at Adelaide in February, Jack Daniel’s Racing team mates

The Clipsal 500 marked the return of Nissan to Australia’s premier motorsport category after a 20-year hiatus. As part of this, one of the most famous names in motorsport is back in Australia’s V8 Supercars Championship with Bridgestone confirming a new partnership with Nissan Motorsport.

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SPORTS

IVECO teams The team covers more with the ‘prancing horse’ than 1000 kilometres each month travelling for GT success Maranello Motorsport, between Maranello’s Australia’s leading Ferrari headquarters in GT racing team, uses a customised IVECO Stralis Melbourne for six ATi as its workhorse to transport cars, TYRES, rounds of GT racing parts and equipment competition and 12 around the country. aranello Motorsport has track days each year.

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been competing in Australia’s premier production sports car series for more than 15 years, winning many events in spirited Ferrari GT race cars.

“Racing is an important part of Maranello’s business and our company’s commitment to excellence, and its success on the track, has attracted some of the top drivers, including Alan Simonsen, Peter Edwards and John Bowe, to join the team,” said Maranello Motorsport’s Managing Director, Mark Coffey.

According to Coffey, Iveco and Ferrari have a long standing partnership in Europe which has been extended into Australia. “Our Stralis is a fantastic product and we’re very happy with it,” he said. “It’s a European-styled truck and something anyone associated with motor racing would recognise.”

Based in the inner Melbourne suburb of Richmond, Maranello sells, restores and services a range of classic and modern Ferrari models, as well as other ‘supercar’ marques.

Mick Zielinski, Sales Manager with Adtrans Laverton, the dealership that supplied the vehicle, said that the Stralis was painted Ferrari red and fitted with an ‘aero kit’ and special alloy wheels.

“Maranello received a shiny red truck that really looks the part,” he said.

The Maranello team is now using an Iveco Stralis ATi prime mover to transport cars, tyres, spare parts and workshop equipment to GT racing events around Australia.

The team covers more than 1000 kilometres each month travelling between Maranello’s headquarters in Melbourne for six rounds of GT racing competition

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and 12 track days each year. “We need to get to races and events safely and on time,” Coffey said. “The Iveco Stralis gives us the reliability and security to ensure this.”

The Stralis ATi is one of a number of models that is manufactured by Iveco in Europe and supplied to the Australian market by its subsidiary, Iveco Trucks Australia. The company also has a manufacturing plant in Dandenong, Victoria which produces more than 600 trucks each year, making the plant a major player in the local truck and bus industry.

The facility has been operating for more than 60 years, and has been owned by Iveco for 20 years, directly employing 150 people and creating employment across Australia for thousands of people in related industries, from retailing operations to component suppliers.

Falken Motorsports field’s Porsche 997 GT3 R Falken Motorsports will field its Porsche 997 GT3 R in this year’s VLN Endurance Championship Nürburgring and Nürburgring 24 Hours events.

I

t says a raft of performance upgrades for its Porsche have been carried out and, coupled with an unchanged driver line up of

for the drivers and cars, but also for their tyres.

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he rally’s rocky stages, which visited altitudes of more than 2000m were particularly rough, combining extremely fast and slower twistier parts. High temperatures also played a part with maximums of 30 Celsius at times.

Sebastian Asch, Peter Dumbreck, Wolf Henzler and Martin Ragginger, Falken Motorsports says it holds the “clear aim of a top ten finish in the 24 Hour event.”

In addition to the vehicle upgrades, Falken’s engineers in Japan have developed a range of new tyres for this season, with first track testing of the new covers completed last month.

Despite these conditions the hardcompound Michelin Latitude Cross H2 delivered a high degree of durability and tyre-life was effectively the chief objective of the new tyre’s development program during the close season.

It was important for Michelin to respond to this year’s reduction in the number of tyres each crew could use in Mexico (from 35 in

2012 to 28 this year) but without detracting from the high level of performance delivered by the H1 version used last year.

Winner of the Mexico event Sebastien Ogier , was very happy with his Michelin Latitude Cross H2 tyres on his VW Polo R WRC “The new tyre performed impeccably from start to finish. We managed the wear factor well and it proved very durable.

And the same time, and just important, the performance was there too.”

The H2 has also been nominated by Michelin for this month’s round of the championships in Portugal. The S2 softcompound version, which has already been tested by some drivers, will appear officially in May for the Argentina event.

Michelin’s new Latitude Cross H2 passes punishing test Last Month’s Rally Guanajuato Mexico lived up to its reputation as a demanding event, not only

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WORLD NEWS fitments and the Maglift STF solid range for forklift trucks debuted at the show, along with the recently introduced Container King 18.00-25 tyre popular in Asian ports.

BKT currently claims around five per cent of the global OTR market, with a long-term ambition to double that to 10 per cent by 2020. A fourth manufacturing plant will add 350 metric tonnes per day to output by the end of 2014, bringing total capacity to 750MT.

NAPERVILLE, USA SINGAPORE India’s BKT exhibited its latest high speed crane and forklift tyres at last month’s Tyrexpo Asia.

The 445/95 R25 Airomax AM27 pattern for high speed crane

The tubeless tyre market in India will continue to grow at a high rate through 2016, according to a new analysis.

The growth of the passenger vehicle market in India will spark an average annual growth rate of 22.9

Advertorial

Q&A with Greg Graham, Brand Manager for the Marangoni Tyre brand.

ATD: We’ve obviously heard of Marangoni, but can you give us a bit of background on the company and your products?

GG: Marangoni are a significant Italian based industrial Group. We have various ‘Tyre related’ business areas, including the manufacture of Truck & OTR retreaded tyres, manufacture of industrial tyres, design and manufacture of tyre industry machines and equipment, and also new Car/LT/SUV manufacturing. Although we are an Italian company, we have a real global presence in most of our business areas.

ATD: Can you tell us a bit more about your aspirations for the Australian marketplace?

GG: My own role within Marangoni, is specific to our new tyre production. We produce a comprehensive range of car, light truck and SUV tyres, and our aim is to re-establish our brand in the Australian market. I’m based in the UK, but I’m responsible for various global markets.

ATD: You say ‘re-establish’, can you explain?

GG: Yes certainly…. Many people will recognise our brand as having been available Nationally through Australian wholesale channels in the not so distant past. We had a historic wholesale partnership which allowed us to market and sell our tyres throughout Australia, and to a very successful level. Unfortunately this partnership was unable to continue, but it proved to us that the Marangoni Tyre brand was easily accepted by Australian tyre retailers and their customers.

ATD: So, what is your next step in allowing you to re-enter the Australian market?

GG: After a short gap in supplying the Australian market, we decided it was now time for us to try to re-launch our brand.

We believe that Marangoni has a decent history in Australia, and a high level of brand equity still seems to exist. As we’re not directly based in your country, we thought that we’d ask any interested parties to get in touch to discuss what we can offer.

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percent for tubeless tyres, the report from Infiniti Research Ltd. said.

The study said while radialization is increasing on the subcontinent, the increasing cost of raw materials could have an affect on future growth.

TEXAS, US It’s taken almost 49 years, but on March 14, Cooper Tire and Rubber’s Texarkana factory in the US state of Arkansas produced its 350 millionth tyre.

The tyre maker says 7 million tyres are produced in Texarkana every year, giving the plant an annual output that’s a far cry from the early years. The first tyre was produced at the factory in 1964, and it took 24 years before the millionth tyre was manufactured. continued page 32

Although of course we’d love to be involved with some of the bigger players in the market, we are completely flexible in our approach at this time. We would be happy to evaluate whether a regional offer could work in Australia, but as I said before we are certainly not averse to discussing any opportunities with National companies.

ATD: What do you believe you can offer to any interested parties?

GG: At Marangoni we genuinely believe in creating true partnerships. We completely understand that to build a brand takes time and much effort from both sides. Our aim is always to work in the long term with our partners, and our customer retention statistics certainly demonstrate that fact.

We offer high quality, top specification products, which give reliable real world performance and durability. We are also hugely flexible in the way that we can create a supply structures / packages individual to each marketplace. We sell our tyres all over the globe, and we know that every one of our partners have a different set of requirements to allow them to be successful.

Another very important additional benefit, is the inclusion of our fully factory backed “Lifetime Warranty”. This covers all of our tyres against accidental or “road hazard” damage, for the life of the tyre. Of course it is based on a tread depth / pro rata calculation, but we don’t put a time limit on when claims can be made. Our customer base tell us that this is a huge benefit to retailers and consumers alike.

ATD: What can businessess expect if they drop you an email?

GG: All enquiries will come directly to myself, and all will be treated with the same level of importance. All I require are the contact details of the person responsible for purchasing tyres for their business, and I’ll follow them up with them personally. As people will be dealing directly with Marangoni, and not an agent, they can be sure that their information is safe and will only be used by myself.

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WORLD NEWS “That is quite an achievement. This is the most tyres produced by a Cooper Tire facility,” plant manager Scott Coles said during a ceremony to mark the milestone.

GENEVA, Switzerland Bridgestone has introduced an upgraded version of its Blizzak LM-80.

The tyre maker, which started in 1863 as a firm selling rubber and elastic goods in the German city of Munich, says it will hold a ‘Road Racing’ summer spectacular to mark its century and a half.

Displaying the new Blizzak LM-80 EVO at the Geneva motor show, the tyre maker said the new SUV tyre features three improvements designed to upgrade snow and wet performance: New sipe distribution for traction, a new silica-rich compound developed exclusively for European winter conditions, and an optimised centre rib and shoulder block design for improved handling and road holding.

Those attending a Metzeler event at the Ace Cafe London last month were amongst the first to learn the motorcycle tyre brand’s 2013 racing plans. These get underway with the Isle of Man TT races; Metzeler says visitors to the event can “savour the race action and atmosphere in two exciting, unique ways.”

Its predecessor received the best rating in the 2012 winter tyre tests carried out

by German road organisation ADAC, Austria’s ÖAMTC and Switzerland’s TCS (tested in size 215/65 R16 T) and was given the top grade for on ice performance and fuel efficiency.

“350 million tyres. It is kind of exciting for me. We would not be here today without all the support of the local state and all the dedicated employees we have here at the plant.”

LONDON, UK The Isle of Man TT, Post-TT races, Ulster GP and North West 200 are amongst the racing activities Metzeler has planned for its anniversary year.

The Metzeler Village will offer 300 free camping places in unmistakable Metzeler blue tents and host a special 150th Anniversary party, free to all bikers.

T0KYO, Japan The Yokohama Rubber Co Ltd, has developed new inner liner technology that substantially improves the ability to maintain air pressure in commercial vehicle tyres for trucks and buses.

The new inner liner can reduce natural air leakage by about 30% compared with conventional liners, helping maintain tyre pressure and allowing the design and manufacturing of lighter tyres. The new inner liner technology is being applied to tyres manufactured at domestic plants from April 2013, and will gradually be introduced at plants overseas.

Inner liners are rubber sheets covering the interior surfaces of tubeless tires to reduce air leakage from the tire. Yokohama’s new inner liner uses “flat talc” — particulate talc in planar shapes, a key characteristic of the mineral talc — imbedded in the rubber in multiple layers. The flat talc blocks the permeation of air through the rubber, substantially cutting the volume of air naturally escaping from the tyre.

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Under-inflation of a tyre not only reduces fuel efficiency due to increased rolling resistance, but adversely affects wear and safety.

LONDON, UK The famous up-market British department store Harrods displayed Pirelli’s P Zero spring/ summer clothing range at a pop up shop throughout March.

Launched in 2002 and inspired

by Pirelli’s tyre products, the P Zero clothing range has grown considerably over the past decade.

In 2011, Pirelli opened its flagship P Zero store, Pirelli Corsa Venezia, in Milan, with supermodels such as Naomi Campbell attending the launch.

Harrods’ display included two custom Pirelli bikes fixed to the walls .

“Pirelli has been synonymous with fashion for a number of years, with the first rubber garments carrying Pirelli branding appearing nearly a century ago,” said Dominic Sandivasci, Pirelli UK managing director.

“The P Zero fashion label showcases the style and design elements behind Pirelli’s core tyre business which targets the premium segment and, where fashion has a particular appeal. Alongside other projects such as the calendar, the store and fashion label reinforce Pirelli’s premium positioning and overall prestige.”.

KOBE, Japan Sumitomo Rubber Industries Ltd. is projecting solid sales and earnings gains this year, with all three of its business units, tyres, sporting goods and industrial, contributing to the improvement.

The company is projecting 7-percent sales and 5-percent operating income growth for its tyre division, to $6.63 billion and $661 million, respectively, based in part on growth in overseas original equipment and replacement tyre demand.

The domestic original equipment and replacement tyre volumes, by comparison, are seen slumping somewhat.

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