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Transcript of SA Treads Sept 2010
Vol 1
6 •
Sep
tem
ber 2
010
a set of tyres or wheels to the value of R5000,00 courtesy of Autoquip
Could the global OTR tyre shortage resurface?
One-on-One with founders of Nitralife, Rob and Tom Sowry
Michelin and Pirelli go green
Continental’s World Cup splendour
New OTR tyre from Michelin
Foc
us
on
oTR
TYR
Es
Be Truck Smart
For more information contact Bandag - Tel: +27 11 439 6000 Fax: +27 11 506 8717 www.bandag.co.za
BTS SA Treads Ad.indd 1 1/26/09 3:27:43 PM
Editor LianaShaw
Technical consultant WrayShaw
Reproduction DianevanNoort
Printing TYPO
–ColourPrintingSpecialists
Distribution PrestigeBulkMailers
Advertising LianaShaw
Contentsone-on-oneFoundersofNitralife–RobandTomSowry.......................................... 3
Focus on oTR TyresJustwhenwethoughttheglobaltyreshortageintheOTR(offtheroad)sectorthatbroughttheminingandconstructiontoitskneeswasathingofthepast,murmurstotheeffectthatmanycountriesarereboundingaftertheglobalrecession...................................................................... 9
Industry newsBOTOappointsTransafricaasExclusiveDistributor............................. 19ChemvulcInnovatingnewproductsforRetreaders............................... 20
Manufacturing MichelinlaunchesnewtyreforEarthmovermarket.............................. 24Dunlopdoesitagain!............................................................................. 24ApolloSAreceivesTS16949certification............................................ 24Ifthetyreislackingairitreachesforthephone.................................... 25
EventsMichelingoesgreeninRio.................................................................... 28Pirelligoesgreenbutbluecomesouttops!.......................................... 33
conti cornerWorldCupsplendour–Continentalstyle!............................................ 30
Dealer Profile Sizedoesn’tcount!AutoquipAlbertondefiestheodds........................ 36
Talking TyresFuturetechnology–Revolutionratherthanevolution........................... 41
Goodyear newsIsthistheMTRofalltyres?.................................................................... 46
World newsPirelliFormulaOnetestscontinueinfrance.......................................... 49ApollotoInvestinDutch,SATyrePlants.............................................. 49Budgettyrescouldkill,butatleastthey’requiet................................... 50
competition, subscription, Website ........................................ 52
A note from
the editorHavingrecentlyacquiredanextensive
data base of mining houses in South
Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia and
Namibia, we’re excited to announce
that we will be paying far more
attention to the OTR market in this
issueandthosetocome.
We begin with a feature story
outlining some of the challenges
facing this specialised sector, among
them, another impending global tyre
shortage, rising raw material prices
and the contentious issue of Chinese OTR makes and their role in this
segment.Thelocalindustryalongwithendusersandrepresentationfrom
the imported tyre contingent, weigh in as they give us their take on the
situation.
OurcoverageoftheOTRmarketcontinueswithanewOTRproductfrom
Michelinandtheofficialannouncementofyetanotherexclusivitydistribution
arrangementdrawnupbyaChinesetyremakerandalocaldistributor.
Onamore light-heartednote,BruceCarolin takesusona trip toRiode
JaneirotoattendMichelin’shistoricBibendumChallengewhileItestthenew
eco-friendlyPirelliCinturatoP7,Amazing-Race-style.Ashighlightedinmy
storyonpage33,allcreditmustgotoPirelliTyreSAfortheconceptionand
organisationofsuchaningeniousevent.Theplanningallegedlytookthree
months, with no detail left unattended in the interests of staging a press
eventunlikeanyother.
Andaswebidasadfarewelltothe2010FIFASoccerWorldCup,webring
yousomehighlightscourtesyofofficialsponsor,ContinentalTyreSA.They
certainlyrosetotheoccasioninhonourofthismomentousoccasionand
theirofficialparticipation,byhostingaworld-classpromotionalpackagethat
spannedfourweeks.Wewereprivilegedtoenjoyapartofthiswiththem,
startingwiththeopeninggame,SAvsMexico,adayIshallneverforget!
ToBridgestoneSA,anotherheartfeltthanksfortransportingustothesemi-
final in Durban (Spain vs Germany) at the awe-inspiring Moses Madiba
stadium.WelldoneSouthAfrica,youdidusproud!
I n t r o d u c t i o n • 1
Publishers SkyPublicationscc
POBox702
Douglasdale,2165
Tel: (011)6580011
Fax: (011)6580010
Cell: 0828516777
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.satreads.co.za
FrontCover:CourtesyTyrecor/Infinity
O n e - o n - O n e • 3
One-on-Onewith
Founders of nitralife – Rob and Tom Sowry
Robhadbeenanavid supporterof themeritsofnitrogen tyre inflation,
afterfirst readingabout it inNewAgeRubber (US) in1968.Thearticle
that piqued his interest back then outlined numerous scientific benefits
of oxygen-free air but with only gas cylinders available in the 60s, the
prospectofturninghisideaintorealityseemedbleak.
Yearslater,whenanAirLiquiderepresentativehappenedtomentionthat
theypossessedanitrogenmachinetheydidnotknowwhattodowith,Rob
jumpedatit.Theyearwas1995andRobwasthenco-founderandactive
shareholderinMaxiprestTyreswhentheidearesurfacedafterthischance
encounter.Thistimehewasdeterminedtotakeitfurther.
Anideathatwasbornasfarbackas1968was
only to bear fruit some 40 years later when
its founder, tyre man Rob Sowry, eventually
decidedtoactivelypursueit.
RobSowry
TomSowry
NITRALIFE SA (PTY) LTDTel: + 27 11 706 7884/8 Fax: +27 11 706 5713Email: [email protected] www.nitralife.co.za
“ New tyre mileage improved 11.6%. Casing lives increased from 3-4. Pressure retention improved by 13%.” – Fast ’n Fresh
“ Marked decrease in monthly tyre costs, being below tyre costs of previous 3 years.” – Kempston Truck Hire
“ Nitrogen has definite advantages over air, and we recommend the use of Nitrogen.” – Bridgestone OTP Division
INFLATE YOUR TYRES WITH
NITROGEN
SaleS repS needed
4 • O n e - o n - O n e
Fourteenyearslater,the‘IdeasMan’hasbeenhandsomelyrewarded
forhisforesightandeffortsalongthewayinbringinghisconceptto
fruition.
WemetupwithRobandsonTomSowry,SalesDirectorofNitralife
whochronicledtheirprogressandthephenomenalsuccessof their
enterprise.
Q. Rob, how did you go about developing your idea into a sustainable
business?
Isetthewheelsinmotionbyapproachingawellrespectedtransport
operation which agreed to try out the nitrogen in tyres concept on
atrialbasisontheprovisothattheywerenotexpectedtopayforit.
ThepilotprojectranatUnitransTulisaParkwiththeCorobrikfleet(15
trucks)where theywerescrappingasmanyas30 tyrespermonth.
SufficetosayIworkeddayandnighttoconvertthefleetandprove
to all-and-sundry that the concept had merit. Within 8 months the
scraptyreratehaddippedtobelow15tyresamonth,translatinginto
aremarkablesavingofaroundR30000.00permonth!Basedonthis
successful outcome, the transport company – Unitrans – agreed to
rentthisfirstmachine.
Next came the gruelling task of convincing my then fellow board
membersatMaxipresttoembracethenitrogenintyresconceptasa
wayofdifferentiatingourselvesfromourcompetitors.Allbutonewas
infavourofpursuingitbutaswecouldn’treachtotalconsensus,the
opposingpartysuggestedIpursueitsingle-handed.SoIdid.
Nitralife began operating in 1996 as a dedicated company whose
corebusinesswasthemarketing,rentalandlater,saleofnitrogentyre
inflationequipment.
Q. On which sector of the market did you first focus your attention?
RoBMistakenly,webeganwiththelargenationaltruckingfleets,a
somewhatfrustratingdecisionintheendduetoalltheredtapethat
surrounds these big organisations. In contrast, private transport
companiescanmakeswiftdecisionsandareriskingtheirownmoney,
so I guess you could say that the private transport sector laid the
foundationforabusinesswhichwastogrowbeyondallexpectations.
Q. How much of your current turnover is made up of private
transport companies?
ToMIwouldestimatethat80%-90%ofourtotalturnoverismadeup
oftheprivatetransportsector.
Q. When did you first start marketing nitrogen inflation to the retail
sector?
ToMFromthebeginningbuttheturningpointcamein2002when
4 • O n e - o n - O n e
TigerWheel&Tyreagreedtotakea trialmachinefor itsSandtonoutlet.
Nitrogensalessoared inthatstoreprecipitatingawiderfollowingamong
TigerWheel&Tyre stores. From thatpointon,notonlydidTWTbegin
advertisingnitrogeninflationquiteextensively,thegroupembarkedonan
educationdriveaimedattheconsumeronthemeritsofnitrogeninflation.
Before long, the Autoquip group of companies was hot on its heels,
followedbyasuccessionofmorethan400tyredealersacrossthecountry,
someindependentandotherscompany-ownedorfranchised.
Of course, the reason behind
nitrogen’s growing success among
the retail trade is not only to mirror
successfulretailchains likeTWT,but
moreimportantlybecausedealersare
becoming increasingly aware of the
GPsgeneratedthroughnitrogensales.
RoB I’mhappytosaythatnitrogen
intyreshasbecomeaprettystandard
offeringintheindustry.
Q. Did the nitrogen offering spill
over into other sectors?
RoB Currently and for the near
foreseeable future,mostofour time
isspentservicingtheminingsector.
ToM We can hardly keep up with
thedemand(chuckles).
RoB The fatal accident that occurred at a major mine in February this
year,wherebyatyreexploded,killingtheoperator,hasre-awakenedkeen
interest fromthemines(allofwhicharesafety-conscious),withmanyof
them asking for nitrogen units to be installed in order to prevent such
occurrencesinthefuture.
Theaccidentresultedinaseriesofmeetingswiththetyreindustrytoassess
possiblepreventionstrategies,withnitrogenfeaturingquiteheavilyinthe
discussions.
ToMNoonecandenythatnitrogenworks.There’senoughdataoutthere
tosupportthat,somuchso,thatevenleadingnewtyremanufacturersare
nowactivelypromotingittominingoperations.
RoBIntheopencastminingsector,there’shardlyaminetodaygoingout
ontenderthatdoesn’thaveanitrogenunit.
For Nitralife, this is very encouraging as we’re now at the point where
peoplearecallingusforthisservice.
Q. I believe there are other players in the market selling nitrogen in
tyres?
RoBYes,thereareafew,butforthem,nitrogenisjustanadd-on.Forus,
it’sourcorebusiness.Wewerethepioneersofnitrogeninflation,notonly
inSouthAfricabutthroughouttheworld,Ibelieve.
Q. Who manufactures your nitrogen units?
RoBOurmachinesaremanufacturedincollaborationwiththeParkerHannifin
Corporation,themembranesareproducedinHollandwiththebalanceofthe
partsbeingsourcedthroughthenetworkofParker’smanufacturingglobally.In
Africa,theNitralifeproductismarketedsolelybyNitralifeSA(Pty)Ltd.
Our association with them has been a huge success, boosting our
competitiveedgewithadvancedsuperior technologyandenablingus to
maintainconsistentandstablepricinginthelastsixyears.
Q. Which are the most popular – rentals or sales?
ToMWehaveanequalmixofboth.Rentalsareobviouslyveryattractive
inthattheydon’trequireraisingfinancingandthey’retaxdeductible,but
ideally,owningtheequipmentremainsthemorepopularoption.
It is common for companies that are renting units from us to ask for a
settlementoncethey’veseentheresults. Imaginethis: lessthanonecar
O n e - o n - O n e • 5
AboutParkerHannifinWithannualsalesexceedingUS$10
billion,ParkerHannifinistheworld’s
leading diversified manufacturer of
motion and control technologies
and systems, providing precision-
engineered solutions for a wide
variety of mobile, industrial and
aerospace markets. Traded on the
NewYorkStockExchangeunderthe
symbol “PH”, Parker is strategically
diversified, value-driven and
positioned for global growth as the
industryconsolidatorandsupplierof
choice.
nEW FRoM nITRALIFE
EntertheTYRESAVERThenewhand-heldTyreSaver3.0(launchedatTyrexpoAfrica inMarch),
ismadefortyreswith5-barpressureandless.ParkerHannifinclaimsthe
unitwillinflatesome12000cartyresbeforethemembraneneedstobe
replaced.Thesellingprice for thisunit (including twooil andwaterpre-
filters)isR11400.00+VAT.
6 • O n e - o n - O n e
onnitrogenadaywillpayfortherentalofthemachine!It’sano-lose
situation.Lastyearalone,weconvertedabout20rentalsintosales.
RoBNitralifealsooffersafinanceoptionforthose interested in
purchasingunits.
Q. What does a standard installation cost?
ToMYou’relookingataroundR66000includingallpre-filtration
for a truck installation and about R32 000 for a passenger tyre
installation.MonthlyrentalscanrangefromR1600toR5000,or
moredependingontheoperation–cartyrestominingtyres.
Q. So what’s next on the horizon for Nitralife?
ToMWe’reproudtoannounceaveryexcitingdevelopmentthat
willseenitrogeninflationenteringthemainstream.Anationaldeal
hasbeenstruckbetweenNitralifeandPetroleumgiant,TotalSouth
Africathatwillsoonmakeanitrogentop-upserviceavailabletothe
averagemanonthestreetwhentheyvisitaTotalservicestation.
This is a strategic step on the part of Total in recognition of the
valueofrepeatbusiness.Weknowthatonceamotoristhasseen
the benefits of nitrogen inflation – longer tyre mileage, less heat
buildup,noneedforregularinflation(nitrogengas,byvirtueofits
composition,doesnotescapeoutofthetyreaseasilyasair)–he
orshewillundoubtedlychoosetofillupataservicestationthatcan
providethisservice,asopposedtoonethatwon’t.
Q. When is the expected roll-out for this?
As this is virgin territory forbothNitralife andTotal, theprocess
has takena little longer thanexpected,however,wehope tosee
the project implemented from September 2010 at participating
Totalservicestations
Q. Rob, it must be gratifying to witness your big idea materialise
into such a grand reality.
RoB It isextremely rewarding. I feelvindicated thatwe’vebeen
abletoprovetothemarketthatnitrogeninflationworks!
Mynewgoalnowisforalltyrestorunonnitrogenoneday.
ToMMyprimarygoalistobuildasuccessfulcompany,toknow
thatthiswasnotjustagoodideathatfellbythewaysidebutrather
awell-structured, income-generatingsolutionforusaswellasfor
theconsumer.
ItwouldseemRob’sundeniablebeliefandpassionforhisproduct,
coupled with Tom’s strong business acumen are just the right
combination to propel this successful family business into the
future.
Prof. fred Cawood, Head, School of Mining Engineering, cordially invites you to attend a
ONE DAY conference on:
oTr TYreS for MINING aNd earTHMoVING ProJeCTS – aPPLICaTIoN, MaINTeNaNCe
aNd MaNaGeMeNT
Hear froM THe BeST! LeaderS IN THe oTr TYre fIeLd SHare THeIr MaNaGeMeNT STraTeGIeS!
Topics will cover: OTR Tyres in the booming mining industry. Tyre global production capacity and supply. Tyre application
and advanced Tyre selection. Tyre strategic management principles. Advanced tyre maintenance systems. Methods for prolonging tyre life span, reducing cost and downtime.
Prof. ZVI BorowITSH will lead a panel of International Experts and Academics. Presenters from the following
companies will present case studies and papers: Debswana, Michelin, Kumba Iron Ore, Bridgestone SA,
Goodyear Tyre Company SA, and OTR/Kal Tyres.
Date: Monday, October 18, 2010Cost: R2 500.00 (excl VAT) per delegateVenue: Sunnyside Park Hotel, Parktown, JohannesburgWho should attend: Mining Companies, Civil Engineering Industries, Earth Moving Equipment companies: Company and Project Managers, Mining and Civil Engineers, Logistics managers, Fleet and Maintenance Managers, and heavy earth moving equipment supervisors.
C O N F E R E N C E I N V I T A T I O N
The School of Mining Engineering
University of the Witwatersrand
To register please contact: Judy Blom 011 717 9371. Email: [email protected] or visit our website: www.witsenterprise.co.za
6 • O n e - o n - O n e
8 • O n e - o n - O n e
We focus on excellence in every single tyre.In everything we do, we focus on providing superior quality and safety, on constant
innovations, environmentally friendly concepts and performance under the most
demanding conditions. But above all, we always focus on putting all our knowledge
and all our effort into every single tyre.
www.bridgestone.co.za
For your nearest Bridgestone Authorised Dealer, visit our website atBridgestone South Africa
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8 • O n e - o n - O n e F o c u s o n O T R T y r e s • 9
global oTR shortage could resurface
Just when we thought the global tyre
shortageintheOTR(offtheroad)sector
thatbroughttheminingandconstruction
to its knees was a thing of the past,
murmurstotheeffectthatmanycountries
arereboundingaftertheglobalrecession,
partlyduetominingactivities,meansthat
large OTR tyres (49 inch and larger) are
onceagaininshortsupply.
AlthoughtheUSAmarketcontinuestoflounder,tothenorth,theIMFhas
raisedCanada’sEconomicGrowthOutlookfor2010,withseveralprovinces
experiencingstrongereconomicgrowththanexpected.
Inthewesternhemisphere,thehighestgrowthratesin2010areinSouth
America, led by Brazil, the biggest economy in the region, with growth
expected at 7.6%, followed by the rest of the region with Argentina
anticipatinga6.8%growthandPeru6.7%.
The anticipated4.3%growth forChile is somewhat camouflageddue to
themassiveearthquakeearlierthisyear,butthatsaid,Chileminescopper
(accountingformorethanhalfoftotalexports)andwiththedemandforthe
metalincreasing,miningactivityisrampingbackup.
EconomicactivityinChina(nowrankedtheworld’ssecondlargesteconomy
aftertheUSA)isalsopickingup,andfollowingswiftlyonitsheelsisIndia.
Withdemandforrawmaterialsontherise, thepriceofnaturalrubber is
expectedtosoarfurther,creatingyetanotherchallengefortheglobaltyre
industryinitseffortstokeepthepriceonOTRtyresfromshootingthrough
theroof.
1 0 • F o c u s o n O T R T y r e s
The Stamford Tyres stand which took the Silver Award.
Explains Quintin Steyn, Group Manager – OTR International Business,
ApolloSA:“ThebiggestcomponentofrawmaterialsinOTRtyresisnatural
rubberandwithpricescontinuing toclimb, thiswill adversely affectour
abilitytoremaincompetitive,attheveryleastuntilpricesfromproducersin
MalaysiaandIndonesiastabilise.
BrianClarke,GeneralSalesManager-CommercialVehicleTyresforContinental
Tyre SA agrees: “Natural rubber is integral to the tyre’s construction as it
providestearresistanceandasmanufacturerswillnotbeinapositiontoabsorb
thecontinuedincrease,thiswillultimatelyreflectinproductpricing.”
ContinuesSteyn:“Addedtothis,theanticipatedOTRtyreshortagecould
well spill over into southern Africa, as the world’s largest manufacturers
ofearthmovertyres–Bridgestone,MichelinandGoodyear–focustheir
attentions on supplying the BRIC countries, Europe and Australia ahead
ofothermarkets.Intheend,supplyanddemandwillultimatelydetermine
availabilityaswellasprice.”
Concurs Jordon San, Manager National Operation for Bridgestone SA:
“Chinese and Indian tyre companies are definitely starting to buy raw
materialsagain.BridgestoneTireCorporationaloneisexceedingproduction
ordersbyasmuchas190%onaglobalscale.Thisultimatelymeansthat
demand in theultra-largeOTRsectornevereasedupall thatmuch.And
whateverwascomingintoSouthAfrica,wasimmediatelybeingswallowed
upbythelocalmarket.”
Steynagrees:“Locally,miningproductionofironore,goldandcoalwere
notasseverelyaffectedasplatinumandchrome(undergroundoperations)
but even then, mining giants such as Amplats have not cut back, even
managingtoinvestingrowthduringtherecession.Asaresult,theworld’s
largestthreetyremakershaveuppedproductionintheirplantstodealwith
thesituation,buteven then, theyarenotcapableofmeetingdemand in
itsentirety.”
Mining production of iron ore, gold and coal were not as severely affected as platinum and chrome.
MADE IN
CHINA
F o c u s o n T y r e x p o A f r i c a 2 0 1 0 • 1 11 0 • F o c u s o n O T R T y r e s
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CFPtyres_Print_R.pdf 1 2010/08/29 7:00 PM
1 2 • F o c u s o n O T R T y r e s F o c u s o n T y r e x p o A f r i c a 2 0 1 0 • 1 3
EchoesClarke:“Theexpectedexpansionoftheminingsectorwillincrease
demand on certain sizes like 26.5-25 so manufacturing capacity will fall
short of market demand. Thankfully, Continental has anticipated this
demandandhasastrategytomeetasmuchaspossible,althoughsupply
willcontinuetobetight.”
In response to this impending crisis, Bridgestone SA has taken its own
setofmeasures that include investing innewplantequipment toenable
domesticproductionofatleastfivenewproductsfortheOTRsegment.But
whilethisisexpectedtoeasesomepressureinthesmall-to-mediumsize
category,theavailabilityofultra-largesizeswillremainanissue.
As for Bridgestone’s Port Elizabeth plant, it will continue manufacturing
cross-plytyresfortheloader/dozermarketsfortheforeseeablefuture.
Explains San: “The cross-ply tyre will remain a fixture in the local OTR
sector forat leastanother four tofiveyearsbyvirtueof itsconstruction
whichismoredurableandhasstiffersidewalls(asopposedtotheradial),
particularly for operations with rough underfoot conditions that are
conducivetosidewallcuts.”
Elsewhereintheworldhowever,cross-plyproductionisalmosttotallyfazed
out. Even Bridgestone Japan is contemplating terminating production on
cross-plytyreconstructionwhichallegedly,islesseconomicalthanradial.
End users implement stringent measures to combat shortage
Perhapstheonlypositivetohaveemergedfromthiscrisissituationisthe
markedmindshiftonthepartoftheenduserswhoaregoingtoextreme
lengthstoensuretheydon’tfallvictimtoshortsupply.
Elaborates Steyn: “Major mines are now stocking an excess capacity of
tyresinordertoavoiddowntimeofproduction.
‘More important perhaps, the mines are taking greater care of their tyres
thaneverbefore,particularlyonopencastoperationswherethefocusisnow
heavily on improving underfoot conditions, cleaning up after the loading/
dumpingprocessandsoon.Somehaveevendugupoldtyresforrepair.
Others are eliciting the professional services of independent contractors
fromcountriesasfarflungastheUKandAustralia,toassisttheminthistask.
CompaniessuchasOTRTyresUKandTrucko(Australia)goabout thisby
appointingprofessionalengineers,specialistswithaproventrackrecordof
generatingsignificantcostsavingsforinternationalminingcompanies.Asa
result,eventhelocalmines(traditionallyresistanttospendingforservice)are
nowforkingoutfortheirexpertiseinordertoavoidfallingpreytodowntime
resultingfromtyrefailuresorshortages,”hesays.
ClaimsDawidPretoriusofPhalaborwaMiningCompany:“Pro-active tyre
managementisessentialtodayifwearetocombattheglobalshortageand
saveonoperatingcosts,particularly foranoperationsuchasours (very
abrasiverock).InconjunctionwithoursupplypartnerDunlop,werecently
institutedastringenttyrepolicythatallowsforagivenmmwearperday.
Anything inexcessof thispre-determinedwear rateandmanagement is
immediately alerted to a potential problem so that this can be rectified.
Throughthissystem,wehavemanagedtodoublethelifeofourtyresina
veryshortperiodoftime.”
KurtGerber,GlobalCategoryManagerforAngloAmericanfurtherclaims
thatAngloAmerican is also focusingheavily on improving the life of its
tyresusingcontinuousimprovementinitiatives.Headdsthataccuratelong
termforecastingcontinuestobeachallengeduetomarketfluctuationsin
theirresourcesportfolio.
chinese tyres secure important market niche
TheglobalOTRshortagehashadpositivespin-offs for theChinesewho
havegrabbed theopportunitywithbothhands,uppingcapacity through
theirplantssoastobeabletomeetexportdemandworldwide.
They’ve made significant inroads in the local market as well, with a
proliferation of tyre makes and sizes for all market segments, but most
especiallyfortheOTRsector.Withtheirfocusintentonimprovingoverall
qualityandperformance,it’simportanttomentionthatnotalltyrescoming
outofChinacanbepaintedwithonebrush.Butwhileagrowingnumberof
makes–someofwhicharelocallyrepresented–havefoundfavourwith
ourmarket,ifthesereportsareanythingtogoby,themajorityhasfailed
toimpress.
CountersCharldeVilliers,MDofTyrecor:“Whenoneconsidersthateven
theworld’swellestablishedtyremakersareinvestinginproductionplants
1 2 • F o c u s o n O T R T y r e s F o c u s o n T y r e x p o A f r i c a 2 0 1 0 • 1 3
Tel : +27 (0)31 765 2650 • Fax: +27 (0)31 765 2695www.tandemtyres.co.za
OTR Tyre Specialists – Africa
MX_514160_Solutions Corp Ad_280x210_SA treads_P.indd 1 8/23/10 11:00:40 AM
F o c u s o n O T R T y r e s • 1 5
inChina,basingpurchasingdecisionsonthetyre’soriginwouldbeashort-
sightedmistaketomake.What is important is toconsidermanufacturers
–Chineseorotherwide–ontheirownmerits.”
FurtherarguesCharlesPitout,MDofCFPTyres(exclusivedistributorsfor
TriangleTyresinSAforthelast10years):“NotallChinesetyresarethe
same.TriangleTyreCo,China’sleadingtyremanufacturerandtheworld’s
fourth largest OTR radial manufacturer, has been extremely proactive
bywayofR&D(researchanddevelopment) into theirproduct range,so
much so, that the growth in sales is a testimony to the ongoing quality
improvements.
CommentsKurtGerberofAA:“SomeChineseproducedtyresaremaking
goodprogressintermsofqualityandAnglowillcontinuetomonitortheir
progresswithkeeninterest.”
Butsome localexpertsareclaiming thatwhilea tyrerunningata typical
opencastminingoperationwill likelyachievebetween7000and8000
hours on a Bridgestone, Michelin or Goodyear, Chinese makes are
delivering around 1000 hours, with some of the better makes possibly
attaining3000or4000hoursatbest.
Says Dawid Pretorius of PMC: “We bought a range of Chinese brands
threetofouryearsagoduetoacheaperpricebuttheydidnotdeliveron
performance.We’venowrevertedtolocalsuppliers(Dunlop),abrandwe
knowandtrustandsupplierswithwhomweenjoyagoodrelationship.”
SuggestsApollo’sSteyn:“TheOTRmarket ishighlyspecialised. Inorder
toachievethebestcostperhour/tonnowaswellas10yearsfromnow,
it’s important that suppliers concentrate on building long term strategic
relationships with their customers. This market also requires excellent
field-to-factory communication, continuous product development, and
customerbuy-in.ThisisunfortunatelywheretheChineselacktheresources
andexpertiseforthistask,withthemajoritybeingprofithunterswithlittle
regardforthelong-terminterestsofthemine.
“I believe that the regular discussion and interaction that takes place
between us and our customers has been the fundamental reason for
Dunlop’ssuccessinthismarket.”
SaysClarke:“Forthemoment,thetechnicalknowledgeandserviceofferingof
thelocalmanufacturersisdifficulttoreplicate.Miningisanextremelysafety-
consciousfield,somininghouseswillbereluctanttofitpotentiallydangerous
makesfromabroad.Alsoforthisreason,theywouldbelesslikelytotrustthe
serviceofferingthatispartandparcelofinvestinginforeignbrands.
CFPTyres’Pitoutdisagrees: “Servicingcustomers remainsCFP’sdriving
force.TogetherwiththeTriangleTyrefactory,CFPiscommittedtoensuring
avalueaddserviceforitslocalclientbase.Withthisinmind,ongoingtyre
evaluation,technicalsupportfromthefactoryandawebbasedtyrewarranty
systemarejustafewoftheinitiativesCFPhasinplaceforthispurposed.
Added to that, we have also streamlined our claim process insofar as
providingcustomerswithfeedbackandrefunds(wherenecessary)inthe
leastpossibletime,stepswhichareaimedatdifferentiatingTriangleTyre
asaleaderofimportedbrands.”
“Whyeven the local tyre industrystruggles toattract the rightcalibreof
person for the job.Technicalexpertsareexpected todescend intodark
dirtyminesatthecrackofdawn,crawlaroundundermachineryandwork
withheavyequipment inhot confined spaces–not exactly aClubMed
position,”arguesClarke.
Continues Steyn: “One of the biggest opencast mines in SA is a prime
0
30
60
90
120
150
Jan-Mar 2010
Apr-Jun 2010
Jul-Sep 2010
Oct-Dec 2010
100
150146132
%
natural Rubber Price Increase 2010/11
O n e - o n - O n e • 1 71 6 • F o c u s o n O T R T y r e s
example.TheServicingDepartmentrecentlyinvestedin100ultralargesizes
fromChinawhicharestandingaroundgatheringdustastheminerefuses
toutilisethembyvirtueoftheirpoorperformanceanddowntime(allegedly
eachtyreblowisequaltouptosixhoursofdowntime).Apparently,tyre
failuresconnectedwithChinesebrandsincludetyreconstructionfailures
andcompoundingissuestonameafew.
Interestingly,whilethebigger,moresophisticatedmininghouseappearto
besteeringclearoffunknownChinesemakes,foreignbrandsaremanaging
tosecureanimportantpresenceinloader/hardrockapplications.
Bridgestone’sJordonSanexplains:“Thethinkinginthisparticularsegment
ofthemarket is ‘whypaymoreforareputabletyrewhenyoucanbuya
Chinese alternative for half the price’? The tyre isn’t meant to last so a
sizeableinvestmenthardlyseemsworthit.
SaysContinental’sClarke:“ItwouldbemyopictoexpectAsianimportsto
limitthemselvestothetrucksector.AlreadyBKTdominatestheagricultural
tyremarket,therebyerodingtheabilityoflocalmanufacturerstomaintain
profitability. Inevitably, emergingmarketswill find amarket for their low
costproducts.”
RINGTREAD is the preferred tyre solution for the largest fleets in the world because of
its unbeatable strength. The innovative ring-shaped tread converts a quality casing into
a high performance RETREAD without any weak points. Choosing RINGTREAD means
highest reliability - more grip - more mileage and considerable fuel saving.
One step ahead in Reliability, Grip & Saving.
www.ringtread.com
PERFORMANCE IS A MATTER OF SHAPE
Ringtread Accredited Dealers: Auto & Truck Tyres, Barden Tyre Services, Dynamic Tyre Solutions, Tyre MagicMarc Stock - [email protected] • Cell no: 083 252 0073
“Thatbeingsaid,let’snotforgetthatChinesetyremakersaresolicitingthe
servicesandexpertiseofpeoplefromBridgestoneandMichelin,bringing
them into their operations in abid to improvequality andperformance.
Ignoring thegrowing impactofChinese tyreproductionwouldbea fatal
mistakeforustomake,”cautionsSan.
Andas the threatofyetanotherglobalOTR tyreshortage loomson the
horizon,Chinesetyremakerswillundoubtedlyseizeontheopportunityto
pushhighervolumesintothemarket,whilealsomakingeveryendeavour
todemonstratethegrowingcapabilitiesoftheirproducts.
Local industry claims Chinese imports do not deliver and are prone to tyre failures.
O n e - o n - O n e • 1 7 DBN
2130
4
The ContiSportContact™ 3 offers better safety in dry and wetweather conditions.
On dry roads the tread ribs provide outstanding braking capability and steering precision by absorbing the forces exerted through braking.
On wet surfaces the unique tread grooves allow increased clearance of water for better road holding and resistance to aquaplaning.
Trust leading German engineering.Delivers unrivalled braking performance.
21304_CT_Roadfold_WomenOnWheels.indd 1 7/9/10 3:31:38 PM
OTR RADIALS
FOR ORDERS & INFORMATIONContact: Ken Martin or Marlin Pillay
Tel: 031 764 5058 | Ken: 083 387 8403 | Marlin: 071 880 9247 | Fax: 086 558 8382 Email: [email protected] or [email protected]
Exclusive Distributor for RSA, Lesotho, Swaziland and Botswana
OnLy AvAILABLE fROm
Transafrica Tyre & Wheel
l Suitable for all OTR Machines
l Full size range in 25” to 35”
‘E’ and ‘L’ type Radials
l Robust Steel Belted Radial
construction
l Abrasion resistant tread
compound
l Steelbelt reinforced tread area
l Modern tread patterns
l Global quality standard
l Manufacturer Warranty
= Low Cost Per Hour
TESTED & PROVEN
I n d u s t r y N e w s • 1 9
ShandongWandaBOTOTyreCo,hasappointedTransafricaTyre&Wheel
(Pty)LtdastheirExclusiveDistributorforBOTORadialOTRtyres.
Confirmingtheappointment,KenMartin,DirectorofTransafrica,indicated
thatthiswastheculminationofastrongrelationshipwhichhaddeveloped
since2008.
BOTOTyreCo, isa leadingmanufacturerofOTRRadials,whicharesold
globallyintomorethan90countries.
Its products conform to International quality standards, with all the
necessaryaccreditations,includingISO9001.
BOTOhasafullrangeofproductscoveringthe25”TO35”category,witha
strongfocusonradialtyresforADTtypemachinesinparticular.
Martin added that the BOTO radials had been evaluated at leading ADT
machineoperatorsoverthelasttwoyears,andhaddeliveredtroublefree
performancewithaverycompetitivecostperhour.
TherangeisalsobeingincreasedwithsomeLoadersizesavailable.
Transafrica is headed by Ken Martin, a veteran of over 30 years in the
industry. He served in executive positions at Arctic Rubber, Tredcor
(Trentyre),GoodyearandDunlop,andhisenergyandexperience,coupled
to the BOTO brand, will provide a competitive package for the target
customerbase.
TransafricahasofficesinDurbanandJohannesburg,withacentral
warehouselocatedinJohannesburg(seepicture).
Inventory is also held regionally with Dealers/Service providers,
closetotheendusercustomers.
Martin indicated that another important feature of this agreement
isthat infutureonlyBOTObrandOTRRadialssoldbyTransafrica
Tyre, as the Exclusive Distributor, will be covered by the BOTO
manufacturing warranty (See letter of appointment). This will be
monitoredbyserialnumber,andispartofacampaigntostopparallel
marketing and grey market trading. In this regard Martin said that
customers need to be cautious when offered BOTO tyres from
someoneotherthanTransafricaTyre,theexclusivedistributor.
MrFrankZhang,VicePresidentofGlobalSalesforBOTO,indicated
thattheywerepleasedtobeworkingwithTransafrica,andthatSouth
AfricaisanimportantmarketforBOTO(seeletterofappointment).
FormoreinformationcontactKenMartinon0833878403
BOTO appoints Transafrica as Exclusive Distributor
Ken Martin, Director of Transafrica
2 0 • I n d u s t r y N e w s
Chemvulc is proud to announce they have
just completed their ISO9000 Quality
management program which was no small
projectandtookayeartoputallthesystems
and checks in place. Already Chemvulc’s
ISO program has brought great benefits
insofarasaccountabilityandthestreamlining
of themanufacturingprocess isconcerned,
openingfurtherexportopportunitiesforthe
company.Chemvulciscommittedtooffering
itscustomersaworldclassproductproduced
locally, with quality and consistency that
customerscanrelyonandwiththisinmind,
coupledwiththeISOsystem,innovationand
improvementsare itsmainobjectives. This
year has seen improvements in the design
andfinishoftheChemvulcDoubleBondand
Chemicalpatchlines.
Chemvulc specifically included in the ISO
system aspects of the SANS20108/9
standard for retreading, testing the
standardof itsproducts tomeet theneeds
of retreaders who are retreading to SABS
and ECE standards. Part of the SANS
requirement was to test patches to double
theinflationpressureratingofthetyre.
The tests were done using water pressure
forsafety.Atrucktyrewithamaxpressure
rating of 8.3 bar was used and four major
repairsweredoneineachquadrant,onboth
sidewalls of the tyre, using the maximum
injury for the size patch used. Patches
tested were the chemical patch, using
the company’s own chemical vulcanising
solution, double bond and the sectional
patches, all of which were done with the
truckrepairsystemandaspotter.
Thetyrewasthenplacedinaninflationcage
andfilledwithwater.Thehandtestpumpwas
usedtotakethepressureto16.6bar,(double
theratingof thetyre). At thispressurethe
repairs held and the tyre was still in good
shape.Thepressurewasthenincreasedto
20bar. At this enormous pressure the tyre
failed but the repairs held. An impressive
resultaswellasatestamenttothecapability
ofthepatchesandtheextremeperformance
ofthetyre.(Resultsofthetestareavailable
onrequest).
Whatismore,anewproductisnowavailable
from Chemvulc specifically for retreading
industry–theenveloperepairkittoprolong
the life of curing envelopes and tubes.
Formulated from heat resistant butyl, the
new repair patch can be applied to curing
envelopeswithbutylsolutionandplaced in
the chamber for curing. The repair patch
will extend theworking lifeof theenvelope
untilitcannolongerberepaired.Forfurther
information on the envelope repair kit,
Chemvulc has also been involved in the
manufacture of patches for the RFID tyre
managementsystem.Thiswillgoalongway
to reducing the cost in implementing the
system, and provide local availability of the
RFID patch. The patch contains the RFID
chip thatgiveseach tyre itsunique ID,and
along with software and scanners, the full
historyofatyrecanbestoredfromitsfirst
fitting right through its lifetime, including
every retread. The RFID tyre management
system offers a significant solution to the
hugeproblemof theftof tyres thatplagues
ChemvulcInnovatingnewproductsforRetreaders
ChemvulchasthreefactoriesinRoodepoort.
Preparingthetyreforpressuretests.
Theenveloperepairkit.
R4BuffingHub.
CHEM
V
U L CC
HEM
V
U L C
ChicagoPneumatic
“the solution and the cure”
Call us today for a free catalogue and specials.
Quality Products...1300 products to suit every need.
Quality Service...Our reps will ensure you get prompt servicewherever you are - Nationwide!
Distributors of:
Head o�ce: 011 472 1016
Durban: 031 705 5880
Cape Town: 021 930 2897
Bloem: 051 430 5159
PE: 041 484 1706
Nelspruit: 013 744 9384
tyredealersandusersalike.
For further information on
how this tyre management
systemcanhelpyouorafree
demo,contactChemvulc.
About chemvulc
ChemicalVulcanisingSystemsPtyLtd,
“Chemvulc” began in 1977 and has
steadilygrownintoanorganisationwith
branches inCapeTown,PortElizabeth,
Nelspruit,DurbanandBloemfontein.Itnowhasafleetofvehiclesand
asalesteamthatcoverseverycityandtowninSouthAfricawithquality
tyreproductsforretreading,tyreshopsandEMtyrerepaircontractors.
With three factories in Roodepoort, Chemvulc is currently exporting
toAustralia,Romania, Israel,Pakistan,Egypt,Greece,Ghana,UK,and
SouthernAfrica, thecompanycarries themostcomprehensive range
of tyre repair products and tyre equipment for passenger, truck and
earthmovertyres.
TocomplementtheautomotiverangeChemvulcalsomanufacturesan
industrialrubberrangeforconveyorbeltsplicingandrepair,rubberto
metalbondingandotherminingapplications.
Chemvulccanbecontactedat0114721016,
oremail:[email protected].
These quality brands are available from Chemvulc:
2 2 • I n d u s t r y N e w s
RFID Patches, now available
locally.
Chemvulc offers the full consumable range for retreaders
2 2 • I n d u s t r y N e w s
Apollo Tyres SA has received the Quality Management System
certification TS 16949 for its heavy bus, truck radial and light truck
radialmanufacturing facility based inDurban. The secondproduction
plantinLadysmithhashadthecertificationforthelastsixyearsforthe
designandmanufactureofpassengercartyres.
TS16949isbasedontheISO9001seriesofqualitysystemsandtakes
2 4 • M a n u f a c t u r i n g
Designedforsmallandmid-sizeloaders,theMichelinXHA2
isthelatestgenerationoftheMichelinXHAtyre.Launched
inthelate1980s,theXHAhassinceestablisheditselfasthe
industrybenchmarkwith1.5millionunitssoldworldwide.
Last May, distributors from Europe and around the world
began offering their client companies the new tyre, which
allegedlymeetsthreefundamentalbusinessgoals:
itreduceshourlycosts,
ensuresthatworkcontinuessmoothlyandsafely,and;
improvesoperatorworkingconditions.
Toattain theseresults,MichelindesignedtheXHA2tobe
especiallyrobust.
They claim the tyre stands out from the competition
in three ways:
•Additional rubber has been incorporated in the tread,
makingthetyreevenmoredamage-resistant.
•Thesidewallshavebeenstrengthenedwithaspecialprotective
ribandanti-scrapeshields.
•Michelindevelopedcrack rotation rubbercompounds thathelp to
preventflats.
The Michelin XHA2 lasts up to 10% longer than its predecessor. The
tread improves tractionandmakes the tyreself-cleaning (expellingearth
caught between tread blocks) while reducing temporary losses of grip.
This optimized traction reduces rolling resistance and therefore fuel
consumption.
TheMichelinXHA2’spatentedtreaddesigndrasticallyreducesvibrations
thatcanbefeltbyoperatorsandcausedamagetomechanicalcomponents.
What’smore,thetyrereducestheoscillationscausedbyheavyloadsand
frequentchangesofdirectionthankstoitsbiggercontactpatch.
MICHELINLAUNCHESNEWTYREFOREARTHMOVERMARKET
DUNLOPDOESITAGAIN!O’Donoghue & Associates, a Durban based advertising agency,
have harnessed the power and message of the two concepts
precision and Parkour, and created an impressive new corporate
television advertisement for Dunlop’s retail stores, Dunlop Zone.
This advertisement builds on their hugely successful ‘Driven By
Precision’Dunlopadthatwasflightedin2009.Parkourandprecision
aretwoconcepts thatgohand inhand.Parkour,whichhasattained
aninternationalfollowingforthebreathtakingtasksundertaken,isa
disciplineinwhichparticipantsrunalongarouteusingonlythehuman
bodytogetfromoneplacetoanother.AlongtherouteParkourartists
overcome the obstacles through running and jumping, or specific
Parkourmoves.
PrecisionisrequiredtosuccessfullyundertakeParkour,demandingthe
discipline,dedication,detailandcontrolneededtoattainperfection.
O’Donoghue&AssociateshaveartfullyusedParkourtocommunicate
theirconcept‘Precision’,inthisDunlopZoneadvertisement.
ManagingDirectorofO’Donoghue&Associates, JohnO’Donoghue
explains,“Weconceptualisedacommercialthatbuiltontheprecision
conceptfromthefirstDunlopad,whichissynonymouswithafleetof
yellowcarstakingoverthestreetsofCapeTown.Thisadusedtheidea
ofdriverprecisionforthebrand.Wedevelopedthisideafurthertouse
Parkourtodemonstratehumanprecisionfortheretailside-Dunlop
Zone.With thepayoff line ‘precision tyre fitment’, it focusesmore
on the service aspect. We wanted it be innovative and stimulating,
projectingtheDunlopbrandasahighperformance,premiumoption
thatisbothdedicatedtoexcellenceandfullofvitality.Weareextremely
proudoftheoutcome,andbelieveitwillachievethesamesuccessas
itspredecessor”.
The commercial, which is currently being flighted on South African
television, isboldandstimulating, featuring3Parkour artists,which
ontheirwaytoworkandupontheirarrivalataDunlopZone,illustrate
humanprecisionandattentiontodetail.Thehighenergy,45second
advertstarsBritishParkourartistChaseArmitage,whoisinternationally
APOLLOSARECEIVESTS16949CERTIFICATIONintoaccountcustomerspecificrequirementsinadditiontothenormal
standard’s requirements, something which is particularly important in
today’s OE market where even more stringent quality demands are
placedbytheOEMontheirfirsttiersuppliers.
Apollo’s Dunlop branded truck radial tyres are currently supplied to
MANTruckandBus,NissanDiesel,ToyotaandGeneralMotors.
Continental’s tyre pressure monitoring system will soon be able to
reporttosmartphones.Thesystemalsoprovidesinformationaboutthe
correctpressurewhen tyresare inflated.Enhanceddrivingsafetyand
fuelefficiencyareexpected.
Allegedly,Continentalismakingdrivingsaferandmoreeconomicalfor
thefuturewithanewapplicationthatreportsthetyrepressuredirectly
toasmartphone.Thevehicleelectronicisconnectedwirelesslywiththe
driver’ssmartphone,thereforemakingspeedydataexchangepossible.
TheContinentalInteriorDivision’s“FillingAssistant”specifiestheexact
inflationpressureofeach tyre.Sowhenaddingair, theoptimumtyre
pressure can be achieved, even when inflation pumps at the filling
IFTHETYREISLACKINGAIRITREACHESFORTHEPHONE
M a n u f a c t u r i n g • 2 5
recognisedasoneofthebestintheworld,withtwoSouthAfricanartists
Dane Grant and Vernon Willemse, alongside him. The advertisement
tooktwomonthsfromconcepttoproduction,andabout50peoplewere
involved in theshoot. It took twodays tofilm,andwasfilmedat theSci
Bono Science Centre in Newtown, Johannesburg. The featured Dunlop
ZoneisonLynwoodRoad,Pretoria,andCollectiveFilmsonceagaindidan
outstandingjobintheirroleastheproductioncompany.
Duringtheadvertisementthethreeathleteartistsmaketheirwaythrough
anurbanlandscapetowork,showingtheirtalentsoff,withtheexcitement
andprecisionofParkourhighlighted in theireverymovement bouncing
off buildings and flying through the air. When they arrive at work at a
DunlopZone,theyprepareforthedaysettinguptheirtoolsandpreparing
forserviceexcellenceandprecisiontyrefitment liningupthespanners,
loadingthewater,straighteningthenametag.
ThisspeaksofDunlopZone’sfocusanddedicationtoattentiontodetail.
The advertisement is based on the concept of ‘Human Precision’, and
encompasseswhatDunlopZonesareall about. It seeks tohighlight that
Dunlop Zone is not only about tyres, but also about people and, and
through this concept it illustrates their passion for providing precision
servicetotheirclients.
ThecommercialputsDunlopZoneanditsemployeesforwardasenergised,
dynamic, precise and modern, moving onward and upward. After the
huge success of Dunlop’s 2009 advertisement ‘Driven By Precision’,
O’Donoghue&Associateslookforwardtothesameachievementforthis
livelysequel,‘HumanPrecision’.
JennySoons,MarketingCommunicationsManagerforDunlop,comments,
“TheDunlopZonesarereallytheretailfaceoftheDunlopbrandmodern,
premium with a high performance image. We wanted consumers to
recognise that the Dunlop Zone retail store is THE place for precision
fitment, when fitting high performance tyres. We wanted something
young,somethingedgythatreallydifferentiatestheDunlopZonesforthe
consumersastheplacetogoforadvancedtechnologypremiumproducts,
attentiontodetailandoutstandingservice,andwearedelightedwiththe
outcome”.
“This commercial is bursting with energy, which is beautifully balanced
by the control needed for Parkour. We are proud of the fact that it has
beenconceptualisedbyaDurbanbasedagency,provingourcapabilityto
competewiththebestinthebusiness.Welookforwardtoagreatresponse
andcontinuallyachievinginthefuture”,endsO’Donoghue.
‘Human Precision’ is currently being flighted on channels across
South African television, and this sequel is a proud testament to South
African talent and service. O’Donoghue & Associates have once again
demonstratedtheircapabilitywiththisprojectionofDunlop’spassionfor
precisioninanoriginalandexhilaratingmanner,stayingtruetothebrand’s
image,whilekeepingitfresh.
stationdonotmeasurethepressureaccurately.Inaddition,abriefhonk
andblinksignalcanbegiventoconfirmwhenthetyrehasbeeninflated
to the correct pressure level. Technical requirements for the system
areatyrepressuremonitoringsystemwiththecorrespondingsensors
in the tyres and factory-integrated vehicle electronics with a wireless
interface.FirstseriesproductionoftheFillingAssistantinnewvehicles
isexpectedfrom2013onwards.
From2013,Continentalexpectstostartmassproducingthefirsttyres
thatwillhavesensorscollectingtyredatadirectlyinthetyreunderneath
thetread, insteadofsensorsthatareconnectedtothevalve.Thiswill
markthebeginningoftheintelligenttyreera.
2 8 • E v e n t s
The Michelin Bibendum Challenge started in 1998 as a
platformtoexplorealternativesourcesofenergythat,inturn,
couldreducethegreenhousegaseffectthattransportation
hasontheenvironment.
Inanutshell,itinvolvesatotalof80vehicles,whichcompeteinarally.
ThedifferencebetweentheBibendumChallengeandconventionalralliesisthe
powertrainofthevehicles;theyarepoweredbybiodiesel,batteries,hydrogen,
ethanolaswellasconventionalfuels.
The results of the rally proved beyond doubt that huge strides are being
madeinthefighttoreduceCO2emissions.Moreimportantlythough,therally
demonstrated theenthusiasmandeffortbeingundertakenbyMichelin and
itsco-sponsors inorder tomakeapositivecontributiontomodernmobility
requirements.
While many companies are paying lip service to matters affecting our
environment, Michelin has been working quietly behind the scenes day
Michelin goes green in RioAt the recent Bibendum
Challenge in breathtakingly
beautiful Rio de Janeiro,
Michelinproved that it does
morethanjustproducetyres;
thecompanyismakingareal
contribution in the quest to
reduceCO2emissions.
BRUCECAROLINwasthere.
and night (it has 72 plants in 19 countries),
seeking solutions to reduce the greenhouse
gasesthatarebeingemittedbytheworld’s900
million vehicle population. When one considers than our planet’s fleet is
expectedtocomprisebetweentwoandthreebillionvehicleswithinthenext40
years,itbecomesveryevidentthatwehavetofindalternativestoourcurrent
dependenceonfossilfuels.
Ofcourse,onemayquerywhyMichelinisinvolvedinthisundertaking.After
all,thecompanyisatyreproducer;itdoesn’tproducebatteriesorsellfuel,
for instance.Theanswer issimple:tyresaccountforup20%oftheenergy
consumedtopropelaninternalcombustionvehicle.Bydesigningmorefuel
efficient tyres, therefore, fuelconsumptionandCO2emissionsarereduced.
Take,forinstance,thecurrentMichelinEnergysavertyre.Itsavesupto0.2
litresper100kilometres travelled andcutsCO2emissionsby4gramsper
kilometre.AsattheendofDecember2009Michelinhadsold37millionof
thesetyresworldwide,whichtheoreticallysaved184millionlitresoffuel.
HoweverMichelinhasnowgonebeyond tyredevelopmentand isseeking
to influence the future of our mobility needs. The company has been
investigating all aspects that influence the job of the tyre, from the drive
train to thewheel. It has alsodesignedanddevelopednew technologies
specificallyforelectricvehicles.ClearlyMichelinbelievesthatourfuturelies
Michelin is developing new technologies for electric-powered vehicles.
inelectricpoweredvehiclesastheyarefriendliertowardstheenvironmentand
thusthecompanyhastargetedthisareaforfutureresearchanddesign.
Alongside the Bibendum Challenge in Rio, an exhibition took place, where
Michelinunveilednewproducts thatarecurrentlybeingusedonprototype
vehicles.ThetyreproducerhasastrategicalliancewithPeugeotandHeuliez
(currentworldleaderinelectriccarmanufacture).Eachofthesevehicleshas
beenfittedwiththenewMichelinActivewheeldrivetrains.Thistechnology
eliminatestheneedforanengineateitherthefrontorrearofthevehicle.There
isalsononeedforagearbox,clutch,driveshaft, transferbox,differentialor
shockabsorbers.Theweightsavingthusmakesthevehiclemorefuelefficient.
TheMichelinActivewheelhubcarriestheelectricdrivemotor,a145mmtravel
activesuspensiondevice,thebrakingsystemandthetyre.Havinganunsprung
massof32kilograms,thedesignofthiswheelallowsforthetyretoremainin
fullcontactwiththeroadsurfaceastheturningarcissymmetricalandthetravel
vertical.Choiceofdrivecanbeviafront,rearorfourwheelsaseachwheelis
independent.Theactivesuspensionhasaresponsetimeof3millisecondsand
maximumpoweroutputis60kWwithacontinuousratingof30kW.Thiswheel
willcontributesignificantlytofuturevehicledesignasitisbasicallya“bolton”
device.TheentireunitisaMichelininnovation.
The 6 000 researchers employed at Michelin’s Technology Centre have
alsodesignedsomeprototypeEV(ElectricVehicle)tyresthattheybelieveareneeded
specificallytomeettherequirementsofelectricandhybridvehicles.Thesetyreshave
alargerdiameter,butarenarrowerthanaconventionaltyreinordertominimiserolling
resistance.Alowprofilereducesflexwhich,inturn,createslessdeformationandheat
build-up.Thisresultsinadditionalenergysavingsandlongerlife.
As an alternative power supply, Michelin has designed a highly reliable
hydrogenfuelcellthatgeneratesapowerdensityof0.7kW/kgandhasa
lifespanof“severalthousandhours”.Itiscurrentlyundergoingdemanding
testingunderaeronauticalconditionsanditsreleaseinimminent.
Themessageisclear:thistyrecompanyislivinguptoitsmottoofdelivering
“cleaner,moreefficient, safer– trulymodern technologies tomeetnew
worldneeds”.Takeabow,Michelin!
E v e n t s • 2 9
Tyres to meet the requirements of electric and hybrid vehicles have specially been designed.
3 0 • C o n t i C o r n e r
PROMOTION
Aglobalofficial sponsor to theFIFASoccerWorldCup,ContinentalTyreSA is in auniqueposition to
leverageoffitsassociationwiththeworld’smostwatchedsport.Inresponse,themonthsofJuneandJuly
wereparticularlyactiveforthetyremakerwhocapitalisedonthisgloriousoccasioninelaboratestyle.
Pic 1 and 2: Guests were treated to 3 nights at the Mount Grace Hotel. Pic 3 and 4: Kapama River Lodge provided the ultimate game viewing experience.
Continental branded buses transported guests
to and from the games in style.
Michelle and Alex Taplin of TWT.
Mexico supporters get creative.
Dieter Horni, MD
of Continental
Tyre SA (left)
entertains guests
in the Conti
Hospitality Suite.
Soccer City prepares for
the inaugural event.
C o n t i C o r n e r • 3 1
World Cup splendour
– Continental style!
PROMOTION
Customers, suppliers and staff alike were treated to a once-in-a-lifetime
experience, which not only involved getting their hands on some highly-
soughtaftermatchtickets,withfullaccesstoContinental’sHospitalitySuiteat
SoccerCitybeforeandafterthegames,butalsobeingtreatedtoacomplete
hospitalityexperiencespanningatotaloffivedays.
Iwasprivilegedtobe included inoneof thefirsthospitalitygroups(there
were200guestsintotal)whichcomprised58topSAretailersinonesingle
trip,wasprivytotheOpeningCeremonyandthelegendarymatchbetween
SouthAfricanandMexicoinwhichBafanaBafanadrew1-1.
Wewerecarted inandoutofSoccerCitycourtesyofafleetofdedicated
Continentalbuses,afterwhichweenjoyedarelaxingdayattheMountGrace
CountryHotelandSpa,beforejettingofftoKapamaRiverLodgeinthe
Lowveldforanunforgettablegameviewingexperience.
ThetripalsoincludedtoursoftheSammyMarksMuseuminPretoria,
as well as the Apartheid Museum in Soweto, activities which held
specialappealforthemultitudeofforeignvisitorswhichwerehostedby
Continentaloverthefour-weekperiod.
ThefactthatGermanycameasfarasitdidintheWorldCupbeforefinally
fallingindefeattoSpainatthesemi-finals,undoubtedlyheightenedthe
overall experience for thisGerman-based tyre companywhich inmy
opinion,didournationandourindustryproudinthefaultlessexecution
ofapromotionalcampaignthatwouldrivaltheworld’sbest.
Continental’s Johan Liebenberg puts the Vuvuzela to good use.
3 2 • D e a l e r P r o f i l e
The new Cinturato P7TM tyre, compared to the previous model, offers the following advantages:
E v e n t s • 3 3
Traditionally,membersofthepresscongregateatvenuessuchas
Gerotek,KyalamiorKillarneywhencalledupontotestthecapabilitiesof
newtyresonthemarket,butthiseventwasmarkedlydifferent.Wewere
askedtomeetatthePirellispacelocatedon44StanleyAvenue,Milpark,
toattendatwo-dayeventatanundisclosedlocation.
Overearlymorningcoffees,welistenedtoabriefpresentation
explainingthefeaturesandbenefitsofthenewtyre,whichallegedly,
isnotonlyeco-friendly,butalsoofferseconomy,safetyonallroad
surfacesplusgoodroadhandling.Addedtothat,theCinturatoP7uses
state-of-the-artmaterialsandengineeringtechniques,soistherefore
onthecuttingedgeineveryway:compounds,materials,structureand
treaddesign.Theresult-atyrethatguaranteessteadperformance
throughthetyre’susefullifeintermsofcuttingnoxiousemissions,
reducingnoise,runningeconomy,shorterbrakingdistancesand
handling.TheP7’secoprofilerevealsatyremadeonlywitharomatic
oil-freematerials,assuringanoverallconsumptionreductionofup
to4%and30%lessnoise.Asfarassafetyisconcerned,theP7
apparentlyoffersenhancedperformanceinwetanddrybraking,
respectivelyoftwometresandone.
Forthosewhopaidparticularattentiontothepresentationitlateremerged
tobeahugeadvantage,notonlyinsolvingsomeofthecrypticclues
alongtheway,butalsowhenitcametosolvingacrosswordpuzzlewhich
thepresswasobligedtocomplete.
Pirelli goes green but blue comes out tops!Whosaystyrecompaniesdon’tknowhowtothrowagoodbash?Nodisrespectintendedtomy
highlyrespectedfriendsinthenewtyresector,butIrecentlyattendedthemostcreativeandwell-
executedproductlaunchthatfrankly,knockedthesocksoffanynewtyrelaunchI’veattendedin
thelast20years.ThehostcompanywasPirelliTyreSAwhiletheproductinquestionwasthenew
CinturatoP7-Pirelli’sveryfirsthigh-performanceecotyreformediumandhigh-poweredcars.
Top: Members of the press met at the Pirelli space for a short briefing.Bottom: A fleet of stunning BMW XIs were made available for the event.
E v e n t s • 3 5
Andsoitwasthatwewerethendividedintofourteams–Yellow,Red,
WhiteandBlue–andtoldtoprepareourselvesforourveryown‘Amazing
Race’contestthatwouldnotonlytestourwitsbutalsothecapabilities
ofthenewly-launchedBMWX1(shodwiththenewCinturatoP7of
course!)Ourquestwastofollowthecluesalongtheway,andreachour
electeddestination,armedwithanumberofparaphernaliawhichwewere
expectedtocollectalongtheway(suchasflagsandphotographs).The
firstteamtoarrivewouldbeawardedthecovetedtrophyplusfashion
voucherstothevalueofR2000courtesyofPirelliPZerofashion!
ThefirstclueindicatedthatweweretoheadforSouthAfrica’sfamous
coalminingtownwhichusledustodeducethatourfirstpitstopwasthe
townofWitbank.TheBlueteam(ofwhichIwasamember),wasthelast
todepartwhichputusatanimmediatedisadvantageofsevenminutes.
Undettered,weputfoot(yes,weexceededthespeedlimit,butthiswas
anAmazingRaceafterall!)putourmindstothetaskathandandthrew
ourselvestotallyintothegame.
OfcourseintrueAmazingRacingtradition,wewerealsoobligedto
participateinaseriesofchallengesenroute.Thefirstofthesewas
ClayPigeonshooting(ImustconfessIfailedmiserablyonthisone)
whichtookplacejustoutsideDullstroom.Next,wehadtodecipher
anencryptedword(thewordmeantcave)locatethecorrectcaves
somewherepasttheLydenburgarea,explorethemandproduce
evidenceofourpresencetherebywayofphotographsoftherespective
formationswithintheirdepths.
TheeventconcludedwiththeteamsracingforGod’sWindowinBlyde
RiverCanyon,Mpumalanga,whereweweremetbytheorganiserswith
champagneandorangejuicewhilestoppingtotakeinthebreathtakingviews.
I’mproudtosaythatagainstallodds,theBlueteamcameouttops,
winningthechallengealongwiththetrophyandfashionvouchers.Whata
prouddayforus!
Andwhatawonderfulevent!Thecarswereajoytodrivewhilethenew
tyretrulydidexcelintermsofroadholding,brakingandnoisereduction.
WelldonePirelliTyreSA–hatsofftoyouforstagingsucharemarkable
andhighlyenjoyableevent!
PirelliTyreisachievinghigherlevelsofGreenPerformanceinthe
tyresectorthroughitsadoptionoftechnologiesandsolutionsforthe
automotiveindustrythatinadditiontoensuringproductinnovation,
qualityandahighlevelofperformanceandsafetyforcustomers,
areincreasinglymoreecological.Inthecomingmonths,Pirelli’s
GreenPerformancestrategywillseetheintroductionofpioneering
developmentsfortheindustrywhichwillincludeincreasinglygreentyres
inallsegments,aswellastheuseofnew,non-petroleumbasedmaterials.
In true Amazing Race Style the event consisted of finding and solving clues as well as participating in a series of challenges along the way.
Reuben van Niekerk, Bruce Faser and Liana Shaw (The Blue Team) show off their trophies.
Sizedoesn’tcount!
AuToQuIP Alberton
defies the oddsAutoquip Alberton is one of the
smallest outlets within the Group,
and yet, despite its size and an
overtraded arena, the store is
generating impressivefigures.We
paid theoutletavisit tosee ifwe
couldgettobottomofitssuccess.
Onarrival Iammetbyaflurryofactivitywithevery liftoccupied.The
staffclearlyhavetheirhandsfullbutstilltheymakeapointofgreeting
meatmycar,enquiringhowtheycanbeofservice.
StoreManagerJacoBredenkampswiftlyfollowsontheirheelsushering
me intoaquieterspaceso thatwecan talkminus thesoundsof jack
hammersandtyrewrenches.
FromtheoutsetI’mimpressedthatincontrasttorecentlamentsfrom
the tyre trade as to how the economic downturn is affecting their
businesses,JacoappearsperplexedwhenIraisetheissuewithhim.
Jaco Bredenkamp
D e a l e r P r o f i l e • 3 7
3 8 • D e a l e r P r o f i l e
Hesays:“Wehaven’t feltanyadverseeffects toourbusiness, likelydue
toourextensiveofferingwhichincludeswheelsandsuspensionsystems.”
Autoquip enjoys an affiliation with Aline Wheels as well as a close
associationwithBridgestonewhichconstitutesitsprimarybrandalongside
otherpremiummakessuchasMichelinPirelliandFalken,synergieswhich
have likely contributed to the success of this tyre and fitment centre. A
further diversification drive into suspensions has also opened up a new
marketwithpleasingresults.
Butthereareotherwinningfactorstoo.Jacoclaimsthatsomeofhisstaff
havebeenwiththestoreforthelast10yearssinceitfirstopened.“There’s
very little staff turnover except for obvious staff promotions which of
course,wewelcome.It’sgratifyingtoseepeopleworkingtheirwayupthe
ranks.”
A keen 4x4 enthusiast, Jaco also passionately supports a variety of 4x4
forumswhichserveastheidealplatformforhimtodevelopthe4x4tyre
andwheelbusiness.Infact,thissideofhisbusinesshasalmostdoubledin
thelastfewyearsduelargelytohisrelentlesseffortsinthisregard.
“Inthisbusiness,youneedtobeproactiveaswellashands-onifyouareto
attaingrowth.Itwouldbecounter-productiveforabranchmanagertobe
sittingbehindhisdeskallthetime.Getinvolved,lendahandatthecounter
sothatyoucanidentifyanyproblemareasthatcouldbejeopardisingyour
turnoverandGPs.Successforabusinesssuchasthisdependsonone’s
abilitytosellup,somethingthatcanonlybedrivenfromthetop.”
The location of the store is clearly another important factor. Autoquip
Alberton is locatedonaprimesiteonVoortrekkerStreet,enjoyingboth
visibility and accessibility. Its only drawback is its size which Jaco says
oftenlimitstheirabilitytoserviceasmanycustomersastheywouldlike,
particularlyduringthemonthofDecember.
When Iaskhim toname thechallenges tohisbusiness,he immediately
alludes to the infiltrationof ‘cheapies’coming in from theEastwhichhe
saysiscontributingtotheoutrageousprice-cuttinginthemarket.
“Thatbeingsaid, Idon’tbelieve in focusingon thenegative,” says Jaco,
whohasenjoyedmanyyearsintheretailtrade,withagreaterpercentage
ofthemspentwiththeTigerWheel&TyreGroupbeforejoiningAutoquip
5yearsago.
“Instead,Iabidebythephilosophyofregularstafftrainingandstickingto
thebasics.Ifyoudothat,therestwillfollownaturally.”
Clearly,it’sastrategythatappearstobeworking.
The only limitation to the future growth of this business is the size of the premises.
3 6 • T a l k i n g T y r e s
28422 Dunlop Brain SA Treads 4/28/10 11:16 AM Page 1
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C M Y CM MY CY CMY K
Future technologyRevolutionratherthanevolution
Loosely continuing the theme of waste tyre management
discussedinthepreviousissueofSATreads,surelythetyre
industry needs to adopt a revolutionary approach rather
thanrun-of-the-millevolution ByColinMileman
T a l k i n g T y r e s • 4 1
T a l k i n g T y r e s • 4 3
Weknowalltoowellthatthetyreindustryfacesnumerouschallengesasfar
asgoinggreenisconcerned,specificallyrelatedtodealingwiththemounting
problemofwastetyres.
Plus there’s the issueofreducingthedemandonnatural resources in the
productionoftyres.Andtheever-morestringentrequirementsforassisting
themotorindustryinthebattleagainstvehiclefuelconsumptionandharmful
emissions.
Butthatbegsthequestion:shouldn’tthetyreindustrybecomingupwitha
newgenerationofground-breakingsolutionstotheseproblems?
There’snodoubtthatbillionsisinvestedinresearchanddevelopment,and
I’mnotsuggestingthatanyofthetyrecompaniesaredraggingtheirfeetin
thisregard.
Certainly I’mof thefirmopinion,andalwayshavebeen, thatsomeof the
most notable improvements in vehicle performance, handling, safety and
rollingresistanceinrecentyearshavelargelybeenattributedtofantasticnew
tyretechnology.
Indeed,theshiftfrompurecarbonblacktosilicacompoundsachievedone
ofthegreatestadvancesintyretechtodate.Itallcomesdowntotheconcept
of the “magic triangle of tyre technology”. This defines the contrasting
relationship between rolling resistance, durability and grip – you improve
oneandtheotherstendtosuffer.
Theintroductionofsilicaredefinedthatscenario,allowingformuchhigher
levelsofgrip(particularlyinthewet),matchedtoreducedrollingresistance
(byasmuchas20percent),aswellasenhancedtyrelife.Itwasfirstusedin
theearly1990s,andhasbecomealotmoreprevalentsince.
However,maybeit’stimewestartthinkingoutthebox(orthecircleinthis
case), and redeveloping theentire lifecycleof the tyre, fromstart toend.
Fromcradletograve–andweseriouslyneedtofindwaysofdelayingthe
latter.
Undoubtedly one of the most relevant and problematic issues relating to
tyres,asdiscussedinmypreviouscolumn,isthedisposalofmillionsoftyres
oncethey’vereachedtheendoftheiruseablelife.
Match that to natural resources that are being pillaged as if there’s no
tomorrow,andit’seasytoseewhyarevolutionarynewstrategyisneeded,
andsoon.
Surelyweshouldbeworkingfeverishlytoregenerateusedtyresintonew?It
hasproventobehighlyeffectivewithplasticandglass.Oldbottles,containers
andpacketsaremelteddownandgivenanewleaseonlifeoverandover
again–althoughSouthAfricastillhasalongwaytogotofullyembraceand
adoptthebasicconceptofrecycling.
IadmitthatIperformeddismallyatchemistrywhileatschool,soI’mthelast
persontotryandanalysethecompositionandbondingpropertiesbetween
atoms and molecules. Yet I’ll acknowledge that modern tyres and their
chemicalcomponentsareextremelycomplex,and thesyntheticpolymers
used to achieve the optimal tyre performance in all areas pose a major
challengeinbeingreworkedbackintothesystem.
Undoubtedly,therearemanyknowledgeablemenandwomeninwhitelab
coatsthathaveponderedoverthisissue,andcontinuetodoso.ButIthink
The price of natural rubber continues to escalate. As such the issue of reducing the demand on natural resources in the production of tyres continues.
it’stimewereappraisetheconceptinitsentirety,investigatingthepotential
fortotallyreinventingtyretechnology.
We should be working towards an industry that employs used tyres as a
primarymaterialfornewtyreproduction,ratherthanmerelyaproblematic
by-product.
Insomecasesasmallpercentageofcrumbedrubbergeneratedfromscrap
tyres isusedassupplementalfiller innewand retreaded tyreproduction.
However,thefocusshouldreallyshifttowardsredesigningtyrecompounds
fromthegroundupwithamultiplelifespan,capableofbeingbrokendown
andremouldedmanytimesoverintonewtyres.
Thatwouldavailthetyreindustryofmassivereadilyavailableresourcesatthe
veryheartoftheirbusiness:inthereplacementindustry.
Rubberobtained fromscrapped tyreswouldbeputback into thesystem,
dramatically reducing the demand on natural resources, and the cost of
obtainingandrefiningtheminthefirstplace.Thesteelreinforcingelements
ofthetyrecouldberegeneratedinthesameway.
As this new type of compound would already be fit-for-purpose, albeit
with theneedtoeffectivelyrecycle it intoauseable form, thecostof tyre
productioncouldfeasiblybedrasticallyreduced.
Tyres would become less of a grudge purchase, and end users would
hopefullyusethemwithinthesafeparametersthey’redesignedfor,rather
thanpushingtheboundariesofdurabilityduetothehighcostofreplacement.
Hopefully, then, this would enable other secondary and complimentary
featurestobecomemoreaffordableandprevalentwithin thecar industry,
suchastyrepressuremonitoringsystemsthatempowerdriverstomakethe
mostoftheirtyres,andtomaintainthemattheidealpressuresforaneven
greaterpracticallifespan.
It’sarelativelysimplisticview,Iconfess,butinthelongtermitmakessense
tome, the journalist.And I’msure theenvironmentalistswouldgive it the
thumbsuptoo.Asforthescientistsandnumber-crunchers:well,useit/don’t
useit…
Revolutionratherthanevolution
4 4 • T a l k i n g T y r e s
Colin Mileman is a freelance motoring journalist,
photographer and advanced driving specialist with over
13 years of experience in this field. As a former editor of
Topcar and Topbike magazines, he’s as enthusiastic about
cars and bikes as they come, and has extensive knowledge
of all motoring-related matters, including the topic of tyres,
having run the annual and highly regarded Topcar tyre tests
for several years.
With the reliability you get from Bandag, your fleet can take on anything. www.bandag.co.za
8182 Bandag Strip Ad.indd 3 5/15/08 4:39:38 PM
Everheardofthe5MileageThieves?Evenifyouhave,itmightbeworth
yourwhiletoreadthefollowingtipsinensuringthatyougetthemostoutof
yourtyreinvestment.Toooftentyresarejudgedbythewrongcriteriaand
allbecausethebasicsoftyremanagementarenotfollowed.
Bandagendeavours toget thesebasicsright tomakeadifferenceto the
bottomlineoffleets,therebydeliveringnotonlyvalueaddedservices,but
anoticeabledifferenceinthe‘true’costsassociatedwithtyresinfleetsof
allsizes.
So,whatarethese5MileageThievesandhowcantheybeovercome?
Theseseemlikeobvious
issues but all too often,
thesebasicfundamentals
in tyre management
are overlooked and the
end result is poor tyre
performance with a
resultanttransferenceinblame.TheBandagwayistotackletheseissues
upfront,ensuringyougetthemostoutofyourtyreoperatingbudget.
How this is done:
Pressure maintenance– thiscritical tyremanagement
disciplineisfundamentaltomanaginganyfleeteffectively.
Incorrectpressurescanaffecttyreperformancebyupto
25%.Managingpressureseffectively,isthefirststepin
ensuringthattyreperformanceisnotaffected.Aninflux
ofairpressuremonitoringsystemsinthemarketplacecanbeartestimony
to the importanceof selectingandmaintaining thecorrect airpressures
inyourfleet.TIP:Selectandmaintaintyrepressuresasoftenaspossible.
Mismatching–imagineforaminuteamanremovinghis
Grasshoppersfromonefootandslippingonhiswife’s
highheels!Ifhetriestowalk,whatdoyouimaginethe
resultwillbe?Thesameistrueformatchingtyreswhich
are matched using the following criteria; size, make, model, design and
treaddepth(3mmtolerance).Everytyrehasitsowncharacteristicsandby
fittingtyresindualpositionsthatarenotcorrectlymatched,willcausetyres
to‘resist’eachothersothatinturn,theydonotperformtotheiroptimum
levels. TIP: Ensureyoumatch tyres across the axle, toensure superior
performance.
Irregular wear due to mechanical problem–tyrestend
tobethe‘fallguy’inmanyinstances.Whiletheycannot
becompletelyexemptedfrompoorperformance,there
aretimeswhenotherfactorsdeterminetheperformance
of tyres. We commonly refer to these as mechanical
issues (includes vehicle alignment). TIP: Regular wheel alignment can
improvetyreperformanceandeliminateunevenwear.
Incorrect Tread Selection – tyres are generally
designed for a specific application. Drive axles are
more aggressive for increased traction and trailer
tread designs are generally rib patterns designed
to be free rolling. Bandag has invested heavily in
R&D to design and develop its Application Specific® range of tread
designs.Thesetreadsaredevelopedtoprovidesuperiorperformance
in the chosen application that a generic design won’t be able to do.
TIP: Enquire more about the Bandag Application Specific® range of
productstoday!
Overloading – this is such a common practice in Africa but one that
seriouslyhinderstyreperformance.Tyresaredesignedtocarryaloadata
givenpressure.All‘E’and‘DOT’markedtyrescomewithaloadcarrying
indexandspeedrating. Exceedingtheloadindexandspeedrating,will
put the tyresunder tremendouspressureand jeopardise the integrityof
casings.TIP:Neveroverload!
With these basics in place, you are sure to start seeing a difference in
your tyreperformance. To implement thenext step inprofessional tyre
management,contactBandagtoday!
Could the 5 Mileage Thieves be Impacting on your operating budget?
The 5 Mileage Thieves are:
• Incorrect pressures • Mismatching
• Irregular wear due to mechanical problems
• Incorrect tread selection • Overloading
B a n d a g • 4 5
4 6 • G o o d y e a r N e w s
TheHiluxapproachesthepit-abouttwometreswide,fivemetreslongand
ametredeep -cautiously.More thanhalfof thepit isfilledwithsludgy,
slimy,claybasedmud.Theentryandexitedgesofthepitarevertical.It
lookslikeacauldronoftrouble.
We are at Klipbokkop Mountain Reserve near Worcester in the Western
Cape, home to the Goodyear 4x4 Academy. Gerhard Groenewald,
4x4 expert and owner of Klipbokkop is behind the wheel. On the sides
surrounding the mud pit stand I (a cynical journalist loving off-road and
4x4’s),aswellasthesalesforceofallthemajorGoodyearofficesinSouth
Africa.Wearewaitinganxiouslytoseefirsthandwhatthisnewtyrecando.
The Hilux carries on regardless, confident that it will reach the opposite
shore.Itsconfidenceisbornfromthefactthatitisrunningthisgruelling
testona setof very special tyres: a setofGoodyearMT/RwithKevlar.
Seriousoff-roadtyres.Becausethisisseriousoff-road.
Is this the MTR of all tyres?Motoring Journalist Gerrit Rautenbach
experiencedaweekendevaluatingtheGoodyear
WranglerMT/RwithKevlaramongsttherugged
(frequently gruelling) hills of the Klipbokkop
Goodyear Serious Freedom 4x4 Academy. A
seasonedmotoringjournalist,weaskedhimfor
histhoughtsonthetyre.
The Wrangler MT/R with Kevlar stands the test during evaluation at the Goodyear Serious Freedom 4x4 Academy.
G o o d y e a r N e w s • 4 7
Firstofall,theMT/RwithKevlarcontainsKevlarreinforcedsidewalls
toprovidepunctureresistanceduetothefactthatKevlaris,poundfor
pound,fivetimesstronger thansteel.Theearlier test,climbingrock
walls,provedthatitworks.
However,forthismudpittest,thefactthattheMT/RwithKevlarhas
a wraparound tread, giving enhanced sidewall traction, is far more
important. The Silica in the compound also gives better all-round
tractioninthewet.Andthismudiswet;slimywet.Thetractionforks
in the treadalsoprovideadditionalhorizontaledges forgrip inmud
withsee-throughgroovesthatprovideanavenuetoevacuatethemud.
Slowly the frontsetofMT/RwithKevlarengages themudandrolls
forwardwithoutaslipuntiltheentirebakkieistakingamudbath.This
is theeasypart.The real test isgettingouton theoppositevertical
edge.Lowrange,firstgearanddifflockon,theMT/RwithKevlartests
theedge.Gerhardgivesmorepower.Bitebybite thebakkiemoves
forward.Thenalittleback,forwardagain.Inoticehowthemudfliesoff
thetread,groovescleaningthemselvesforanotherattack.
Rugged, rebellious, revolutionary ... Wrangler
MT/R with Kevlar and Wrangler DuraTrac are Goodyear’s brand new
duo of versatile, tougher-than-steel off-road tyres.
Thebakkie’srearwheelsgrindagainsttheexitwall,rockingandrollingina
mudwrestlingdance.Thetyresspinandgrip,spinandgrip,grindingthe
bakkieoutontodryground.Thespectatorsstartbreathingagain,lookingat
eachother.Thisissomethingtheycansellwithconfidence.Bucketsfullof
muddywaterrunofftheundersideofthebakkie.
Slowlythefrontdooropens.Gerhardgetsoutandlightshispipe.
“WhydidIdothisdemonstration?”heasks,puffingaway.“BecauseIcan.
Why?BecauseoftheMT/RwithKevlar.It’sabouttheonlythingthatwillget
youthroughthispit.”
Idoagree.It’stheultimateforseriousoff-roading.Butit’snotanallround
tyre.Ifthegoingiseasyontarorifitgetstoughondirt,youcankeepgoing
withasetofWranglerAT/SAs(lastyearIdid11000kmthroughAfricaon
themwithnoproblems)orDuraTracs.Butifthegoinggetstougher,havea
setofMT/RwithKevlarinthegarage.
(courtesyofGerritRautenbach)
4 2 • C o n t i C o r n e r
W o r l d N e w s • 4 9
Having run its Formula One PZero tyre for the first time in Italy last
month, Pirelli’s eagerly-anticipated Formula One test campaign continued
this week at the Le Castellet circuit in the south of France, again with
Nick Heidfeld at the wheel of the Toyota TF109 fitted with Pirelli’s latest
Formula One tyres.
The Italian firm won the tender to supply tyres exclusively to the FIA
Formula One World Championship from 2011-2013 earlier this year,
andsince thenaconcentratedcampaignof researchanddevelopment
hasbeenongoingtoprepareforPirelli’sfirstFormulaOneseasonin20
years. With the initial shakedownwork atMugello fromAugust17-18
proving to be extremely successful, Pirelli continued its development
programmeatPaulRicard for twodays,workingonbothconstructions
andcompoundsaspertheplannedschedule.Atthesametime,Italian
driver Giorgio Pantano continued to test Pirelli’s GP2 tyres, which will
also make their debut next season as part of a three-year tyre supply
agreementthattakesintheentry-levelGP3seriesaswell.Temperatures
inthesouthofFranceremainedwarmthroughoutbothtestdays,withan
averageambienttemperatureof24degreesCentigradeandaveragetrack
temperatureof28degreesCentigrade. TheLeCastelletcircuit,which
hasrecentlybeendevelopedintoahigh-techtestfacility,canbedriven
inanumberofdifferentconfigurations.Pirelli’s test teammadefulluse
of thecircuit torunahigh-speedconfiguration,enablingtheengineers
toassesstheperformanceofthetyresunderextremeloadingaswellas
throughslowerandmoretechnicalsections. Throughoutbothdaysof
thetest,thecarandthetyresperformedperfectly.Theperformanceofthe
newrubber,aswellasitsconsistencyandreliability,fullymatchedPirelli’s
expectations-asmotorsportdirectorPaulHemberyexplained.“We’re
veryhappywiththeprogresswe’vemadesofar,whichactuallyputsus
slightlyaheadofwhereweexpectedtobeatthispointintime,”pointed
out Hembery. “We worked through an initial development programme
thathasgivenusausefulinsightintotheperformanceofourprototype
tyresunderawiderangeofconditions,cornersandspeeds.We’vebeen
hugelyencouragedbywhatwe’veseenuptonow,andthat’sbeenhelped
by both Nick’s clear and precise feedback, as well as all the different
possibilities afforded to us by the Paul Ricard circuit.” Pirelli’s test
programmewillcontinueinSpain intwoweeks’time. Inthemeantime,
thecompanywill taketothetrackatMonzafor thefinaleof thisyear’s
GP3SeriesfromSeptember11-12,whichisexclusivelysuppliedbyPirelli
initsinauguralseason.
Indian manufacturer Apollo Tyres has announced it is to invest
6.6 million euros in its Enschede, Netherlands manufacturing unit
to increase the plant’s capacity from 5.1 million to 6 million tyres
per annum. The company’s South African concerns in Durban and
Ladysmith will also receive investments totalling a reported $30
PIRELLIFORMULAONETESTSCONTINUEINFRANCE
APOLLOTOINVESTINDUTCH,SATYREPLANTSmillion for expansion and equipment upgrades.
In its domestic market, Apollo is due to complete its Chennai
Greenfieldsitebytheendof2010.Workcommencedonthesitelast
quarter.Thecompanyalsoreportsithassanctionedafurther3billion
rupeeextensiontotheexisting20billioninvestment.
RELIABILITY... SAFETY... QUALITY...
DURABILITY...
important ingredients that keep us ahead of the pack!
w w w . l e a d e r t r e a d . c o . z a
ISO 9002
T +27 11 473 8200F +27 11 474 8659E [email protected]
LT half pg 210x145.indd 1 6/3/10 11:57:05 AM
Wet Braking
Source:WhatCar?
Whenitcametodrybrakingthebudgettyresfairedalotbetterwiththe
SunewYS112outperformingtheGoodyearOptigripby1.2metreswitha
stoppingdistanceof52.2metres.TheOvationVI-182equalledGoodyear’s
result,buttheArrowspeedwashalfametrebehindthisandcamebottom
witha53.9metredrybrakingdistance.Michelinagaintoppedthistable,
taking48.5metrestocometohalt,withtheContinentaltyretakingsecond
placewith51.1metres.
5 0 • W o r l d N e w s
What Car? has named and shamed budget brands in a test warning that
tyres like these “could kill.” In the test published online on 4 August
2010 What Car? measured the performance of the Arrowspeed CP661,
Continental Premium Contact 2, Goodyear Optigrip, Michelin Pilot Sport
3, Ovation VI-182 and Sunew YS112 in dry braking, wet braking, lateral
grip and noise tests. The Michelin Pilot Sport 3 came out top, with
particularly strong results in wet and dry braking. However, there were
some shocking outcomes in the budget sector when it came to braking
and noise.
ThebudgettyresfromOvationandSunewhadaparticularlybadtimeinthe
wetbrakingtest.HereGPS-basedtimingtechnologywasusedtomeasure
howlongittookeachtyretostoptheVauxhallMerivatestcarfrom70mph.
All threebudget tyrescameoutasclear losers in thiscategorywith the
SunewYS112taking82.4metrestocometoastandstill–awhopping22.9
metres longer than theMichelinPilotSport3.Whilebetter, theOvation
andArrowspeed’s76and68.2metrerespectivestoppingdistanceswere
aworldapartfromthetopthree,thelongestofwhichwastheContinental
PremiumContact2with64.3metres.
BUDGETTYRESCOULDKILL,BUTATLEASTTHEY’REQUIET
Michelin Pilot Sport 3
Goodyear Optigrip
Continental ContoPremium Contact 2
Arrowspead CP661
Ovation VI-182
Sunew YS112
59.5
62.1
64.3
76.0
68.2
82.4
40 60 80 100
Blacktech XR 9/4/09 2:58 PM Page 1
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C M Y CM MY CY CMY K
Name:__________________________________________________________________________Company: _________________________________________________________________________
Address:________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________Code:________________________________________________________________________________
Profession: ___________________________________________________________________Telephone: ________________________________________________________________________
QuEsTIon: When did Autoquip Alberton first open?
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June
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