Continental Becomes Tire Brand of the Year
Every year the “Firmenauto,” a German automotive journal, selects the best tire and the best car. This is the opinion the majority of corporative auto park managers take into account when choosing vehicles for their organizations. This year the journal named Continental the best tire brand of the year 2011.
Continental company has been already awarded. The ceremony took place in the end of July with Firmenauto and DEKRA representatives giving the award to the tire-makers. DEKRA is not an accidental guest here for the company deals as well with tire testing.
What things were taken into account when choosing the best tire-maker? The award was given to the company with the highest level of customer service, customer-oriented management style and so on and so forth. Interesting that Continental has been holding this top position for 5 year already.
Katja Hinze, who is charge of manager work with corporative auto parks on German secondary market, says that they are very glad to prove the title of the best tire brand of the year for the fourth time. This is a powerful stimulus for the company to do their best to achieve the same status next year.
The best tire brand is chosen by the experts from the companies who have their own auto park. Here is the top Five of 2011:
1. Continental
2. Michelin
3. Goodyear
4. Dunlop
5. Bridgestone
American Garbage Trucks to Be Equipped with New Michelin Tires
Michelin US department launches new garbage truck tire. The company took into account all the peculiarities of city jungle to make wear resistant tire that can be also repeatedly retreaded. The new Michelin XZUS2 is exceptionally long-lived and shows 20 per cent longer mileage than that of its predecessor, the XZUS tire.
Ted Becker, MATT marketing vice-president points out that garbage trucks need the tire with reinforced sidewalls and wear-resistant tread. So the new tire shows a long life span, is subject to retreading and has all the necessary protecting elements to avoid truck downtime.
The Michelin XZUS2 is made under the Co-EX technology to combine durable rubber compound of the upper tread and heat-resistant rubber in the inner tread, thus protecting the tire casing. Moreover, the shoulders are equipped with guarding ribs while the tire features an optimized bead construction, which allows for numerous retreading operations.
Michelin XZUS2 is available in 315/80R22.5 size only.
Michelin XZUS2 tech specs:
- Four-rib tread prolongs the tire life span by 20 per cent;
- Co-EX technology of two-layer tread, the outer one being wear-resistant while the inner one is heat-resistant;
- Optimized bead construction helps avoid deformation under high temperatures during braking operations;
- Reinforced sidewalls and shoulder areas help avoid tire damage.
Bridgestone Ecopia EP100A Goes to the Middle East
This month Bridgestone wants to conquer the markets of the Middle East with its latest eco-product, the Ecopia EP100A tire. The tire differs from its Bridgestone sister-models by its eco-friendliness and a high safety level it delivers.
Bridgestone Ecopia EP100A is the company’s latest generation eco tire. It offers an excellent blend of reliable handling and low rolling resistance, the latter being vital for lower fuel consumption. The tire helps reduce fuel consumption by 3.1 per cent as compared to standard Bridgestone tires.
Shoichi Sakuma, Bridgestone chief executive in the Middle East, stresses that they are proud to have a tire that promotes friendly attitude to the environment without compromising on driver and passenger safety.
Bridgestone does its best to constantly improve its production technologies to provide for healthy environment for present-day and future generations. In the Middle East the company collaborates with an independent organization that works with the World Wildlife Fund (the WWF).
For half a year already the company has been in charge of the Tyre Safety and Eco Station campaign in the countries of the Persian Bay. The campaign is aimed to reduce the quantity of road accidents by informing people about fuel-effective and eco-friendly driving styles.
Bridgestone Ecopia EP100 will be available in the Middle Eastern market in the third quarter of the year.
Michelin Leaves Space Ship Production
For three decades already Michelin was producing aircraft tires named Michelin Air for NASA space program that launches “Atlantis” shuttles. The company was the permanent supplier of space ship tires over these years.
Not long time ago the world saw the historic start of the “Atlantis” shuttle that was the last space ship of its kind to leave the Earth. All in all, there were 135 space flights during the 30-year term, with all the shuttles having been equipped with Michelin tires only.
Michelin “space” tires underwent lots of all-rounded tests to provide for the real safety when a shuttle lands at a speed of 250 mph. But what is really surprising? Space tires are not that different from standard truck tires! At the same time, shuttle tires can resist load thrice as high as that of Boeing 7474.
Each space shuttle needs six tires, four for the main undercarriage and two for the front one. They are inflated with nitrogen that works stable under temperature fluctuations. The main tires are subject to maximum load and are used only once while front tires can resist two landings.
Since weight is of the greatest importance here, Michelin worked out tires with the shallowest tread possible to reduce weight and thus increase carrying capacity of a shuttle.
Twelve days after the start of the last “Atlantis” Michelin will secure its safe landing for the last time. Three shuttles still remain, but they will be written off and spend their lives in a museum. However, we hope that Michelin doesn’t leave space ship industry completely and will continue working in this area in future.
