Cooper Tire Europe is partnering with tyre distributor and retailer Arabian Tires to expand the brand's presence in the Middle East. Cooper currently offers a broad range of 4×4 tyres in Saudi Arabia.
The announcement coincides with the launch in Saudi Arabia of three Cooper tyres - the Zeon 4XS Sport, the Zeon CS8, and the Discoverer STT Pro. The Cooper Zeon 4XS Sport is made for the weight of large SUVs; the Zeon CS8 is a high-performance passenger car tire that offers high grip, fuel efficiency and advanced technologies; and the Discoverer STT Pro delivers traction, toughness and increased tread wear for demanding off-road conditions.
Bridgestone has won a patent case against Guangzhou-based Wanli Tire. Bridgestone's success follows another victory last September's this time against Triangle Tyre. According to Nikkier, Bridgestone said the Shanghai Intellectual Property Court in April reached a favourable ruling regarding a patent infringement lawsuit Bridgestone filed in October 2015.
Bridgestone showcased its range of premium services, including its new M-Series commercial tyre line-up, to representatives of "hundreds of businesses" at the CV Show 2017. It adds that it concluded "a prestigious fleet agreement" with dairy firm Arla during the event.
Michelin will unveil its wireless tyre pressure management system at Automechanika Birmingham 6-8 June. The accessory will be distributed by Fit2Go, and is designed to be user-friendly; it can be installed in under three minutes.
Belarusian OTR tyre manufacturer is reportedly discussing the establishment of a joint venture with Japanese tyremaker Yokohama. According to the local Belarusian Telegraph Agency (BelTA), talks were held during a visit from a delegation of Yokohama's executives led by chairman and representative member of the board Tadanobu Nagumo.
Michelin launched its new generation of truck tyres at the 2017 Commercial Vehicle Show in the UK and Ireland, stating that the new fitments deliver 15-20 per cent more mileage than the current Michelin X MultiWay 3D series, at no extra cost. The new X Multi tyre line-up has been designed to supply users with the lowest cost per kilometre and high levels of grip in all weather conditions throughout the life of the tread.
Linglong recently came out as the leading Chinese brand in a respected tyre test. The recent 2017 Test World summer tyre test, which was conducted by the Finnish Test World team in France, tested 17 tyre products against each other. Linglong Tire won a total score of 8.3 points in the test, ranking in first place among the five Chinese brands involved.
Shandong province, China-based Linglong Tires is considering a European factory. In the wake of media reports, Tyres & Accessories spoke with company representatives and learnt that a number of locations in both Eastern and Western Europe are being considered. Locations in the Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia and even Belgium are said to be the subject of discussions. Reports began flowing after Czech president Milos Zeman met with the chairman of the Chinese commission supervising banks and a representative of tyre maker Linglong Tire.
Harjeev Kandhari has joined the board of directors of Doublestar Europe as vice chairman. The joint venture between Qingdao Doublestar and the Zenises Group, of which Kandhari is CEO, is responsible for the sale, marketing and distribution of all Doublestar products in the continent, including the UK and other major markets.
Global premium tyremakers continue to lead Tyres & Accessories annual ranking of the leading tyre manufacturers. Owing to the fact that all five of the top five firms have remained stable in their positions, it is difficult to view the chart very differently. Indeed, stability is the order of the day on this year's table, with 12 of the 20 keep the same positions as last year.
