Tyre manufacturers out in force at Frankfurt

The Frankfurt Motorshow, arguably the world’s largest motor show takes place in Frankfurt, September 11-22. The Tyre Trade Journal reports on the tyre manufactuers attending this year’s extravanganza.

Bridgestone

Bridgestone is attending with a confident showing of current strategic products and future tyres and technologies.

The 320 m² stand (D03, Hall 8) is divided into two main areas:

Current zone

This area echoes Bridgestone’s new brand platform “Everywhere” which scored over 1,000,000 hits in its first two months on line. Tyres on display highlight four key strategic areas for Bridgestone:

• the new Potenza Adrenalin RE002 urban sport tyre in the UHP segment;
• low rolling resistance Ecopia EP150 and Ecopia EP001S (top A/A EU label grades);
• Turanza T001 premium touring tyre with its advanced safety and efficiency technologies;
• Run-Flat Technology, incorporated in Bridgestone’s flagship sport tyre Potenza S001 RFT.

A separate display presents another Bridgestone strategic area: winter tyres. Here an Audi Quattro fitted with new Blizzak LM-32s sport tyres symbolizes the success of the Blizzak range and Bridgestone’s sponsorship of Audi FIS Alpine Ski World Cup events, recently extended for another three seasons.

Future zone

The Future zone on the left-hand side of the stand features Bridgestone technologies, products and ideas for the future, with a strong focus on environmental solutions:

• Bridgestone’s 100% Sustainable Material concept tyre;
• Air-Free concept tyre fitted on a concept Kart for the first time in Europe;
• Half-Weight concept  tyre;
• Large and Narrow technology for the next generation of environment-friendly vehicles.

Also on display is Bridgestone’s proprietary Tyre Printing Technology showing that tyres don’t have to be black, thanks to the company’s revolutionary new tyre printing process.

At the front of the stand, a glittering showbike attracts visitors to the motorcycle tyre corner. Here Bridgestone presents its MotoGP tyre and latest Battlax Sport Touring T30 and Hypersport S20, taking MotoGP technology from the track onto the street.
Continental

At this year’s Frankfurt Motor Show  under the motto “A Day in a Driver’s Life”, Continental its presenting its latest products, technologies and solutions from across the corporation.

The Tyre Division is presenting its current summer and winter tyres portfolio, COKIS+ as well as an interactive braking simulator

The Tyre Division has set itself a clear strategy targeting long-term growth based on its Vision 2025. Despite current modest growth in the replacement car tyre business in Europe in particular, the fourth largest player in the global tyre industry is to invest over €1 billion by 2016 in building and expanding its worldwide car tyre production capacity, thereby setting the long-term stage for sustained growth.

The objective is to achieve a better balance in terms of the Division‘s global position in the production and sales sectors. Especially in the BRIC nations and in the U.S., the Tyre Division is aiming to grow faster than the markets.

To this end, Continental decided to build two new tyre plants in Kaluga, Russia, and Sumter, South Carolina, USA, where production will start in the final quarter of 2013 and the first quarter of 2014 respectively.

On top of this, the company is expanding its existing plants in Camacari, Brazil, Hefei, China, and Mt. Vernon, Illinois, USA to prepare these regions to meet market demand from local tire production in the long term.
Hankook

Hankookis presaenting  a full range of its tyres, including tyres from its PCR, LCV, SUV / 4×4 as well Truck & Bus ranges.

Hankook has a number of debut tyres in the fields of green tyres, performance, safety and premium original equipment, award-winning hybrids design-concepts as well as a new generation of airless, almost entirely recyclable tyres.

One example is Hankook’s i-Flex, a non-pneumatic tyre that the company claims will help increase the overall efficiency of vehicles. And what’s more the  i-Flex, which is made from polyurethane synthetics is up to 95 per cent recyclable and manufactured in conjunction with its rim. The effect is said to be lower fuel consumption and noise emissions while simultaneously increasing vehicle safety.

Kumho Tyres

Under the motto “The Automobile Show Of The World” Kumho is exhibiting its current product range and numerousother highlights at the Frankfurt International Motor Show 2013.

Included in its display are some new products that will be available in the tyre trade from spring 2014.

Again, theKumho zero-emission caris seen as in 2011 is among three on the stand.

The ADAC Traffic World, whichKumho Tyresis sponsoring this year is presented on the stand-so for each visitor who becomes an IAA Facebook fan of KumhoTyres (www.facebook.com/ KumhoTireEurope), Kumho Tyres will donate  €1 to the ADAC Yellow Angel Foundation, which in turn supports the ADAC traffic world!

Michelin

Michelin is presenting the latest additions to the Ultra High Performance range, Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyre for use with the Mercedes SLS AMG Coupé Black Series and the new Porsche 918 Spyder, amongst others.

Also in the same range there will be the Michelin Pilot Super Sport tyre, which combines an Aramide belt with a bi-compound tread and a variable contact patch.

The Michelin Pilot Alpin 4 adopts a new conception of winter tyres with the optimal alliance of a Stabiligrip tread and its 3G Helio Compound.

Michelin is showcasing its high performance tyres, Pilot Sport 3, Primacy 3, Latitude Sport and  Latitude Alpin.

Michelin boasts that these tyres are at the forefront of technology, and illustrate their Total Performance strategy which unites the best of several different performances in one single tyre.

Finally, as the official tyre supplier for the FIA Formula E Championship for the next three years, Michelin is also exhibiting a world championship car equipped with its tyres.

Nexen

Nexen Tire is presenting 26 products including six brand new products with the theme “Enjoy Nexen, Dynamic Driving Partner”.

The company is displaying two new concept tyres, the BMW Z4 driven by Adrenalin Racing Team on VLN Endurance Championship and the 24hour race at the Nürburgring as well as the Hyundai Genesis Coupe tuned for racing. Visitors can also jjoin product experience zones and entertainment activities.

Nexen says Frankfurt represents a very important milestone in strengthening and increasing brand awareness worldwide.