ERJ Round-up: Tire Technology

ERJ staff report (TP)

Weekly news from the tire industry – reports on Hankook / BMW .. Linglong / SGM ... Toyo / Ford ... Michelin / Honda Aircraft ...

Hankook will be equipping the new 2014 MINI, which is now rolling off the assembly plants. The first generation of BMW's premium small car has already been outfitted with Hankook tires since 2011. Various treads will be factory-equipped in the MINI sizes of 15, 16 and 17 inches, said Hankook. All tires are supplied directly to the MINI production sites from the tire maker's factory in Hungary. In addition to the standard versions, Hankook also supplies the 16- and 17-inch versions with the its runflat system.

Chinese tire manufacturer Linglong received its first order from Shanghai General Motors (SGM), marking a "new breakthrough of the Linglong-SGM programme in the OE business". Linglong also said it is in discussions with the Pan Asia Technical Automotive Center (a joint venture between General Motors and SAIC Motor) about future cooperation on new vehicles.

Toyo Tire & Rubber said its Opat II SUV tire, produced by its US subsidiary Toyo Tire North America Manufacturing (TNA), has been adopted as an original equipment tire for the Ford F-250 & F-350 pickup trucks. This is the first time a TNA-produced tire has been adopted as OE by an American car maker.

The Opat II was launched as a replacement tire in August 2012

Michelin Aircraft Tire's Air X radial tires made their debut flight for HondaJet in June. The tires come with NZG (Near Zero Growth) radial technology, which Michelin says offers up to 50% more FOD (foreign object damage) resistance, up to 25% reduction in weight compared with a Bias cross-ply tire, and up to a 100% increase in the number of landings compared with a Bias cross-ply. The Honda HA-420 HondaJet is billed as the “world's most advanced light jet” and will enter into service in 2015. It is the first general aviation aircraft developed by the Honda Aircraft Company and its first official flight was on 3 December 2003.

More to follow ...