By Oliver Hall

Two British inventors are hoping to play a key role in the development of the next generation of “intelligent tyres” after developing a new way to harvest power.

Coventry-based Geoff Haswell and Malcolm Caley have spent five years researching and developing a new power source for tyre pressure monitoring systems (TPMS).

They have come up with the world’s first proven piezo power source devised from a simple ceramic disc which can generate electric potential in response to applied mechanical stress.

The duo have had impressive independent test results and are targeting global licensing agreements that could generate millions of pounds in sales whilst securing and creating local jobs.

Geoff, who has a background in mechanical engineering and plastic injection moulding, said: “Currently, tyre pressure monitoring systems are exclusively powered by batteries and this can be costly through having to replace the whole sealed unit when the batteries expire.

“As the units are sealed, the electronic components and the dead battery are difficult to dispose of in an environmentally safe way.

“Our response to this problem was the development of Piezotag, a unique device that is attached to the tyre and, thanks to unique design geometry, uses power harvested from the rotation of the tyre to collect and transmit tyre pressure and temperature information from the wheel to the driver.

“The benefits are long and varied and range from greater accuracy and cost savings to flexibility of design and the creation of surplus power that can be used in other applications.

“The fact there is no battery also means we can use wire-free technology, which immediately reduces the components needed to transfer the information.”

Finally, some good news for the people of Littleport – the fire at the tyres recycling plant which has burned for six weeks looks like it could soon be fully extinguished.

Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service hope the inferno at Murfitts tyres recycling plant will be put out by the end of next week.

Firefighters have been gradually extinguishing the flames by breaking up the piles of 2,000 tonnes of rubber tyres and using water to cool them off section by section, according to the report in a report in the Cambridge News.

Now, all that remains is one large pile of tyres, which the service says will be put out in the same way.

A spokeswoman for the service said: “If we can continue extinguishing the fire at this rate, we are hoping to have it out by the end of next week.

“There are obviously factors which could affect this but we are on course.

“We are using the same process to extinguish the one remaining pile as we have with all the smaller piles, which has proven to be a successful procedure.”

Littleport came to a standstill on August 21, when thick, black smoked billowed from the recycling plant and residents were urged to keep their homes sealed.

Denna Bowman, Head Office

By Denna Bowman

A report into the 2008 worldwide tyres industry has revealed that the global top 11 manufacturer’s grip on the market has slipped considerably during the past decade.

Analysts at Deutsche Bank noted that the fall is despite the surge in the market capacity to twice its value (not allowing for inflation) from the beginning of the millennium.

In the US it has grown from $69.78 billion in 2000 to a massive £140 billion, according to a report in Tyres and Accessories online news update.

The analysts also reported that the Global Big Three – Bridgestone, Michelin and Goodyear – have seen their market share dwindle to 46.2 per cent.

In the four previous recordings, taken by Deutsche Bank at five-year intervals, their share had not dipped below 52.1 per cent.

Analysts have attributed the downward trend to the fact that they have a below average share of the markets compared to those, including China, which are growing most rapidly.

Goodyear appears to be suffering the most after it reportedly lost three times more market share than its rivals Bridgestone and Michelin.

One of our customers was so happy with our mobile tyres fitting service that he took time out to write a “tweet” about it.

David Willis tweeted on twitter: “Great service by http://www.etyres.co.uk New tyres fitted to my car, when I wanted, where I wanted (at home) and at a good price!”

With news and information flowing fast and free through so many channels these days, it is getting easier to find the best company to deal with.

Etyres, the UK’s first and leading online tyres company, offer a mobile fitting service which means our overheads are low and so we pass the savings on to customers in the form of cheaper prices – up to 40% lower than the traditional high street depots.

David would have found this out when he started searching for new tyres. He is a prime example of a customer who knows how to seek out the right information to get the best deal.

His company Information Drivers analyses data - how to use it, generate business from it, measure marketing, test tactics, retain customers, increase profits and sell more using it!

Denna Bowman, Head Office

By Denna Bowman

Much has been written recently about tyres manufactured in China due to the hefty tariffs imposed on imports into the US.

But it has raised another important question – are Chinese-made tyres the safest option to buy?

The answer depends on whether you buy Chinese-made tyres from name brands, like Goodyear or Michelin, or opt for those made in China under contract for some private store labels.

Premium brand tyre manufacturers, many of which have moved some production to China to save money, say that production techniques and materials are the same no matter where the tyres are made, and that their Chinese tyres are every bit as good as those made elsewhere in the world.

Keith Price, a spokesman for Goodyear, said: “We have the same global quality standards around the world. 

“The standards are the same whether we make it in Oklahoma, Germany, Brazil, Indonesia, or China, the product standards are the same.”

However, there have been some safety issues raised about the safety of Chinese-made tyres manufactured by local companies.

Buying budget tyres from the Far East may save a few pounds to start with, but they can seriously affect the way a car copes in wet weather, Autocar magazine reported after carrying out its own tests.

Tyres from Linglong came last in the trial, slowing to 27.8 mph at the spot where the Continental-equipped car had stopped.

However, it’s not fair to say “you get what you pay for”.  Etyres, the UKs leading online tyres retailer sells all the big name brands, including Michelin and Bridgestone.

The difference is that because it operates a mobile fitting service and does not have expensive depots to run, it keeps its overheads down and passes the savings on to customers in the form of low prices – often up to 40% cheaper than the traditional fast fit chains.

Almost 70 per cent of motorists are driving round the streets of Edinburgh with dangerous tyres.

This is the shocking find of the Fill Up With Air tyre safety campaign organised by Michelin tyres.

Apparently, motorists in the region are among the worst offenders and eight per cent of are driving with a puncture.

The Fill Up With Air campaign, which is its sixth year, was launched this summer with the support of Vicki Butler-Henderson (no stranger to etyres customers, because she appears in our own website videos).

The aim is to promote tyre safety across Europe and as part of the campaign the team called into Asda in Queensferry recently to highlight the dangers to drivers.

The European-wide initiative has named and shamed the UK and Ireland as among the worst nations for driving with under-inflated tyres.

Based on checks of 50,000 cars across 27 countries, only Latvia, Greece, Lithuania and Estonia have a worse record with Austria and Germany being consistently the most safety conscious.

Out of 5,000 UK cars surveyed by Michelin in 2007/08, more than 43 per cent were found to have apparently dangerously under-inflated tyres, risking an accident.

Alex Kapadia, Operations Team

Etyres is delighted to welcome hundreds of new customers each month who are impressed with our convenient mobile fitting service and over the moon about our cheap tyres prices.

However, we are doubly delighted to welcome back the thousands of new customers every year, who return because they know our tyres prices are up to 40% cheaper than the leading high street fast-fit depots.

This week we have had two emails from customers who drive home this point.

The first one says: “A quick email to say many, many thanks. What a great service. New tyres within 24 hours fitted by a friendly and courteous operative. Well done Etyres - 10 out of 10.

“It is the first time I’ve used you and it won’t be the last. I’ll be spreading the word. D. Stubbs.”

And we also had this one from an existing customer in Marlow: “Can I just say how pleased I am with the service I received from e-tyres.  The fitter arrived bang on time and was totally professional throughout and clearly knew his business inside out. 

“Everything was left clean and tidy and you would never have know he’d been there.  It was a pleasure doing business with you and whilst I never look forward to needing new tyres your competitive prices and great service will make the experience far less painful!

“I’ve been a customer before I certainly will be again, many thanks especially to my fitter, please pass on if at all possible. MB”

Alex, National Call Centre

By Oliver Hall

A gang of thieves stole tyres worth more than £100,000 in a raid on a motoring manufacturer’s warehouse.

The gang escaped with around 15,000 tyres and police suspect they used a number of vehicles to carry out the raid in the early hours of Sunday morning.

Officers have appealed for information about the break-in at Schedl Automotives System Service, in Oxonian Park, in Kidlington, which took place between 12.10am and 1.50am on Sunday.

Det Sgt Stephen Haddock, who is investigating the theft of the tyres believed to be worth around £105,000, said: “I believe that these thieves could be a professional team, as the theft of so many tyres would have had to have been an organised operation.

“There were three vehicles seen in the area at the time: a car, a curtain-sided lorry and a Target Rental van.

“Anyone who might have seen these vehicles should call me on 08458 505505.”

Schedl Automotives System Service is an Oxfordshire based company engaged in the manufacture of parts and accessories for motor vehicles and their engines. It offers Automotive Components, Motor Vehicle Components and Automotive Parts.

By Denna Bowman

Toyo tyres have announced that they will soon stop supplying tyres made in China into the US market in a bid to dodge paying the extra duties.

The decision follows the Obama administration’s decision to slap steep tariffs on Chinese-manufactured tyres.

The bold move will affect the supply of passenger car and light commercial vehicle tyres in to the US.
Toyo said in a statement: “Most of those tyres will soon be manufactured at our plants in Japan.

“Our number one priority is customer satisfaction, and we are making every effort to minimize
disruption in supplies to our dealers by expediting these production changes.”

In August Toyo testified before the US Trade Representative (USTR) that the tariffs imposed by the US International Trade Commission would make it impossible for the company to import any tyres from its Cheng Shin-Toyo Tire & Rubber (China) plant in Kunshan, China.

The Financial Times has taken a closer look today at the question of price verses performance in the world of tyres.

In an interesting report on the tyres market it states: “Visit any car-parts shop and there is nothing at first sight to reveal that the round, black tyre made by Continental in Germany differs from the round, black tyre made by Wanli in China - except that the European-made one costs €100, while the latter is just €40.”

The gist of the article is that while European tyre manufacturers have been investing in technology to improve performance and fuel efficiency, their Chinese rivals have been churning out cheap and inferior alternatives.

As a result, sales of the budget tyres have been shooting up.

But Europe is pinning its hopes of solving the problem on an EU-wide labeling scheme, due to come into effect in the near future, which will show the energy-efficiency of every tyres (similar to that used on white goods like dishwashers).

The buyer will then be able to see how the more expensive tyre could save up to 20 per cent of a car’s fuel consumption.

But for vehicle owners who want to get the best tyre they can afford, the answer is just a click away.
Etyres, the UKs leading online tyres company, offers a free mobile fitting service, which means its overheads are low and so it passes the savings on to customers in the form of cheaper prices for premium brand tyres (including Bridgestone and Michelin) – up to 40% lower than the leading high street tyre depots.

Denna Bowman, Head Office