Germany has long been presented to U.K. motorists as the ‘poster boy’ for winter tyre sales in Europe, but it appears that this year the market boasting a winter segment accounting for around half the total passenger car tyre sector is shaping up to be somewhat lacklustre.

In a new trade deal, China will eliminate “improper” trade subsidies it was allegedly using to prop up profitable trade with the U.S., to the detriment of local and foreign companies.

Company chairman Marco Tronchetti Provera confirmed that Pirelli SpA is in talks to repurchase a 39% stake in its tire unit.

Pirelli SpA launched its 35th anniversary version of the famed Pirelli Calendar this morning in Shanghai.

Tyre distributor, Yokohama HPT Ltd., tyre wholesaler Group Tyre (UK) and manufacturer of tyre inflation equipment, Pneumatic Components Ltd., have all agreed to become TyreSafe supporters in 2008, joining the original 14 tyre companies and retailers responsible for forming the organisation at the start of this year.

Continental Tire North America’s General Altimax RT finished best among four “standard touring all-season” tires tested by Tire Rack.

Efforts to educate on the benefits of correctly inflated tyres seem to be falling upon deaf ears – Groupe Michelin has found that almost 80% of cars on British roads are running with incorrect tyre pressure and over half have levels are considered dangerous.

Bridgestone Corporation announced today that it will begin supplying POTENZA RE070R RFT Run-Flat tires (RFT) for factory installation as standard equipment on the NISSAN GT-R, which is scheduled to be released to the U.S. market in June 2008.

Michelin North America and China Manufacturers Alliance have entered into a settlement agreement resolving MNA’s claims of infringement of intellectual property rights.

Pirelli SpA has started operations at its 100 million euro passenger tire plant in Yanzhou, China.

A representative from Hankook Tire has commented on published news that the company’s operations in Hungary had been penalised by the Hungarian government as a result of violating national law.

Continental AG has published a clarification of press coverage that suggested it had signed a five-year deal to import 170,000 truck tyres into Europe from the Casumina factory in Vietnam.

Delticom AG, Europe’s leading Internet tyre retailer, has increased revenues by approximately 34% year-on-year in the first nine months of this year to 146 million euros (2006: 108.9 million euros).

Toyo Tire (USA) Corp. has gained OE positions on the new 2009 Nissan Murano.

A U.S. trade panel ruling has provided a glimmer of hope for Chinese tyre manufacturers facing the prospect of tariffs imposed upon their products.

The new wheel styling of RAVENNA is characterised through a bi-colour surface structure.

Top Japanese tyre maker Bridgestone Corp said on Thursday it would raise prices on March 1 for replacement tyres, tubes and flaps in Japan, and for winter tyres on April 1.

If there's one lesson to be learned from this year's Chinese tire recall, it's this, says Daniel Smith, associate administrator for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA): know your tire suppliers and know your obligations in the event of a problem with their products.

The Zisser Tire Co. has entered into an agreement with Sentaida International for the purchase of the Zisser Tire Wholesale operation.

Michelin North America is increasing prices on its medium truck, retreaded tires and agricultural tires, effective Jan. 1.

Groupe Michelin says it will double production of heavy truck tires in China by 2010 to meet growing demand in that country.

It is considered the most extreme Maserati of all time – with 755 horsepower under the bonnet and a maximum speed of 202 mph – and it is designed exclusively for the racetrack.

India’s largest tyre manufacturer, MRF, has unveiled a new high performance passenger line. Called the MRF ZSLK, the tyre features a silica reinforced compound that is said to reduce rolling resistance, thus providing economic and green benefits.

According to reports out of Southeast Asia, Continental AG has arranged an off-take agreement with Vietnam tiremaker Southern Rubber Industry Co., which will produce Continental-branded tires for export to Europe.

News reports say that by the end of this year Goodyear will spend NT$300 million on new production equipment for its tire plant in Taoyuan, Taiwan.

Groupe Michelin described it as “revolutionary” and “our biggest technological breakthrough since we patented the radial tyre in 1946,” yet news indicates that the French manufacturer is turning its back on the product about which it once said “we haven’t been this proud since we invented the radial.”

During a press conference on Capitol Hill, U.S. Trade Representative Susan Schwab announced that the U.S. and several key trading partners are looking to negotiate a trade agreement to strengthen the worldwide fight against counterfeiting and piracy.

Continental Tire North America is adding 40 sizes to its ContiSportContact 3 tire line.

Share prices for Toyo Tire & Rubber plummeted following revelations that the company falsified data related to the fire resistance tests conducted on some of its building products.

In an analytical note entitled “When Will Nonrecurring Items Not Recur?” Deutsche Bank market watcher Rod Lache remarked he was disappointed with Cooper Tire & Rubber Co.’s “underlying performance.”

Trailer manufacturer Manac Inc., based in St. Georges, Quebec, has selected Bridgestone as the standard tire for its Manac and CPS trailer brands.

Only a week after the U.S. Tire Industry Association announced at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas its “policy resolution” regarding look-alike tyres, Continental AG has released its own statement on the issue of counterfeit products.

People often ask me what drew me to the tyre business. Why, the dynamism, creativity and sophistication of the industry I promptly reply.

Grand opening ceremonies were held yesterday to inaugurate Bridgestone Americas Holding Inc.’s new automated tire plant in Mexico. Operated by subsidiary Bridgestone Neumáticos de Monterrey, S.A. de C.V., the plant, located in Monterrey, Mexico, is the first outside of Japan to feature Bridgestone Corp.’s BIRD automated production technology.

TIA Struck a deal with online mega-selling eBay that will incorporate TIA member information into eBay’s vehicle and vehicle part area.

Toyo Tire (USA) Corp. has added 26 sizes to its line-up of passenger and light truck/SUV tires.

Plans are afoot to increase Kumho Tire’s global capacity by 20% in the coming year.

Bridgestone Corporation announced today that aircraft radial tires produced by Bridgestone Corporation were installed on the first A380 next-generation super-jumbo jetliner produced by Airbus S.A.S. (president: Mr. Thomas Enders; headquarters: Toulouse, France) and delivered to Singapore Airlines for flight service between Singapore and Sydney starting October 25.

Sumitomo’s new “We’ve Got Your Number” campaign features the release of the all-new HTRZ III tire, a maximum performance tire designed to fit a wide variety of vehicles.

Nexen Tire America Inc. is displaying a new ultra-high performance summer tire, the N6000, at this week's Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show.

Kumho Tire U.S.A. Inc. is not only adding eight sizes to its Ecsta V710 D.O.T.-approved competition tire, but also revamping the line, at least a little.

Toyo Tire (U.S.A.) Corp. introduced the Proxes R1R, an extreme performance tire designed for sports coupes and sedans. The Proxes R1R provides "the ultimate dry weather traction for the enthusiast driver who wants maximum performance from his or her car," said the company.