While snowy conditions around Japan have started later than average this winter, recent developments are hinting at a more favorable tailwind for sales of studless winter tires. Coming into mid-December, northern Japan is finally seeing full-fledged winter conditions, while elsewhere even parts of the Kanto region are beginning to see snowfall. Publishing a demand forecast this summer for the second...
Continental Tire Japan Co. Ltd., the Japanese arm of Continental AG, has launched a competition to promote the new VikingContact 7 – a studless winter tire launched in Japan this September. The entry period for this competition opened on Oct. 5 and is set to close on Oct. 31. As a next-generation studless winter tire, the VikingContact 7 expertly combines...
Yokohama Rubber Co. Ltd. (TYO:5101) on Oct. 1 launched its new iceGuard 6 ZPS tire, a run-flat model under its iceGuard 6 line of studless winter tires for passenger cars. The ZPS mark, which is also imprinted on the tire’s sidewall, refers to the company’s Zero Pressure System technology and the run-flat tire structure that allows for this. Development for...
Pirelli Japan Co. Ltd. has this month begun a sequential launch for its new line of studless winter tires, Ice Asimmetrico Plus. The Ice Asimmetrico Plus series has seen Pirelli Japan adopt a soft, durable new compound based on material used in the company’s existing Ice Asimmetrico line. By then improving the mixture and distribution of materials such as silica,...
Nihon Michelin Tire Co. Ltd. is adding studless winter tires to its full-refund satisfaction guarantee program. Four Michelin tire models – the X-Ice3+, X-Ice3, Latitude X-Ice2 and Agilis X-Ice – will be eligible for the program, which guarantees a refund of the full purchase price and installation cost if the customer reports dissatisfaction with tire performance within a 60-day return...
Sales of studless winter tires in Japan have been brisk for the past few years thanks to the snowfall. According to Japan Automobile Tyre Manufacturers Association (JATMA), 25.96 million snow tires were sold in Japan in 2014, marking a year-on-year increase of 4.0 percent. Studless tires accounted for 99.8 percent of all snow tire sales: 25.92 million units sold, up...
