Continuing the theme of technological development, Linglong Tire – a top five Chinese tyre enterprise – exhibited a number of technological developments including its: a dandelion natural rubber-based tyre, a tyre featuring a graphene compound and a polyurethane tyre manufactured with 3D printing techniques.
(Linglong’s 3D printed polyurethane tyre was one of a number of technological novelties the firm exhibited at Tire+)
In addition to the more eyebrow-raising products, Linglong also exhibited its latest car and truck tyre products. The headline car tyre is the Crosswind range, which has reportedly been approved for OE on the Chinese Hongqi marque. If you’re not immediately familiar with this name, the Hongqi luxury car brand literally means “red flag” and is the Chinese state-owned equivalent of Rolls Royce. It is part of FAW Automotive, which runs a number of local market joint ventures with the likes of VW, Toyota and General Motors. Therefore, as well as being a prestige-building move in the domestic market, it is also a potential foot in the door with other global marques’ OE programmes.
The largest passenger tyre on show was a 26-inc SUV/light truck product.
As far as truck tyres were concerned, Linglong presented its range including the KTD300, KTS 300, ETD 100 and ETS 100.
Linglong Tire chairman and CEO Wang Feng was in attendance to, in the company’s words, cheer on the Chinese tyre industry. During the official opening of the Tire+ event in Shanghai (which was held in Shanghai’s New International Exhibition Centre), Linglong’s head was also interviewed by leading Chinese broadcaster CCTV.
During the interview he sought to focus minds on the tasks in hand for the enterprising Chinese tyre industry: “it is every excellent national enterprises’ responsibility to focus on reform and innovation to build a brighter future for Chinese brands. Linglong Tire will move forward as always to exceed the customers’ expectation.”
