Leading tyre maker Kumho has donated $100,000 to the McGrath Foundation in support of its efforts to fund McGrath Breast Care Nurses throughout Australia and raise awareness of breast cancer among young women.
The donation was presented to the chairman and co-founder of the McGrath Foundation, former Australian test cricketer Glenn McGrath.
He said it was great to see a leader of the Australian tyre industry get behind the Foundation with such a substantial contribution.
“The tyre industry is pretty blokey business, so it’s great to see that these guys are willing to display a bit of McGrath pink in their showrooms in support of the Foundation,” said Glenn.
“It shows that people in the tyre industry understand that breast cancer doesn’t just affect women – it affects families.”
Kumho Australia’s managing director D.J Lee said the donation was part of a global policy by the tyre maker to contribute positively to the communities in which it does business.
“Kumho has been marketing products in Australia for over 30 years and as a company we felt it was time to give back to the community,” said Mr Lee.
“In Korea, our approach to corporate and social responsibility is described as arum daun giup, which literally translated means ‘beautiful company’” said Mr Lee.
“In broad terms we are committed to working hard to provide a substantial contribution to the betterment of our people and society in general.”
As part of its commitment to social responsibility, Kumho is using innovative technology to develop more environmentally-friendly tyres.
The company says the perfume – predominantly lavender with hints of mint, iris and white musk – can be smelled within a 10-metre radius of the vehicle.
Kumho chose lavender oil as the base for the Aroma Technology because of its therapeutic qualities.
The essential oil of the lavender flower has long been used in herbal remedies as an anti-inflammatory and as an infusion for the soothing of coughs and colds.
In addition to smelling more pleasant than conventional tyre rubber, Aroma Technology tyres have distinct practical advantages.
The molecules in aromatic oils are more stable than conventional petrochemical oils when heated, reinforcing the bonding of the rubber compound and improving the visco-elasticity of the tyre.
The result is that the Aroma Tyre has above-average traction and braking performance, improved ride comfort and very low noise characteristics.
Kumho Tyres Receives Top Reviews from leading German
Automotive Magazines
> 2nd place in a tyre test by top 4 German automotive magazine
Autozeitung, assessed ‘very recommendable’
> Named “Off Road Tyre 2009” by German 4x4 magazine Off Road
Kumho Tyres, one of the leading tire companies in the world, announced
today
that it received a favorable review in a tyre test held by
Autozeitung, a top 4 German
automotive magazine, and was selected as
“Off Road Tyre 2009” by German 4x4 magazine Off Road.
Nine top tyre brands competed in the AutoZeitung tyre test including
Michelin,
Continental, Pirelli and Dunlop. Kumho Tyres tied with
Michelin for 2nd place
overall behind Continental, and received an
overall assessment of
“very recommendable” as its tyres performed
exceptionally well in various conditions, notably wet.
The test by Autozeitung assessed aquaplaning, braking, handling,
driving safety, slalom and more. Kumho Tyres’ ECSTA HM KH31 wowed test
editors by demonstrating superbly balanced performance in both wet and
dry criteria. The magazine editors also concluded that Kumho Tyres’
product was best in braking, and showed fast handling.
Recognized for its outstanding performance and design, Kumho Tyres’
Road Venture MT KL71 won “Off Road Tyre 2009,” selected by the
editorial staff of German 4x4 magazine Off Road.
“European automotive magazines from Germany, Great Britain and Sweden
hold tests several times a year, coinciding with tire seasons, to
compare and rank performance of recommendable tires,” said N.W. Cho,
senior researcher of Kumho Tyres R&D Center. “The tyre test results
influence the purchasing decisions of European consumers, as they are
an official recognition of performance and quality which may also
greatly affect sales.”
Kumho Tyres previously received ‘very recommendable’ in an overall test
by German automotive magazine ADAC, and ranked 1st in performance by
Russian automotive magazine Za Rulem in 2008.
Autozeitung is one of the 4 leading automotive magazines in Germany.
The bi-weekly published magazine is sold to more than 150 thousand
people- totaling more than 700 thousand readers. Off Road is a popular
German off road monthly magazine that circulates about 70 thousand
copies.
Kumho Tyres Continues its Dominance in F3 Circuits
with Contract Extension
> Providing tyres until 2011 as the official tyre supplier of
F3 racing, the stepping-stone to F1
> Competition takes place in five European circuits from
May 17th until October with 32 racecars competing
> Acclaimed as the global leading brand in F3 tyres market,
dominating F3 unit tires with a 30% market share
Kumho Tyres is excited to continue supplying tires to Formula 3
machines at the F3 Euro Series – the world-renowned F3 championship
series.
Kumho Tyres, one of the leading tire companies in the world, announced
today that it has extended its official tyre supply contract with the
F3 Euro Series until 2011. The signing ceremony with Walter Mertes,
head of the F3 Euro Series organization committee, was held on February
18th at Kumho Tires European headquarters in
Offenbach, Germany.
The F3 Euro Series, the ultimate F3 championship, was inaugurated in
2003 in collaboration between French and German F3. In 2009, drivers
will be competing in five European circuits held in Germany, France,
Great Britain, Spain and the Netherlands. Competition will begin on May
17th and will continue until October. 32 vehicles, the largest number
of race car ever to participate in F3 Euro Series, will be competing
this year. The F3 Euro Series is famous for turning out world-class
drivers who have had continued success in F1 World Championship. The
list includes 2008 F1 champion Lewis Hamilton, Nico Roseberg and
Sebastian Vettel.
As the official tyre supplier of the F3 Euro Series, Kumho Tyres will
provide 10,000 racing tyres annually, strengthening brand awareness in
the European premium tyre market– the world arena for motor sport.
“Along with football-related sports marketing, our involvement in motor
sport is important and worthwhile for us as it gives us worldwide
opportunity to demonstrate our technological prowess and quality,“ said
H.S. Lee, President of Kumho Tyre Europe GmbH. “By extending our
official tire supply contract with the F3 Euro Series, fans from 600
million households in 53 countries will witness the evolution of the
Kumho Tyres brand and the technological presence of our UHP tyres.”
In addition to the F3 Euro Series, Kumho Tyres is also the official
tyre supplier of the F3 Masters and the Australian F3 Championship,
leading global F3 unit tyres with a 30% market share. The Kumho Tyres
F3 product was recently acclaimed for contributing to Korean national
competitiveness and was selected as a “World’s First Rate Product” by
the Ministry of Knowledge Economy of South Korea.
[Reference]
1. F3 Euro Series (Formula 3 Euro Series)
F3 Euro Series is regarded as a stepping-stone for F1 hopefuls.
Inaugurated in 2003 in collaboration between French and German F3, the
F3 Euro Series consists of ten rounds held at a variety of European
circuits. The driver with the highest point total wins the
championship. The 2009 F3 Euro Series opens in Hockenheim, Germany, on
May 17th. For more information on F3 Euro Series, please visit: www.f3euroseries.com
AROMATIC TYRE TREADS NEW GROUND
Australian city streets may soon be wreathed in the sweet smell of lavender following the launch of the world’s first scented car tyre.
Korean company Kumho has developed what it calls Aroma Technology tyres which give off a perfumed scent when the rubber compound is warmed up by road friction.
Kumho says the perfume – predominantly lavender with hints of mint, iris and white musk – can be smelt within a 10-metre radius of the vehicle.
Kumho says the Aroma Technology tyre, in addition to smelling more pleasant than conventional tyre rubber, has distinct practical advantages.
The molecules in aromatic oils are more stable than conventional petrochemical oils when heated, reinforcing the bonding of the rubber compound and improving the visco-elasticity of the tyre.
The result is that the Aroma tyre has above-average traction and braking performance, improved ride comfort and very low noise characteristics.
Kumho says comparison tests against a conventional compound tyre with the same tread pattern show that the Aroma compound reduces braking distances by 7.5 per cent, improves ride comfort by 7.0 per cent and lowers noise by 7.0 per cent.
Kumho has further reduced noise levels by using a supercomputer to design the tread pattern, applying Chaos Random Technology (CRT) to minimise low-pitched tyre hum.
The company says the Aroma tyre’s lavender scent will last for about one year of average use, but that even after that time the tyre will continue to exhibit superior performance characteristics.
Kumho chose lavender oil as the base for the Aroma Technology because of its therapeutic qualities.
The essential oil of the lavender flower has long been used in herbal remedies as an anti-inflammatory and as an infusion for the soothing of coughs and colds.
Kumho says the idea to develop the Aroma tyre was the result of an intra-company staff competition for the best new idea.
The company has recently been making a name for itself with a series of technological innovations, including a drift racing tyre that gives off either red, blue or yellow-coloured smoke, and an over-sized 32-inch low profile tyre for the latest generation of high performance four wheel drive wagons.
The Kumho Aroma Technology tyre is now available in a range of sizes for 15, 16 and 17-inch wheels.
For details of sizes and to find your nearest Kumho dealer, go to www.aromatyres.com.au
