No. 8 APRIL 2011 — The magazine for transport professionals · provide credit to fleets and dealers at com-petitive costs. Quality also means ensuring the retreadability of our

EUROPE

Road transport,a status update16

PAGE

8PAGE 445/45 R 19.5” ST:01

Big trucks now have a new size

AUGUSTIN NETWORK

“Flexibility and speed, the keys to our success”page 6

No. 8 APRIL 2011 — The magazine for transport professionals

AUSTRAlIAN GP

Formula 1, Pirelli kicks off the excitement page 12

Interviewwith Guglielmo Fiocchi, Managing Director Pirelli Truck

Continuity in growth and innovation

Guglielmo Fiocchi, an aerospace engi-neer, with Pirelli for 25 years and head of Pirelli Truck since 2011. What is your first impression now that you have held this new position for 3 months?Guglielmo Fiocchi —The strategy pur-sued thus far has had many positive outcomes, as can be seen in the results for 2010. I believe that this was possible thanks, in part, to a strong, well-prepared team that has been able to react to and deal with the crisis quickly and effectively in re-cent months. I’m referring not only to the Pirelli truck teams throughout the world, but also to our customers and commercial partners. So I would like to thank everyone for the work they have done.

What are the priorities for 2011?G.F. —The operative word for 2011 is “growth”. We must take advantage of our flexible approach to business focused on sell-out, which is able to meet the needs of the market and adapt to the business models found in the various countries in which we operate.

In what areas does Pirelli intend to fo-cus this growth, and what are the chal-lenges that await you?G.F. —In addition to consolidating our pres-ence in Europe, with a particular empha-sis on our premium products, and reiterat-ing our leadership in South America, we will be working to maintain the growth we are seeing in the Middle East and Africa

(MEA). China is certainly another area of strategic importance and one where we are seeing rapid growth in steel radials, which is our key market. For this reason, we have defined a growth plan for pro-duction capacity for 2011-2015. One of the challenges we will be facing over the com-ing months is that of the increasing cost of raw materials. So as not to compromise the first signs of recovery, in the first part of 2010 we have absorbed these costs our-selves; however, in the second half of the year, given the incessant cost increases (in December and January natural rub-ber increased by more than 50%) that are continuing in 2011, we were forced to pass some of these costs on to the market.

We’ve mentioned premium products. What does quality mean for Pirelli Truck?G.F. —We offer a complete range of prod-ucts that is innovative in terms of environ-

mental sustainability and which features high standards of both quality - in both performance and safety - and technology. Such as the introduction of the new lines of products in the Series 01 in Europe, as well as the R:01 and ST:01 that were al-ready on the market. In such a mature, evolved market as Europe, growth is more related to quality than quantity, which makes the goal even more challenging.

And what does service quality mean for Pirelli?G.F. —In short, it means providing a wide range of real services for our customers, from 24/7 fleet assistance to a system to provide credit to fleets and dealers at com-petitive costs. Quality also means ensuring the retreadability of our products by certi-fying a series of industrial partners that guarantee the quality of our range of No-vateck treads. Another essential aspect is the quality of logistics services. The rapid recovery of the truck market in 2010 cre-ated a problem of product availability that Pirelli has been able to react to through our integrated supply chain. This has taken advantage of exchange and reallocations between the various geographic areas in order to prevent the economic damage that could have been caused to fleets un-able to obtain the tyres they needed.

What is Pirelli’s value added?G.F. —Our close contact with the market-place. Growth comes from an ability to interpret our customers’ needs and to create an offering together with them that is able to achieve their goals of safety and reliability, all within a context of responsi-ble mobility.

Published by Pirelli & C. S.p.A. Corporate Communications & Media Relations

Editorial CoordinatorMaurizio Abet

DirectorFrancescopaolo Tarallo

Editor–in–ChiefCinzia Storti

Editorial staffDavide Tammaro

[email protected]

Editorial OfficeViale Piero e Alberto Pirelli, 25 Milano, Italia

English Text Editing Studio Associato Bozzola

GraphicsLeftloft – www.leftloft.com

PrinterGraphicscalve S.p.A.

European quarterlyof the Pirelli Group

Registered at the Court of Milan n. 210 of 29.04.2009

www.pirelli.com

No. 8 — April 2011

No. 8 APRIL 2011 3

Contents

DAKAR 2011

“It’s the most beautiful, most difficult race in the world.”

PAGE

18

TRUCK SPEAKS WITH READERS

FAQ

In Austria with: All of the ingredients for the Grüße aus Innsbruck postcard are right there: the historic centre of the town maintained with an almost maniacal attention to detail, crowned at the end of the Herzog-Friedrich-Strasse by the dual per-

spective of the Goldenes Dachl (“Golden Roof”), a roof decorated with fire-gilded copper tiles dating back to the end of the 15th century, and - lifting our gaze slightly - the snowy peaks of the Nordkette. It’s the ide-al spot for telling friends that “time stands still here”. Then a couple of works of contemporary architecture, the coats made from Loden fab-ric and boiled wool in the shop windows on Maria-Theresien-Strasse and... uh oh! The bus is already here! The Asian tourists swarm behind the guide with a bullhorn. Next stop? Salzburg or Venice, depending on the type of tour. A weekend in Tyrol or maybe Europe at a glance. Because of its location along the Brennero motorway, the great many hotels able to swallow up double-decker buses full of tourists, and its

excellent airport, Innsbruck offers all this and more to travel agency wizards, backed by the fact that the city has hosted two editions of the Winter Olympics, in 1964 and 1976. All that’s missing is an abandoned warehouse to be refurbished and turned into cafés and modern art galleries for a bit of Tyrol night life. The deconstructivist architecture of Zaha Hadid for the Hungerburgbahn funicular railway, which has been transformed into an alpine transit system, acts as a sort of Ariadne’s thread used to see an Innsbruck different from that of “drive-by” tourism. The trip starts from Congress Station, but it’s not yet time to set out under the winged roof that the Iraqi architect chose to cover the stairway at the entrance. Just a few steps further, toward the opposite end of the Rennweg, we see the late-Rococo façade of the Hofburg, the imperial palace with Maria Theresa’s famous Grosser Redoutensaal, which, for centuries, was the residence of the Tyrol branch of the House of

Habsburg. The Hungerburgbahn can wait. The arcade at the end of the Rennweg marks the entrance to the Hofkirche and the treasure within: the spectacular Renaissance cenotaph of Maximilian I, sur-rounded by 28 large bronze statues of historic figures. The doors of the train close behind us, and then the train moves quick-ly over the river Inn across a futuristic-looking suspension bridge. Innsbruck blends all the services and conveniences of a vacation in a city that’s rich with culture and tradition along with sport and outdoor activities at just a 15-minute train ride from the centre of town.

21PAGE

INTERNATIONAl TRANSPORT

Park safely: Eyes on the Label

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20

Collections1955

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22

EUROPE

Road transport,a status update

PAGE

16PAGEBEST PRACTICE

“Flexibility and speed, the keys to our success” 6

PAGE445/45 R 19.5” ST:01

Big trucks now have a new size 8

PAGEPIREllI ECO TECHNOlOGY

The Feelpure™ range enhanced with ‘Platinum’ 10

MOTORSPORT

Formula 1, Pirelli kicks off the excitement

PAGE

12

4 The magazine for transport professionals No. 8 APRIL 2011 5

BEST PRACTICE

“Flexibility and speed, the keys to our success”Interview with Rodolphe Schoettel, Managing Partner of Augustin Network, an Austrian firm specialised in integrated logistics solutions throughout Europeby Manfred Baernthaler

Thanks to the network in various European countries, with more than 900 managed vehi-cles (including 600 tractors and 700 trailers), 2100 employees, the quality and versatility of Augustin Network is positioned among the

leaders in Europe.

Mr Schoettel, what was the turnover of your company in 2010, and in which markets are you operating?Rodolphe Schoettel —The main markets are Austria, Italy and Germany, but we also operate in eastern European markets: we cover from Russia to Poland, and from the Ukraine to Serbia. Our turnover was roughly €360 million, and we expect this to increase in 2011. What are the main factors that drove you to success?R.S. —Our constant focus on service quality based on highly qualified internal management and experienced, well-trained employees helped us to succeed in a highly competitive in-

dustry, one in which flexibility and quick reaction times are key factors.Flexibility also means a complete range of trailers with a wide range of loads and volume capacities in order to better meet our customers’ needs.We also offer integrated logistics solutions, which include in-termodal transport and storage management, where each service provided to the customer is carefully planned and op-timized. How many vehicles does your fleet include?R.S. —Our fleet includes more than 900 trucks (600 are owned by our company) and 700 trailers.As you can see, this is a significant number, but quality is also high. Our trucks are all Euro 5 compliant and are all equipped with constant onboard localisation systems, so as to improve the exchange of information and efficiency.Moreover, for maintaining high standards in environmental im-pact and sustainability, we renew 25% of our fleet every year.

Why did you chose Pirelli as a tyre supplier?R.S. —We have been using Pirelli tyres for about 8 years, and our experience with this company is positive. We have found a partner that offers excellent service and which distinguishes itself from other competitors in terms of flexibility and speed in meeting our requests.But the product has also proven to meet our expectations, with an optimal price/quality ratio.

Which Pirelli products are you currently using?R.S. —On tractors, we mainly use FH88 and TH88, size 315/80 R 22.5, and 385/65 R 22.5 ST:01 on trailers. These tyres have proven to have excellent retreadability, on top of optimal mile-age performance, which are both extremely important in our business.

Finally, from a long-term prospective, what are your tar-gets for the coming years?R.S. —From now until 2015, Augustin Network hopes to be the best mid-sized logistics firm in central and eastern Europe, with the most skilled, most friendly staff - a company that convinces with the quality of its services, unsurpassed in efficiency and extremely productive.

Augustin Network, its history

1974 Founding of the company Karl Augustin Transport GmbH

1982 Inauguration of the first branch office, in Leoben (Austria)

1988 First foreign office established, in Neuss (Germany)

1991 Company’s head office moved to a new terminal in Strasswalchen, near Salzburg

1997 Inauguration of the offices in Italy and Spain 2004 Opening of the first offices in eastern Europe,

in the Czech Republic 2006 Inauguration of the branch in Győr

(Hungary) 2009 Acquisition of the company by Christian

Fürstaller and Rodolphe Schoettel. Name changed to Augustin Network

2009 Inauguration of the offices in Eberstalzell 2010 Offices opened in Ružomberok (Slovakia)

Augustin NetworkLeft: Rodolphe

Schoettel, Managing

Partner of Augustin

Network; right:

the Straßwalchen

headquarters


Pirelli Truck has taken an-other important step for-ward in completing the company’s range of tyres for semi-trailers in the

highway (H) long-haul segment.Like the 435/50 R 19.5” size launched last November, the 445/45 R 19.5” ST:01 is designed in particular for ‘mega-trail-

ers’, i.e. semi-trailers used for high-vol-ume transport. This tyre is being wide-ly used because it offers the ability to maximise load/volume while enabling fleets to optimise operating costs.At the moment, Pirelli is the only European tyre manufacturer to have both tyre sizes in its offering, which is confirmation of the company’s desire

to adapt to the changing needs of to-day’s most modern fleets that want to be able to combine high-volume and heavy-load transport in the same truck.Pirelli’s new super-single ST:01 445/45 R 19.5” is perfectly suited to a vast com-bination of tractor setups with a 22.5” rim diameter, from the low series such as 315/70 to the ultra-low series like

445/45 R 19.5” ST:01

Big trucks now have a new sizeThe range of tyres for semi-trailers has been enhanced with another size for the Series 01 that went on the market in Novemberby Stefano Loy

385/55, as well as for the 315/60 and 295/60. In addition to this great versa-tility, the new super-single provides significant advantages compared to traditional setups for semi-trailers. For example, compared to the 385/55 R 22.5, at equal load capacities the new ST:01 445/45 R 19.5” is able to transport roughly 5m3 more cargo by taking ad-vantage of the lower trailer platform. Furthermore, compared to the other super-single 435/50 R 19.5”, this new size allows for a further increase in transport volumes (up to 1m3 more at equal load capacities).As for all products in the new Series 01 lines, the 445/45 R 19.5” also features all of the latest technological innovations and materials coming out of Pirelli R&D, so as to provide customers with the concrete benefits that are repre-sented in the ECOIMPACT symbols printed on the tyres, including:

• Increased durability: thanks to the use of highly durable compounds, as well as to the new TWST struc-ture and the optimal profile, which, together, ensure uniform wear across the entire tread.

• Increased reconstructibility, in terms of greater resistance at the end of the first life cycle thanks to the new TWST structure, low-hyster-esis compounds (that generate less heat), the hexagonal bead wire, and the reinforced bead.

• Low rolling resistance (already in line with 2016 thresholds), thereby reducing fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.

• Low noise for greater driving com-fort. ST:01 also already complies with European standards for 2012 in terms of reducing noise pollution. Lastly, and also in accordance with European Community directives, compounds that are highly aro-matic oil free (HAOF) are also used to manufacture the 445/45 R 19.5” ST:01.

Structure and Materials

Benefits of the new ST:01

95 m3 100 m3

385/55 R 22.5” 445/45 R 19.5”

TREAD FEATURES

Tread pattern with 6 longitudinal grooves to improve grip in straights, rolling resistance and lateral stability

Groove geometry designed to keep out gravel

Reinforced sidewalls for greater impact resistance

Greater transportable volume at equal loads

1. DlTC Dual layer Tread CompoundOUTER LAYER

– greater mileage – excellent grip – shorter braking distance

INNER LAYER

– lower temperatures – reduced rolling resistance – structural integrity

2. Spiralled zero-degree TWST belts (patented by Pirelli) placed directlyon the steel carcass

3. Highly flexible carcass weave for greater stress resistance

4. Gravel-guard belt with highly resistant steel cord

5. Reinforced bead – greater resistance to side impact, even in extreme conditions

6. High-Penetration Steel Cord (HPSC) Three support belts with high-penetration steel cord to limit oxidation and aging

7. Hexa Bead Wire (HBW) – greater flexability and easy to install – stable bead temperatures and greater durability – retreadability

1

2

4

5

6

7

3


FEELPURE™ FBC Fuel Borne CatalystIn 2004, Pirelli introduced the particulate filtering concept with the first filters that used a ferrocene-based liquid catalyst that provided the best environmental performance for urban applications.

PIREllI ECO TECHNOlOGY

The Feelpure™ range enhanced with ‘Platinum’After FBC, AR and DOWNOX TRAP, Pirelli now presents the new particulate filter ‘Platinum’, designed for the needs of motorway transportby Stefano Sanchini

Pirelli Eco Technology has a history of successes, as demonstrated by the sig-nificant results achieved thus far. Beginning in

2004, with a number of high-profile partnerships with organisations such as the ISPRA Joint Research Center and some of the most important Italian and European universities, Pirelli Eco

Technology has developed innovative technologies to solve the problems of particulate emissions by diesel engines. Today, the company has a presence in Italy, Europe and the rest of the world, acting as a key consultant for air-quality policy in the transport industry. Thanks to FEELPURE™ technology, Pirelli Eco Technology is able to provide solutions to support Italian and European envi-

ronmental policies and to comply with the legal limits being imposed by the various governments.FEELPURE™ comes in four different re-generation technologies according to the type of vehicle on which it is to be used, from the liquid catalyst with aided regeneration and the platinum catalyst to the greenest solution used to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions, as well.

The FEELPURE™ family of particulate filters

All FEELPURE™ have a ‘heart’ (i.e. the filter cartridge) of silicon carbide, the material Pirelli has chosen for its durability over time and its resistance to heat and mechanical stress.

Pirelli’s range of particulate filters meets the needs of a wide varietyof vehicles, from urban transport

to earth moving equipment

FEELPURE™ “PLATINUM”In 2011, Pirelli’s new “precious” particulate filter hits the mar-ket, replacing the ferrocene-based liquid catalyst with a physical catalyst coated in precious metals (i.e. platinum). FEELPURE™ PLATINUM completes the range of environmental technologies developed by Pirelli for the transport industry and is the ideal solution for the needs of motorway traffic.

FEELPURE™ DOWNOX TRAPIn 2010, FEELPURE™ DOWNOX TRAP was cre-ated. This system treats diesel engine emissions using a particulate filter and a urea catalyst. FEELPURE™ DOWNOX TRAP is the solu-tion that Pirelli has devel-oped in order to reduce all pollutants emitted by heavy commercial vehicles and buses. Once FEELPURE™ DOWNOX™ TRAP is installed, a vehicle in the Euro 2, 3 or 4 class is able to reach Euro 5 for all regulated pollutants, while also eliminating nitro-gen oxides (NOx), which are one of the most common air pollutants.

FEELPURE™ AR Aided RegenerationFive years later, an important innovation came onto the scene, and this also used liquid-catalyst technology. Aided regeneration (AR), as it was called, makes use of special rapid-heating “glow plugs” to ensure the proper functioning of the filter sys-tem even in the most critical urban applications that fea-ture particularly low temper-atures of exhaust emissions. Thanks to AR technology, Pirelli ensures that its particu-late filters are effective for use in public transport, street sweeping, waste collection, earth moving, and for other public fleets.

2004

2009

2010

2011


Excitement’ is the oper-ative word for the up-coming Formula One season, and Pirelli, having just complet-

ed the last series of official tests, was ready to oblige at the a spectacular wet-race and night test sessions at the Yas Marina circuit in Abu Dhabi on 17 and 18 January. Some 17,000 litres of water poured onto a floodlit track was a guar-antee of excitement for these two days of testing, which saw Pedro De La Rosa in his Toyota TF 109 clock over 1,000 kilometres in order to test Pirelli’s rain and intermediate tyres for wet condi-tions. The Spanish test driver tested these new tyres in the evening, from 6p.m. to midnight, to ensure that the artificially dampened track would stay wet for a long enough period of time. This was a first for Formula One, and the experiment enabled the Pirelli team to recreate track conditions and tem-peratures in Abu Dhabi similar to those that will likely be faced during the up-coming season on tracks like Malaysia or Singapore. “The artificial lighting, wet track, and high temperatures on one of the world’s most modern circuits made for a challenging, spectacular combina-tion and a unique experience for Formula One,” said Paul Hembery, head of the Pirelli F1 Team, who came to Abu Dhabi together with the rest of the team, which

was made up of fifteen technicians and engineers. “Who knows if this decision of ours could even give someone the idea to hold a Grand Prix under similar condi-tions. These tests will provide us with in-formation that will be useful in complet-ing development of our range of tyres for F1,” Hembery continued. “Just seven months have passed since the start of de-velopment, and just five since the start of on-track testing, and we can say that we’re satisfied with the results we’ve had so far and with the early feedback from the teams.” Pirelli’s Formula One tyres have now clocked more than 18,000 kilometres during the private test ses-sions, as well as during the official test-ing. Since 19 August, Pirelli has held nine private test sessions with the Toyota TF109 driven by Nick Heidfeld, Romain Grosjean and Pedro De La Rosa, who tested the new tyres in all weather con-ditions and on Europe’s leading tracks:

Mugello, Monza, Barcellona, Valenzia, Jerez and Le Castellet. During develop-ment, Pirelli technicians successfully tested all of the specifications that, in ac-cordance with FIA rules, are to be pro-vided for the coming season.

In other words, Pirelli is ready for this new adventure, as Pedro De La Rosa confirmed after his last lap on the Yas Marina track when he said, “During this last test, I was impressed by the wet tyres. Of course, it would be great to have more time and more testing, but you’ll be impressed by the incredible work that Pirelli has done.” So it’s extreme tyres and lots of excitement for the upcoming season, which begins on 27 March with the Melbourne Grand Prix. “The new tyres put the emphasis back on driver skill. Those who handle the tyres best will have the advantage. In the same way, each car will react different-ly to the various compounds, because there’s a great difference from one to the other. And above all, in a Formula One without any overtaking, we’ve given the teams greater opportunity to change the outcome of the race from pit lane,” said Maurizio Boiocchi, head of Research & Development for Pirelli.

Pirelli’s new Formula 1

tyres put the emphasis

on driver skill

Australia - 27/03 (Melbourne)

Malaysia - 10/04 (Kuala Lampur)

China - 17/04 (Shanghai)

Turkey - 08/05 (Istanbul)

Spain - 22/05 (Catalunya)

Monaco - 29/05 (Monte Carlo)

Canada - 12/06 (Montreal)

Europe - 26/06 (Valencia)

Great Britain - 10/07 (Silverstone)

Germany - 24/07 (Nürburgring)

Hungary - 31/08 (Budapest)

Belgium - 28/08 (Spa-Francorchamps)

Italy - 11/09 (Monza)

Singapore - 25/09 (Singapore)

Japan - 09/10 (Suzuka)

Korea - 16/10 (Yeongam)

India – 30/10 (New Delhi)

Abu Dhabi - 13/11 (Yas Marina Circuit)

Brazil - 27/11 (Sao Paolo)

The compounds Pirelli will be inaugurating the first

four races of the 2011 Formula

One season with hard and soft-

compound P Zeros

MOTORSPORT

Formula 1, Pirelli kicks off the excitement The 2011 championship begins in Australia at the end of March. The Pirelli P Zero tyre compounds are ready for all teamsby Davide Tammaro

Formula 1 Championship – 2011


You may not be-lieve it, but so far none of my col-leagues who will be racing in the

coming Formula One season have con-tacted me to get confidential informa-tion or sneak previews. Not one.” These are the words of Pedro de la Rosa, the Catalan pilot Pirelli has chosen to de-velop the tyres for the 2011 Formula One season, and he punctuated them with a flick of his hand and a dismissive scowl, as if to say he had nothing more to add to such nonsense. If you’ve nev-er spoken with Pedro, you’d find it hard

to believe that that bullfighter exterior masks a man of such reserve as to bor-der on shyness. But Pedro does have the balanced contempt of fear of a bull-fighter, as well as the same sense of honour. And this question that virtual-ly every journalist is asking him these days is enough to make him abandon any shyness in order to defend the honour of the test driver. How different will these new Pirelli tyres be from those that we have seen thus far in Formula 1?The main difference that you see right away concerns the various specifica-

tions of the various compounds, which are very different from one compound to another compared to the other manu-facturers, as is, indeed, required by the FIA, the motorsport governing body.

What’s it like to drive on them?The super-softs have been designed to give extremely high performance at the start, when doing the first few laps on track. The super-soft compound stands alone, separate from the other compounds that are to be provided this year. The soft tyre, on the other hand, is my favourite because it handles great and reaches the proper temperature

THE INTERVIEW

“We’ve far surpassed our expectations”A report on the work done and the outlook for the 2011 Championship with Pirelli official test driver Pedro De La Rosa from Spain

quickly. These tyres behave exactly as you would expect of a soft compound, with the added benefit of staying intact on track. The medium tyre is very simi-lar, but of course it takes a little longer to reach the proper temperature. Once this optimal temperature is reached, there’s no doubt that about the tyre’s perform-ance and durability. Finally, the hard tyre is the exact opposite of the super-softs, so it takes even longer to reach the optimal temperature, but once it does it offers great durability for long periods on track.

And the intermediate and wet tyres?These are both excellent tyres, but there are significant differences between the two. The wet tyre is exceptional when you’re dealing with a very wet track, whereas the intermediate tyre has al-ways proven to be very versatile, while also being highly resistant.

Do you think that Pirelli’s tyres will be able to help make the racing more exciting this year?Yes, without any doubt. As I said before, the difference between the compounds is great, so tyre strategy will play a very important role in racing throughout the season. I think it will be fairly common to see a lot of drivers making at least two pit stops, which will add another interesting element to the races. For this first year, I don’t think we should have overly ambi-tious expectations.

You’ve worked with several of the most important teams worldwide. What has it been like working with Pirelli?It has been a true privilege for me to work with such a prestigious, skilled and knowl-edgeable group of people, but apart from that, I had a lot of fun as well. Working with Pirelli means working with highly qualified people, but also, and above all, working quickly and at the highest of pro-fessional standards. And what I find fasci-nating is having been so deeply involved in such an ambitious project that will un-doubtedly have a significant impact on the future of Formula 1.

What feedback have you been able to gather so far?The initial feedback I received from the drivers in Abu Dhabi last year was very positive, and, in particular, I noticed that they appreciated the fast reaction times from the front tyres when entering curves. But all of the teams will have the opportunity to try out the full range of Pirelli tyres on track, including the inter-mediate and wet tyres if it rains, which isn’t that unlikely.

How do you see the future for you and for Pirelli?As for any driver, if I had the opportu-nity, I’d love to go back to racing. The ideal scenario would be to take best advantage of this work that I have done with Pirelli and, from there, see what else can be done. There’s still a lot to be done, given that the Formula 1 rules will be changing in 2012, and for the moment I’d very much like to be able to continue working with Pirelli for the near future. Pirelli’s return to open-wheel racing is a source of great satisfaction for the world of Formula 1 - a perfect, winning combi-nation.

Official testsAt right: from 18 to 21 February in

Barcelona, Pirelli put the final touches

on its soft and super-soft P Zero tyres.

Below: Jerez, 10-13 February, tyre

change


What’s the outlook for Europe’s road transport industry? Registrations of in-dustrial vehicles

(with a total weight of greater than 3,500 kilograms) would seem to indicate that things are slowly turning around, al-though we are still far from the volumes seen in 2007 and 2008, when we had approached 500,000 new registrations in the economic area comprising the EU-27 and EFTA countries.

It would be too soon to call this a recov-ery, but it is fair to say that a number of industry players, particularly in Germany, have begun to see the light at the end of the tunnel. In short, the worst is behind us, and in 2010 some have al-ready taken out their wallets to refresh their fleet of vehicles, making invest-ments that they had postponed due to the difficult economic climate. According to figures published by the Association des Constructeurs Européens d’Automobiles (ACEA), which act as a barometer for the health of the industry, mid-sized vehicles (i.e. from 3,510 to 16,000 kilograms) post-

EUROPE

Road transport,a status updateNew industrial vehicle registrations have begun to rise again. Over 257,400 vehicles registered in Europeby Tiziana Altieri

New vehicle registrationsCOUNTRY 3.51-16 TONNE CLASS OVER-16 TONNE CLASS

2010 2009 CHG % 2010 2009 CHG %

Austria 96 603 -1.2 4,654 4,202 10.8Belgium 2,051 2,156 -4.9 5,598 6,202 -9.7Denmark 508 573 -11.3 2,241 2,688 -16.6Finland 988 973 1.5 1,882 2,201 -14.5France 7,687 7,599 1.2 28,172 28,578 -1.4Germany 31,588 26,997 17.0 48,817 40,199 21.4Greece 602 928 -35.1 705 944 -25.3Ireland 409 459 -10.9 611 692 -11.7Italy 5,832 6,355 -8.2 12,298 12,731 -3.4Luxembourg 84 80 5.0 700 790 -11.4The Netherlands 1,558 1,802 -13.5 7,929 9,962 -20.4Portugal 820 849 -3.4 2,302 2,364 -2.6United Kingdom 14,157 15,420 -8.2 20,301 19,326 5.0Spain 3,375 3,759 -10.2 10,226 8,378 22.1Sweden 714 737 -3.1 4,162 4,782 -13.0EU 15 70,969 69,290 2.4 150,598 144,039 4.6Bulgaria 272 437 -37.8 908 495 83.4Estonia 61 23 165.2 307 202 52.0Latvia 62 43 44.2 466 254 83.5Lithuania 69 100 -31.0 1,300 414 214.0Poland 4,576 3,771 21.3 9,239 6,324 46.1Czech Republic 1,449 1,763 -17.8 3,996 2,997 33.3Romania 453 618 -26.7 1,897 1,542 23.0Slovakia 499 515 -3.1 1,865 1,149 62.3Slovenia 201 227 -11.5 682 531 28.4Hungary n.a. n.a. - n.a. n.a. -EU east 7,642 7,497 1.9 20,660 13,908 48.5EU 27* 78,611 76,787 2.4 171,258 157,947 8.4Iceland 7 17 -58.8 26 30 -13.3Norway 1,553 1,276 21.7 2,525 2,822 -10.5Switzerland 2,015 2,614 -22.9 1,424 1,705 -16.5EFTA 3,575 3,907 -8.5 3,975 4,557 -12.8EU 27+EFTA 82,186 80,694 1.8 175,233 162,504 7.8

* Figures for Malta and Cyprus unavailable Source: ACEA

Which continues to be the preferred route for shipping goods from one part of Europe to another. Indeed, road transport accounts

for as much as 45.9% of the tonnage/kil-ometre being shipped within the conti-nent. Sea transport comes in second at 36.6%, with rail trailing at 10.8%. Despite the bonuses it enjoys in a number of na-

tions, Italy included, rail transport is failing to take off due, in part, to issues of corporate culture and organisation, as well as to a lack of uniformity in waste throughout Europe. Inland waterways, where available, account for 3.6% of the tonnage/kilometre, with pipelines claiming 3%. Air transport then takes up the rear at just 0.1%. Although planes are able to get goods to their destination quickly, the cost is still too high.

ed an increase of 1.8% (from 80,694 to 82,186 units), while heavy vehicles (over 16,000 kilograms) rose by as much as 7.8% (from 162,504 to 175,233). In 2009, we saw declines of 33% and 48%, re-spectively, in these market segments. But growth still lacks uniformity across Europe. Growth in the EU is travelling on two different routes. To the west, we have the EU-15 (Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the U.K.), which is slowly leading the turnaround. To the east, we have Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, the Czech Republic, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and Hungary, which are lagging behind and have actually lost ground. In 2008, 14.8% of mid-sized vehicles were registered in these east-ern European nations, while in 2010 their share fell to just 9.2%. In heavy vehicles, the east’s contribution to the total for last year came to 11.8%, as com-pared to 15.3% for 2008. To strike gold today, it’s not enough to head east. You need to broaden your horizons.

Signs of recovery:

in 2010, companies

have again begun

investments to refresh

their vehicle fleets

Based on ACEA data

In Europe, 45.9% of all goods transported travel by road

The European industrial vehicles market for the last 3 years

2008

121,414

316,030

2009

80,694

162,504

2010

82,186

175,233

Mid-sized (from 3.51 to 16 tonnes)

Heavy (over 16 tonnes)


Interview with Ales Loprais, of Team Tatra, again a participant in this year’s Dakar rally in South America, crossing Chile and Argentinaby Valeria Aiesi

DAKAR 2011

“It’s the most beautiful, most difficult race in the world.”

ECUADOR

PERU

BOLIVIA

BRAZIL

ARGENTINA

PARAGUAY

URUGUAY

CH

ILE

COPIAPÓ

ARICA

IQUIQUE

ANTOFAGASTA

SAN JUAN

CHILECITO

BUENOS AIRES

CÓRDOBA

VICTORIA

SAN MIGUEL DE TUCUMÁN

SAN SALVADOR DE JUJUY

CALAMARA

A T L A NT I C

OC

EA

N

How many vehicles were involved?73 trucks at the start, 50% did not get in-to the finish.

In comparison to previous editions, which were the most challenging as-pects for vehicles (trucks) and people?I think that people in South America de-serve to have the Dakar there. They are great fans, and the Dakar there is really nice and pretty tough, which is as it should be.

What were your expectations at the very beginning? Simple as usual: get to the finish safely and as fast as possible.

We met with Ales Loprais, head of Team Tatra, which, as per tradition, participated again

this year in the legendary Dakar ral-ly. Established in 1999, the team has specialised in preparing competition trucks for such long, challenging ral-lies as this one. Nephew of the famous Karel Loprais, the six-time winner of the Dakar, Ales took over at the helm of the team in 2007. Again this year, and for the fifth time in a row, Pirelli stocked Team Loprais with its 14.00 R 20” PS22 Pista tyres.

Ales, how many times have you tak-en part in the Dakar?I have been racing since the year 2006 when I started as a navigator.

How many people is your team made of?8 all together. We are a small private fam-ily team but with a big “Dakar heart”.

How is the relationship normally among the crews competing in the race?The Dakar is the toughest race in the world. You have to stay calm in any ex-treme situation; therefore, only tough, focused people can survive. You never know what can happened; we have a lot of friends there with simi-lar race blood.

What makes this competition differ-ent from the others?Extreme, long distances, low hygiene, no sleep, dust and sand everywhere, beau-tiful nature, and Atacama - the driest desert anywhere.

We imagine it’s hard work preparing the vehicles. What about the crew?We test as much as we can, ten times in the Slovakian desert district, six times in the Czech Republic, two in Hungary, the Dakar Series Silk Way in Russia, Tunisia for testing the dunes and high temperatures. All this testing has to be done before the “great” Dakar.

How was the itinerary this year?Difficult as all the Dakars before. Argen-tina very narrow and risky tracks, a lot of dust, sometimes mud and rain, and increasing difficulties every day. Chile was the most difficult part in the terms of big dunes, very soft sand called “fesh-fesh”, which is really bad sand for all the equipment and people. I think that we eat at least 1kg of sand every Dakar.

Can you tell us something spe-cial that occurred during this edition that will stay with you? We won 2 stages. This gave us a lot of strength for the next days, and you can never forget it. In particular the second stage. It was a very technical stage, with multiple water crossings, also partly quite muddy and slippery. We also got a shot of adrenaline when we climbed a moun-tain of mud some 200 metres high.

After the result for this edition, what are your plans for the future? Our turbocharger was broken 3 days before the finish when we were fighting for the podium. That’s Dakar. We need to develop the new part and try it again. Although this year we got stopped by technical issues, I am proud of what we achieved in the course of the race. The results so far have shown that we were on the right track to achieve our goal. It’s sad now, but certainly it will give us re-newed energy for the future. Our budget is limited. We are a small private family team with an amateur background, but we achieve factory-team results, and this gives us wings for the future. We are a de-veloping new truck, so a new “princess” will be born soon, and we hope to enlarge our team and put more trucks into the race in order to have a greater chance of success. Dakar 2011, of course?Of course. In addition to Dakar, we are participating in the Dakar Series - Silk Way Rally in Russia and Baja Hungary.

TATRA 815-2 ZO R45 12.400 4x4.1

Engine Water-cooled, diesel-fueled; V8; KHD Deutz BF 8M 1015C; turbocharged by two Borg Warner chargers equipped by intercoolers of comprerssed air; mechanical fuel injection

Displacement15 874 cc

Maximum power output 735 kW (1000 HP) @ 2100 min-1

Maximum torque power3600 Nm @ 1200 min-1

Gearbox10-valve gearbox Tatra TS 210; additional 2-valve gearbox Tatra 2.30 TRK 1,3/2,1; axle differentials equipped by differential locks

Chassis Central tubular frame with independent swinging semi-axles; suspension: one air bag per axle with internal pressure control; 8 hydraulic Fox shock absorbers with Fox hydraulic bump absorbers; Fuel tank volume: 800 liters

BodyCustom-built superstructure Loprais Tatra Team made of steel frame and carbon fabric cover; without door, front and rear walls missing; safety arc mounted on the chassis frame; Tatra TerrNo1 cab tipped forward; equipped with inner and outer safety frames; anatomic race seats CIEB

TyresPirelli PS22 Pista 14.00 R20

Dimensions and weightsWheelbase 4090 mm; length 65000 mm, width 2500 mm, height 3450 mm; race weight 8800 kg

Maximum speed 180 kph

AccessoriesCentral tire inflation system; fire extinguishers; water tank; navigation devices; additional headlamps


An opportunity to answer questions about tyre use and

maintenance in the transportation industry

FAQTRUCK SPEAKS WITH READERS

What are the advantages of tube-less tyres?The arrival of the tubeless tyre was one of the greatest innovations for the tyre industry. For medium and heavy-load vehicles in particular, the tubeless tyre made it possible to reach new levels of performance excellence.In terms of managing tyre changes, a tubeless tyre requires no further accessories, such as tubes and tube protection, that are essential to the proper use of tube-type tyres.This lack of accessories made the wheel as a whole lighter, while also eliminating the inevitable friction between the various components, which means that a tubeless tyre operates at markedly lower temperatures and its car-cass maintains greater integrity.There are also advantages in terms of safety. The adoption of tubeless tyres and the consequent use of single-block rims made more room for brake com-ponents and improved the tyre’s ability to hold air. In the event of a puncture, tubeless tyres deflate much more slowly than their tube-type counterparts, there-by enabling the driver to handle the ve-hicle much more safely.

Can the same rim (say, for example, with a 22.5” rim diameter) can be used for all tyre sizes? Rim diameter is just one of the key meas-urements of a rim, together with width and type of offset. In particular, in addi-tion to rim diameter, which must be the same for both the tyre and the rim, the rim width is an essential measurement to keep in mind. Indeed, there are techni-cal limitation in rim width, which is why the standards authorities determine

which rims are the right ones to use (by indicating the base width and any other measurements that are allowed).Using a rim for narrower or wider tyre sizes that it was designed for causes greater stress on the tyre, which sig-nificantly lowers tyre performance (in terms of structural durability, consistent wear, vehicle handling, etc.).For this reason, in addition to making sure that the vehicle can use a given tyre size, it is also important to always make sure that the vehicle’s rims are compat-ible (the width is often indicated on rims, such as “22.5 x 8.25”). In that regard, we recommend referring to the tyre manu-facturers’ technical catalogues, which often include this type of information. Then you will need to verify with the vehicle manufacturer if the offset used is acceptable for the vehicle’s wheel well and overall geometry.

What’s the difference between re-grooving and siping?Regrooving is when you carve a deeper tread pattern into a used tyre (follow-ing the depth and tread pattern recom-mended by the tyre manufacturer) in order to extend the useful life of the tyre and reduce the tyre’s cost per kilometre.Regulations in Europe (UNECE54) and the U.S. (FMVSS119) state that tyres that have been designed and manufactured so as to be regroovable must indicate this on the tyre itself. Siping, on the other hand, is the proc-ess of cutting grooves that are the same depth as the tyre’s original tread pat-tern, normally diagonal to the original grooves, so as to increase grip on slip-pery surfaces.In both cases, the work should be done by an expert able to ensure that the job is done properly.

Regrooving Regrooving done with

a special heated blade

In Brussels in October, the European Commission presented the results of the Label project, which was launched three years ago with the goal of de-veloping a system for certifying parking areas along the European Union’s main roadways based on safe-

ty parameters (indicated by a padlock symbol) and on the quality of the services provided (in-dicated by stars). European authorities are making it a priority to develop safe parking areas, in part as a response to legis-lation in effect regarding rest times, such as Regulation 561/2006, which makes periods of rest mandatory, and Directive 2008/96 regarding road infrastructure safety manage-ment. Therefore, having an adequate number of safe rest ar-eas should, in the eyes of the European Union, be an integral part of road safety management.Through the LABEL project, 70 parking areas located in 10 EU member states have been certified with the goal of pro-viding truck drivers and other motorists with information to help them determine if a given rest area is safe. In Italy, there are Autoparco di Brescia Est, Autoparco Consorzio

S.A.V.O, and Truck Point FAI Service. The International Road Transport Union (IRU) and the International Transport Forum (ITF) are both committed to working together in or-der to further develop LABEL. In particular, through the TRANSPark electronic platform, information regarding these safe parking areas is now available online and in-

cludes information regarding their location and the services available, and the goal is to gather this informa-tion for 40 countries. Certification ranks the parking areas based on a five-tier classification sys-tem, from a minimum of 1 to a maxi-mum of 5. The classification parame-ters take account of the facilities and services available, such as emergen-

cy repair services; fences, closed-circuit electronic surveil-lance or on-site security guards; service stations; and other public services, such as food services and restrooms.

Certification is voluntary and may be obtained through an accredited certifying body, information for which is avail-able online at http://truckparkinglabel.eu/index.cfm?action=home:main.label

INTERNATIONAl TRANSPORT

Park safely: Eyes on the LabelLABEL, the European Commission’s project to certify safe rest areas, is under way. See the list of parking areas at http://truckparkinglabel.eu/assets/default.htm by Marianna Restaino


Collections 1955

“ ...the multitude of advertising characters welcomed a new arrival: the lion, created by Testa for Stelvio.

Another was to arrive right on its heels: the elephant, also by Testa - ‘the giant that is to go far’. Far both in terms of the miles made possible by the extraordinary characteristics of the Atlante tyres and as a good omen for ever greater success in sales. The launch of Atlante was backed by an extensive ad campaign, a boom in marketing that involved the press, decals, pamphlets and roadway billboards...”

From the article “Un anno di propaganda” (A year of mar-keting) published in the Pirelli corporate magazine “Fatti e Notizie”, no. 11/12, November/December 1955.

Original sketch by Armando Testa, 1955, is preserved in the Historical Archives at the Pirelli Foundation, Bicocca (Milan).

22 The magazine for transport professionals

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No. 8 APRIL 2011 — The magazine for transport professionals · provide credit to fleets and dealers at com-petitive costs. Quality also means ensuring the retreadability of our