Cash Injection Helps Tyre Startup

(Staffordshire, U.K./Tyres & Accessories) A U.S. startup tyre company that has developed a winter tyre with retractable studs has become the recipient of a US$200,000 investment from SC Launch, an organisation specialising in the provision of seed funding and mentoring for new, innovative businesses.

South Carolina-based Q Tires Inc. has yet to bring any products to market, but the company, headed by former Michelin executive Roy Bromfield, claims it is creating the world’s safest tyres.

Utilising a patented technology called “Celsius,” the tyres function by causing air pressure from the main chamber of the tyre to expand a secondary chamber, which lifts the studs above the surface of the tread. When road conditions no longer require studs, the air pressure is released into atmosphere and the studs retract below the tread face.

The Celsius tyres have already been granted DOT approval, and plans are afoot to commence manufacture in China. Q tires has raised $8 million from investors and created a joint venture to produce the tyres in the Chinese city of Qingdao. Untreaded tyre cores will be purchased from Yellow Sea Tire and will be fitted with the new technology tread in a 6,700-square-metre plant that will employ an estimated 140 staff.

The concept for the retractable studded tread came from the mind of a church pastor in Oregon, John O’Brien. A loathing for installing snow chains on his vehicle served as motivation for the idea, however established tyre manufacturers remained staunchly agnostic towards O’Brien’s brainwave. It took the faith of Bromfield and a number of other tyre professionals to attract the private investors needed to get Q Tires up and running. If the specialist manufacturer has its way the first Celsius tyres may be available in the U.S. early next year, retailing for about 30% more than existing premium all-season tyres.

If you’re a shop looking to sell summer tires, it’s important to know that customers looking for these tires have very specific needs. Let’s talk about why, before recommending summer tires, you need to fully understand customer performance requirements.

Unlike all-season or all-terrain tires built for diverse driving conditions, UHP summer tires are designed with one priority: dry and wet traction for performance driving. Lateral and longitudinal grip in dry and wet conditions are also important, which is achieved through optimized contact patches, high silica tread compounds and circumferential grooves to channel water. Generally, UHP summer tire tread design features large blocks and fewer grooves for more road contact on dry surfaces. The grooves are designed to channel water away from the tire, reducing the risk of hydroplaning on wet roads.