New Dunlop product to reduce deformation stress on vehicles

SUMITOMO Rubber South Africa (Pty) Limited

(SRSA), manufacturers of Dunlop tyre brand, in partnership with Tyre Express Nigeria Limited, has unveiled Dunlop High Performance Sport SP

FM800 tyre aimed at reducing deformation stress and improves energy consumption on vehicles.

The SP FM800 tyre offers a new profile design that reduces rolling resistance, fuel efficiency and safety due to increased traction and braking response.

Its next generation pattern with four wide, longitudinal grooves and deep lateral grooves incorporates the lat- est design and technology. This provides a tyre with allround performance improvements including remarkable wet weather handling, braking and hydroplaning resistance, while a new compound with silica loading increases wet grip.

Speaking at the unveiling ceremony in Lagos, Chief Executive Officer, SRSA, Riaz Haffejee, expressed his excitement about the prospects for growth of its Dunlop and Sumitomo Tyre brands in Africa, saying, “Nigeria’s market for tyres is approximately four million a year and the country is a key market in terms of our Africa strategy, which sees us focusing on countries with great growth potential and expanding markets.” Besides, the Dunlop brand and retail presence were relaunched in Nigeria two years ago.

With the launch of the FM800 tyre coinciding with International Nelson Mandela Day held recently, Haffejee said: “For us as Sumitomo Rubber South Africa, the famous quote attributed to Mandela - “It always seems impossible until it’s done” - was so apt for our relaunch of Dunlop in Nigeria and we are very proud of the progress made since then,” he said.