2009 Tire Inflation and Attitudinal Survey to be completed by Desrosiers Automotive Consultants

During the summer of 2009, motorists in six major centers across Canada may be asked to participate in a study to measure tire maintenance practices, including tire inflation pressure. Since the late 1990's The Rubber Association of Canada (RAC), has been working hard in collaboration with Natural Resources Canada to educate consumers on the benefits of proper tire inflation pressure, alignment, rotation and tread wear. The "Be Tire Smart - Play Your PART" program has been reaching out to drivers to emphasize the value of proper tire maintenance and its benefits of improved fuel economy and safety. Communications Manager, Gilles Paquette, confirms that a six year old study ''provides a benchmark for us to work from. We signed an unprecedented four year agreement with Natural Resources Canada in 2007. One of our deliverables is this very study which will track our progress over the last 6 years.''

Since the original 2003 study was conducted, The RAC has been carrying the message to consumers across the country.

Desrosiers Automotive, a well known Canadian automotive consultant, has been contracted by the RAC to undertake a major study involving some 1,800 motorists from 6 major Canadian cities. The study will not only measure the level of tire maintenance (tire pressure, tread depth, tire wear, etc), but also capture the level of knowledge and attitudes of the drivers towards tire maintenance. These results will be compared to the original study to measure the changes in absolute terms.

"People are more involved than ever, in actions they can personally take to protect the environment" says Glenn Maidment, President of the RAC, and " it is rewarding to see the tire industry's ongoing commitment to the proper use/maintenance of their products."

The study will be carried out during the summer months and results are expected to be available in late September.

Peter Allen Appointed as Chairman by the RAC Board

The RAC Board of Directors appointed Peter Allen, Director of Commercial Business, Michelin North America (Canada) Inc., as the incoming Chair to lead the Association for the 2009-10 year following the 89th Annual General Meeting held on June 17th in Mississauga. Mr. Allen replaces Doug Hamilton, President of Goodyear Canada Inc. who becomes Immediate Past-Chair.

The 2009-10 Board of Directors also includes Robert Hagerman of AirBoss of America Corp., Roch LeBlanc of American Biltrite (Canada) Ltd., Jim Schmidt, Bridgestone Canada Inc., Dave House, Cabot Canada Ltd., Bernard Gregoire of Hamilton Kent, Greg Bavington, National Rubber Technologies, Marco Zambianchi, Pirelli Tire Inc., and Mario Larose, Waterville TG Inc.

“The Board also wishes to extend its appreciation to Bob Galway for his four years of service to the Board, and his Chairmanship for the 2006/07 year.“

2010 Toyota Camry Hybrid Be Tire Smart Mobile Project

After launching its pilot project in July 2008, the Be Tire Smart campaign 'mobile project' is back on the road. Travelling to a variety of community, cultural and automotive related events (car shows and tire dealer events), across Ontario, the mobile project team educates Canadian drivers about the importance of proper tire maintenance and the importance of measuring tire pressure monthly. The goal is to reach as many people as possible through motivating them to change their tire maintenance practices. The mobile project team communicates with event patrons by placing emphasis that tires are often the most neglected parts of a vehicle despite the fact that they are among the most important and easily cared for.

The Be Tire Smart- Play Your P.A.R.T mobile project functions as a narrow cast marketing project in that it reaches a defined target audience (Canadian drivers). The mobile project team disseminates specific and defined key messages to consumer audiences through community based social marketing. Through engaging members of each community that the mobile project visits, residents learn how they can play a part in contributing to a greener future, reduced fuel consumption and much safer roads. It is important to note that when members of a community use resources wisely -by each doing their part- it moves toward sustainability. To promote a more sustainable future, it is essential to know how to encourage individuals and organizations to adopt activities that collectively promote sustainability.

Through a combination of tire education and community outreach, the mobile project team initiates direct, meaningful intercepts with patrons at events, which includes but is not limited to: new parents, university and high school students, (who comprise the newer driver population), seniors, car enthusiasts, automotive industry members and new immigrants, all of whom will need to purchase tires in the future. It is through connecting with individuals on a one-to-one basis that they are given the chance to recognize that by adopting a few simple tire maintenance practices, they as individuals can increase their vehicle's fuel efficiency, reduce harmful emissions, save money and make their vehicle safer.

As the trade association for Canadian Rubber Manufacturers and importers of rubber goods, it is essential that we promote responsible, correct use of our products. Through the effective use of community based social marketing, the Be Tire Smart program also provides significant benefit to industry Stakeholders. Through increased community involvement, industry members express a high level of Corporate Social Responsibility and Corporate Citizenship in a marketplace that is becoming increasingly more environmentally and socially aware.

At events, the project team demonstrates how to locate the correct tire pressure on a vehicle and how to measure tire pressure on the Be Tire Smart Hybrid vehicle. In addition to proper tire pressure the patrons are encouraged to:
Have their tires aligned annually.
Rotate their tires regularly.
Monitor tread wear and replace tires when the tire tread is worn out.
Conduct a visual check for embedded stones, glass and other foreign objects that could work their way into the tire and cause a leak.

Free tire pressure gauges and tread wear indicators are also distributed. Event patrons are encouraged to take part in a short tire maintenance survey for the chance to win a set of four new tires (Original Equipment -OE for their personal vehicle). We strongly encourage participation as the information provided serves as an important measure of what people know and what they are doing with their tires.

The Be Tire Smart - Play Your P.A.R.T. campaign is funded by the twelve tire manufacturer company members of The Rubber Association of Canada, in collaboration with the Government of Canada under the leadership of Natural Resources Canada's Office of Energy Efficiency.

Members who are interested in having the mobile project make a stop at their event or tire service centre this summer, are encouraged to contact Gilles Paquette at 905-814-1714 to request program availability. The Mobile Project will be available until September 30th, 2009.

Ontario Tire Stewardship ramping up!

Building the infrastructure to handle over 12 million scrap tires annually.

The OTS Program is very quickly ramping up, and it's a good thing too, given the plan becomes operational effective September 1st. The official website www.ontarioTS.ca went live on July 6th which meant OTS could begin accepting registrations from stewards as well as service providers such as haulers, retailers and processors. If you are a steward, that is someone who supplies tires into the Ontario market, then you must register before September 1st and you must file your first remittance to OTS by October 30th, and every month thereafter.

OTS will be conducting a webinar for Stewards the morning of August 20th. We will pass along the details when we receive them, but if you have specific questions, don't wait until the webinar. We strongly urge you to contact the OTS office with your questions. Not only will they likely be able to answer your question on the spot, they are building a FAQ component to the website for commonly asked questions, so your questions will help them to communicate to other stewards.

Aside from building the infrastructure to handle the movement and tracking and processing of over 12 million tires annually, OTS is also building the communication pieces and POS material to help tire dealers explain the new program to consumers. To assist in this endeavor, a sub-committee of tire industry professionals from RAC, Canadian Tire and Wal-mart are working with a PR firm to develop these materials. You should begin to see the results of this effort by the time of the launch.

While there is still very much to do, and doubtlessly still a few missteps to make, it is not too early to thank a number of people and organizations for their immeasurable time, experience and skill to getting OTS where it is today. From the IBM Team: Ed Smith, Bob Ferguson and Nancy Brown-Andison (and a host of others!), Glenda Gies from WDO and Andrew Horsman, Executive Director of OTS. In addition, the OTS Board, always a strength of knowledge and persistence, worked tirelessly to see this through: Eric Gilbert, Usman Valiante, Jen Barbazza, Sarah Webb, Robin Hunter, Doug Hamilton, Philippe Trudel and Glenn Maidment. Equally important, the organizations which allowed, encouraged and enabled these people to participate include, Ontario Tire Dealers Association, Canadian Tire Corp., Walmart, Goodyear Canada, Michelin North America (Canada) Inc., Retail Council of Canada and The Rubber Association of Canada.

Ontario Environment Minister Approves Used Tire Plan

April 9, 2009

In a speech delivered at the Waste Diversion Ontario Annual General Meeting today the Ontario Minister of the Environment, the Honorable John Gerretsen, announced the approval of the Ontario Used Tire Program Plan, launching the most ambitious used tire stewardship program in the country.

The Used Tire Program Plan will implement a managed scrap tire solution for On-road and Off-road tires supplied into the Ontario market, diverting these tires away from burning and landfilling to 3R’s processing that will see them reused and recycled into tire derived products (TDPs) such as under-the-hood automotive products, flooring, sports fields, play ground surfaces and construction-related equipment and materials.

The program is funded by Brand Owners and First Importers of tires supplied into the Ontario market, including tire manufacturers, retailers and vehicle manufacturers, who remit a Tire Stewardship Fee (TSF) to OTS for every tire supplied into the Province. These fees will be used by OTS to operate the Used Tire program, including the collection, transporting and processing costs of used tires, including those in stockpiles.

The program will manage all 12 million tires sold in Ontario annually, and will track the tires from collection at over 10,000 points across the province to their sale as tire-derived products, and includes an aggressive three year plan to eliminate the approximately 2.8 million stockpiled tires in 90 sites across Ontario.

“We are pleased with the Minister’s decision to approve the Used Tires Program Plan.” said Glenn Maidment, President of the Ontario Tire Stewardship (OTS) Board, “We are very pleased to see the tire industry showing leadership on this important issue by accepting responsibility for end-of-life management of used tires. In approving the Plan, the Minister facilitates significant investment in Ontario businesses handling used tires in environmentally-beneficial ways, creating jobs and a green economy for future generations of Ontarians.”

In the first year the program will inject over $22 million into the Ontario-based scrap tire processing industry, supporting Ontario-based processors as they invest in their businesses to increase capacity, adopt new scrap tire processing technologies, and create new “green” jobs in the Province.

With today’s approval OTS will be moving forward to implement the Used Tire program, with September 1^st 2009 being the official launch date. For more information on the Used Tire program, or to submit questions on the program, visit www.ontariotirestewardship.org , or contact:

Glenn Maidment

Ontario Tire Stewardship Chair

905-814-1714

Date set for the RAC Annual General Meeting

The Rubber Association of Canada's AGM will be held on June 17, 2009. We invite all members to participate. More details to follow closer to the date via email.

Find out if the new EU chemicals legislation applies to you

Do you know what REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and restriction of CHemicals) means for your products and your company?

You should find out your requirements under REACH if one of the following applies to you:

- you manufacture or import chemical substances or mixtures of chemical substances (preparations) into Europe.

- you produce or import articles (such as construction materials, electronic components, toys or vehicles) which contain substances included in a list of substances of very high concern or which are released during their use.

-you process chemicals or you formulate preparations for end use (for example cleaning products, paints or motor oils)

-you use these formulated products professionally. (In this case you are a 'downstream user'.)

REACH gives greater responsibility to the industry to manage the risks from chemicals and to provide safety information on the substances. Manufacturers and importers will be required to gather information on the properties of their chemical substances which will allow their safe handling and to register the information in a central database run by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) in Helsinki.

The European Chemical Agency has IT tools and guidance documents to help. Visit their website at http://echa.europa.eu.

Sources:
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/chemicals/reach/reach_intro.htm
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/chemicals/reach/pdf/reach_me_flyer_en.pdf
Plastics and Rubber Weekly

Efforts in workplace safety pay off!

The Rubber Sector Safety Group, sponsored by the Rubber Association of Canada celebrated the success of the 2007 program year by sharing rebates from the WSIB in the amount of $179,429.55. Congratulations to the group.

The 2008 program year has also been completed with the development of additional program elements by each participating member. We will have to wait until late in 2009 to see where the incident and severity rate performance comes in.

In the 2009 program year, as the WSIB Safety Group program matures and evolves into the "Accreditation Program", members have been encouraged to join with a safety group sponsor in their geographic area for program participation. The Rubber Association will redirect its efforts through the Health and Safety and Workers' Compensation committee format to assist members with issues affecting our industry.

Winter Tires Matter!

When you can see your breath, it’s time for winter tires

Motorists should stop thinking of winter tires as ‘snow tires’ and start thinking of them as ‘cold weather’ tires

To educate drivers about winter tires and winter driving and to help them determine if winter tires are right for them, Canada’s tire makers have recently released a comprehensive winter tire and driving brochure that is available free from participating tire retailers.

Beyond slowing down, being patient and driving with caution, the most important decision for vehicle owners at this time of year is whether to install winter tires. And recent advances in winter tire technology are giving drivers more reason to invest in winter tires.

“The latest generations of winter tires offer motorists an important driving performance advantage in all winter-driving conditions, including dry road surfaces,” says Glenn Maidment, President of the Rubber Association of Canada (RAC), which represents Canada’s tire makers. “All tire rubber will begin to stiffen as the weather gets colder, but today’s winter tires maintain their elasticity even at extremely low temperatures approaching minus 30 degrees Celsius. The result is superior traction and handling whether the roadway is snowy, icy, slush covered or dry.”

Traditionally, many drivers, particularly those who live in cities or towns where the streets are cleared regularly, have opted for all-season tires to avoid the cost and inconvenience of the bi-annual winter tire changeover.

Even though all-season tires can provide safe all-weather performance, drivers need to know that the efficiency of winter tires greatly surpasses them once temperatures fall below seven degrees Celsius. Modern winter tires offer up to 50 per cent more winter traction than all-season tires, which translates to shorter stopping distances and better vehicle cornering and control.

“The cold-weather traction advantage offered by today’s winter tires is considerable,” says Maidment. “Motorists should stop thinking of winter tires as ‘snow tires’ and start thinking of them as ‘cold weather’ tires”.

The RAC recommends that drivers not wait for the first snowfall, or their first encounter with black ice, to switch over to winter tires. The proper time to changeover is when the temperature dips below seven degrees Celsius, or when people can see their breath.

Canada’s tire makers also advise motorists to use winter tires on all wheel positions. Using winter tires on the front or rear axle only can create a serious traction imbalance that can lead to a loss of control, particularly when corning.

When shopping for winter tires, motorists can identify a winter tire by looking for the mountain snowflake symbol on the sidewall. Tires stamped with this distinctive symbol meet or exceed specific snow traction requirements established by the tire industry.

Proper tire maintenance and inflation are also important contributors to safe winter driving. Motorists should remember that excessive tread wear can diminish traction and, as a result, tread depth should always be checked at the start of the winter driving season.

Drivers who are unsure if their tires are overly worn should consult their tire dealer to determine if their tires should be replaced.

Proper tire inflation is another winter driving priority. Tires that are under-or-over inflated have a smaller footprint on the road surface, which weakens their grip. The result is reduced stopping and handling capabilities. Under-inflated tires also waste fuel due to increased rolling resistance.

Every five degrees Celsius change in temperature results in about one psi change in pressure, so a temperature drop of 15 degrees Celsius would result in 10 per cent or three psi under-inflation.

Drivers should invest in a reliable tire gauge and measure their tire pressure monthly to ensure their tires are always inflated to the vehicle manufacturer’s recommendation.

Drivers can also learn more about winter tires by visiting the RAC’s website RubberAssociation.ca.

“Drivers should educate themselves to determine if winter tires are right for their driving habits and local driving conditions,” says Maidment. “Motorists are encouraged to drop by their local tire retailers to pick up a copy of our new brochure and learn more about their winter tire options.”

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Sidebar:

Winter Tire Buyer’s Check List

Whether you live in the city or country, or whether you drive a big or small vehicle, winter driving conditions will impact your vehicle’s performance.

When deciding whether to install winter tires, ask yourself the following questions:

Ø Do you live where cold temperatures are common?

Ø Do you drive on icy or snowy roads?

Ø Do you have to use your vehicle everyday, regardless of the weather?

Ø Do you drive off main streets and roads in winter?

Ø Do you drive early in the morning or late at night in winter?

Ø Do you drive nearly the same speed regardless of the temperature?

If you answered yes to one or more of these questions, winter tires may be right for you.

Talk to your tire dealer about your driving habits and what kind of conditions you drive in and what kinds of winter tires are best suited for you.

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Rubber Summit - Friday, May 23, 2008

Hot off the Press! Our Rubber Summit program brochure will surely attract the attention of interested stakeholders as we discuss the outlook for the Canadian rubber industry on Friday, May 23, 2008 in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario. Click on the Rubber Summit link from our events calendar for more details.