The European Union has introduced the EU Tyre Label by Regulation (No. 1222/2009) identically and bindingly for all EU member states. It applies to passenger car tyres, light commercial vehicle tyres and heavy commercial vehicle tyres produced after 01.07.2012. With this regulation, the European Union is pursuing the goal of promoting economic and ecological efficiency in road traffic as well as increasing road safety on the one hand, and on the other hand, granting consumers more product transparency and at the same time serving as an active decisionmaking aid.
Already during the incorporation, experts criticise the fact that the EU Tyre Label unfortunately only shows a few product characteristics. Apart from rolling resistance, wet grip and rolling noise, which are the main focus of EU tyre labelling, tyres have much more important and safetyrelevant product characteristics, such as aquaplaning properties, driving stability, service life, braking properties on dry and wet roads, behaviour in wintry conditions, etc. Tyre manufacturers point out that test results from various institutions and journals remain an important information medium for the end consumer.
These tests usually focus on further safetyrelevant product characteristics besides the EU standard qualifications for tyre labelling, which are always important for the final customer. The brand Goodride stands for high quality in the lower price range and offers an excellent priceperformance ratio. ZC Rubber for short) founded in 1958, based in Hangzhou, the capital of East China’s Zhejiang province. The company is the largest tyre producer in China and has grown in recent years to become one of the ten leading global tyre manufacturers, alongside brands such as Michelin, Continental and Bridgestone.
The declared aim is to further expand their position and to increase their share of the tyre market. In order to do this, the firm invests in new production facilities, representative bodies and cooperations worldwide. Different brands are produced in numerous plants in China and in Thailand. Tyres for cars, transportation vehicles and trucks, for agricultural, construction and commercial vehicles as well as for motorcycles and bicycles feature in ZC Rubber’s range. In addition, rubber tracks for caterpillar vehicles as well as tubes are made.
When it comes to production and production control, modern equipment from reputable manufacturers is used, and quality management is oriented around the requirements and standards of the international tyre market. For measuring and optimising tyre noise emission, ZC Rubber established the first anechoic laboratory rooms in China. Furthermore, the company goes to great lengths with concerns such as gas recovery, steam cleaning, water purification and waste treatment for the sake of environmentally friendly production.