UK-owned tire manufacturer Davanti Tyres is to open a new European Development Centre at Applus+ Idiada in Spain, to be used in the development of its next-generation tire designs.
The company states the facility, which has both wet and dry testing capabilities, will allow its research and development team greater scope to experiment with new designs and materials, while also speeding up new product development and enhancing the ongoing testing of its existing range.
“This is the biggest step Davanti has taken since we brought our first tire – the DX390 – to market,” commented Davanti Tyres’ general manager, Peter Cross. “We will now be able to physically trial a greater number of prototypes at an earlier development stage in order to ensure our next generation of products establish a new benchmark for excellence. Successful products require extensive development testing on proving grounds. Having our own facility on-site at Idiada will allow us to gather a much greater amount of data on what developments work well and what do not in a way that we could never learn purely from computer simulations or lab results.
“Investing in the European Development Centre gives us a platform to be a driving force in the development of next-generation tires. As environmental regulations change and the way vehicles are designed and built evolves, tires will need to adapt. This facility gives us the flexibility to continue to be innovative and disruptive within the market. To think boldly and ensure Davanti is at the forefront of tire innovation at a time of significant change.”
Davanti states the facility has been equipped with a suite of tire analysis and design equipment and it will act as the brand’s hub for all prototype engineering and testing. The company will also open the site to customers, allowing them to see the research and development processes first-hand while also giving engineers a direct line of communication to the market, which it hopes will help steer development to suit changing customer demand.
