Dufournier Is “THE tire test specialist”.
Operating worldwide for 20 years, Dufournier offers tire testing – testing equipment and tire performance analysis & modeling. Their expertise blends an extensive knowledge of the tire and tire testing with a long experience in the design and manufacturing of testing equipment.
Interview with Arnaud Dufournier, CEO of DUFOURNIER.
Easy Engineering: Tell us about some of the most successful project/projects from this year.
Arnaud Dufournier: The most successful project this year is the launch of our R&D automatized indoor tire test track.
E.E: What were the challenges that you encountered?
A.D: Tire R&D tests have always been done outdoors with a tester or a driver, which introduces a human effect as well as numerous disturbances linked to outdoor tests and above all high unavailability when the weather is not suitable for outdoor tests to be performed.
E.E: How did you overcome the challenges?
A.D: This new testing machine has been developed on the base of our famous, unique and high performance AI3T that was dedicated to wet grip braking test (UNECE R117) on which we introduced capabilities to have drift and camber.
E.E: How were these products/solutions used to optimize the client’s business?
A.D: The main customer benefit concerns the operating time throughout the year, including in winter. This is in addition to incomparably higher industrial efficiency as well as much higher measurement quality at lower operating costs
E.E: What innovative features do the products / solutions have?
A.D: The greatest innovation is the ability to do any type of tire test while having total control of the test conditions
E.E: What products / solutions are you going to launch in the future?
A.D: Based on our existing products we are developing now solution for C3 Tires.
We are launching now C3 tire skid trailer to meet the high demand from tire manufacturers and testing centers.
E.E: How will these products / solutions help future clients?
A.D: Wet grip UNECE R117 tests are now mandatory for Truck and Bus Tires, this is why this new C3 machine range becomes essential for tire manufacturers and testing centers.
E.E: What are your estimations for the end of the year?
A.D: Our growth this year again will be around 25%, which corresponds to our average growth over the last decade thanks to our two pillars of innovation and quality.