Published: 09/12/2013

The Smithers Suzhou, China lab joins the Smithers Tire & Wheel Test Center in Ravenna, Ohio in being an ISO/IEC 17025:2005 accredited supplier of dynamic tire testing. Both labs conduct a wide variety of tire testing specifications including SAE, GMW, ASTM and ISO tests.

“We established our China operations in Suzhou to better serve our existing global clients as well as serve a growing market in China for tire, rubber and polymer component testing,” said Jim Dowey, president of Smithers. “This accreditation requires rigorous processes and procedures that ensure that our operations meet the highest standards for independent testing accuracy and quality.”

The Suzhou laboratory has also received significant automotive OEM approvals to provide critical third party independent testing to the global automotive industry and its tire and wheel supply chain. High speed testing, truck endurance, plunger, cornering and wheel testing will become available in the next several months as capacity is expanded to meet customer demand.

The following tire testing specifications can currently be conducted:

• SAE J1269 – Rolling Resistance Measurement Procedure for Passenger Car, Light Truck, and Highway Truck and Bus Tires
• SAE J2452 – Stepwise Coastdown Methodology for Measuring Tire Rolling Resistance
• GMW 14996 – Tire Rolling Resistance Test
• ISO 18164 – Rolling Resistance Measurement Procedure for Passenger Car, Truck, Bus and Motorcycle Tires
• ISO 28580 – Passenger car, truck and bus tires -- Methods of measuring rolling resistance -- Single point test and correlation of measurement results

“Smithers has been dedicated to establishing an accredited tire and wheel testing laboratory in China that builds on our years of industry expertise in the North American and European markets,” said Derek Read, general manager, Smithers (Suzhou) Testing Co., Ltd. “With the milestones that we reached in 2013, we can now assure our customers that that the independent testing experiences they value in other regions of the world can be provided in China as well.”