Laredo Proving Grounds, Ltd Uvalde, TX Operations

– Laredo Proving Grounds (LPG) - History

         – 1983 Juan Lopez begins work at B.F. Goodrich proving grounds in Pecos, TX at their electronics/traction department. – 1986 Uniroyal and B F Goodrich merge into UGTC Juan is promoted and transferred to Laredo, TX to manage the Laredo Traction Facility.

1990 Michelin buys UGTC.

– – – – 1994 Michelin decides to shut down all Laredo operations except Laredo Traction Facility.

During the shutdown Juan and Sylvia Lopez approach Michelin to consider an employee take over of the Laredo Traction Facility. After several rounds of negotiations Michelin subleases the Laredo Traction Facility and sells to LPG one braking traction system and all support equipment.

LPG continues operations at Laredo, TX until Michelin’s lease expires in 2004.

– 2005 LPG moves testing operations to Uvalde Proving Grounds Uvalde, TX.

LPG is in its 6 th year of operations at Uvalde (Continental North America). – In addition to Uvalde LPG has an excellent business relationship with TVTC (Cooper) Proving Grounds at Pearsall, TX.

– LPG has just completed 17 years of providing its customers with: Traction, Hydroplane and recently vehicle tire handling tests.

– Juan Lopez along with the highly experienced staff of Laredo Proving Grounds Are committed to providing customers with the best service.

All of us at Laredo Proving Grounds are grateful for the business and trust our customers have placed upon us throughout the years.

Juan M Lopez

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Services / Tests

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GM

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Braking Traction GMW 15208 ECE Regulation 117

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Wet Grip using skid trailer

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Pass by noise testing FORD

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Braking Traction

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Wet & Dry

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Rim Roll Off Tire Retention NHTSA - DOT

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UTQG Braking Traction HYDROPLANE

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Straight ahead spin down using skid trailer Lateral Hydroplane using full size vehicles TIRE HANDLING

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Wet & Dry Max Handling

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Subjective Ride Quality & Interior Noise Evaluation

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Wet & Dry Stopping Distance EQUIPMENT

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Manufacturing of skid tester for tires

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Staff / Experience

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Juan M Lopez – Operations Manager

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Uniroyal Goodrich 1983 – 1989

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Michelin 1989 – 1994 Laredo Proving Grounds 1994 – Present Wolfgang Lerke – Traction Manager

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Volkswagen 1972 - 1976

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Mercedes Benz 1977 - 1999 Laredo Proving Grounds 1999 – Present Victor Flores – Administration

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Uniroyal Goodrich 1964 – 1990

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Michelin 1990 – 1993 Laredo Proving Grounds 2004 – Present Juan C Lopez – Tire Tech

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Laredo Proving Grounds 2006 – Present Richard Sais – Traction Tech - Trainee

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Laredo Proving Grounds 2012 – Present David Chapa – IT / Data Analyst

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Laredo Proving Grounds 1994 – Present Edward Young – Mechanic / Tire Tech

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Laredo Proving Grounds 2010 – Present Brandon Rendo

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– Traction Tech - Trainee Laredo Proving Grounds 2012 – Present Roy Pena – Traction Tech - Trainee

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Laredo Proving Grounds 2012 – Present

Uvalde Proving Grounds

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Arial View

Vehicle Dynamics Tire Handling Test Description

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Wet handling -

type tests.

testing consists of subjective data from driving at the maximum capable speed on wet VDA including traction characteristics lateral, braking, acceleration, Understeer / Oversteer), response (turn-in & stability), and various other stability and hydroplane dynamics. Lap times are also collected and noted on each handling sheet. ASTM surface normalization is included in the post processing. Driver comments are also included that will define any other differences if found from baseline

Dry handling -

testing consists of subjective data from driving at the maximum capable speed on Dry Handling Road Course including traction characteristics (lateral, braking, acceleration, Understeer / Oversteer), response (turn-in & stability), and various other stability and balance dynamics. Lap times are also collected and noted on each handling sheet. ASTM surface normalization is included in the post processing. Driver comments are also included that will define any other differences if found from baseline type tests.

Subjective Ride Quality & Interior Noise Evaluation -

pavement, bumps, and uneven surfaces.

Ride Evaluation Course this testing collects subjective data including ride quality evaluations such as ride harshness, damping, smoothness, etc. Testing also includes subjective interior noise collection of tread pattern noise, texture noise differences, tone, pitch, etc. Testing these parameters consists of driving around the oval course, as well as off-site locations that include real world situations such as potholes, broken

Vehicle Dynamics

- Wet Handling Pad

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North America's largest at fifteen acres in size, the wet handling pad is an impressive 800 ft x 800 ft square asphalt pad which can be made wet over its entire surface to accommodate many test course configurations marked by traffic cones.

The pad appears level and flat, but has a slight one-percent grade over the 800 feet. This allows water from the perforated pipe at the top of the pad to flow in controllable amounts (from .05" to .11") over the surface.

Two asphalt approaches add to the flexibility of the testing available on this test pad, with the vehicle speeds dependent upon the course configuration.

Vehicle Dynamics – GM Wet Test Course

Vehicle Dynamics Dry Handling Road Course

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The dry road course portion is a 1.07 mi (1.72 km) asphalt course, featuring a 1,200 ft (366 m) long straightaway, curves, turns, and bends of various radii.

Tires are tested for dry handling performance to evaluate varying designs and constructions. Vehicle construction and component evaluations are conducted on this course.

Vehicle Dynamics Dry Handling Road Course

Vehicle Dynamics - Ride Evaluation Course Description

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This three-mile paved course is a multi-lane track with three- and four-lane straight away and two-lane curves. Various surfaces and impacts are incorporated to evaluate ride comfort, impact dampening, transmission, and tire noise as well as vehicle construction, durability and automotive component testing.

Additionally, objective pass-by noise is measured on the new ISO 10844 noise course.

Nearly level, this three-mile oval track has 1,432 ft (436 m) radius curves and 3,420 ft (1042 m) straight away

Vehicle Dynamics Ride Evaluation Course - Layout

Traction Test Facility

Designed to meet strict auto manufacturing standards and changing customer needs, this facility features a number of lanes, surfaces, and speed ranges for evaluating tire and vehicle traction performance.

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Wet Skid Testing

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This 900 ft (274 m) test area has two different surfaces for measuring the skid characteristics of different tires. One asphalt test lane and one concrete test lane offer a range of conditions similar to that of the consumer. The water on these surfaces is controlled to test under normal conditions but can be altered to accommodate a range of water depths.

Dry Skid Testing

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Designed for optional use as dry test skid areas, approaches to the wet test lanes are 2,000 ft (610 m) long and up to 100 ft (30 m) wide.

Hydroplaning

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Straight ahead test course is 250 ft (76 m) in length and typically has water depth of .375" (9.5mm). Speeds are gradually increased to determine the point of hydroplaning of the given test tire.

Lateral course is 100 m diameter circle and typically has water depth of .375" (9.5mm). Speeds are gradually increased to determine the point of hydroplaning on a set of test tires.

Traction Test Facility

Traction Test

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Traction Rig - #1

Traction Test

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Traction Rig - #3

Traction Test

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Traction Rig - #2

Uvalde Proving Grounds Facts – Main Track 13.7km – Area 2023 ha

UTQG - San Angelo, TX - Shop

Laredo Proving Grounds -Contact Information

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Laredo, TX

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Laredo Proving Grounds, Ltd.

611 Shiloh Dr, Suite 10 Laredo, TX 78045 Tel (956) 712-0200 Fax (956) 523-0902 Uvalde, TX

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Laredo Proving Grounds, Ltd.

@ Uvalde Proving Grounds FM 117 Batesville Road Uvalde, TX 78802 Tel (956) 237-5756 Juan M Lopez

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Tel (956) 237-5756 [email protected]

Wolfgang Lerke

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Tel (956) 337-0135 [email protected]

– 2010

Highlights-Outlook

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2010

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Added Regulation 117 Wet Grip testing using skid trailer Added UTQG TRACTION test @ San Angelo, TX Added Regulation 117 pass by noise testing Added lateral hydroplane testing using full size vehicles Leased additional bay from Continental Hired Gary Welch Jr.

Completed and delivered GM 4K system Built and sold 1 traction trailer to GM (YPG-Yuma, AZ) Successfully participated in GM supplier braking traction correlation Continental designates new dry skid pad

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GM adopts short slide skid for dry testing Short slide will cut down on rubber deposit to test surface

– 2012 Highlights

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Successfully participated in GM supplier braking traction correlation Built and sold 1 traction trailer Traction

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Completed traction trailer to be used for UTQG / Reg. 117 traction system Hired Jessica Clifton – Data Processing / Office Manager Hired Rick Sais – Trainee Hired Hector Ortiz – Quality/Safety Hired Brandon Rendon – Trainee Hired Agustin Carrizales – UTQG manager UTQG Tread Wear

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July 2012 begin treadwear operations Software

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Tailored software for GM-OE data file format Tailored software for UTQG customer data file format Equipment/Facility Bays

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Bought warehouse for Uvalde HQ office May 2012

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Leased 5000 sq ft building for UTQG treadwear and traction operations Purchased Mini VBox for tire evaluations Purchased 5 additional Ford Ranger trucks – UTQG Treadwear Purchased 2 - 2013 Chevrolet C2500 UTQG treadwear Purchased 2012 Chevrolet C2500 future traction system Built additional tire/wheel racks Purchased over 50 new wheels