Update: ‘Look After Your Tyres and Your Tyres Will Look After You’

From January 2007 the Tyre Industry Council (TIC) will be known as TyreSafe. It also aims to raise its profile and will become a more proactively consumer-facing organisation. The news follows decisions from TIC director Peter Taylor and chairman, Brian Smith, to step down at the end of 2006. According to a statement released by the organisation, TyreSafe will “address the challenges facing the tyre industry and in particular the issues of corporate responsibility and duty of care legislation as they relate to tyres and their use.”

TyreSafe has already received support and funding from influential companies including: ATS Euromaster, Bridgestone, Continental Tyres, Cooper Tyres, Goodyear Dunlop, Hankook, Hi-Q, Just Tyres, Kumho Tyres, Michelin, National Tyres & Autocare, Pirelli, Stapletons and Viking International. The organisation is also in talks with other well-known manufacturers, not to mention logistics and leasing companies.
For those behind the move, the re-packaging of the TIC as TyreSafe is more than a simple name change. It also marks a departure from some of the activities the association became known for. In other words, the new organisation will continue the work started by the TIC, but with an obviously different emphasis and arguably more customer-focused emphasis.

No more roadside tread depth checks

The roadside tread depth checks that the TIC pioneered are said to have served their course in the UK, but there will be a renewed emphasis on raising consumer awareness of tyre safety issues and information through the media and specifically the consumer automotive press. TyreSafe representatives point out that while the proportion of illegal tyres on UK roads has fallen from 18 to 12 per cent in recent years, getting the number below this point will require a different approach to what has been operated in the past. Roadside checks will continue in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

The organisation will also cease to be funded by industry trade associations and instead become more closely related to companies and organisations in the industry. In the past the BRMA (now BTMA), NTDA, RMA and TWG all contributed to this organisation. The situation couldn’t be more different now. Not only has the organisation of many of those associations changed, but the kind of role they will play in relation to the TIC will also be different in the future. In addition to the most influential tyre industry players, even a small BMW dealer will be able to register its support.

TyreSafe representatives report that the new organisation is still keen to work with the existing trade associations, particularly with regard to supporting the TIF’s lobbying activities.
Throughout the TIC’s history it has been seen as a point of contact for industry information. This has particularly been the case since the organisation launched its online presence. Now the TIC receives regular calls from the motoring public (and commercial sources) looking for information on tyre fitments and pressures. The problem is, up till now, the organisation hasn’t really been geared up for this.

And that’s why the organisation has particularly set aside funds for development of a new TyreSafe website which will be linked to the popular TIC page and the websites of its supporters and stakeholders. This development is described as a “scaling up” of the association’s online presence and will feature professionally designed flash animation.

TyreSafe will also focus on a much broader range of tyres than before. In addition to the obvious passenger car segment, TyreSafe has plans to represent the tyre safety aspects of motorbike and truck products as well. In short the organisation hopes to make TyreSafe “the first point of call for all tyre information.”

Who will lead the TIC?

In mid-December the last meeting of the old the TIC council convened to discuss questions of how a smooth transition to the new organisational structure can be made.

The meeting also chose a chairman, the identity of whom is likely to be announced in the early part of 2007. The new role of chairman is described as a figurehead for the organisation, according to spokesman, Chris Wakley. Tyres & Accessories also learnt that “interesting developments” are due to take place at the beginning of 2007. Further details, however, were not forthcoming.