October 2009 - Page 14 of 20

Micheldever Group 109th in Sunday Times Top Track 250

Continued growth at Micheldever Group means the group has jumped to 109th place in the prestigious Sunday Times Top Track 250 list of the most successful mid-market companies. In the past two years the group has jumped by almost 100 places in the Sunday Times list with group sales reaching £259.3 million, up 16 per cent over the previous year. Annual turnover for 2009/10 is forecast to be over £283 million.

The league table, which is co-sponsored by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, ranks Britain’s biggest mid-market private companies by their latest sales figures, which range from £592 million to £153 million. In addition to retailers in the automotive business, companies span a wide range of industries from construction to IT and property. Micheldever Group is the only tyre industry player to be placed in this illustrious listing.

Commenting on the group’s performance Paul Fox chief executive said: “We are absolutely delighted to have accelerated up the Sunday Times Top Track 250 list. It is a reflection of the tremendous hard work of our dedicated team of people here at Micheldever set against a very difficult and challenging market. The investment we have made in warehousing, new retail outlets together with systems and procedures have put us at the top of the tyre distribution business.”

12th October 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Geißinger Becomes Chairman of World Bearing Association

News

Schaeffler Group president and CEO Dr. Jürgen M. Geißinger has been elected president of the World Bearing Association (WBA) at the organization’s fourth annual meeting in Tokyo. The WBA represents the interests of the bearing industry where initiatives of individual companies have proved to be insufficient. Its objectives include the elimination of competition distorting trade restraints as well as the introduction of uniform environmental protection standards. Special focus is on the fight against product piracy.

“Counterfeiting earns large sums of money and causes immense economic damage,” explained Dr. Geißinger. “WBA will therefore further reinforce its initiatives – this means intensified information and clarification of facts for customers on one hand and uncompromising prosecution of offenders on the other,” said Dr. Geißinger.

WBA was established as an umbrella organization of the American Bearing Manufacturers’ Association (ABMA), the Japan Bearing Industrial Association (JBIA) and the European Bearing Manufacturers’ Association (FEBMA) in September 2006. It represents the leading global bearing companies with sales of approximately 20 billion euros, which equates to about 75 per cent of the rolling bearing market worldwide.

12th October 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Du Quesne To Debut Tyre Changer At Equip'Auto

News

For years, the DQN – Du Quesne Pro-Fit tyre changer has been the machine of choice for thousands of tyre professionals around the world; not only for the mounting/dismounting of standard tyres, but also for low-profile and RunFlat products. Nevertheless, the continuous evolution in tyre technology has prompted DQN – Du Quesne to expand its product range with a new model of tyre changer: the Opti-Fit, which will make its world debut at the forthcoming 2009 Equip’Auto fair. The fair runs from 13th to 16th October.

The major features of the Opti-Fit are its improved structural rigidity, enhancing its resistance to the tensions resulting from the dis-/mounting of today's hardest tyre types, as well as its ability to deal with even wider tyre sizes. In addition, the Opti-Fit has been designed to further simplify the handling related to dis-/mounting operation, while still keeping a literal 'hands-on' approach to tyre changing. This approach has been followed by the DQN – Du Quesne family business, since it was founded by Victor du Quesne in 1929, exactly 80 years ago.

12th October 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

“New Opportunities Arising”: RH Claydon Becomes UK Matador Truck, Hankook’s Aurora Supplier

News

While the economic events of late-2008, carrying on to the present day saw the UK, along with most of the world, assume the default attitude of Dad’s Army’s Private Fraser (NB exclaiming, with wide, fatalistic eyes, “we’re all doomed!”), RH Claydon says that it has seen “healthy advances” in some segments, including agricultural products and tyres required for the Open Space Management Sector, sports complexes, golf courses, parks departments and local authority needs. The company has also announced that it is the sole UK supplier of Matador light and heavy truck tyres.

12th October 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

NDI UK “Working Even Closer” with Danish HQ

News

Less than 12 months ago NDI UK was operating as a regional wholesaler around its base in the West Midlands, but now its Danish headquarters – one of Scandinavia’s largest tyre and wheel distribution groups, Nordisk Daek Import A-S – has its eyes on a larger goal. Managing Director, Ian Smith states, “we are now concentrating on working even closer with our headquarter base in Denmark in order to encompass all market sectors ranging from small implement tyres up to larger earthmover designs offering a nationwide service throughout the UK.”

12th October 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Kings Road Tyres Improving Service in North West England

News

Kings Road Tyres has a newly-opened Liverpool (Widnes) location, offering customers better service in the North West of England. The company, one of the UK and Ireland’s largest independent tyre distributors, can offer the majority of its customers, either next day/two day delivery throughout the countries using its own fleet of vehicles, from its eight strategically located sales and distribution centres.

12th October 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

US Tyre Demand 'Improving'

News

US replacement tyre demand increased 4 per cent year-on-year in September, according to RMA data. Analysts equated this to a 1 per cent growth in the third quarter 2009. Nevertheless sources report that 2009 demand (at 174 million consumer tyres) is still down 14.4 per cent in the year September. During the same period US truck tyre volumes fell 23.6 per cent to 10.8 million units.

Based on last year’s figures, Deutsche Bank analysts predicted that this trend would increase towards the end of the year: “Two of the past three months have posted positive year-on-year results and year-on-year comparisons also become much easier in the months ahead.” Replacement demand fell -15.8, -17.1 and -15.5 per cent in October to December 2008.

12th October 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

US’s Lucy’s Tire Expanding Product Mix to Performance Tyres, Wheels as Falcon Tire

News

Based in Florida, Lucy's Tire Inc began life in 1985, specialising in the sale of industrial and OTR tyres to Central and South America and the Caribbean, but has now expanded its range to include truck, agricultural and high performance tyres and wheels, the last of which it distributes through its Falcon Tire tyre centres throughout its home state.

12th October 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

König Wheels Boasts Video Game ‘Fitments’

Motorsport, Premium

With a raft of new motorsport video game releases comes the opportunity for top brands to score some novel recognition points within the market. König Wheels distributor, Varga Trading Company, contacted tyrepress.com to let us know that its wheels are currently optional fitments to the high performance machines featured in recent title, ‘Need for Speed: Shift’. The brand also features as part of the Audi models’ in-game livery. The ability to modify vehicles has become more prevalent in recent games, prompted by the pretty incredible choices offered by virtual racing simulator series, ‘Forza Motorsport’ (Xbox 360) and ‘Gran Turismo’ (Playstation 3). With the latest editions of both of these series due over the next few months, auto manufacturers seem to be realising the impact appearances in video games can have in brand conscious markets.

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12th October 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Johnson Controls Targets Bangers with ‘Black Dynamic’ Battery

News

Many of us have been strapped for cash at some time or another, and the recession has left large numbers of people financially smarting throughout the UK. Despite the extended scrappage scheme, more drivers have been prompted to hang onto their cars for longer periods of time. Johnson Controls is catering to this growth market with its Varta-branded Black Dynamic battery, and will begin shipping this product to independent workshops and repairers this autumn.

12th October 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Kal Tire Buys Majority Stake in OTR Tyres

News

Kal Tire of Canada has bought a majority stake in Alfreton, Derbyshire-based OTR Tyres, creating the world’s first Global Earthmover Tyre Service company. This means the company will two companies will be rebranded under one name at some point in the future. This means “a gradual migration to a new brand over time.” OTR’s Alfreton head office will continue to be an administrative hub for the various OTR businesses.

12th October 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

National Fleet – Offering Service When and Where You Want it

News

National Fleet is confident the bespoke services it provides fleet market customers are not only high quality and customer-driven – the Stockport headquartered company considers itself the UK’s leading provider of such services, and as evidence of this distinction points to its fleet of mobile vehicles and independent fleet partners – who combined provide access to over 200 vehicles that enable customers to receive an on-site fitting service at their own choice of location. This service, National Fleet adds, is available round the clock, every day of the year, and is free of charge during normal working hours.

12th October 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

World’s Fastest Land Rover Defender Uses Michelin Tyres

Motorsport

A Michelin Diamaris-shod diesel-powered Defender 90 has just won the World’s Fastest Land Rover Defender shootout. The event, which took place at Bruntingthorpe proving ground in Leicestershire on Tuesday 29 September, attracted 27 entries from tuners and private individuals who brought along their Defenders to see which would be fastest over a number of tests. These included straight-line acceleration and timed sprints around short circuits.

Commenting on the performance, the car’s owner Charlie Fawcett said: “We are obviously very pleased to have won this event as we were up against some much more powerful opposition, including supercharged V8-powered vehicles. In the end though, the (285/50 R18) Michelin tyres really made a difference as we were able use every one of our 239bhp to easily win both of the timed circuit sprints, and the overall title. At times we had so much grip that the car was cornering on two wheels and our driver said it reminded him of his Clio race car in the way it turned into corners.”

12th October 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Eibach Releases 370Z Suspension Upgrade

Product News

The handling qualities of the latest Nissan 370Z have received a tweak from suspension specialist Eibach. The company’s new Pro-Kit spring upgrade lowers the car by up to 40mm, giving it what Eibach calls a more “aggressive” stance and allowing the factory alloys to better fill the wheel arches. However the kit is not all show and no go, notes Eibach; the 370Z’s new, lower centre of gravity endows it with sharper steering responses and far less body roll.

12th October 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

UK Firm Fined for Illegal Export of Waste Tyres

News

Cheshire based company BTR Limited has been ordered to pay £10,000 in fines and costs for its involvement in the illegal export of waste tyres to Vietnam. The case, taken by the Environment Agency, is the first ever taken under new regulations controlling the import and export of waste to the UK.

12th October 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

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