2009 - Page 48 of 205 - Tyrepress

Toyotires.eu Reports 352 per cent Increase in Web Traffic

As Toyo retained its 7th place ranking in this year’s online brand equity report, Toyo Tire Europe GmbH representatives have reported that the European headquarters’ website (toyotires.eu) has experienced a 352 per cent increase in visitors since the beginning of 2009. If you include growth since the company refreshed its online presence this time last year, traffic has actually grown by over 3000 per cent. Toyo marketing and strategic planning manager – Europe, Mike Rignall, gave Tyres & Accessories an overview of how the company has achieved this growth, and how it plans to sustain it.

While the tyre business in general has seen better years (although Mike Rignall points out that Toyo are experiencing a much better period at this end of the year), Toyo has clearly experienced strong online success in terms of digital marketing. Rignall wouldn’t put a figure on it, but T&A understands that Toyo sky-high percentage increase figures refer to unique users, which the Japanese tyre manufacturer uses as its preferred benchmarking metric. From Rignall’s perspective, the best part about the increasing figures is the fact that the growth is continuing to date. The number of unique users grew 23 per cent in August, for example, and another 24 per cent in September.

2nd October 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Conti Expresses Concerns over MAG Group Clairoix Acquisition

Continental has voiced concerns over MAG Group’s proposed acquisition of the German manufacturer’s beleaguered Clairoix facility following its receipt of the Syrian company’s letter of intent, reports Reuters. Mail-based discussions are ongoing, says the report, with MAG vice-chairman for strategy and finance Fawaz Sabri quoted as saying, “We sent… an amended version of the letter of intent and are awaiting their response. We have put everything down and all our concerns,” he told Reuters. Conti spokesman, Alexander Luehrs said that the main points of contention were the price and the transference of technology. The German manufacturer clearly wishes to protect its technology against producing a potential competitor.

2nd October 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Bridgestone ‘RRR’ Tyres OE on Airbus A350 XWB

Bridgestone has been selected to supply tyres for the Airbus A350 XWB (eXtra Wide Body). The tyres fitted to the aircraft, comments the Japanese tyre major, will include its “RRR” (Revolutionary Reinforced Radial) construction, which Bridgestone says will contribute to reduced fuel consumption, enhanced cost management, and improved safety.

2nd October 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

John Mitchell Signs 5-Year PPK Contract

John Mitchell Haulage & Warehousing, one of Scotland’s largest hauliers, has signed a new five year pence-per-kilometre (PPK) tyre contract. One of the first road transport operators in the country to adopt a PPK approach to its tyre requirements in 1992, ATS Euromaster and Michelin have managed the tyres across the John Mitchell Haulage & Warehousing fleet of commercial vehicles, for over three decades now.

With a mixed fleet of 350 MAN and Mercedes-Benz trucks as well as Dennison trailers operating from its base in Grangemouth, the agreement sees ATS Euromaster support the company with monthly fleet inspections and UK-wide emergency roadside assistance in the event of a tyre-related breakdown.

2nd October 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

European Parliament Rolls Out New Labelling Deal

In three years all new tyres on sale in Europe will be classified and labelled for fuel efficiency, wet grip and noise performance. Yesterday (Thursday 1 October) European Parliament Industry Committee and Council negotiators reached a political agreement on a labelling system similar to that used for household appliances. However, lobby group Transport & Environment said the revised text would effectively turn the scheme into a voluntary programme, with “no clear rules on how or where the labels should be displayed.”

Like the European energy label we have come to expect on our new fridges and washing machines, the tyre label will use classes ranging from best-performance (green “A” class) to worst (red “G” class). Besides indicating how much the tyre affects the car's fuel efficiency, it will also give information about its performance in wet conditions and its external rolling noise in decibels.

The revised text for what is known as regulation 316 addresses earlier concerns from inside the tyre trade about the practical application of tyre labelling. MEPs acknowledged that, unlike household appliances, tyres are not always on display in shops. As a result they “insisted” that retailers be “obliged to show the label to the buyer before the sale and also on, or with, bills.”

2nd October 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Cam Signs Exclusive Distribution Agreement with EDP

Tyre business systems provider, Cam Systems, has signed an exclusive distribution agreement with EDP France and EDP UK for the UK tyre industry. The move is being seen as a significant step today in the company’s “business process optimisation strategy” and as a move towards RFID. The agreement covers all software and local support and installation services associated with EDP’s products, incorporating the company’s desk bound management platforms: Tyre parc; Fleet Check; and Fleet Check Lite.

Mike Allen, managing director of Cam Systems explained: “As service providers in the UK seek to increase productivity whilst also saving process costs, it became apparent that we needed to provide them with an option for a world class fleet inspection platform. The EDP software was designed in France, largely in conjunction with Michelin Europe, so its development credential is superb."

1st October 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Bike Tyrestore Sees Increase in Online Ordering

Increasingly, observes Birmingham-based wholesaler, Bike Tyrestore, customers are registering for access to their online enquiry and order service, at ‘YOUR Online Warehouse’, where pricing and stock can be viewed, and orders placed at any time. “With 75 per cent of BTS customers now using this facility, they reckon it is certainly the way forward!” says BTS joint-MD Peter Smith. The company also offers a freephone number, over which the customer service team is on hand to provide support, and take orders, for next day delivery, up to 17:45 on Monday to Friday.

1st October 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Etyres Reports Increased Sales Despite Recession

There may be a recession on, but without giving any specific figures away, etyres is reporting year-on-year sales growth in the last 12 months. Combining mobile fitting with a successful website, etyres describes itself as the UK’s first online tyre company. But it’s not just the company that speaks highly of itself, the most recent Plimsoll report into the UK Tyres, Exhausts & Batteries industry said etyres’ sales growth and profit margins “are better than the industry’s largest player.”

Managing director Tony Bowman, commented: “We have put down deep roots in the Internet tyres industry and this has enabled us to grow stronger and faster than our rivals. We began operating as Fleet Mobile Tyres back in 1992, but later recognised the potential to sell to the public through the exciting new market place – the Internet. Everything, from our use of familiar faces, like Eamonn Holmes and Vicki Butler-Henderson, in our videos, to our tyre price comparison chart, is aimed at showing the customer they are in the hands of experts.

1st October 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Alonso Signs for Ferrari

In a season full of surprises and controversy, the signing of Fernando Alonso by Ferrari – completed today in a deal that will see the Spaniard racing with the flashiest of constructors from 2010 to 2012 – does not rank highly in terms of shock factor. However, the Spanish driver’s defection from Renault is sure to add to the list of potential world champions next season; a season for which Ferrari says it is already planning, following a year in which the team has looked decidedly off the pace. Kimi Raikkonen will make way, with Felipe Massa joining Alonso on the grid to complete a team that has much to prove, especially if Alonso’s ambition to follow in Michael Schumacher’s footsteps (detailed on the BBC’s website) is to be realised.

1st October 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Maritime Cargo Services Tackles Current Tyre Industry’s Complexity

Maritime Cargo Services, a Suffolk-based freight forwarder, was founded by Rob Shelley nearly twenty years ago. Through building relationships with tyre-based companies importing products into the UK, it can now count itself among the country’s leading freight forwarding specialists in the industry. Working closely with 20 major tyre importers, the company manages the customs clearance and delivery of containers to well over a hundred tyre warehouses and depots throughout the UK and Ireland. The company talked to Tyrepress.com about its recommendations for the tyre sector and issues currently affecting global tyre wholesaling.

1st October 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Improved Tyre Paint From B&J

B&J Rocket's already-successful tyre paint has been improved and promises stronger coverage, faster drying times and a brilliant sheen. Additionally, it limits the risk of component separation during storage and it gives the colour a more pleasant smell. The Swiss company is constantly improving its product portfolio and does not make an exception when it comes to perfected products such as tyre colour.

1st October 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

SEAT On Board For Tyre Safety Month

SEAT is backing October's National Tyre Safety Month with free tyre safety checks at participating dealers nationwide. The Spanish brand is backing the month-long push to improve road safety being run by TyreSafe, which is highlighting the risks posed by driving on tyres which have insufficient tread depth, making them both illegal and dangerous. SEAT is supporting the safety campaign by offering free tyre tread depth and pressure checks on all makes and models. SEAT's vehicle technicians will also offer free 32-point full vehicle health checks for those drivers who want to ensure their car is fit for the potentially gruelling winter ahead.

1st October 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Interstate Tires To Double European Warehouse Capacity

Interstate Tires intends to double the capacity of its European warehouse by November this year. The company says that this will enable Interstate to offer its European customers quicker delivery, better service and good availability for all Interstate tyres. Theo de Vries, Vice President, said fill rates in the first half of 2009 were about 87 per cent. Light truck tyres and winter tyres, the inventory of which is not linked to demand, were instrumental in bringing down the average, he noted.

1st October 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Michelin, Goodyear Top Online Brands in 2009

Online Brand Equity

The latest Tyres & Accessories online brand equity survey analysis shows that, for the fifth straight year, Michelin is the most prominent online tyre brand by a significant margin. Michelin also came top in the sentiment index, which deducts negative mentions from the overall total. Despite it being the third year running that Michelin has attained the position of being both the most positively-referenced brand and the most prominent brand overall, it is worth noting that the margin of its lead has somewhat decreased compared with 2008. The top six most prominent brands remain the same as observed in the past four years, though with Dunlop dropping from third place in 2008 to fifth place in 2009. There remains a significant drop in relative prominence between the top six brands and the remainder, with the rankings of the bottom three brands remaining unchanged.

1st October 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

NTDA – Over 80 Years and Still Going Strong

Beginning by quipping that he didn’t mean to lie at last year’s event when he said the 2008 dinner was to be his last, NTDA chairman Peter Gaster opened this year’s chairman’s speech by explaining that the his chairmanship has been extended while he completes a review of NTDA’s future. Kwik-Fit’s David White, who will succeed Gaster as chairman, is set to take over when the select group of NTDA members has been consulting with have completed their recommendations.

The current chairman was keen to point out the association’s history and strengths: “Our association has been in existence for over 80 years and, in tyre industry terms, is the oldest surviving association and is still going strong! The main themes of any proposed changes are based upon the strength and weakness or pros and cons of our association.”

This was a reference to the association’s recent moves to resist “integration with other organisations.” However, “we would view any trade association that wanted to affiliate or even join the NTDA with an open mind and on its merit,” he added. This means that NTDA will maintain its office in Aylesbury with the ongoing support of its director and staff for the “foreseeable future.”

1st October 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

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