NTDA Tyre & Fast Fit Awards Nominations 2010

Wednesday 6 October is the date when the winners of 2010 Tyre and Fast-Fit (TAFF) Awards – the sixth year of the awards – will be revealed at the NTDA's Annual Dinner. But there's a long way to go before then, as the list of nominated companies has only recently been published, with voting forms appearing in last month's and this issue of Tyres & Accessories. Once again, we are the media partner for the TAFF Awards and are sponsoring the "Industry Advertising Campaign" category.

As in previous years, customers are invited to choose a company from each of five short lists in the following categories: Tyre Manufacturer of the Year, Wholesaler of the Year, Industry Advertising Campaign, Tyre & Aftermarket Equipment Supplier of the Year and the Environmental category. Look out for articles detailing each of the categories in our e-Newsletter over the next few days and a complete run-down of the nominations in the August issue of the magazine. First off – Tyre Manufacturer of the Year.

As well as filling in voting forms, retailers can vote online via the NTDA website. However you vote, entries are restricted to one vote per bona fide tyre and fast fit company and should be received by 13 September. There is one other category – the Innovation Award – in which companies can nominate their own products or services which they believe deserve to be described as ‘innovative’. A panel of experts drawn from all sectors of the industry will decide on the short list and will pick the eventual winner.

Competition for the TAFF Awards is always intense, as it is the ultimate compliment to be judged to be the best by your customers, although making the short list is in itself an honour. This article gives the nominees a last chance to plead their cases and to influence those who really matter – you, the customers.

Tyre Manufacturer of the Year

Three of this year’s nominees, Bridgestone, Continental and Michelin, were nominated in 2009, with Conti running out winners. This year, they are joined by Hankook Tyre UK and Vredestein UK, so who will win – will it be a David, or a Goliath?

Apollo Vredestein: In 2009, Vredestein was acquired by the Indian company Apollo Tyres Ltd. The premium brand remains Vredestein and the company name was changed to Apollo Vredestein BV. This acquisition gives the Vredestein brand the chance to explore new markets like Asia and Africa and allows Apollo to leverage the technology of creating high performance tyres and the automation of production processes. Both companies are passionate to implement the best technology at all the production sites. Apollo gives Vredestein the opportunity to access the Asian and African market and Vredestein can help Apollo to enter the European and North American market through its own distribution network.
 
The name of Vredestein has been famous in the world of car tyres, tyres for agricultural and industrial vehicles and two wheel tyres for a very long time. You don’t become an authority just like that – in fact, the company started up way back in 1908 in Holland, and since then has never lost its authenticity. By focusing on innovation, investing in technology and a distinctive marketing strategy, Vredestein has grown to become a leader in Europe in the field of tyres, building a sound reputation for quality.

The company decided to team up with the world-famous Italian designer Giorgetto Giugiaro to make an extra step towards the premium segment. This innovative co-branding with Giugiaro started in 1999 and is still a very special symbiosis in the tyre industry. Giugiaro has been designing Vredestein’s high-end tyres ever since – and with great success

Bridgestone UK: 2010 has been momentous for Bridgestone. It has been a year of innovation, excellence, influencer engagement and dealer support.

Bridgestone used its world-beating tyre technology to launch two leading tyres, one for car, one for bike. The Potenza S001 is a high-performance tyre for top sports cars and high-powered luxury vehicles. Designed for maximum sports performance, the tyre also delivers high efficiency with reduced rolling resistance and is tuned for wet safety.

The new bike tyre was the Battlax BT023. This tyre has strengthened Bridgestone’s position in the sport-touring sector by replacing the BT021 and significantly upgrades the performance of its predecessor by offering improved mileage and better wet performance, as well as meeting the handling expectations of the most demanding riders through improved grip and steering control.

In addition, Bridgestone introduced the ‘Third Generation’ of Run Flat Tyres, which place a renewed focus upon enhanced ride comfort and the tyres are widely reported to ride as well as conventional tyres, thanks to a softer sidewall construction.

To support their commitment to the environment and their latest green tyre range, the Ecopia, Bridgestone launched the Bridgestone Eco Rally which showcased the latest in low and zero emission technology, using its ties with F1 to bring in high-profile names such as Patrick Head and Nico Hulkenburg.

As well as delivering the highest quality products to its customers, Bridgestone also prides itself on working closely with dealers to understand and improve their business. Their approach adds real value by helping dealers to win new customers, increase profitability and improve customer service.

Continental Tyre Group: Continental aims to provide “revolutionary products along with industry leading customer service.” Despite the downturn, Continental has continually invested in research and development and in 2010 has launched products that break performance boundaries and exceed end user’s expectations. These include the ultra high performance car tyre, the ContiSportContact 5 P, the long distance trailer tyre, HTL 2 Eco Plus and pneumatic radial industrial tyre, the ContiRT20 Performance.

From providing shorter stopping distances in both wet and dry conditions for motorists to helping businesses reduce whole life tyre costs, Continental delivers a package that has end user needs at heart. Continental also offers strong support to tyre retailers through commercial advice, training and technical expertise.

Continental strives to raise awareness of industry issues, helping consumers and end users realise the importance of good tyre maintenance both in terms of road safety and the environment. 
Continental is the number one tyre manufacturer in Europe in the passenger and light truck tyre market and the industrial tyre market. The company is number two in truck original equipment and number four in truck replacement in Europe. Continental is the market leader in winter tyres and automobile original equipment and is a top five automotive supplier worldwide.

Hankook Tyre UK: A combination of factors has seen Hankook increase its presence in the UK and it continues building on these firm foundations for the future.

Hankook says the growth and success in the UK has been well planned in all sectors of the market, from increasing OE work for a wide range of manufacturers to car and truck tyre sales through the loyal and established network of independent dealers who are well placed to help Hankook increase its market share.

Crucial to recent success and ability to cope with increased demand has been the opening of Hankook’s factory in Hungary in 2007 and its capacity is set to be boosted still further to 10 million tyres a year with a new phase of development due to open next year.

Together with the increased capacity, the quality of tyres being produced in Hungary has helped Hankook secure prestigious OE contracts – the most recent with the Volkswagen group opening up a key new market for Hankook tyres to be fitted to Audi, SEAT, Skoda and Volkswagen models where Hankook holds original equipment approvals.

Models already supplied by Hankook include the Polo, Golf and the Audi A3 and Hankook also supplies tyres to Hyundai for its i30, which is manufactured in the Czech Republic.

Michelin:  With 109,000 employees and a sales network covering more than 170 countries, Michelin is the worldwide leader in tyre manufacture. Dedicated to the improvement of sustainable mobility, Michelin designs, manufactures and sells tyres for all types of vehicles.

New products launched in the last year include the Pilot Sport 3 high performance car tyre, the Alpin 4 winter tyre, the Power Pure motorcycle tyre and the Kleber Gripker 65-series agricultural tyre.

Michelin’s commitment to offering its customers the best products on the market is reinforced by the annual independent testing to which it submits its tyres. This year, the company’s Energy Saver and Pilot Sport 3 car tyres were shown to offer the longest life, best fuel efficiency and shortest wet braking performance compared to their main European competitors.

Michelin’s environmental milestones include Challenge Bibendum 2010 which was held in Brazil. This event brought together automotive companies, experts and government representatives from around the world to demonstrate and discuss the latest environmental transport solutions.

Michelin’s Fill Up With air campaign continues throughout Europe, this year visiting more UK locations than ever before, offering free pressure checks and advice to motorists on the importance of correct tyre maintenance.

In terms of travel and tourism, Michelin continues to develop new technologies through ViaMichelin, including the newly introduced electronic Green Guides which allow travellers to create their own bespoke guides for their chosen destinations, and 2010 also saw the welcome re-introduction of the much loved I-Spy books for children.

Related News:

• Excellent Turnout for 80th NTDA Annual Dinner and 2009 TAFF Awards

• Continental Wins 2 TAFF Awards at 80th NTDA Dinner