Taff Innovation Award Entries Announced

Entrants to the final category in the 2010 NTDA Tyre and Fast Fit Awards – the Innovation Award – have been announced. As you would expect the eight entrants this year represent a complete cross section of the tyre industry with companies from the manufacturer/supplier (Continental, GITI and Michelin), garage equipment (Pro-Align), retail (HiQ) workshop consumables (Apaseal) and tyre recovery (Vellco Tyre Control) sectors represented.

Continental has entered on a double ticket, hoping that there is enough innovation in its electronic invoicing system and ContiSportContact 5P UHP tyre to win over the judges panel. GITI is entering on the basis of its Champiro ECO fuel saving product, which the company says meets 2012 labelling regulations ahead of time, while Michelin hopes Michelin X One Maxitrailer tyre stands out from the pack.

Meanwhile Apaseal has entered its JobFlow Plus work management system and Pro-Align believes its fully integrated alignment system can do enough to win. Representing the retail sector, HiQ has placed its confidence in the innovation behind its HiQOnline system, while Vellco Tyre Control complete a reasonably environmentally friendly compilation of entrants with its carbon neutrality efforts.

Unlike the other categories, which are decided entirely on the basis of popular vote, the winner of the Innovation Award is decided by a panel of industry specialists, with the successful entrant announced during the award ceremony at the Manchester Deansgate Hilton on 6 October 2010.