Exol’s £2.5 million HQ redevelopment
Exol Lubricants has completed the latest £2.5 million redevelopment of its 120,000sqft Wednesbury production facility, which has seen the introduction of a new warehouse, new laboratory and fleet wash facility.
About Andrew
Andrew is an editor for WhatTyre, Tyrepress, and Tyres & Accessories magazine. He has more than a decade of experience in editing, writing, and journalism.
Entries by Andrew
Auto Windshields completes AA AutoWindshields acquisition
Eight weeks to the day, Auto Windscreens (part of the Markerstudy Group of Companies) has today (1st October) confirmed that the deal to purchase AA AutoWindshields has completed. With no time to lose to ensure the full integration of 200 staff and technicians, this is cited as a phenomenally successful exercise in communication and collaboration by the Sunday Times Best Companies Top 100 listed organisation.
Oak Tyres outlines brand strategy in new Davanti era
Oak Tyres has undergone some dynamic changes this year as it adapts its business to a shifting wholesale landscape. The most radical of the company’s developments in 2015 has been the launch of its fully owned private brand Davanti, which Oak’s management most recently supported at CITExpo 2015 in Shanghai. To accommodate operations associated with the new brand, Oak Group Holdings was formed, with the Oak Tyres 100 per cent wholesale business now under this umbrella alongside Davanti Tyres, and promotional merchandise producer Davanti World. With the Davanti product designed as “an opportunity for margin”, in the words of general manager Larry Cross, Oak Tyres’ brand portfolio has increased its scope. Stating that “we have a very clear, defined brand strategy at Oak, which we have refined continuously over the past five years,” Peter Cross, commercial manager at Oak Tyres, told Tyres & Accessories a bit more about the company’s current outlook, and how the second tier “exclusive brand programmes” are offering customers the opportunity “to maximise their profits”.
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CITExpo bids farewell to Everbright in 13th edition, previews move to modern facility
The 2015 edition of the China International Tire Expo opened on 9 September in Shanghai with around 350 exhibitors – the show’s most ever. The sustained growth represented by these numbers has led to the decision by organiser Reliable International Exhibition Services to transfer CITExpo to the Shanghai World Expo Exhibition and Convention Center (SWEECC), built in the centre of the 2010 Shanghai World Expo site. The show also boasts strong continuity, with around 80 per cent of 2014 exhibitors back in 2015, according to Reliable; in past years the organiser has come to expect a similar proportion of its customers booking their space for the following year during CITExpo.
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Eden Tyres stocking SD International’s Zeta range
Derby’s Eden Tyres & Servicing (ETS) holds over 60,000 tyres in stock for immediate delivery. The family owned and managed business commenced trading in 1981 at its headquarter base in Codnor Gate, Ripley. Leigh Howes of ETS said: “One of our most established partnerships has been with Chinese based contract tyre producer SD-International. We have been purchasing their popular Zeta range for the past five years both as a wholesale brand and through our thriving ten retail outlets throughout the East Midlands. We stock the Zeta brand on an exclusive basis for a number of reasons including the extensive range available and because of its competitive pricing structure.”
Uncertain outlook for Asia-Europe tyre shipments: MCS
Asia-Europe container transportation rates are currently at a deep low (see graph), but the obvious price benefit to importers of tyres from South-East Asia is mitigated somewhat by volatility in shipping conditions, which affects punctuality and reliability of tyres’ delivery. Shipping lines’ over-estimation of the market potential has led to artificial capacity restrictions used to mitigate over-capacity, and in some cases, cancelled shippings. With these factors fundamental to UK tyre wholesale, Tyres & Accessories asked freight forwarder Maritime Cargo Services partner Rob Shelley about the issues currently at play in this market.
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Grouptyre turnover ‘approaching £310m’
Grouptyre says that “continued investment” by its members is one of the primary reasons for its 2015 growth following a period of consolidation. With a turnover fast approaching £310m, Grouptyre, which comprises 10 strong regional wholesalers, has seen further investment in warehousing, delivery vehicles and therefore availability of product and an increase in delivery drops to its retail customers. Currently Grouptyre has 40 strategically located distribution points, with more expected to be added, and 440 delivery vehicles nationwide.
Tyre Industry Awards 2015: Winners
The winners of the 2015 Tyre Industry Awards were announced during the 86th NTDA Annual Dinner on 1 October following the new one-day Tyre Industry Conference at the International Convention Centre (ICC), Birmingham. Attendance at the dinner set a new record, with 60 tables sold out. The speaker and presenter of the awards was former England Rugby Union international, amateur dancer and current television pundit, Austin Healey, who added some trademark irreverence to proceedings. The Awards were also live-tweeted as they were announced on the @Tyrepress Twitter feed. The awards were sponsored this year by Sailun Tyres.
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Giovinazzi wins 25th Zandvoort F3 Masters, supported by Kumho S700 tyres
The 25 lap grand final of the Zandvoort Formula Three Masters was won by Italian Antonio Giovinazzi, fighting off a determined challenge from fellow Carlin driver, the UK’s George Russell. The event was run on Kumho’s S700 tyres; the Korean manufacturer has supplied the event since 2002, and had a strong presence at the 18-20 September event.
Tyre Bay Direct celebrates 10 year anniversary
Tyre Bay Direct has celebrated 10 years in business. Now a family run business, Tyre Bay Direct was formed in 2005 by Roger Stote, becoming a name associated with nitrogen tyre inflation systems. With the growth in popularity of nitrogen inflation, Tyre Bay Direct has since had successful relationships with some of the largest and most recognised companies in the industry, including Kwik Fit, Selecta Tyre, Merit Tyre and Halfords. Today Tyre Bay Direct have nitrogen tyre inflation systems installed in over 1,200 tyre shops and fast fit centres across the UK and Europe.
New Giti flagship UHP tyre, GT Radial SportActive, coming soon
Giti has previewed its forthcoming ultra-high performance flagship tyre for its leading GT Radial brand. Eventually replacing the GT Radial UHP1 and HPY, the GT Radial SportActive currently has eight 17 and 18 inch sizes in production at its Hefei, China plant, the manufacturer’s senior product marketing manager Fabio Pecci-Boriani told Tyrepress during the launch of the brand’s Savero SUV tyre in Barcelona. The manufacturer will also have a further “22 sizes in production by the end of the year”, he added, with 40-50 sizes in total available by June 2016. These sizes will include some suitable for high performance SUVs. The SportActive is a significant milestone for the company; it is the first to feature Giti’s “Optimal Casing Construction” (OCC) technology, with the project led by the company’s European research and development centre in Hanover, Germany.
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Exol upgrades R&D equipment
Exol Lubricants has upgraded many new pieces of equipment at its Wednesbury and Rotherham laboratories, to further strengthen the company’s quality control, research and development processes. The Mini Rotary Viscometer, Houillon VH1 Viscometer Bath, Brookfield Viscometer and Automated TBN have all been added to the company’s laboratories.
Homebase signs up for ‘Project Pictogram’ safety initiative
Home and garden retailer Homebase (part of Home Retail Group) is among the first businesses to sign up to ‘Project Pictogram’, a national road safety initiative aimed at raising awareness about the four main causes of road traffic collisions and fatalities.
Brake Engineering expands product range
Brake Engineering is building on its Original Aftermarket approach by adding a number of new products to its entire braking range, focusing not just on first to market parts, but on developing “aftermarket” ranges that are relevant to the vehicles in independent garages.
19 finalists chosen for 2015 AutoBild winter tyre test
In its annual winter tyre performance survey, German motoring publication AutoBild narrows a wide field of 49 winter tyres and two all-season tyres with wet and snow braking measurements before conducting a full test of a range of characteristics. 19 tyres made it through to the 2015/16 season test, conducted using the tyre size 185/60 R15.
