TIA board elects Formanek as secretary; Wolfe as treasurer
The Tire Industry Association (TIA) recently elected Tom Formanek as its new board secretary at its biannual meeting held 18-20 June 2014. He will begin his one-year term as secretary on 3 November. After that year, he will proceed as vice president, then president, then past president; all of these positions are for one-year terms.
United Aftermarket Network (UAN) has announced that Gayle Lock has been promoted to the newly created position of Marketing Manager. Gayle, who joined UAN in 2009, worked previously in the area of marketing support, helping to develop programmes and initiatives for one of the UK’s most innovative automotive aftermarket buying groups. Gayle is currently studying for her Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) Certificate in Professional Marketing.
The Parts Alliance acquires Bromsgrove Motor Factors
The Parts Alliance business group has completed its acquisition of the Worcestershire-based Bromsgrove Motor Factors (BMF). It follows the acquisition of The Parts Alliance by HgCapital, the investment company with a £2 billion automotive fund. The Parts Alliance’s new chief executive Peter Sephton said he was excited to be welcoming new colleagues from BMF to the HgCapital backed Parts Alliance group ‘family’.
Chris Townend and Dan Fields, two members of Bandvulc’s Fleet Support team, have expanded their roles at the retreader and fleet service operation. Both will assume Key Fleet Account responsibility alongside their existing duties.
Goodall takes on business development role at Bandvulc
In a recent staff review Bandvulc moved Corby Goodall, the company’s longest serving sales team member into a business development role. According to the company, this enables him to focus on the development and growth of new opportunities and to identify areas of expansion for the business overall.
Following its latest annual shareholder conference and the 21st board meeting, which was held on 12 June, Federal Corporation appointed Shao-Jin Ma the new chairman of the Federal Group and Jamie (Shu Jam) Ma as chairman and general manager of Federal Corporation.
Cheng Shin appoints new chairman, outlines Indonesia project at AGM
At Taiwanese tyre maker Cheng Shin Rubber’s Annual General Meeting, the son of company founder Lo Chieh (Luo Jie) was appointed the firm’s new chairman of the board. Lo Tsai-Jen (Lo Cairen), previously vice-chairman, replaces his 88-year old father as chairman effective 17 June. Lo Tsai-Jen became vice-chairman of the board in 2010; prior to that he served as general manager.
Nexen appoints Seung-Do Jin as new European president
Nexen Tire has appointed Seung-Do Jin, a former Hankook Europe head, as president Nexen Tire Europe. Jin has years of professional experience and, according to the company, his team will be able to align the company in order to “meet all future challenges successfully”.
Yokohama signs new labour agreement with steelworkers union
Yokohama Tire Manufacturing Virginia, LLC (YTMV) has signed a new four-year contract with United Steelworkers (USW) Local 1023, according to Tetsuro “Tex” Murakami, president of YTMV, located in Salem, Virginia.
“Both parties worked diligently to achieve a contract that is fair and equitable for all involved,” Murakami said, “and it highlights the positive working relationship between the two sides.”
A team of 12 cyclists from Michelin’s Commercial, solutions and manufacturing departments in the UK are making final preparations for one of their toughest cycling challenges yet when they take on the first two stages of the Tour de France Grand Départ 2014. Swapping their business suits for padded lycra shorts, the team will attempt to ride 391 km over three days between 6 – 8 June in aid of the University Hospital of North Staffordshire (UHNS). The route, from Leeds to Harrogate, and then York to Sheffield, will see them climb more than 22,000 ft – the equivalent of nearing the summit of Mount Everest, or climbing Ben Nevis five times.
Kumho Tyre (UK) Ltd (KTUK) has established a new direct sales organisation following on from the recent announcement of a new three-year contract with Micheldever Tyre Services.
The new facility is located at Magna Park near Lutterworth in Leicestershire and provides an office base for the company’s expanded sales and marketing division as well as a warehouse stocked with the company’s full range of car, 4x4, van, truck and motorsport tyres. Sited close to the M1, M6 and M69 motorways, the Magna Park centre is perfectly placed to act as a national distribution hub.
Derek Carruthers has been named as sales and marketing director for Cooper Tire Europe. Within the internal corporate structure, Derek Carruthers will be reporting to managing director Jeff Schumaker and is responsible for sales, marketing, pricing and customer service.
Nexen Tire reports that Joo-Ho Song, The former president of Nexen Tire is to “take over new functions” at the company. Nexen was at pains to point out that the news marks the end of “an almost two year lasting success story of the Korean top manager in Germany”. No details of who will follow Joo-Ho Song have yet been released, but an announcement is expected shortly.
Bridgestone appoints northern UK consumer marketing manager
Bridgestone has appointed Wim Belckx as its new north region consumer marketing manager. Now based in Leamington, the 34 year-old, originally from Belgium, has worked his way up the Bridgestone ladder since his first job as a marketing analyst at BSEU in 2003. Belckx takes up his position having headed Brussels’ newly created pricing department in 2010.
Neil Ebbs, of MAHA UK, was appointed president of the Garage Equipment Association, (GEA), at the association’s AGM, which was held at the GEA offices in Daventry on 3 April 2014.
Ebbs’ experience in running the UK division of MAHA is likely to be beneficial to the progression of the association as it seeks to “improve safety and standards in the garage equipment industry”. MAHA is an abbreviation of MAschinenbau HAldenwan, which roughly translates as manufacturer from Haldenwan. (Haldenwan is a small Bavarian town, however, today MAHA are one of the largest European equipment manufacturers). Neil Ebbs takes over from Andrew Bates of Straightset, who has served as president for the past two years.
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