Totrax Sales Manger Appointed
Totrax Ltd is pleased to announce the appointment of Alan Glen to the position of OEM Sales Manger. The company said that Glen has a long history of working with the specialist Manufacturers of Hi-Speed trailers, Caravans, Turf and Lawn care Machinery, Agricultural Implements, Ground Support Equipment. He joins an experienced internal and external sales team based in Boston, Lincolnshire.
Continue ReadingPDP Gives £20k to R2RC
The Premier Distribution Partnership (PDP) buying group has reaffirmed its continued support for the Right to Repair Campaign (R2RC) with a donation of £20,000. Chris Morley Joint Chairperson of the PDP comments, The right to protect where a member of the British public can go to have their vehicle serviced or repaired is fundamental to the independent garage trade in this country. So in continuing our support for R2RC we are challenging the vehicle manufacturers head on, to ensure that the vehicle repair arena remains an open and competitive one for the British public.
Continue ReadingBridgestone Recalls Motorcycle Tyres
Bridgestone Americas Tire Operation is recalling 957 Bridgestone Exedra G850 G motorcycle tyres, size 180/70R16 77H, sold as OE on 2008 and 2009 Triumph Rocket III Touring motorcycles. The very high torque Rocket III motorcycle can cause torque-induced degradation in a body ply, which may result in the tyre’s inner liner cracking, leading to a slow leak in the rear tyre only. Affected tyres can begin to vibrate at moderate speeds, producing the risk of a crash. BATO and Triumph are working to notify owners, and will replace defective tyres – and the matching front tires – free of charge. Owners can contact BATO at 800-465-1904, or NHTSA’s Vehicle Safety hotline at 888-327-4236. (Tire Review/Akron)
Continue ReadingAutomotive Industry Optimism Sees Shares Rising
Automotive sector stocks in Europe and Asia soared on April 2 following the release of positive data. Shares in BMW, Daimler and Renault jumped 14.5 per cent, 13.6 per cent, and 12.8 per cent, respectively, while shares in Michelin increased 14.4 per cent. Shares in Continental AG are said to have risen by a similar amount. Investors have been encouraged by US vehicle sales, which jumped by nearly 25 per cent last month from February.
Continue ReadingATD Building $4 Million Distribution Facility
American Tire Distributors announced it will expand its presence in Augusta, Georgia with the construction of a $4 million, 81,000 square foot distribution facility. The new facility, which has been in planning stages for four years, will result in 30 new jobs. ATD currently has a 15,600 square foot facility, which employs 10 people, in the city. “Our new facility in Augusta will allow us to be much more efficient in distributing tyres to our customers in this area,” said Dick Johnson, CEO and president of ATD, explaining that the new distribution center will be in a prime location for ATD trucks, as well as those of pick-up customers. (Tire Review/Akron)
Continue ReadingUS Retailer ‘Big 10 Tires’ Files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy
Southeast US based independent tyre retailer Big 10 Tire Stores has filed for ‘Chapter 11’ bankruptcy protection. In a statement released on April 2, the company said that it has “filed voluntary petitions for reorganisation under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the district of Delaware.” The company reports it has “adequate cash” to continue paying for the day-to-day goods and services it needs to operate and to serve its customers following the securing of financing from an affiliate of Sun Capital Partners. The petition was filed, Big 10 adds, to improve its capital structure and reduce debt, strengthen its financial and competitive position, and ultimately to get the business back on a growth track. The company says it will operate as usual at its retail locations during the reorganisation period, and will continue to honour all product and service warranties.
Continue ReadingAvon Tyres supports Formula Student teams
Avon Tyres Motorsport is supporting Formula Student competitions around the world by offering a preferential rate on its Formula Student-specific tyres to any colleges and universities who take part in the events. Run in the UK by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers and known internationally as Formula SAE, the Formula Student concept pits educational institutions from around the world against each other in order to promote excellence in engineering. Teams from as far afield as India, Russia and Canada will join establishments from across Europe at Silverstone in July, with over 100 universities hoping to take part in Formula Student 2009. All will have to design and build a small single-seater racing car to perform well in several areas including sprinting, acceleration, skid pan, endurance and economy tests, as well as being judged on the cars design, cost and presentation.
Continue ReadingYokohama Reports Loss on Revaluation of Investment Securities
Yokohama Rubber has announced it will record a 2.9 billion yen (£20.4 million) loss on the revaluation of investment securities during the fiscal year ended March 31, 2009. Company management is analysing the loss in the context of Yokohama’s overall financial performance and will determine whether the loss mandates a revision of the company’s fiscal projections.
Continue ReadingBuyer for Vredestein Banden Found
A buyer for Vredestein Banden has been found. In a written statement released by the Dutch company on April 2, the holding company Amtel-Vredestein N.V. has received a “binding offer: from a “strategic” industrial market player for the total share capital of Vredestein Banden BV. According to company CEO Rob Oudshoorn, the agreement is “very binding”, and it is “highly unlikely” that any complications will prevent the deal from going ahead. The CEO declined to disclose the deal’s value. Tyres & Accessories will report further on this transaction when information is available.
Continue Reading3.5 Million on Illegal Tyres
Up to 3.5 million motorists in the UK are driving on illegal tyres, according to new research released this week. The study of 4,000 road users for Continental Tyres revealed a worrying ignorance of British drivers when it comes to tyre safety with one in 10 drivers running on tyres below the legal minimum tread depth. More than four in 10 (41 per cent) claim to have never checked their car tyres and a third admitted to not knowing how to check tread depth and tyre pressure. The survey was commissioned to coincide with the launch of a new website offering simple guidance to drivers on how to check tyres and other basic safety information.
Continue ReadingCorghi Sees the Blue Light
In the motor vehicle workshop equipment segment, Corghi reports that it is responding to today’s global economical crisis by investing in product innovation, infrastructure and new commercial facilities. The company says that it is committed to constant research in innovative solutions to meet the demands of an increasingly discerning market, an aim that the brand hopes to address through its participation in the Autopromotec show, where it will display a wide range of its newest products. For the wheel balancer segment, Corghi presents Blue Light, a sophisticated wheel balancing machine developed in response to the needs of the upper end of the market. This high-tech system includes touch screen, real time, blue light and touchless technologies, which aim to simplify significantly the operator’s job.
Continue ReadingMondolfo Ferro Spreads its Wings
Founded in 1963 with the image of an eagle with its wings spread, Mondolfo Ferro specialises in the production of car tyres changers, wheel balancers, lifting platforms, wheels aligners, brakes and suspensions test benches, and exhaust systems analysers. Keen to publicise its innovative qualities, Mondolfo Ferro will be at the Autopromotec 2009 with its new wheel service products. The Aquila Raptor is the new tyre changer with lever-less technology for mounting and demounting, making it possible, the company claims to eliminate risk and fatigue for the operator. It also believes the machine is operated intuitively helping to increase efficiency, rapidity and safety when operating on the rim or on the tyre. The Raptor boasts a centralised control console, a double-disc vertical bead breaker unit, which allows the bead breaking operation in the work position, and a safe and rapid wheel blocking pneumatic system. The TBE 160 Matic truck tyre changer will also be presented. Conceived with lever-less technology, the machine can work with wheels with a rim diameter of up to 60” and a blocking system for the central hole of up to 110 mm. The main advantages of the TBE 160 Matic consist of the automated demounting tool and bead breaker. The machine also includes a self-supporting frame that guarantees greater freedom of movement for the operator by increasing the spaces around the machine.
Continue ReadingSupertracker Aims for “Moderate Budget” Wheel Alignment
Following what the company says was “a very successful 2008,” wheel alignment manufacturer Supertracker reports that it has maintained a good sales performance in the first quarter of this year. Recommending that garage and fast fit operators make wheel alignment an integral part of every customer visit, Supertracker is attempting to back up its assertion with a wide range of competitively-priced wheel alignment equipment ranges, making its systems available to as wide a portion of the market as possible. Managing director Trevor Lovesy is aware of the need to reduce costs in the current fiscal climate: “Obviously the significant downturn in business has affected all market sectors – including the garage equipment market – with many companies looking to minimise business expenditure as much as possible. Fortunately because the Supertracker range is more reasonably priced than other wheel alignment equipment on the market we have not seen any reduction of interest for our products.”
Continue ReadingRanger Products Counter HSE Inferiority Claim
Following the inclusion of the company name in a document produced by the HSE, Ranger Products has announced that it is offering a free verification service to anybody that may think that their BendPak lift is not an original one. The inclusion of the Ranger Products name alongside inferior lifts imported from the Far East on a recent arm locking special notice has prompted the company to take the measure in order to ensure peace of mind for its customers and to prevent its products being confused with cheaper imitations.
Continue ReadingMotorcycle News Accolades for Dunlop Tyre
Motorcycle News (MCN) has published an article this week that ranks the new Dunlop Qualifier II tyre above its nearest competitors, following a testing session at the manufacturer’s test track in the south of France during the official launch in mid March. Senior road tester at MCN, Michael Neeves, tested the tyre in the wet and dry. His report claims that the new Dunlop tyre is “2009’s most important sports tyre.” The Dunlop Sportmax Qualifier II is the latest in Dunlop’s motorcycle offering, entering the sports tyre market. It features a Multi-Tread compound with a directional tread design. The manufacturer says that it provides improved performance whilst reducing step wear. The tyre also benefits from a new compound mix, enabling a broader range of operating temperatures, and therefore – claims Dunlop – faster-warm up times, even at low external temperatures, alongside greater wet and dry road grip and high speed stability.
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