![PCL names new technical sales manager](https://www.tyrepress.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/bkershaw-scaled-e1622114068956.jpg)
PCL names new technical sales manager
PCL has appointed Ben Kershaw as technical sales manager. Kershaw will be responsible for growing sales and providing technical and product support in the petrol, automotive, industrial and fluid markets.
Continue Reading![RMI Academy of Automotive Skills opening new site in Lincoln](https://www.tyrepress.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/FINAL-RMI-Academy-Logo-scaled.jpg)
RMI Academy of Automotive Skills opening new site in Lincoln
The RMI Academy of Automotive Skills is opening a new training facility in Lincoln to broaden the reach of its high-quality automotive training. The new site joins three existing locations in Southam, Runcorn and Winchester, and is the first of a number of additional academies planned as part of the trade body’s wider strategy to provide training for garages on a more local basis. A wide array of MOT and technical courses will be available when the site opens in July.
Continue Reading![NFDA welcomes What Car?’s findings on franchised dealers’ trustworthiness](https://www.tyrepress.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/tlo_biz83a-scaled-e1602237521703.jpg)
NFDA welcomes What Car?’s findings on franchised dealers’ trustworthiness
“It is extremely positive that consumers continue to see franchised dealers as the most trustworthy place to buy their next used car; these findings indicate the crucial role that franchised dealers play in the buying process alongside the significant growth of online sales”, said Sue Robinson, Chief Executive of the National Franchised Dealers Association (NFDA), which represents franchised car and commercial vehicle dealers in the UK commenting on the findings published by What Car? today, 26 May 2021.
Continue Reading![The top 10 UK tyre retail chains 2021](https://www.tyrepress.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/AKwikFitcentreinYork-KwikFitClubisinitiallyavailabletodriversinYorkshireandtheNorthWest.jpg)
The top 10 UK tyre retail chains 2021
With a pandemic, an MOT extension and three lockdowns to contend with, describing the last year as “difficult” would be an understatement. Nevertheless, tyre retailers have demonstrated that they are not only key workers essential to keeping the British Isles rolling, but also versatile and resilient businesspeople during the last 12 months. A quick look at the top 25 UK tyre retail chains 2021 table reveals that it has been a more eventful year than normal in terms of branch openings and closings, but overall the clear message is one of consolidation. As a result, the top 25 UK tyre retail chains wield more power than ever. Specifically, the top 25 now run 2528 branches between them. When our coverage of this area began back at the end of the 2008/2009 tax year, the figure was 1978. During the interim, the rough estimate for the total number of tyre retailers national has stayed stable at around 10,000 specialists (that number is roughly double that if you include general garages). This means the top 25 occupy roughly 25 per cent of the number of branches, up 6 percentage points since 2009.
Continue Reading![NBRA to meet Small Business Commissioner to discuss review of contract terms](https://www.tyrepress.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/nbra.jpg)
NBRA to meet Small Business Commissioner to discuss review of contract terms
The Office of Small Business has agreed to meet with The National Body Repair Association (NBRA), to discuss steps to encourage motor insurers to review their repair contracts with vehicle body repair shops with more reasonable timeframes. Many NBRA members who provide car body, scratch, dent and other repair services to motorists across the UK, experienced a significant decline in demand for their services due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Continue Reading![TyreWatch to unveil cost-cutting, safety, environmental protection for fleets](https://www.tyrepress.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/050521-TyreWatchs-cost-cutting-safety-and-environmental-protection-for-fleet-operators-at-ITTHub-2021-3.jpg)
TyreWatch to unveil cost-cutting, safety, environmental protection for fleets
Commercial vehicle tyre management system supplier TyreWatch will unveil two new products at this year’s ITTHub transport show. The company says the new additions will cut costs, improve safety and lower carbon emissions for operators across all commercial vehicle sectors. AutoAlign is a dynamic vehicle monitoring system designed to combat the widespread problem of wheel misalignment. TyreWatch says around a third of fleets suffer from misalignment unknowingly. The system will be rolled out in the UK in September 2021. Also due to be launched at the ITTHub show is a new version of the widely used TyreWatch VanSmart tyre monitoring system which, says the company, will improve safety and reduce running costs for light commercial vehicle operators. AutoAlign features Using the market proven TyreWatch ‘connected technology’ platform, AutoAlign continuously monitors each vehicle and detects any wheel alignment issue as soon as it occurs and automatically notifies the operator so that immediate corrective action can be taken.
Continue Reading![Torque from the Top – Andrea Manenti, vice president – Bridgestone North Europe region](https://www.tyrepress.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Andrea-Manenti-e1621957052203.png)
Torque from the Top – Andrea Manenti, vice president – Bridgestone North Europe region
Continuing our ongoing series of interviews with leading tyre executives, this month’s edition hears of Bridgestone’s achievements in the realms of sustainability, material development, retreading and more. Tyres & Accessories: What effect has the pandemic had on the day-to-day running of your business? Have you had to make any fundamental changes? Torque from the Top is a regularly feature in the print edition of Tyres & Accessories magazine. Not a subscriber? No problem, click here to become one.
Continue Reading![Ofgem to invest in EV charging infrastructure](https://www.tyrepress.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/EV-charge-point-225x300.jpg)
Ofgem to invest in EV charging infrastructure
After the news announced today that Ofgem will be investing £300m into the UK’s electric car charging network, Sepi Arani, Director of OEM at www.carwow.co.uk, said the following: “We’re pleased to hear that Government regulator Ofgem will be investing around £300m into the EV charging infrastructure here in the UK.
Continue Reading![Romanian car tyre retreader Radburg prospering in adversity](https://www.tyrepress.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Copy-of-750_4064-scaled.jpg)
Romanian car tyre retreader Radburg prospering in adversity
Founded in roughly 1994 as a casing collection company which focused on imports, Radburg is now one of the leading retreaders in Europe and certainly the biggest car tyre retreader in Eastern Europe and Romania. What’s different about Radburg compared with most of the other retreaders across the continent, is that the majority of Radburg’s annual retreaded tyre output (70 per cent) is made up of passenger car products.
Continue Reading![Virtual event focuses on apprentices’ mental wellbeing](https://www.tyrepress.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/59_QWJzdHJhY3QgYmFja2dyb3VuZCB3aXRoIGVhcnRoLmpwZw-scaled-e1602237450291.jpg)
Virtual event focuses on apprentices’ mental wellbeing
During Mental Health Awareness Week which ran from 10 to 16 May 2021, Drive My Career announced a new “Supercharged” virtual event which will take place on 9 June 2021 to support apprentices’ mental health and wellbeing. The session follows the success of the first “Driving Inclusivity in Automotive” event held in December 2019 in partnership with dealer group Lookers. External speakers from Babcock International, Ben, the automotive charity, Lookers and the National Franchised Dealers Association (NFDA) will be covering a number of issues related to apprentices’ wellbeing.
Continue Reading![GS Yuasa celebrate 40 years of battery production in South Wales](https://www.tyrepress.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/gs-yuasa-celebrate-40-years-of-battery-production-in-south-wales.jpg)
GS Yuasa celebrate 40 years of battery production in South Wales
Since being established 40 years ago in 1981, GS Yuasa Battery Manufacturing UK Ltd has produced over 85 million batteries at their Ebbw Vale production facility, employing over 360 skilled workers from around the local area to do so. Initially established as Yuasa Battery UK Ltd, the company name changed to GS Yuasa Battery Manufacturing UK Ltd in 2017 as part of the global roll out of the parent company name from Japan. The factory is located near the Brecon Beacons, and 30 miles from the Welsh capital Cardiff. Since being established in 1981, it has become a mainstay of the Rassau Industrial Estate on which it is based.
Continue Reading![New guidance published to prevent use of vehicles as weapons](https://www.tyrepress.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/transport-city-cyber-1.jpg)
New guidance published to prevent use of vehicles as weapons
New guidance has been published designed to prevent commercial vehicles, including vans, lorries, buses, coaches and even cranes, from being used as weapons in acts of terrorism. The standard, which has been published by the British Standards Institution (BSI) and sponsored by the Department for Transport, sets out a raft of security measures to prevent criminals and terrorists from accessing commercial vehicles.
Continue Reading![First Stop unveils ‘most advanced’ centre in Weston-super-Mare](https://www.tyrepress.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Ethan-Paul-and-Dan.jpg)
First Stop unveils ‘most advanced’ centre in Weston-super-Mare
First Stop has unveiled its “most advanced automotive centre” in Weston-super-Mare. The state-of-the-art depot in Aisecome Way offers a broad range of services, including tyre replacements, alignment, fixed-price servicing and an MOT bay fully equipped for cars, vans and motorcycles. Centre manager Dan Radford and his three colleagues are all from the local area. They say it is a “privilege to work” at the centre with its “second-to-none” facilities.
Continue Reading![Hybrid Tune praises MAHA MSR 500 four-wheel drive performance dynamometer](https://www.tyrepress.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/20210513_075838317_iOS-scaled.jpg)
Hybrid Tune praises MAHA MSR 500 four-wheel drive performance dynamometer
The owner of engine management specialist, Hybrid Tune, has hailed MAHA’s MSR 500 as the “benchmark” following the installation of the four-wheel drive performance dynamometer in his new workshop in Suffolk. Previously, Sam Weller and his team put cars through their paces on a two-wheel drive dynamometer; however, once he discovered the impact of MAHA’s four-wheel drive equivalent during a no-obligation demonstration in 2019, he was quickly persuaded to make the investment and upgrade.
Continue Reading![CST RideMigra sport-touring bike tyre now available](https://www.tyrepress.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/MC-RideMigra-–-CM-S1-scaled-e1621872319233.jpg)
CST RideMigra sport-touring bike tyre now available
CST Tyres’ RideMigra CM-S1 sport-touring motorcycle tyre is available from UK distributor Bickers now. The medium compound tyre offers riders both sporty grip and high-mileage, comfortable touring performance according to the manufacturer. Available in sizes 120/70 R17, 160/60 R17, 180/55 R17 and 190/50 R17, the new product is the first in a new series of CST motorcycle tyres.
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