Supply shortages stunt new van sales but market expected to recover
The light commercial vehicle (LCV) market saw its first decline since December 2020 as July registrations fell -14.8 per cent, according to the latest figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). Supply issues – most notably of semiconductors – has meant only 23,606 vans were registered during the month. Despite this challenge, the month’s performance was only a moderate -4.0 per cent decline compared to the pre-pandemic five-year average.
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July car sales fall – SMMT revises outlook
July’s new car registrations fell by -29.5 per cent to 123,296 units, according to the latest figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). The decline was artificially heightened by comparison with the same month last year, when registrations rose dramatically as showrooms enjoyed a full month’s operation following the first 2020 lockdown.
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UK petrol prices at an eight-year high
Figures from the RAC reveal that petrol prices in the UK have hit an eight-year high, and are set to continue to rise, as demand outstrips supply. There have been price rises for nine months in a row, with the latest hikes in July being 3.4p for a litre of petrol and 2.4p for a litre of diesel.
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Trico and Pearl Automotive team up for an Olympic giveaway
Embracing the vibe of the Tokyo Olympics, wiper blade manufacturer, Trico, and distributor, Pearl Automotive, have announced a joint Gold, Silver and Bronze promotion for their customers. However, with more than £2,000 worth of prizes to be won, including an Amazon Echo, Love2Shop vouchers, Rockpod speakers, a port tasting experience and Bose speakers, amongst others, they’ll have to act fast to be one of the winners.
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HiQ2U mobile tyre fitting now available in the Midlands
Goodyear’s HiQ fast fit network has launched its HiQ2U mobile tyre fitting service across the Midlands. This service is now available across the Midlands from Coventry to Birmingham and includes the surrounding areas. Motorists can receive tyres and tyre fitting services at their doorstep between 7:00am and 7:00pm Monday to Friday and between 8:30am and 12:30pm on Saturdays.
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Red flag halts Davanti Tyres-backed Zelos charge at Oulton Park
Dan Zelos was the fastest driver in the field in the Mini Challenge at Oulton Park as he strengthened his push for the drivers championship title. Despite his second race ending early due to a red flag, the talented Davanti Tyres-backed racer from Dereham maintained the momentum gained in his Brands Hatch win last month as he aims for the overall crown this season.
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Wheely-Safe signs deal with Translink after successful trial
Translink has signed a contract to protect its entire 1,400-strong bus and coach fleet with the latest generation Wheely-Safe technology. The deal was secured following a successful trial that highlighted the unique safety benefits of the system. Northern Ireland’s biggest public transport provider will now roll out the full suite of Wheely-Safe’s intelligent tyre pressure monitoring systems (TPMS), wheel loss and brake temperature sensing systems over the course of the next 12 months.
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Comment: Tyre fitters are here to stay
In addition to the latest news and analysis, July’s edition of Tyres & Accessories features the aftermarket, van tyres as well the agricultural/industrial/speciality tyre sector. The latter has proved to be amongst the most resilient sectors during the turbulence of the last year or so. The former two reflect changing market dynamics. In short, many things have changed in the automotive and tyre spaces. And the disruption of the Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated that change. But some things stay the same.
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Colewood appoints ex-Kwik Fit finance director
In mid-July Colewood Automotive named Chris Higgins as its new finance director. Having been appointed to the role in June, Higgins will now work with the board to “manage and control the companies within the group to ensure financial and regulatory requirements are fulfilled”. Chris Higgins’ career spans over 20 years and includes 12 years as finance director for Kwik-Fit Fleet.
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Kwik Fit expansion: Bath added to target list of 25 towns and cities
Kwik Fit has added Bath to its list of target locations for new centres, making it 25 towns and cities that the UK’s largest retail chain is focusing on. At the start of July Kwik Fit said it is looking for “new centres across the country” especially those with “proximity to supermarkets and leisure facilities”.
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Back in 2021: Firestone sponsoring All Points East
Firestone returns to the All Points East festival as sponsor for a third time over the August Bank Holiday weekend. The event returns to London’s Victoria Park after a year’s absence, and the Firestone Stage will be ready to entertain.
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Nigel Owens the closing speaker at 2021 Tyre Industry Conference
The 7th Tyre Industry Conference to be held at the ICC in Birmingham on Thursday 7 October 2021 (sponsored by GB Tyre UK Ltd in association with Linglong Tyres) will close-out with rugby union referee Nigel Owens speaking. According to the NTDA, Nigel Owens MBE is widely acknowledged as the best referee in rugby union. “His decision-making, approach to dealing with players, knowledge and interpretation of the rules is universally acclaimed by players, coaches and commentators”, the association stated in its announcement, adding: “He is also the sport’s only openly-gay official.”
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Kwik Fit: More UK drivers considering EVs, investment in charging infrastructure essential
Electric vehicles account for a growing proportion of the UK car parc and will continue to do so in the years to come. This move from combustion power is a thrown gauntlet that garages and vehicle servicing firms need to pick up sooner rather than later, and also a transition that requires a visible investment in charging capabilities.
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MOT-based tyre demand holds fast in 2020
With tyre specialists doing as much mechanical work as ever, and with autocentres representing a growing proportion of the top 25 tyre retailers, understanding the so-called aftermarket side of the business is important. When you add in the pandemic-related disruption, which includes the effects of the government’s six-month MOT extension – something that has caused a mini-boom and bust in the garage space – getting to grips with the latest trends and products in the aftermarket sector at this particular time is something of a priority. That’s why in this section July’s edition of Tyres & Accessories surveys the latest data, trends and products to help you prepare for what’s next. Our aftermarket feature starts with an analysis of the full-year 2020 MOT data from a tyre demand perspective.
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Hella Gutmann Solutions offers cybersecurity management within diagnostic software
“Behind the terms: Security Gateway, Certificate Based Automotive Security, Protection of Vehicle Diagnostics, Central Gateway and CAN Gateway, are systems designed to protect modern vehicles against unauthorised access and manipulation of their data,” explained Neil Hilton, Head of Hella Gutmann Solutions (HGS) UK.
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