TRA Briefing Day speakers announced
Following the news that the TRA Briefing Day is returning on 13 September 2023, the Tyre Recovery Association has released details of the speaker line-up.
Continue ReadingMicheldever Group moving to new warehouse in Bellshill, Scotland to aid expansion
Major UK tyre wholesaler Micheldever Group has signed a pre-let agreement to lease the new Connect-70 warehouse in the Bellshill, Scotland. Under the terms of the lease, the company, part of Sumitomo Rubber Industries, will occupy the state-of-the-art logistics development for 15 years once practical completion is reached in January 2024.
Continue ReadingHalfords’ Jamison appointed to TyreSafe Steering Committee
Halfords head of marketing Morgan Jamison has been appointed to the TyreSafe Steering Committee. TyreSafe said Jamison has a “wealth of experience and a deep understanding of the importance of how safe tyres impact on road safety issues.” In his new role, the tyre safety organisation said Jamison would “play a pivotal role in shaping strategic initiatives, fostering collaborations, and driving positive change within the industry.” He will also “play a significant role in shaping strategic initiatives, fostering collaborations, and driving positive change within the industry.” Halfords recently reached the 10-year milestone as a member of TyreSafe, which has been at the forefront of promoting tyre safety for more than two decades. It advocates for safe driving practices to ensure the wellbeing of road users through the collective effort of reducing collisions and injuries caused by defective tyres.
Continue ReadingGB Tyres introduces commercial vehicle wheel range
GB Tyres started its wholesale offering back in 2012 focusing on value truck tyres. The business has grown rapidly in the last 10 years, and has even extended its product range into PCR, agricultural, plant and OTR segments. The business is now sees itself as “easily one of the largest commercial truck tyre wholesalers in Europe”, with a stockholding of more than 80,000 truck tyres and continues to focus on development in the commercial vehicle sector.
Continue ReadingGroup Tyre Wholesale installs CAM’s Warehouse Management Solution
Made up of 10 regional members, Group Tyre UK Ltd is one of the UK’s largest tyre wholesalers. Group Tyre UK’s strapline is ‘National Strength, Local Service’, words that reflect the company’s business philosophy and its commitment to customers. Group Tyre UK chairman, Gary Oliver, who also acts as managing director for home counties Group Tyre member and tyre distributor, Group Tyre Wholesale Ltd, and IT manager, John Kingman, explained how the company is working to deliver on its promise, an approach that can be summed up in two words: “transformational IT”. And that specifically means the adoption of CAM’s Warehouse Management System, following on from the earlier adoption by fellow group tyre member Magowan’s.
Continue ReadingISN Garage Assist debuts run-flat fitting standard
Tyre changer and wheel balancer specialist ISN Garage Assist recently introduced a new standard for tyre fitting technology to ensure that those investing in a piece of equipment get what they pay for. ARC (Absolute Run-Flat Compatibility) is a test for performance and capability based on the tyres that technicians commonly regard as the toughest to handle.
Continue ReadingNTDA reveals Tyre Industry Awards 2023 finalists
The National Tyre Distributors Association has announced the finalists in the Tyre Industry Awards 2023. The association revealed that it has received a record number of entries for this edition of the UK tyre industry’s premier awards, which will be presented at the NTDA’s 94th Annual Dinner, sponsored by Maritime Cargo Services, at the DoubleTree by Hilton Milton Keynes on Thursday 19 October. The awards ceremony, sponsored by Sailun Tyres, will be hosted by television personality Jon Culshaw, with a capacity audience of 640 guests in attendance.
Continue ReadingLotus opens European brand centre in London
On 1 August, Lotus opened the doors to its first flagship European global brand centre in Mayfair, London. Lotus London can be found at 73 Piccadilly, at the heart of luxury, art and culture in the capital city. It brings together Lotus’ long-standing commitment to technology, performance and heritage by providing customers with an exclusive and immersive entry into the Lotus brand.
Continue ReadingHankook top management in London for Formula E season finale
Two of Hankook’s top executives travelled to the UK to witness the end of the ninth season of Formula E, for which the tyre manufacturer is the exclusive supplier. Sanghoon Lee, president & COO, Hankook Tire Europe, and Jeongho Park, executive vice president & CMO Hankook, joined the Formula E management and all 22 drivers for an official photo, while Jeongho Park also presented the winner’s trophy to the victorious Jaguar TCS Racing team after driver Mitch Evans’ victory the first race of the weekend on Saturday.
Continue ReadingJake Dennis wins first Formula E world title at Hankook London E-Prix
Jake Dennis won his first Formula E title in the Avalanche Andretti Formula E after claiming second place in the first race of the Hankook London E-Prix double-header. The British racer made it onto the podium eleven times over the course of the season but was particularly successful when the series’ tyre supplier Hankook was the event title sponsor: Dennis won the season-opener at the Hankook Mexico City E-Prix and the Sunday race at the Hankook Rome E-Prix. Dennis was crowned the first British champion of Formula E in nine seasons at his home race.
Continue ReadingUK all-season tyre market: leading wholesaler MTS on continued fast growth
While the all-season tyre market in the UK has started its ascent from a low base, it remains the fastest growing consumer car tyre segment. The trend has been supported by the last five years of manufacturers’ all-season product development, which have reduced the compromises involved in fitting a tyre capable of performing well in moderate winter weather conditions all year round. Leading independent UK tyre wholesaler Micheldever Tyre Services (MTS) has been strengthening its all-season range with exclusive brands, including the new all-season tyres from its owner Sumitomo Rubber Industries’ global flagship brand Falken and long-term MTS partner GT Radial, the recent addition of Turkish brand Petlas to its line-up, and further product additions from brands such as Runway and Ovation. MTS wholesale director Graham Mitchell tells Tyres & Accessories about how the wholesaler views the all-season (and winter) tyre segment in the UK, as well as the company’s plans to support its dealer network with the increased interest in these adaptable products.
Continue ReadingElectric vehicles: LKQ Euro Car Parts CCO sets out need for more technician training
Kevan Wooden, chief commercial officer of LKQ Euro Car Parts, has commented on how the rise of electric vehicles is altering the global automotive manufacturing base, while noting the need for more technician training in the UK to support the proliferation of EVs. While Japan and Germany remain powerhouses in car manufacturing, China’s strength in EVs is demonstrated via the country’s global leadership, spearheaded by the world leader – not Tesla, but BYD (Build Your Dreams), which recently launched in the UK market, as well as Nio, with China’s largest car exporter, Cherry, coming next year. MG, now owned by Nanjing Automobile, is already in a leading position at the lower cost end too.
Continue ReadingIAAF launches Regional Meetings
The Independent Automotive Aftermarket Federation is launching a series of regional meetings, taking the Federation’s work and that of its members and service providers out to the wider membership. More details will be released shortly but IAAF is expected to host consecutive meetings within a week in October at different member locations.
Continue ReadingSpeakers lined up for VRA seminar
Keynote speakers from the Bank of England (BoE) and the Government’s Office for Zero Emissions Vehicles (OZEV) have been named for the Vehicle Remarketing Association’s (VRA) 2024 Seminar. Graeme Chaplin, the BoE’s agent for the West Midlands, will present on the UK’s economic outlook for next year, while Abdul Chowdhury, head of vehicle policy at OZEV, look at the latest developments in the EV regulatory framework.
Continue ReadingHuge increase in Class 7 MOTs as van fleets run longer life cycles says ATS
ATS Euromaster says it has seen a significant 216 per cent uplift in the requirement for Class 7 MOTs compared with 2020 as fleet managers adapt to longer commercial vehicle life cycles. With the squeeze on new commercial vehicle availability as a result of the war in Ukraine combined with the shortage of semiconductors since 2020, fleet managers have been adapting fleet lifecycles by making their vans work longer before replacement. The Association of Fleet Professionals recently reported that its members were seeing extensions that ranged five to eight years before replacement. As a result, fleet managers are needing to adapt their management of Service, Maintenance and Repair spend and manage MOT requirements.
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