Number of nearly new cars on the market almost doubles
The number of nearly new cars in the retail market has nearly doubled in the last six months, indicating that manufacturers are pre-registering ever larger numbers, reports Glasss. According to Glasss Radar sales tracking product, the number of sub-one year old cars sold in the UK during March was 91 per cent higher than six months ago, in October 2014.
Continue ReadingFirst Bus renews contract with Michelin Solutions
One of Britain’s largest bus operators, First Bus, has renewed its Effitires contract with Michelin Solutions. In signing, First commits to fitting premium Michelin tyres on a price-per-kilometre basis across 65 per cent of its fleet. The new two-year contract will see tyre management experts from Michelin Solutions supply, fit and service Michelin tyres on more than 4,000 buses operating from garages nationwide.
Continue ReadingTyrepress visits Michelin Training Centre
One junction along the A500 from its UK headquarters in Stoke-on-Trent, the Michelin Training Centre is a point of reference for just about every point of the tyre industry. Offering a portfolio consisting of more than 100 training courses, the centre covers technical product training in the car, motorcycle, industrial, truck and agricultural tyre segments, as well as technical information for police and “tyre forensics”, and management and sales training appropriate for the industry. Many of the courses offered also include City & Guilds and REACT accreditation, giving attendees the backing of external qualifications on top of training coming from one of the few brands to achieve total recognition. Tyrepress toured the Stoke-on-Trent centre with its manager Charly Bailey, who explained the litany of tyre business knowledge available to those attending the MTC’s courses: “Sometimes when you’re really busy in a workshop you don’t get the chance to ask a question.”
Continue ReadingMarangoni showing Marix and Ringtread systems in Bologna
Marangoni Group has previewed its plans for this year’s Autopromotec. In its exhibition area - hall 22, stand A46 - the group will be presenting both its Ringtread system of retreading and its Marix direct retreads of truck and earthmover tyres. In addition, the Marangoni group’s fleet advantage division will also be exhibiting for the first time, presenting a series of fleet tyre management solutions.
Continue ReadingDunlop OE on new Renault Espace
The latest version of the Renault Espace will be equipped with Dunlop Sport Maxx RT tyres in size 235/55R19 101W. When it first launched in 1984, the Renault Espace revolutionised the automotive world as one of the first MPVs on the market. Today, the new Espace has evolved to become a crossover for the European market.
Continue ReadingUpturn in housebuilding to sustain UK OTR growth – KRT
A leading UK distributor of OTR tyres has predicting sustained growth in the segment as the construction sector rallies with improved UK economy. Since the financial crash of 2008 the aftermarket OTR tyre sector has suffered from a severely contracted end-user market. House building, often seen as a barometer of the health of the sector, saw starts falling to record low levels and other major developments have been put on ice. Kings Road Tyres (KRT) says the upturn in domestic construction activity will support sales growth in its OTR tyre brands.
Continue ReadingMichelin to capitalise on Blackcircles.com, ATS Euromaster ‘synergies’
Michelin chief operating officer, Florent Menegaux told Tyres & Accessories that the manufacturer would promote synergies with ATS Euromaster following its acquisition of Blackcircles.com. Speaking to Tyrepress following the announcement of its £50 million purchase, Michelin’s chief operating officer said that the UK’s biggest online tyre retail operation would gain “access to ATS Euromaster branches in the UK”, which numbered 343 in the recent T&A survey of the retail landscape.
Continue ReadingBreakfast network meeting addresses aftermarket issues
The IAAF’s latest breakfast network meeting addressed the big issues affecting the automotive aftermarket, with internet parts dominating discussions. Held at Valeo Service UK, Redditch, Jeff Bradshaw of Capita – a leading FTSE business and provider of business process management solutions – urged garages to think twice about fitting a part supplied to them from the customer and not from a traceable supply route.
Continue ReadingApril surge for CV registrations
UK commercial vehicle registrations rose 23.5 per cent in April, with similar growth of 23.9 per cent for the year to-date. The strong demand for trucks continued, up 43.5 per cent to 3,900 units. Van registrations increase for the 12th consecutive month to 24,927; a rise of 20.9 per cent. These figures were released by the SMMT.
Continue Reading10-year high for April car registrations
Figures released by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) on the morning the UK heads to the polls underline a robust new car market, with registrations up for the 38th consecutive month in April. Demand rose by 5.1 per cent to 185,778 units – the month’s best performance since 2005. Year-to-date registrations for 2015 are up 6.4 per cent to 920,366.
Continue ReadingFalken ‘official tyre manufacturer’ of Coventry Motofest
After low-key involvement in 2014, Falken Tyre has confirmed a higher level of participation at this year’s Coventry Motofest – the company will serve as ‘official tyre manufacturer’ at the show, which takes place between 29 and 31 May. Coventry Motofest was inaugurated last year and is a free, family-focused motoring festival that combines live racing, demonstrations, static displays and live music. As previously announced, Falken’s UK drift team will strut its stuff on Coventry’s iconic ring road during the three-day event. The official Coventry Motofest pace car will also wear Falken tyres.
Continue ReadingMichelin buys Blackcircles.com for £50 million
Michelin has bought Blackcircles.com, the number one internet tyre sales company in the United Kingdom, for £50 million. Based in Edinburgh, Blackcircles.com generated £28 million in revenue in 2013. Run by Mike Welch, its founder, Blackcircles.com has enjoyed growth of around 20 per cent per annum since 2008. The company reports that the first quarter of 2015 saw the company achieve revenues 34 per cent higher than Q1 2014.
Continue ReadingPirelli to pay £196k following employee autoclave death
Pirelli has pleaded guilty to a breach of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 in the case related to the September 2012 death of employee George Falder in an autoclave at the company’s Carlisle factory. The tyre maker has been fined £150,000 and ordered to pay £46,706 in prosecution costs.
Continue ReadingCarcraft enters administration
On 30 of April, well known Car Supermarket Carcraft has called in the administrators. A sale process had been going on since February 2015, but no buyer could be found. Carcraft has therefore ceased trading and all 500 employees have been made redundant. Headquartered in Rochdale, Carcraft is the UKs seventh largest second hand dealership chain with an annual turnover of £120 million, 500+ employees across 10 sites nationwide. The group sells over 12,000 used vehicles per annum at an average price of £9,000 per vehicle.
Continue ReadingSky Insurance sponsors Evo 2015 track events
Sky Insurance has once again teamed up with Evo Magazine. This time it’s to sponsor the 2015 Evo Track Events at the Bedford Autodrome. In association with Evo Magazine, Sky Insurance is giving away car spaces to a few lucky prize winners who will get the chance to drive their car around the Bedford Autodrome, one of the UK’s most renowned race tracks. The Bedford Autodrome has over 5 miles of track for car enthusiasts to put their foot on the accelerator. It’s also the only circuit in the UK which you drive around anti-clockwise!
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