One in five drivers is over 65
There are now more than seven million drivers over the age of 65 on the UKs roads, according to road safety charity, the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM). The number of drivers over 65 reached 7,191,192 in November 2013.
Continue ReadingBad weather prompts 4×4 value increase
While forecasters are predicting that temperatures will drop, British Car Auctions (BCA) has released its latest data on 4x4 used sales. The average value for 4x4s sold at BCA during the fourth quarter of 2013 rose by over £1,100 compared to the third quarter. December recorded the highest values in the second half of the year as 4x4s averaged over £15,000, a rise of £388 compared to December 2013.
Continue ReadingRAC rolls out Dynomec universal spare wheel
The RAC has opted to roll out a universal spare wheel designed to speed up the fix time and minimise inconvenience for members who experience a puncture without having a spare, following a successful trial of the product which began last Autumn. By early February all RAC patrols across the UK will be equipped with the Dynomec-produced wheel, which provides a solution to the increasingly common problem brought about by manufacturers not including a spare wheel in their cars as standard.
Continue Reading![ARI Fleet UK signs Michelin, ATS Euromaster agreements](https://www.tyrepress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Paul_Brady.jpg)
ARI Fleet UK signs Michelin, ATS Euromaster agreements
A leading UK fleet management company has signed agreements to make ATS Euromaster its tyre service provider, and Michelin its first choice tyre brand. Chippenham-based ARI Fleet UK’s agreements cover its fleet of cars, vans and trucks, which are supplied to customers such as the RSPCA and Autoglass, on a mixture of leasing, contract hire […]
Continue Reading![Littlewood takes on Maxxis brand manager role at Stapleton’s](https://www.tyrepress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/alan-littlewood-reduced1.jpg)
Littlewood takes on Maxxis brand manager role at Stapleton’s
At its recent annual conference, Maxxis International and UK distribution partner Stapleton’s (Tyre Services) Ltd announced the appointment of Alan Littlewood to the position of Maxxis brand manager. Maxxis International says Littlewood has taken on the role to help strengthen the Maxxis brand throughout the UK and to further develop the partnership between Maxxis, Stapleton’s and the Maxxis Key Dealer network.
Continue ReadingEuro Car Parts opens third national distribution centre
Euro Car Parts has opened a new 258,000 square foot warehouse facility on Bonehill Road in Tamworth, Staffordshire. Located close to the 600,000 square foot National Distribution Centre (NDC), which opened in 2010, and 15 miles from the collision repair parts facility at Swadlincote, which opened in 2012, ‘Bonehill’ is designed to “future-proof” the business as it drives towards its 165 plus UK branch target by end 2014.
Continue ReadingValeo Service UK joins GROUPAUTO Distribution Centre
Valeo Service UK has reached an agreement with GROUPAUTO to have a strong product presence in the group’s national distribution centre (NDC), used to supply the membership of motor factors nationwide. Initially, Valeo’s top 250 clutch references will go into GROUPAUTO’s NDC, based in Bradford.
Continue ReadingLack of spare wheel could jeopardise safety – ABD
Drivers Lobby Group the Alliance of British Drivers have expressed concern that losing the hard shoulder on the proposed M1 Managed Motorway scheme could jeopardise motorists safety. The group are concerned that the modern trend for car manufacturers to substitute a can of foam for a proper full size spare wheel will put lives at risk where there is no longer a motorway hard shoulder.
Continue ReadingDriveRight partners with Lockside Software
DriveRight, the wheel and tyre data supplier, is partnering with Lockside Software to help customers manage data across multiple channels from one central place. Together they provide integrated solutions to turn raw data into appealing product presentations, in the most cost and time efficient way: Geni-Sys is Lockside’s solution to effectively manage and control multiple sales channels from just one back-end. It also works in conjunction with Lockside’s software Catalog’nTime, which is an efficient tool to produce catalogues or advertising material, such as flyers or brochures.
Continue ReadingFort Dunlop to cease motorsport tyre production in September
Dunlop Motorsport has confirmed it will close its Fort Dunlop tyre production factory in Castle Bromwich, Birmingham. The news follows the announcement last May that the company’s lease would not be renewed and that site was being sold to Jaguar Land Rover. Goodyear Dunlop representatives told Tyres & Accessories that the firm remains committed to the production of motorsport tyres and is still in talks with Birmingham City Council with regards to the possibility of finding another suitable site in the region.
Continue ReadingLight commercial registrations up 14.7 per cent
The latest light commercial vehicle figures released show 2013 total registrations to 327,291 units, up 14.7 per cent. Vans rose 13.1 per cent over the year registering 271,073 units, boosted by 32.5 per cent growth in December. Truck registrations totalled 56,218 units in the year, up 23 per cent with the move to Euro 6 fuelling growth as predicted.
Continue Reading![Could new Hunter machine help increase breadth of servicing sales opportunities?](https://www.tyrepress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Hunter-Quick-Check-Lane-Pro-Align.jpg)
Could new Hunter machine help increase breadth of servicing sales opportunities?
Maximising the revenue opportunities offered by services is a key part of any modern garage’s strategy. The reduced margins available on tyres – and the effective outsourcing of the tyre retail process to e-Commerce websites – mean that making the most of services such as wheel alignment and diagnostic checks has become increasingly important. Pro-Align, the distributor of Hunter wheel alignment equipment in the UK, has offered one complementary tool in the recent past to speed up the diagnosis of misaligned wheels, the Hunter Quick Check, but the most recent innovation is the Quick Check Lane – a modular diagnostic system that allows garages to add brake and battery performance checks, in addition to tyre pressure and tread depth measurements to the alignment diagnosis procedure. Tyrepress visited Pro-Align’s recently refurbished and reorganised unit near Towcester, Northamptonshire to see the new unit in action, while business managers Paul and Kathryn Beaurain explained the background to the latest wave of Hunter equipment innovations.
Continue Reading![Laser launches TPMS tool set](https://www.tyrepress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/tpms-tools.jpg)
Laser launches TPMS tool set
With already high levels of OE TPMS fitment increasing as the 1 November 2013 fitment mandate approaches, Laser has launched a set of tool designed to assist in the aftermarket servicing of these products.
Continue Reading45 points and still driving
It must be a new record, following a freedom of information (FOI) request by the Institute of Advanced Motorists, it has emerged that a man from Liverpool accumulated 45 licence penalty points in November without losing his licence. In normal circumstance a driving ban follows the accumulation of 12 points. According to the information released by the DVLA in response to the IAM’s FOI, the points were all for failing to disclose the identity of the driver or exceeding statutory speed limit on a public road, between 1 October 2012 and 20 June 2013. By all accounts this beats the previous record of 42 points.
Continue ReadingPaul Goggins MP dies
Paul Goggins MP has died just over a week after collapsing while jogging with his son on New Year’s eve. Member of Parliament for Wythenshawe and Sale East, Greater Manchester, Goggins was respected in Westminster and known in the tyre and wheel industry for his for his efforts to raise the standards of checks on HGV wheels and their suppliers. Indeed it was this work that won him the Parliamentarian of the Month’ award which was presented by road safety charity Brake and Direct Line.
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