Approved Garages cuts membership fee
Groupauto has announced a reduction to the monthly membership fee for members of its Approved Garages network. The scheme has reported the creation of “approximately £2.5 million” of work for the 450-plus independent garages in the network. Membership offers free Motor Codes membership in addition to being part of a national network of RAC inspected garages.
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Hankook Kinergy Eco a Which? ‘Best Buy’
Consumer reviews magazine Which? has awarded Hankook’s Kinergy Eco tyre ‘Best Buy’ status. The tyre, designed with improved rolling resistance a key consideration, was acclaimed in both the 14” and 15” size categories tested, heading a list of 15 other products.
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E-commerce comes of age
It seems 2014 could be the year that tyre e-commerce hits maturity. It doesn’t seem that long ago that the NTDA published research showing that the number one method of ordering was phone and – wait for it – fax. Internet was a minority method, but e-mail (a medium of communication that is buckling under the pressure of increased demand for more and faster contacts) was showing some signs of growth. In fact it was November 2005, and therefore will soon be a decade ago. In 2014, virtually every significant wholesale and direct distribution operation is supported by a sophisticated online ordering system that is simply backed by other methods of communication.
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Kumho UK launches direct sales team
Kumho Tyre (UK) Ltd (KTUK) has established a new direct sales organisation following on from the recent announcement of a new three-year contract with Micheldever Tyre Services. The new facility is located at Magna Park near Lutterworth in Leicestershire and provides an office base for the company’s expanded sales and marketing division as well as a warehouse stocked with the company’s full range of car, 4x4, van, truck and motorsport tyres. Sited close to the M1, M6 and M69 motorways, the Magna Park centre is perfectly placed to act as a national distribution hub.
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Putting rubber on the road
The recent history of how we deal with end of life tyres has been littered with ideas, but surprisingly few real success stories. In this opinion piece, Tyre Recovery Association director, Peter Taylor OBE shares his view on the use of tyres in rubberised tarmac.
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Eco tyre fuel savings minimal during urban driving, opines specialist
According to Emissions Analytics, ratings printed on the European tyre label do not tell the “full story”. The Winchester-based company, which specialises in supplying real-world fuel consumption and emissions data based on tailpipe measurements, states that tyres with an F-rating for fuel economy perform as well as B-rated tyres at mid-range speeds.
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Bridgestone appoints northern UK consumer marketing manager
Bridgestone has appointed Wim Belckx as its new north region consumer marketing manager. Now based in Leamington, the 34 year-old, originally from Belgium, has worked his way up the Bridgestone ladder since his first job as a marketing analyst at BSEU in 2003. Belckx takes up his position having headed Brussels’ newly created pricing department in 2010.
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Neil Ebbs president of GEA
Neil Ebbs, of MAHA UK, was appointed president of the Garage Equipment Association, (GEA), at the association’s AGM, which was held at the GEA offices in Daventry on 3 April 2014. Ebbs’ experience in running the UK division of MAHA is likely to be beneficial to the progression of the association as it seeks to “improve safety and standards in the garage equipment industry”. MAHA is an abbreviation of MAschinenbau HAldenwan, which roughly translates as manufacturer from Haldenwan. (Haldenwan is a small Bavarian town, however, today MAHA are one of the largest European equipment manufacturers). Neil Ebbs takes over from Andrew Bates of Straightset, who has served as president for the past two years.
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Jungle Tyres reports a ‘roaringly’ good year
Online tyre retailer Jungle Tyres says it has had a fantastic first 12 months of trading, acquiring over 5,000 new customers. The UK-based company launched its website in June 2013 and stocks economy, mid-range and premium tyres at what it calls vastly-reduced prices.
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