Part worns, vehicle dismantlers and the EA take centre stage at TRA Forum day
At the end of May, eight years after it began hosting such events, the Tyre Recovery Association held its annual Forum day in Warwickshire. This year’s was entitled “a commitment to excellence” and saw speakers representing everyone from Michelin Tyre Plc to the Environment Agency and ATS Euromaster share their perspectives of how excellence can be achieved.
Continue ReadingUK tyre retail landscape 2012
Following the publication of our recent overview of developments in the UK tyre retail landscape (Retail: Hold it steady), Tyres & Accessories has now published the accompanying data in table format. This is now available to view 24 hours a day through our tyrepress.com website. Subscribers need only click more to view the details.
Continue ReadingRetail: Hold it steady
The introduction of tyre labelling is likely to be the greatest change tyre dealers will experience this year. In fact some say it is the biggest adjustment to the business experienced in this tyre retailing generation, something that is likely to be true irrespective of country. Whatever your view, the introduction of this legislation comes at a time when European financial markets remain in turmoil and some of the continent’s largest tyre markets – including the UK – have returned to recession. And this at a time when incoming product prices remain high as a legacy of the last couple of years of raw material cost increases. It all adds up to significant pressure on the retail sector.
Continue ReadingMark Prisk MP autographs first Michelin Durable Technologies tyres in Stoke
Business minister Mark Prisk MP visited Michelin’s Campbell Road, Stoke-on-Trent Remix truck tyre retread plant today (23 May) and acknowledged its modernisation and the completion of the introduction of the first phase of Michelin Durable Technologies retreading there. The minister literally signed-off the first four tyres to roll off the new production line after they passed the inspection process. Prisk was there to see how £20 million of investment has been used to upgrade machinery and equipment.
Continue ReadingKwik Fit doubles apprentice intake to 320 in 2012
Kwik Fit has announced that it will take on 320 apprentices in 2012, more than double the company’s intake of 120 in 2011. The firm will offer the two year schemes to 16-18 year olds in locations throughout the UK. The announcement coincided with the visit of David Way, chief executive of the National Apprenticeship Service, to the company’s Training Academy in Derby. Way said the company’s commitment to its apprenticeship programme, ranked as “outstanding” by Ofsted, was “very impressive”.
Continue ReadingInfinity, Bond sponsor Dante Festival opener at York
Infinity Tyres and its UK distributor, Bond International will sponsor the inaugural race of the 2012 Dante Festival at York Racecourse on Wednesday 16 May. Infinity was involved at York Races last May too, becoming the title sponsor of that year’s Infinity Tyres Stakes Handicap. Once again, the prize money of £20,000 has attracted a strong line-up of riders.
Continue ReadingComment: No teeth in UK implementation of tyre legislation
When it comes to legislation affecting the tyre industry it is a tug of war between “rules are rules” and “rules are made to be broken.” As readers of our Tyrepress.com e-Newsletter will already know, the events of recent weeks have provided us with some bizarre examples of this kind of contrary logic in action. When Carl Steele from Lincolnshire was found guilty of causing in excess of a quarter of million pounds worth of environmental damage during a two year tyre dumping stint, you could be forgiven for thinking the justice system would force him to pay his debt to society.
Continue ReadingMichelin develops its retail position and Certified Centre Network
Michelin already has one of the most recognised brands in the market. Now the company is taking steps to ensure the distribution part of the business operates at the same level. At the end of February Tyres & Accessories met with Oliver Gros, head of ‘go to market’ distribution development within UK and Eire, who – you may remember from previous interviews in these pages – was previously head of two-wheel at Michelin Tyres Plc. At the same time we spoke with Mark Coleman, partnership and certification programme (part of what Michelin calls its distribution team, itself an extension of the sales and marketing team), with a brief contribution from sales director Malcolm Scovell who was en route to another meeting. The focus of conversation was on the development of Michelin’s position in the retail distribution of its various product lines and specifically on the effort Michelin is putting into its certified centre valued added scheme in order to re-develop its links with small and medium sized tyre retail businesses.
Continue ReadingMaxxis joins EDIWheel
Maxxis has announced that it has become the most recent tyre manufacturer to sign up with EDIWheel. “The economic environment means that tyre retailers are looking to maximise their existing resources to reduce the costs involved in running their businesses and EDIWheel represents a no cost benefit to them because they do not have to upgrade their software to access it,” says Maxxis International UK’s managing director Derek McMartin.
Continue ReadingChancellor skips over fuel duty concerns in 2012 budget
With the Government’s Office of Budget Responsibility reporting that it has upped its UK growth forecast to 0.8 per cent this year, and with the statisticians no longer talking about the country being in technical recession, some may have expected the Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne MP, to have addressed the continuing rise in fuel prices by freezing fuel duty increases. It didn’t happen. Much to the chagrin of fleet-based business this was despite recognizing that high oil prices are “a great concern across the world". Other highlights include plans to simplify small business taxation, reduce corporation tax and dispense with the 50 pence tax rate.
Continue ReadingFraikin chooses Bandvulc for retread policy
Fraikin UK, a leading vehicle contract hire firm, has started a supply arrangement for its retread tyres and casing management with the Bandvulc Group. The agreement, which sees Bandvulc’s product being used extensively within its operations, is supported by the collection and processing of all used tyres (casings). All of Fraikin’s UK locations will have regular tyre deliveries and collections by Bandvulc’s own fleet of commercial vehicles. Fraikin has used Bandvulc products previously, but only in part whereas this new arrangement is to supply 100 per cent of the Fraikin fleet.
Continue ReadingBond breaks £100 million barrier in 2011
After 40 years in business, fast growing UK and international wholesaler Bond International recorded sales over £100 million for the first time in 2011. The news marks something of a milestone for company founder Reg Bond, who had set his sights on breaking through this particular glass ceiling.
Continue Reading"4-2-2 would cost motorists £50 more a year" – Report
Government claims that reducing MOT frequency will reduce the financial burden on motorists have been undermined by a report which shows that proposals to scrap annual testing will hit both motorists and the UK economy hard. The report by Pro-MOTe – "A cost too far" – includes research that estimates that the average motorist would be more than £57 worse off under a less frequent MOT system than he or she is today.
Continue ReadingMichelin achieves greater energy efficiency in Dundee
Following the installation of a new cooling tower for process water, Michelin has managed to slash some 1,500 MWh from its Dundee plant’s annual energy consumption. The key to the savings is the new installation’s AC drives, which were supplied by Emerson Industrial Automation company Control Techniques. These AC drives control the speed of fans and pumps and match supply with demand; Emerson comments that when the cooling plant is idling, its energy consumption is now the equivalent to that needed to boil your cup of tea.
Continue ReadingTough times for tyre distributors?
As we look forward to 2012 there is no sign to economic pressures that blighted 2011 lifting any time soon. On the contrary, with the financial confusion surrounding the eurozone and with credit ratings agency Standard and Poor’s threatening to downgrade any of the 17 countries associated with it, there are still many challenges ahead. That said it was apparently a good year for some.
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