RH Claydon distributing Nokian agri & forestry tyres
Nokian Heavy Tyres now has a second partner in the UK. RH Claydon Ltd. is distributing Nokian forestry and agricultural tyres from its warehouses after entering into an agreement with the tyre maker. RH Claydon reports that it now stocks these products in most popular tread patterns and sizes, with next-day availability in certain locations.
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Bridgestone supports Durham University students’ World Solar Challenge entry with Enliten tyres
Bridgestone is supporting a team of Durham University students as they take on the World Solar Challenge in Australia. The students designed a three-wheeled asymmetrical catamaran-style car for the 3,000km journey on 22-29 October, which will run on specially designed Bridgestone Enliten tyres. The Challenger Class car has been two years in development, with months of remote study and digital development taking place to firstly overcome the challenges of the global pandemic and eventually a sustainable vehicle with a cruising consumption of 1kWh.
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Hankook sponsoring Warwickshire & Northamptonshire Air Ambulance open day
Hankook Tyre UK is sponsoring the Open Day that will take place on Friday 4 August to celebrate 20 years of the Warwickshire and Northamptonshire Air Ambulance. Entry to the event at Chester House Estate in Northamptonshire is free and it will feature stalls, activities, music and entertainment as well as a chance to get better acquainted with the service’s helicopter, provided it isn’t called out on mission.
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Apollo Tyres survey shows motorists’ reticence to deal with tyre punctures
A survey commissioned by Apollo Tyres has found that a clear majority of European motorists would not attempt to deal with a tyre puncture at the roadside themselves. Just 46 per cent say they would use the car’s supplied spare tyre or inflation kit, compared to 32 per cent that say they would instead call on a vehicle breakdown service for assistance, and 16 per cent who would seek help from a family member, friend or colleague.
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Bridgestone, Indy Autonomous Challenge demonstrate future mobility at Goodwood
Bridgestone’s technical partnership with the Indy Autonomous Challenge (IAC) has made its public bow in the UK at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. The tyre manufacturer said the event represented an opportunity to “bring a vision of autonomous driving to life for thousands of onlookers.” Three IAC university teams attending the 2023 event were preparing the ground for next year’s show, scanning and digitally mapping the Goodwood Hillclimb to support IAC’s 2024 autonomous hillclimb challenge. Bridgestone commenced its partnership with the world’s first autonomous high-speed racing competition in 2020, supplying tyres and technical expertise. It says the partnership demonstrates how it is helping to drive autonomous motoring to the next level.
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2 months before ULEZ expansion, 30% of Londoners still drive non-compliant vehicles
A recent survey of London motorists commissioned by Europcar Mobility Group UK will bring some cheer to the London Mayor. With less than two months until the Ultra-Low Emissions Zone (ULEZ) expansion comes into force, 61 per cent of motorists said they drive compliant vehicles.
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Schaeffler Repxpert Academy Live returns to Greater Manchester in October
Schaeffler has announced the date of its next Repxpert Academy Live roadshow, which will take place at Tameside College Ashton-under-Lyne on Saturday 21 October 2023. Due to the popularity of these events, professional technicians and garage owners in Greater Manchester and the surrounding area are being encouraged to register as soon as possible. The Tameside event will follow the usual Repxpert Academy Live format, with attendees being welcomed from 9am for breakfast and registration, and training sessions starting at 10am until around 4pm. Complimentary lunch and refreshments are included throughout the day, and as the event is held in partnership with The Institute of the Motor Industry, CPD points can be claimed by all visitors.
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Suspended sentences for waste tyre offences in Calderdale and Bradford
The Environment Agency, Calderdale Council, Bradford Council and West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue report that they recently uncovered two sites operating illegally in Calderdale and Bradford. As a result, Shakil Ahmed (42), of Halifax, Jamie Craggs (34), of Bradford, and Levi Depass (35) Shipley, appeared at Bradford Crown Court on Wednesday 12 July after earlier pleading guilty.
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Tata gigafactory ‘not enough’ to save industry but ‘a good start’ – Institute of Mechanical Engineers
Tata’s decision to build a new electric car battery plant in Somerset has been welcomed by the Institute of Mechanical Engineers. The institute said the gigafactory represents a “good start” in the drive to revive an ailing UK automotive sector, but emphasised the need for additional investment in order to support growth and EVs as part of the country’s decarbonisation strategy.
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Tata UK gigafactory: aftermarket needs government support for EV upskilling to ‘filter down’ – IMI
The Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) has welcomed Tata’s decision to locate a multi-billion-pound electric car battery plant in Somerset, while emphasising the need for additional government support to “filter down” to the aftermarket. Steve Nash, CEO of the IMI, said: “There is no question that this is great news for the UK economy, with the prospect of thousands of jobs. For the UK to become a centre of excellence in the electric battery field is crucial for future decarbonisation ambitions. Such a sign of intent from the UK government to support the Tata decision is encouraging for the whole automotive sector. What we now need is for that intent to filter down to the aftermarket too.”
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Tata investing £4 billion in UK gigafactory
Tata Sons has confirmed that it will invest £4 billion in building a 40GW battery cell gigafactory in the UK. The plant will supply JLR and Tata Motors commencing from 2026. With the foundering of BritishVolt’s plans for something similar, as the car parc transitions to electric propulsion, the Tata investment is a welcome boost for the UK car parc and for its OE tyre suppliers.
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Motul and Caterham join forces again for Goodwood Festival of Speed
Motul returns to the Goodwood Festival of Speed in conjunction with Caterham, whose stand the global oil company will share. Motul supplies the UK sports car constructor as an OE partner with lubricants and other related fluids, as well as being the name sponsor of the Motul Caterham 310R Championship. At this Festival of Speed, Caterham will showcase both of its fully electric concept vehicles – Project V and EV Seven – as each make their public debut in what is Caterham’s 50th anniversary, and Motul’s 170 birthday year.
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Top 10 tyre retailers 2023: Halfords closing in on pole position
Kwik Fit and its other ETEL-related brands (Tyre City, Tyre Pros and Central Tyre) have dominated the UK tyre retail landscape for years. More recently, Halfords has made our annual tyre retail ranking a two-horse race. However, Michelin’s ATS Euromaster network remains a significant player and other chains such as the Micheldever- and ultimately Sumitomo-owned Protyre have grown consistently over a long period of time. But none of that tells the whole story. While big chains generate significant levels of value and volume, franchise networks like HiQ and First Stop represent another dimension. And medium-sized chains are often so good at what they do that they end up being bought by larger businesses at a premium. And yet none of that reflects the importance of the vast majority of the market – the independent tyre businesses with one or two centres. That’s why June’s Tyres & Accessories aimed to present a more panoramic view of the undeniably indispensable tyre retail business. Here, T&A presents our annual tyre retail ranking as a way of keeping you informed of the lay of the land in the ever-changing tyre retail landscape.
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Tyre retail ranking 2023, 11-25: In’n’Out continues to grow
11th-placed Just Tyres maintained a total of 38 tyre retail locations, according to our 2023 table. However, that figure is one centre lower than it was this time last year. Nevertheless, the total remains one branch greater than five years ago.
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IMI ‘Perceptions’ campaign aims to tackle 20-year high in automotive vacancies
With the automotive sector facing a 20-year high in vacancies, the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) is aiming to change outdated perceptions “at the heart of the recruitment challenges”. IMI’s “Perceptions” campaign will centre on “real voices telling real stories about their positive career experiences.”
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