Michelin 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.
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Michelin 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.
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Maxam enters agricultural tyre market
Over the past 50 years, Luxembourg-based Maxam Tire has built up a reputation for the supply of quality, cost effective OTR radial, construction and industrial tyres, making a name for itself as a force in the off-the-road speciality tyre sector. At the start of 2015, the company broadened its product portfolio by offering the first of a new range of agricultural tyres; the Agrixtra MS951R. The new tyre is a radial, aimed at medium horsepower tractors and is available in nearly 40 sizes for rims from 24” up to 42”. It comes in aspect ratios of 85, 70 and 65 series, with the 65 series developed for applications at 65 km/h.
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GT Radial launches Champiro FE1 in Tuscany
The Tuscan hills south of Montepulciano during an unusually warm and sunny spring are an idyllic setting for most occasions. Yet the choice of location for the official launch of GT Radial’s Champiro FE1 passenger car tyre was more significant than just as one of the world’s most picturesque places. The tyre is designed to tackle what Fabio Pecci-Boriani (senior product marketing manager – PCR, Giti Tire) described as “one of the most important market sectors – 15-17”, H-W speed rated, 50-65 series.” Positioned as an all-round premium passenger car tyre for C and D vehicles (including such bestsellers as the Volkswagen Golf, Peugeot 308 and Kia Cee’d) the tyre now has more than 95 per cent coverage of its target sector, following the introduction of nine new sizes (the FE1 was first (soft) launched in 2014).
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Mitas introduces new ERL-30 earthmover tyre
Mitas unveiled the newest addition to its family of ERL-30 earth-moving tyres at France’s Intermat show. The new 29.5R25 ERL-30 tyre will be available for worldwide sales early in June 2015. ERL tyres are used on loaders, dozers and graders in mining operations. The all-steel radial construction of Mitas 29.5R25 ERL-30 tyre is particularly designed for large wheel loaders such as Liebherr L 586 and Caterpillar 980. The Mitas ERL series features 12 various tyres of 28 to 90 mm tread depth.
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François Michelin – the 20th century’s greatest tyre manager
On 29 April François Michelin died in Auvergne, shortly before reaching his 89th birthday. He’d spent the final years of his life in a Christian home for the aged. François Michelin led the Michelin Group for 47 years and his life was marked by outstanding success, yet it was also a life punctuated by tragic turns of fate.
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Cooper reports ‘electrifying’ World RX season opener
The FIA World Rallycross Championship entered its second year in Montalegre, Portugal on 24 April, with the series again supplied by Cooper Tire. The manufacturer has also agreed to supply exclusively the supporting RX Lites grid in 2015. The World RX season opener began with a total of 52 cars, including 21 supercars with 600 brake horsepower, going head-to-head in Portugal.
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François Michelin dies
Earlier today the former Michelin head and grandson of Michelin co-founder Edouard Michelin, François Michelin, passed away at the age of 89.
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How Goodyear’s tyre products and technologies support ongoing growth
Looking around the 2015 CV Show, it’s easy to see that there is a significant amount of Goodyear-shod vehicles being exhibited. One particular example that Goodyear representatives pointed Tyres & Accessories to is the well-known truck manufacturer DAF, which brought a particularly high number of Goodyear-equipped trucks to the show. So, with this in mind, can such a strong showing in the exhibition fitment stakes be seen as a metaphor for the company’s ongoing growth? T&A met with Marc Preedy, Goodyear commercial director UK & Ireland, to find out.
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Hankook enters fifth year of DTM partnership at Hockenheimring
2 May sees the beginning of the 2015 DTM season at the Hockenheimring, marking the fifth year of Hankook’s tyre supply to the championship. The brand’s presence in top line German motorsport has functioned as a component of its process of premiumisation – not only has the manufacturer been producing high specification track tyres accepted by DTM; it has been able to function as an exclusive tyre partner with Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz within the series.
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Tyre retail market in a redistribution phase
While many of the names of the top 20 tyre retail chains will be familiar, the last year has seen the continuation of a number of so-called right-sizing and redistribution trends, especially at the bottom end of the top 15 between places (positions 11 – 15). At the same time, one or two medium sized retailers have grown significantly since the last survey, resulting in greater influence from this part of the market. At the same time as this, the total number of branches controlled by the top 20 chains continues to grow – pushing the balance of power further in the direction of those retail multiples.
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First Stop network set to triple in size
Bridgestone’s First Stop network is currently made up of 53 independent member partners, an increase of around 14 in the last 14 months. When you consider that there are a further 16 Kingsway-branded Bridgestone equity-owned branches, this brings the total to 69 and together these two facts suggest that First Stop is currently enjoying a period of growth. Put this figure in the context of the last five years, which weren’t always plain sailing for the retail chain, and you could even describe this growth as a resurgence. With this in mind, Tyres & Accessories spoke with Bridgestone Europe retail business development manager Stuart Eagland.
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Large stand drives ‘record visitors’ to Giti at CV Show
Following its week at the Birmingham NEC for this year’s Commercial Vehicle Show, Giti Tire said that it “registered record visitor numbers” to its new look stand. The manufacturer was displaying its new GT Radial GDR638 drive axle tyre, among others, from a large stand incorporating its corporate colours alongside its flagship GT Radial branding for the first time. The manufacturer said the use of its Giti branding was part of a plan to raise its profile worldwide in support of global infrastructure projects, such as the new $560m manufacturing and distribution plant in Chester County, South Carolina.
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Pirelli OE on Jaguar XE
Jaguar has chosen the Pirelli P Zero as the sole 20-inch fitment for the new Jaguar XE. Jaguar was looking for stability at high speeds and good reactions in the wet from the tyre, and as part of the development process - which took just eight months - the P Zero was tested on tracks in the UK, Germany and Spain.
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