Goodyear follows up a winter hit with the UltraGrip 9
It’s never easy to follow up a smash hit – just ask Gotye – but with more than seven million UltraGrip 8s shipped in Europe since 2011, Goodyear’s ninth generation winter tyre is following an all-time great. Travelling to Goodyear’s Innovation Centre Luxembourg earlier this year with dealers from across Europe, Tyres & Accessories got an exclusive preview of the new tyre, in addition to some insights from Xavier Fraipont, director technology consumer tyres EMEA, about the development process that has led to the UG 9.
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Motor Wheel Service Distribution’s (MWSD) role in EU Roadworthiness Package wording
The news back in May that commercial vehicle wheels have been named as a “safety critical item” in European law is something of a breakthrough for those that have been lobbying for the inclusion of wheels in this legislation, not to mention the wheel industry in general and the many automotive and haulage businesses that depend on wheels. Manchester-based Motor Wheel Service Distribution (MWSD), which played a key role in the wording used in the latest EU Roadworthiness Package and continues to be at the forefront the forefront of raising awareness of wheel safety issues, has a right to be particularly pleased with the latest news. However, if you will excuse the pun, the wheels of European legislation and implementation turn slowly. Therefore with 27 countries all at liberty to interpret and apply the rules over a period of years before compliance will begin to be checked – there is still a mountain to climb. With all this in mind, around the time of the news Tyres & Accessories met with managing director John Ellis at MWSD’s Sharston, Manchester headquarters to find out more about what the rules mean for the company and the industry at large.
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Tyre Safety Month 2014 launches
The ever-swelling ranks of TyreSafe gathered at St Johns Hotel, Solihull to launch the 2014 edition of Tyre Safety Month. Chairman Stuart Jackson, enthusiastically wielding an enlarged coin, demonstrated the well-established 20p test during his introduction of the “driving rain, driving safe” theme; the test is particularly relevant to this year’s tread depth focused theme of aquaplaning. In 2013 tyre pressure took centre stage, but with 2013-14 being the wettest winter on record, and October usually the wettest month of the year anyway, TyreSafe has chosen to present a core message informing drivers of the importance of tread depth in combating what is arguably the most spectacular and frightening road safety phenomenon – in addition to reinforcing other messages, such as pressure, Jackson adds.
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Firestone Destination HP SUV tyre launches
Bridgestone representatives at the launch of the new Firestone Destination HP SUV tyre in Valencia were particularly keen to stress the importance of the event beyond the product itself. While the product, representing an important segment for the company’s second line brand, provided plenty of the technological improvements usually expected of a new flagship tyre in metrics such as dry and wet braking, rolling resistance and noise, this was also a “rejuvenation” of a name that has kept a relatively lower profile outside USA in recent years.
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Savatech recalls Sport Force radial motorcycle tyres
Slovenian tyre producer Savatech has recalled its Sport Force radial motorcycle tyres. The tyres, which were sold to customers mostly in Europe, may develop a bulge in the tread during sustained high speed riding. This could cause vibration and, in the most extreme of cases, some of the tread may become detached. Savatech clarified that the problem has only been simulated in controlled and the most severe of conditions. The Sport Force recall is pre-emptive.
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Inter-Sprint seeks approval for full Van den Ban acquisition
The trade regulatory body in the Netherlands, the Autoriteit Consument & Markt (Authority for Consumers and Markets), reports that it received notification of the proposed concentration of the Inter-Sprint Group and the Van den Ban Group on 21 July. Both companies have approached the authority seeking its permission to go ahead with Inter-Sprint’s full acquisition of Van den Ban. The Autoriteit Consument & Markt says it is now evaluating the proposed acquisition and will announce its decision within four weeks from the date it received initial notification of the purchase plans.
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National Tyres and Autocare aiming for 300 branches
On 28 July Scotland’s Herald newspaper reported that Axle Group Holdings, the holding company behind the National Tyres and Autocare tyre retail chain and the Viking wholesale business, had reported a £2.1 million loss in its full-year 2013 figures. The headline figures were that group sales dipped from £166.3 million in 2012 to £161.5 million in 2013. And that while costs fell, 2012 profits of £3.85 million had become a £2.1 million pre-tax loss for 2013. However the complicated nature of holding company accounts suggests that this doesn’t necessarily tell the whole story. Having read accounts filed at company’s house and contacted executives at Axle Group, Tyres & Accessories spoke with company founder, chairman and 60 per cent shareholder Alan Revie who spoke of strong operating results and branch expansion – even a rough goal of 300 branches.
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Pirelli releases Calendar preview pics
Almost two months after briefly disclosing that Steven Meisel will snap the 2015 Pirelli Calendar, the Italian tyre maker has shared some teaser photos from his work on the project. Pirelli describes the 1954-born New York native as “one of the world’s most influential fashion photographers” and will display the final images chosen for the […]
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Aeolus: Good tyres don’t sell themselves
During May’s Reifen show in Germany, Chinese tyre manufacturer Aeolus Tyre Co. Ltd placed a focus on direct contact with the tyre trade. Prior to the start of the trade exhibition, the company said “technology, marketing and the latest information on its passenger car, SUV and van tyres” would be key areas of interest, and it brought a brand new product to Essen in the form of its ‘4Seasonace’ all-season tyre. The stand was rounded out with examples of Aeolus’ latest truck and earthmover tyre technologies. Furthermore, chairman of the company’s board, Wang Feng, travelled to Essen, and during his time there he granted Tyres & Accessories an interview.
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New Boco Tyres JV aiming to increase Tyre Giant penetration
Tyre wholesaler Bond International has increased its direct involvement with the online tyre retail website Tyre Giant (tyregiant.com). Launched in September 2011, Tyre Giant was supplied by Bond from its inception, while the running of the operation was subcontracted to another retailer. Now, Bond has entered into a joint venture with digital marketing company Colewood Internet named Boco Tyres, which has taken over Tyre Giant operations, as well as those of Asda Tyres, the online tyre retail portal of the Big Four supermarket operated using Tyre Giant’s retail system. Boco Tyres has signalled its intentions to grow the online retailer’s penetration with a new price-match guarantee and a plan to grow the network of dealers within the Tyre Giant network. Tyrepress asked current director of Tyre Giant Philip Hankinson about the current plans to increase the online retailer’s business.
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Andrew Page, The Parts Alliance buy 33 Unipart Automotive branches
Automotive parts business Andrew Page has rescued around 350 jobs, spearheading a deal with The Parts Alliance to takeover 33 branches of Unipart Automotive, which entered administration today. Andrew Page has taken 21 branches and The Parts Alliance a total of 12, with the terms of the deal as yet undisclosed. Andrew Page rejoined major UK and Ireland buying and distribution group The Parts Alliance following a six year absence on 8 July, coinciding with Unipart Automotive’s announcement that it had put the administrators on standby, a clear signal that some kind of move was on the cards. Tyrepress estimated Andrew Page possessed a growing share of the automotive parts market of around seven per cent at the time; the company will expect today’s news will help to grow that share quickly, having increased its existing network of 93 branches by 23 per cent.
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VMI’s Auke Dalstra dies in flight MH17 crash
The VMI Group has shared the tragic news that its chief financial officer, Auke Dalstra, was killed in the crash of flight MH17 last Thursday. Mr. Dalstra and his wife Aafke were travelling on the Malaysian Airlines flight to a holiday destination.
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F1 on 18” tyres – Paul Hembery explains why Pirelli wants this
Larger diameter tyres made Formula One headlines following the British Grand Prix at Silverstone and subsequent testing at the circuit. And although F1 tyre supplier Pirelli’s priority with the 18-inch tyres it brought to Silverstone was aesthetics rather than performance, Pirelli sees major benefits in swapping from 13 to 18-inch tyres. In an interview conducted with our sister publication Neue Reifenzeitung during the German Grand Prix at Hockenheim, Pirelli’s motorsport director Paul Hembery explained that such a switch would deliver the Italian tyre maker numerous benefits, but these wouldn’t necessarily come through technology transfer.
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Tyre aging Bill presented to House of Commons
The campaign for tighter laws on aged tyres has taken another step forward with the presentation of a Bill in the House of Commons calling for a maximum age limit for tyres fitted to public service vehicles. The Ten Minute Rule Bill was introduced by Liverpool Walton MP Steve Rotherham yesterday, and although approval is by no means certain it achieves the important aim of increasing awareness of the dangers aged tyres can pose. Per the Bill, operating a public service vehicle with tyres that are ten or more years old would become an offence; this age limit would be enforced by Traffic Commissioners, and tyre age checked and recorded during the annual vehicle test. Rotherham also stated that the Bill would accommodate tyre manufacturers’ ongoing research, and the proposed maximum age limit could thus “easily be increased” should evidence verify that a newly-developed bus or coach tyre was “demonstrably safe” beyond ten years of age.
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