Vacu-Lug’s Alan Setchfield retires after 48-year career with retreader
After almost half a century with Vacu-Lug, Alan Setchfield is retiring. Having begun his career as a yard boy in Grantham’s already long established tyre remoulding plant on 2 May 1966, aged 17, Setchfield can look back on a 48-year career, rising through the company. “I’ve enjoyed the journey and made many friends along the way,” he said, “But don’t worry, there’s plenty of tread left on this tyre for many miles to come!”
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Bridgestone exiting MotoGP after 2015 season
After what will be fourteen years of involvement, Bridgestone will end its MotoGP tyre supply at the end of the 2015 season. Series organiser Dorna has agreed to extend Bridgestone’s current supply contract, which was due to expire after the current season, for one year, and the company says this will then be its final season as tyre supplier. As was the case when it reported in 2009 its intention to wrap up supply to Formula One, the tyre maker links its decision to cease MotoGP supply to a fulfillment of the objectives it set out for itself in the championship.
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Dunlop continues Isle of Man TT with Official Tyre Partner status
Dunlop will be the ‘Official Tyre Partner’ of the 2014 Isle of Man TT races, having signed a new multi-year deal. The tyre brand has competed in all but two years of the championship since its first in 1907. John McGuinness and Joey Dunlop are among the many riders to have shod their bikes with Dunlop tyres, and the manufacturer has claimed more TT wins than any other tyre brand.
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Kumho signs 3-year Micheldever contract
Further to the Heads of Agreement signed last October, Kumho Tyre (UK) and Micheldever Tyre Services have announced their agreement to a new three-year contract with immediate effect. The contract confirms that MTS will continue to support and grow the existing Kumho Ecsta Performance Centre (EPC) network of independent retailers. In turn, Kumho will build and serve a complementary network of EPCs via its new warehouse facility in Lutterworth, Leicestershire. Both networks will operate on a common platform based on the long-standing approach.
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Bridgestone and Cam preview e-Jobsheet.com at CV Show
Bridgestone Europe and Cam International have shared details of a new tablet based work management system designed to reduce back-office issues and improve data entry in the commercial vehicle tyre sector. Speaking at a fringe meeting during the Commercial Vehicle Show in Birmingham on 29 April, Bridgestone Europes Neil Purves (senior manager, automated inspection and systems development commercial product) and Cams Steve Daly explained that the two companies have been in talks since the last CV Show and have now made a Europe-wide cooperation agreement culminating in the development of the projects software.
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Michelin previews new trailer tyre at CV Show
Michelin returned to Birmingham’s CV Show today with a global preview of the new X Multi T super single in size 385/65R22.5. Designed for a range of commercial vehicle applications with M+S markings, the tyre is labelled B-B-69dB), with longevity increased by around 10 per cent according to the manufacturer.
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14-year-old drifter on top after BDC’s opening round
Team Aerokit Nexen’s 14-year-old debutant Jack Shanahan has claimed victory in the super-pro class of the Maxxis Tyres British Drift Championship’s opening round at Lydden Hill. Shanahan became the youngest ever competitor in the BDC, and his victory was registered against 90 other drivers representing 40 teams. Video from the event is available below, and on Team Aerokit’s social media channels.
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23 million part worns sold since 2009
The latest research suggests that as many as 5.6 million part worn tyres have been sold in the UK each year since 2009. The ICM poll, which was commissioned by insurance firm Liverpool Victoria (otherwise known as LV) and published on 10 April found that 1.5 million motorists have bought “sub-standard second hand tyres” since 2009 and that a total of 23 million part worns have been sold in the UK since then.
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Tyre retail market showing signs of price polarisation
Last month’s leader “Pumping up” discussed how a number of key economic and tyre market indicators are pointing to better days ahead in the tyre market. Then in mid-April ETRMA reported that its members experienced double-digit increases in (sell out) sales during the first quarter of 2014 compared with the low first quarter of last year. But how does this translate into retail demands and what strategies are tyre retailers adopting to make the most of any consumer pickup coming through? Here Tyres & Accessories analyses the latest research from Encircle Marketing in light of recent macro-economic indicators.
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The Mitas touch – a new plant, agri tyre ‘revolution’, and a changing brand focus
Ask many Subaru owners if they’re familiar with Fuji Heavy Industries and you’ll receive a negative response, even though one of the company’s products is parked in the driveway. Czech Republic-based tyre maker Mitas has faced a similar situation in recent years. Even though the off-road specialist’s share of the European agricultural tyre market (not counting imports from outside Europe) is said to be around 35 per cent, recognition of the Mitas name doesnt necessarily reflect this. The company now intends to change this state of affairs, and the percentage of tyres it produces under the Mitas brand name is set to markedly increase over the coming five years.
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Michael Portillo to host 2014 NTDA tyre awards
The NTDA has announced that former cabinet minister Michael Portillo will present the 2014 Tyre Industry Awards, which will take place on 8th October 2014 at the Hilton Manchester Deansgate. The Tyre Industry Awards is the new name for the Tyre and Fast Fit awards (affectionately known as the TAFF awards), which themselves carried on a long line of industry awards under a third moniker.
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UK tyre retailers continue right-sizing
Continued branch attrition at some of Britain’s largest tyre retail chains means the line between the top five and the rest of the top 10 has continued to blur. Furthermore, we now have three 50+ branch retail chains outside the top four (which are all 100+) for the first time since Tyres & Accessories started tracking this data five years ago.
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Bentley and Olympic gold medallist boost Avon Tyres British GT 2014 at Oulton Park
British GT title sponsor and tyre supplier Avon will fit its rubber to two teams’ Bentley Continental GT3s as the championship returns at Cheshire’s Oulton Park over Easter bank holiday. More than 30 cars will take to the capacity grid for the season opener, with Bentley’s return to full-time motor racing a highlight. Another is the presence of an Olympic gold medallist, competing with Nissan Academy Team RJN.
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Continental parting ways with human resources head
On numerous occasions German tyre maker and automotive supplier Continental has indicated its intention to increase the number of women holding senior positions within the company, therefore the contract renewal of human resources head Elke Strathmann – the first and currently only female member of Continental’s Executive Board – appeared a mere formality. Yet the company has allegedly decided against renewing her contract upon its expiry at the end of December.
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Review confirms objectivity of ADAC tyre tests, but criticisms remain
Once smeared with a reputation for dishonesty it is hard to be believed, even when telling the truth. This is perhaps a situation German motoring organisation the ADAC is now grappling with. In the wake of recent scandals – vote manipulation in its ‘Gelbe Engel’ car of the year awards and allegations that ADAC bosses used the organisation’s rescue helicopters for business trips, to name just two – concerns have arisen over the impartiality of ADAC tyre tests. Two differing opinions have recently surfaced.
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