Conti: UK market 35 million units
While no-one is saying the climate is easy or the market is booming, Continental Tyre Group estimates that the worst is over and the UK market currently totals some 35 million passenger car tyres a years. Of course the fact that the same experts also suggest that around 10 per cent of this is made up of part worn sales remains problematic, but this is tempered by the fact that UK market has been leading Europe in terms of new car registrations recently, which all points to increased growth of large and higher performance sizes in the next two to three years. And what’s more Conti’s UK representatives suggest that the new European tyre label is already beginning to have an impact, despite other sources both agreeing and disagreeing with this position. Tyres & Accessories caught up with Continental’s passenger tyre segment brand manager (which includes car, 4x4 and van in the role’s remit) Peter Robb at the company’s annual trends briefing in central London on 6 December to find out more.
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Conti to double Otrokovice TBR capacity, widen export programme
The Continental truck and bus tyre factory in Otrokovice, Czech Republic will be significantly expanded, the tyre maker announced today. A total of €165 million will be invested over a period of five years to ultimately double truck and bus radial production capacity at plant to close on 1.5 million units per annum. More than 300 new jobs will be created throughout all production areas, and the enlarged plant will service the American and Russian markets in addition to the areas it currently supplies.
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Tax discs to go: Chancellor bins 92-year old system
Just under a century after its introduction, Chancellor George Osborne has announce announced that tax discs will be withdrawn in favour of the electronic register already in operation. Of course, this doesn’t mean an end to vehicle excise duty (VED), just the system by which it is administered. An increase in the use of ANPR (Automatic Number Plate Recognition) equipment is expected in order to enforce the paperless tax regime. The changes due to take effect in October 2014.
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A.T.U. sold in restructuring deal
German-owned fast-fit network A.T.U. reports reaching a “decisive milestone in its financial repositioning.” The loss-making company’s management and majority shareholder (private equity group KKR) have reached a lock-up agreement with more than 80 per cent of its key bond creditors to reduce A.T.U.’s debt by more than €600 million and inject some €100 million of fresh equity into the firm. In addition, A.T.U. has received a senior secured, 2018-due credit line of more than €75 million from HayFin Capital Management.
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Bridgestone reveals second generation air-free concept tyre
Bridgestone has revealed its second generation air-free concept tyre. The manufacturer said the new model features improved load-bearing capabilities, environmental design and driving performance. The tyre is “one step closer to a viable, commercially available air free tyre,” Bridgestone stated.
Continue Reading![[Re]defining brand boundaries?](https://www.tyrepress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/dictionary.jpg)
[Re]defining brand boundaries?
When Ashley Croft used his farewell Tyre Wholesaler Group annual chairman’s speech to ask how we define what a “premium” tyre is, he captured something of this year’s tyre industry zeitgeist (click here for full coverage of the speech). Of the speech didn’t just deal with this question – it touched on labelling, part worns and what the UK industry is doing to improve the availability of good market data too – but, if the market ruminations of a number of key players are anything to go by, Croft wasn’t the only one to have been raising this question during the last 12 months.
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F1 by numbers – Pirelli releases stats from 3 years of tyre supply
Following the 2011 and 2012 Formula One seasons, Pirelli published all the key figures pertinent to its tyre supply. Now at the conclusion of its initial supply agreement, the Italian tyre maker has presented figures from its entire tenure to date. “This year, we wanted to talk about all the numbers from the three-year period […]
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Goodyear publishes road safety white paper
Goodyear Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) published the findings of a new research project it undertook with the European Driving Schools Association (EFA) on 27 November. Alongside the research, Goodyear EMEA published a Road Safety White Paper – “Driving Safety First: Improving Road Safety For Novice Drivers”. The White Paper was introduced and discussed at a panel debate of the European Transport Safety Council in Brussels today.
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Europeans are getting familiar with tyre labelling, but seldom use it
Rezulteo has offered the latest chapter in the reception history of European tyre labelling. Following on from research conducted by or on behalf of Goodyear Dunlop, NTDA/Lanxess, Encircle and the French tyre association (Syndicat des professionnels du pneu - SPP) tyre comparison website Rezulteo has weighed in with its own research conducted by the Ipsos Institute.
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Toyota launches official parts and accessories eBay stores
Toyota GB has launched official Toyota and Lexus parts and accessories eBay stores. According to the company, the e-commerce initiative gives UK customers a new way to source the parts they need, with confidence that they are purchasing the genuine article, direct from Toyota’s central distribution centre in Lutterworth. It is also designed to reach a wider customer base, particularly among owners of older vehicles. Toyota GB is the first of Toyota’s European national marketing and sales companies to launch a full-scale e-commerce programme. It plans to further develop the online stores by introducing “click and collect” and “click and fit” services during 2014.
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Lanxess: “Green Tyres” save truck drivers save truck drivers 8.5 per cent on fuel
Tyre compound supplier Lanxess reports that “green Tyres” can reduce fuel consumption of trucks by 8.5 per cent following a road test on truck tyres. Working in partnership with chemical logistics provider Talke, with results the results independently verified by TÜV Rheinland, Lanxess found a fleet of 300 trucks would save £1.3 million a year in fuel costs by using so-called “green tyres”, making rolling resistance a key criterion for carriers when purchasing tyres.
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A close technical collaboration – Michelin and the Ferrari 458 Speciale
When outlaying a six-figure sum to buy a car, buyers look for more than an off-the-peg product. For this reason, in January 2012 Ferrari launched its ‘Tailor Made’ personalisation programme that enables purchasers to create a truly bespoke car. Under this programme, the Ferrari Styling Centre researches the utility of numerous materials, including those not typically seen in automotive applications. It then offers exterior livery and interior trim combinations that cater for virtually every taste. So regardless of whether a buyer wants leather, teak, carbon fibre, pinstriping or even denim with their new Ferrari, the Italian car maker can accommodate their wishes.
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3rd plenary points to a bigger and more valuable Chinese tyre parc
The hybrid communist/capitalist system makes the Chinese political environment an odd one for those doing business inthe People’s Republic. As well as booming demand for imported brands (many of which are manufactured domestically), the strange combination of top-down legislative rule-issuing combined with crypto-relational give-and-take means success is as much about knowing the people and protocol as it is about having your numbers straight. So when the ruling communist party announced a string of apparent liberalisation measures, you can imagine why Chinese middle class and the businesses employing them (as well as courting their custom) inclined their ears.
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Hankook wins BMW SUV fitment
Hankook has won an SUV original equipment fitment deal with BMW. The tyre manufacturer will supply a newly developed SUV version of its flagship ultra high performance tyre, the Ventus S1 evo2, to the third generation X5. Hankook plans to launch the tyre, which will be manufactured mainly at its Hungarian facility, on replacement markets in spring 2014.
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What is a premium brand?
In his last speech as chair of the NTDA Tyre Wholesalers Group (TWG), Ashley Croft addressed the proverbial elephant in the room by asking what constitutes a premium brand. The outgoing also used the platform provided by the group’s annual luncheon to questions of labelling, legislation, enforcement and to introduce RH Claydon’s John Parker as the new TWG chairman.
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