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BEN Sets Sail for Charity

This year the automotive industry charity BEN will make its debut in an extremely demanding event, the notoriously gruelling ‘Rolex Fastnet yacht race’. The BEN entry into the 608 miles race, which starts on August 12, is being made in the form of a joint team effort along with Business Development & Marketing Ltd. (BDM), and the combined crew will be sailing on a 60-foot yacht called L’isme.

The entry has been arranged by Mike Surridge, managing director of BDM, an organisation working predominately within the automotive sector. When not wearing his managing director’s hat Mike Surridge is a commercially qualified and experienced skipper with a number of passages, races and teaching experiences under his ‘keel’. By entering in the race the crew of 8 guests and 2 core crew members will raise £9500 for BEN.

11th July 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

AA and Saga to Merge

Saga, which specialises in selling to the over 50s, is to merge with the AA in a deal valuing the combined firm at £6.15 billion. The deal will create a company with more than 11,000 employees, would value the AA business at about £3.3 billion. Permira and CVC bought the AA for £1.7 billion in 2004.

Chief executive, Tim Parker, who previously ran Kwik-Fit for CVC and who implemented cuts to the AA’s loss making mobile tyre fitting business, is expected to gain between £40 million and £80 million from the deal. Parker is estimated to have gained £20 million following the sale of Kwik-Fit.

Referring to the AA/Saga merger, Paul Maloney, national officer of the GMB union commented: “By our reckoning, the managing partners stand to make £300 million from owning the AA for less than three years…This money was made on the back of sacking 3,500 people, cutting wages and call centre staff and lengthening the working day.”

25th June 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

AA Sale or Floatation Could Raise £3 billion

The AA, Britain’s largest motoring organisation, could soon be sold or floated on the stock market. According to one Mail on Sunday report, accountants PriceWaterhouseCoopers have been compiling a financial report that could help sell the AA to investors or buyers. The report says private equity owners CVC and Permira wanted to raise £3 billion for the 15 million-member business. They bought the AA from British Gas owner Centrica in July 2004 for £1.7 billion.

27th November 2006/by Tyrepress Editors

Avoid Being Stranded With a Flat Battery This Winter

A flat battery is the most common reason for a vehicle failing to start. Once the first real frost strikes this winter thousands of motorists are likely to left stranded. Motorists will be stuck, late for work and waiting for assistance. According to Car Parts Direct, lots of motorists will buy a new car battery they simply do not require. Flat batteries account for almost 20 per cent of all vehicle breakdowns in the UK, according to the AA and RAC. Motorists who drive short journeys, leave headlights on and heaters blowing whilst stood in traffic are most likely to be left stranded. Leaving the interior light on or parking up for prolonged periods in very cold weather is enough to drain the battery. But it’s often just a battery re-charge that’s needed – not a replacement battery.

22nd November 2006/by Tyrepress Editors

Schrader Adds New TPMS Retrofit Kits

(Akron/Tire Review) Schrader Bridgeport International, Inc. has introduced two new AirAware TPMS retrofit kits. “The new retrofit kits allow TPMS to be installed on vehicles that are not equipped with OE TPMS,” said Schrader TPMS Project Manager David Weber. Weber said that Schrader’s new aftermarket TPMS kits monitor all four vehicle tyres, and detect underinflation of 25 per cent or higher.

21st November 2006/by Tyrepress Editors

Kwik-Fit Wins British Gas Contract

Kwik-Fit will now perform tyre safety checks on around 10,000 British Gas light commercial vehicles as a part of the new three-year solus fast-fit contract won by Kwik-Fit Fleet. The contract, one of the largest won by Kwik-Fit Fleet, will see mobile technicians at the UK’s largest independent fast-fit company undertake quarterly tyre wear and tear checks on all vehicles, to assist British Gas comply with its at-work driving duty of care responsibilities.

31st October 2006/by Tyrepress Editors

CTNA Announces New Flagship Performance Tyre

(Akron/Tire Review) Continental Tire North America (CTNA) announced that its recently launched ContiProContact will serve as the new flagship luxury performance tyre for the Continental brand. The ContiProContact tyre replaces its predecessor, the ContiTouringContact CH95. “The ContiProContact outperformed the ContiTouringContact CH95 in virtually every category, including straight and lateral hydroplaning, as well as ABS braking performance in both wet and dry conditions,” said CTNA in a statement.

22nd February 2006/by Tyrepress Editors

Kumho Launches New Ecsta AST, Road Venture MT Tyres

(Akron/Tire Review) At the SEMA Show in Las Vegas, Kumho Tire USA Inc introduced its new Ecsta AST high performance, all-season tyre as well as its new Road Venture MT, reportedly the widest and tallest light truck tyre the company has ever offered.

The Ecsta AST tyre, designed for sports cars and tuned sedans, according to Kumho, features a directional tread design with dual-angle cross grooves and asymmetrical lateral grooves for cornering grip, hydroplaning resistance and wet traction.

8th November 2005/by Tyrepress Editors

Battery Check Kit from Varta

Varta Automotive Batteries is offering a workshop battery check to the trade in order to assist them to maximise user sales as the winter battery replacement season begins.

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14th October 2005/by Tyrepress Editors

‘Car Dealers Ignoring Profit Opportunity’ Says Group Tyre

Those car dealers not offering a tyre replacement and fitting service are passing up a golden profit opportunity by not offering a one-stop service for fleet, business and private users, believes Group Tyre (UK).

Chairman John Church points out that dealerships are seeing their traditionally profitable sales opportunities, such as optional extras and accessory sales, being steadily eroded, as more and more vehicles leave the factory with higher specifications and features fitted as standard. Add to this the fact that service intervals are growing ever longer and it is easy to see that opportunities for profits are becoming more difficult to find.

13th September 2005/by Tyrepress Editors

TIC Start Tyre Checks

The TIC’s tyre safety awareness campaign is once again taking up the challenge of raising through a series of tyre checks on the roads of the North West of England next month.

The four principle police forces in the North West – Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Merseyside – will combine with the council to mount a hard hitting campaign detailing the increased risk of having an accident, particularly in the wet, if a vehicle has worn tyres. Recent research by the AA Motoring Trust indicates that worn tyres contribute to one in ten accidents in wet conditions.

25th August 2005/by Tyrepress Editors

Getting the Message Across

MIRA (Motor Industry Research Association) and RoadSafe welcomed both journalists and ‘opinion formers,’ including representatives from the AA, police and RoSPA, to the association’s test grounds in Nuneaton last month, to host comparative tyre tread depth tests and to promote the industry’s 3mm tyre replacement cause.

To read more go to Subjects in Focus

1st June 2005/by Tyrepress Editors

Aviva Buys RAC for £1.1 billion

The RAC has agreed to a £1.1 billion takeover approach from insurer, Aviva. Aviva said buying the RAC would boost its Norwich Union insurance business “creating a powerful new combination in insurance and motoring services.” It added that combining Norwich Union and the RAC would allow cost savings of at least £80m a year in 2006. On Tuesday, RAC shares jumped 19 per cent after it said it had received a bid approach. Aviva, UK’s largest general insurer, could be interested in developing the RAC’s promising financial services business, observers said. The company declined to comment.

9th March 2005/by Tyrepress Editors

Kwik-Fit Appoints New CEO

Kwik-Fit has appointed Ian Fraser as its new chief executive, as of the 1st February 2005. Mr Fraser takes over from Tim Parker, who resigned last summer in order to take up the CEO role at the AA. Despite the move Mr Parker remains deputy chairman of Kwik-Fit.

21st January 2005/by Tyrepress Editors

AA Calls Time on Mobile Tyre Fitting Service

Career Tracks, News, UK News

The AA has announced that it intends to close AA Tyre Fit, which currently provides a national mobile tyre fitting through a fleet of 130 vehicles, and its Vehicle Inspections business, currently offering inspections on used cars for consumers. According to the company, both businesses have been operating at a loss.

14th October 2004/by Tyrepress Editors