Trico Europe has appointed Hannah Martin as product and marketing co-ordinator to its Pontypool HQ. Hannah will be working alongside Trico’s senior marketing manager, brand & product, Sam Robinson, to develop and implement the marketing strategies for Trico and its customers, including exhibitions, PR and advertising campaigns.
MWheels has appointed Mike Cornwell to the newly created post of European supply chain manager, following a three-month senior consultancy role. The wheel distributor, formerly known as Motor Wheel Service Distribution (MWSD), states that Cornwell has already introduced “a market-leading sales and operations planning process along with a structured sales forecasting methodology” and “will further develop integrated systems with service partners and suppliers to improve distribution efficiency” for MWheels’ full commercial wheel range.
Mike Welch, the founder of UK online tyre retail website Blackcircles.com, has been appointed to the board of US online tyre retailer SimpleTire. Welch has taken up the position of strategic advisor for the company, which sources inventory from independent suppliers and ships to the customer’s chosen location.
Bartec Auto ID Limited (Bartec), the British manufacturer of tyre pressure monitoring systems (TPMS), has announced the appointment of David Jones as its new UK and Irish salesperson.
Jones brings a wealth of diagnostic experience to the Barnsley-based, family-run company, following established roles with Nebula Systems and Euro Car Parts, and he joins the TPMS experts at a crucial time, as this year marks the first when vehicles, due their first MOT test, will be entering workshops with TPMS installed as mandatory. Legislation passed in 2014 stipulated that TPMS would be part of the annual MOT test and that all vehicles will have TPMS installed as standard.
Davanti Tyre has appointed Holly Wood (31) as the firm’s new in-house PR and media manager based at the firm’s recently-opened headquarters in the North West of England.
Wood brings experience in the Hospitality, Construction and Sports Management market sectors to her new role at Davanti. Her responsibilities include further enhancing the exposure of the Davanti brand in the tyre industry and increasing overall media presence including building up stronger angles on social media.
At the start of June Tim Martin from K&N Engineering was elected SEMA’s chairman-elect and will help the SEMA board of directors lead the association for the 2017–2019 term. Martin fills the position held for the past two years by Wade Kawasaki of the Coker Group, who will begin serving his term as chairman in July. James Lawrence from Power Automedia was also voted onto the SEMA board of directors, and Greg Adler from Transamerican Auto Parts was re-elected, and will serve another term.
Maxxis, has announced the appointment of experience tyre industry marketeer, Nikki McCluney. As a HiQ Goodyear Dunlop alumni – and with over twenty years’ senior level marketing experience spanning retail, fast fit, fuel and light commercial vehicle, McCluney is tasked with raising awareness of the quality, performance and value offering of Maxxis products across passenger car, bicycle, motorcycle and specialist tyre markets. McCluney is also tasked with cultivating the existing UK dealer network and promoting the impressive profit margin opportunities available, and lifetime warranty offered on a majority of car tyres. Developing relations with existing and prospective overseas distribution partners in order to grow market share across Europe is also on the agenda.
First Stop has appointed Nic Bentley as its new retail business consultant. Bentley promises the national network will back “entrepreneurial” independent garages. He arrives in the role having gained an understanding of First Stop through his time as a key account manager at Euro Car Parts, where he built up a partnership between the two companies. Bentley has more than 20 years’ experience in the automotive industry, following additional roles with Unipart and also Castrol.
Exol Lubricants has promoted Robert Lundie from within the area sales team to the role of technical services manager where he will play an important role in efficiently communicating with customers.
ATS Euromaster has appointed Jess Jones as Head of National Fleets, with the goal of driving the tyre and vehicle maintenance provider’s growth in the car and light commercial vehicle (LCV) national leasing fleets sector.
Bandvulc managing director Patrick O’Connell, who started in the family tyre retreading business by working on the factory floor in his school holidays, stepped down as MD of the Bandvulc group of companies on 1 May 2017. According to the company, he will now “spend more time on other projects within Continental”, Bandvulc’s owner since the tyre giant purchased the retreader and fleet business last July.
Nokian Tyres has appointed Frans Westerlund vice president, CIO and Processes. He will join the company’s management team on 1 August 2017 and will report to the president and CEO.
Kordsa has announced the appointment of Ali Caliskan as the company’s new CEO. Also announced by Kordsa is the move of Cenk Alper from CEO to group president of the affiliated Sabanci Holdings Industry Group. Alper has been in the CEO position since 2013.
Duraturn UK, the local branch of Chinese petrochemical giant Yanchang Petroleum’s Yanchang Rubber tyre manufacturing operation, has established a local sales team. After a recruitment process that ran through the course of 2016, Duraturn UK has appointed a team of sales, sales support and administration staff dedicated to the development of the tyre brands presence in the UK market.
Prof Dr Edward Holweg will be appointed as the new COO of VMI Group effective 1 April 2017. Dr Holweg succeeds Guido Roncken MBA, who held this position for over 10 years.
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