Associations
Following the success of 2011’s event, Westlake Tyres once again sponsored the NTDA Annual Golf Day which was held at the world renowned The Belfry, four times host of the Ryder Cup and several European Tour events.
China’s largest tyre maker, Hangzhou Zhongce Rubber, has become the country’s latest manufacturer to sign up with the Imported Tyre Manufacturers’ Association (ITMA). Its membership gives Hangzhong Zhongce access to the very latest technical and legislative regulations affecting the sale of tyres within Europe.
Roger Sanders has announced his retirement after nearly 30 years with Continental. Sanders entered the tyre industry in 1965 to become one of Dunlop’s first ever apprentices. He subsequently joined its motorsport division, where he progressed to become Dunlop’s youngest ever manager and technical expert, specialising in motorcycle tyres. He will leave the position of general manager of the tyre manufacturer’s Technical Services division, UK and Ireland.
On 16 July the BBC’s Panorama prime-time documentary series reported on the subject of illegal tyre dumping. It’s always good to see the BBC talking about tyres in a high profile slot, but questions will be asked about whether everything reported was either representative or wholly accurate.
The programme, entitled ‘Britain’s Biggest Waste Dumpers’, looked at what it described as “fly-tipping on an industrial scale” and highlighted three key issues: The perceived lack of transparency and clarity relating to retail tyre disposal charges; illegal dumping in the UK; and the negative effects of exporting end of life tyres. This last point referred to both the effects this practice has on the domestic tyre recycling market and on the destination country and referred to both legal exports of tyres for use as fuel to countries that control their emissions, such as South Korea, and illegal exports to unrestricted countries like China and Vietnam.
RMI Petrol, the trade association representing independent forecourt retailers in the UK has changed its name to the Petrol Retailers Association (PRA). It will still be part of the Retail Motor Industry Federation (RMI).
The Imported Tyre Manufacturers’ Association (ITMA) has elected Alfred Graham as president with immediate effect. Graham previously held the position of association treasurer for the last eight years and succeeds David Seward who stood down as president at the end of his two-year term.
Germany’s Handelsblatt has reported Hankook’s “attack” on rival Continental. In an article published 22 June, the financial daily shares that the Korean tyre maker has been approved by Daimler for original equipment passenger car tyre supply, and it opines that Hankook is “increasingly proving itself an aggressive challenger to European market leader Continental.”
At the General Assembly of the international association for parts distributors, FIGIEFA, held on 24 May in Brussels, president of the German association GVA, Hartmut Rohl, was unanimously voted (with 34 votes) to the position of Figiefa president for the second time. He takes over from Michel Vilatte of FEDA (France) who was elected to the vice-president’s role with 30 votes. IAAF chief executive Brian Spratt was elected as Figiefa’s new treasurer with 31 votes.
A team of 25 challengers from across the UK transport and logistics industry, including participants from Hankook and Michelin, is preparing for the fundraising challenge of a lifetime, cycling more than 450km across Madagascar, in aid of international development charity Transaid. The group has set a target of raising £100,000, and is leaving for the island on Friday 15 June, with a day’s acclimatisation in the capital of Antananarivo on the Saturday before the main event begins in earnest on Sunday. Proceeds from the event will benefit vital Transaid initiatives across Africa.
As this issue of Tyres & Accessories goes to press, most of the team are en route to Essen for what has become the world’s largest tyre exhibition (look out for full coverage in our July issue and online at Tyrepress.com). Now that restrictions related to tyre labelling have been lifted, it is likely that this is the subject that everyone will be talking about. The leading manufacturers have already started positioning their companies in relation to one another and we can only imagine how they will position their respective pre- and post-labelling products compared with the rest of their group brands. Again this is something we are keeping a close eye on here at T&A.
Standardisation of the connection between the electricity grid and electrically-chargeable vehicles is one of the prerequisites to help e-mobility gain a viable market share, say leading European associations.
The introduction of tyre labelling is likely to be the greatest change tyre dealers will experience this year. In fact some say it is the biggest adjustment to the business experienced in this tyre retailing generation, something that is likely to be true irrespective of country. Whatever your view, the introduction of this legislation comes at a time when European financial markets remain in turmoil and some of the continent’s largest tyre markets – including the UK – have returned to recession. And this at a time when incoming product prices remain high as a legacy of the last couple of years of raw material cost increases. It all adds up to significant pressure on the retail sector.
Andrew Bates, sales director of Straightset Ltd, was recently appointed president of the Garage Equipment Association (GEA), according to a statement released by the trade body. One of the first items on his agenda was announcing the latest developments relating to the association’s Engineer’s Accreditation Programme during his president’s speech at this year’s GEA dinner.
Current Imported Tyre Manufacturers’ Association (ITMA) president David Seward has announced his intention to step down from this role at the conclusion of his two-year term. Seward will make way for a new president, the identity of whom will be decided by elections at the association’s annual general meeting later in June. He remains managing director of Yokohama HPT Ltd based in Milton Keynes.
Triangle Tyre Company has become the latest company to join Europe’s Imported Tyre Manufacturers’ Association (ITMA). The association offers timelier access to technical, legislative and market information, helping tyre-makers to operate more effectively within the region. The company’s membership means that ITMA’s 16 members include the top five tyre manufacturers in China in terms of turnover. Triangle is the association’s sixth new member in the last year and a half; a fact ITMA says reflects the growing weight of regulations.
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