Australia and New Zealand
The organiser of the Australian V8 Touring Car Series has confirmed Kumho Tyres Australia will continue as control tyre supplier until at least 2016. The supply agreement’s renewal continues an arrangement that began in 2008; as before, during the next three seasons Kumho will provide on-track support to competitors during all rounds.
Bridgestone New Zealand has entered into sponsorship partnerships with two organisations looking after the country’s native flora and fauna, and its best-known bird in particular – the Rainbow Springs Kiwi Wildlife Park and the Motuora Restoration Society.
Bridgestone Australia has provided its Ferrari F2004 Formula One show car to the country’s National Motor Museum on a long-term loan. The car, an exact replica of the racer that won 15 out of 18 races in the 2004 Formula One season and scored 12 pole positions at the hands of Michael Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello, was officially unveiled at the Adelaide-based museum on 12 December.
Lassa Tyres has made its first shipment to Australia. The news follows an agreement between Lassa and Tyre Max Australia, one of Australia’s leading tyre wholesaling companies to distribute Lassa branded tyres throughout New South Wales (Sydney & Melbourne), South Australia (Adelaide), Western Australia (Perth) a and Queensland (Brisbane) regions.
To make it easier for motorists in Australia to identify an authorised Michelin tyre dealer, Michelin Australia has launched an initiative to help. The 750 tyre retailers across Michelin Australia's national Authorised Dealer Network will now display new in-store signage allowing consumers to quickly identify them as an authorised dealer at a glance.
New Zealand-based firm Eurotread Ltd. has reported continuous growth in sales in the last three years. Managing Director Glad Rack has maintained the high quality standards of Bob Cranfield, the entrepreneur who started the business – and the close strategic partnership with his material supplier Kraiburg Austria, helping the independent Auckland-based retreader to turn over the equivalent of just under 1.9 million euros in 2011.
Goodyear Dunlop has reportedly sold the commercial tyre component of its Beaurepaires fast fit network in New Zealand. Fairfax News NZ shares that the commercial tyre service centres in the country’s North Island have been acquired by Carters Tyres, and by Tyre General and General Tyres in the South Island. The Beaurepaires retail operation will remain in Goodyear Dunlop’s hands.
Bridgestone has sold its 11 hectare former factory site in Christchurch, New Zealand for an undisclosed sum. Production ended at the Papanui factory in late 2009 and the land was placed on sale last year, minus a 1.3 hectare chunk given to Christchurch City Council for flood protection.
The growth Deldo reported when Tyres & Accessories visited the wholesaler’s headquarters in Antwerp earlier this year (as covered in our March 2012 issue) has continued throughout the first half of this year, Rutger Veerman related during Reifen 2012. And the international sales and marketing manager said its experiences at the show were equally positive. “We’ve had a good show,” Veerman shared. “We have seen a lot of existing customers, mostly customers from within Europe but also from outside, and we have had contact with a number of new customers. We’ve had interest from places as far away as Australia and New Zealand. We have had a lot of interest and now have plenty to do.”
Media reports from New Zealand indicate Goodyear Dunlop intends to close 24 fast fit outlets in the country – almost a third of its national ‘Beaurepaires’ commercial network. According to Marty Dinniss, a public relations consultant who acts as the tyre company’s spokesman in New Zealand, the closures will be focused on the commercial vehicle sector, and Beaurepaires' consumer and agricultural-focused businesses will not be affected. Up to 219 employees may lose their jobs, however Dinniss comments that the company is currently engaged in a consultancy period with workers and their representative union.
Michelin Australia has pledged its support for the 2012 Fatality Free Friday campaign, which aims to achieve no road deaths in Australia on Friday, 25 May 2012. Michelin Australia managing director Thierry Martin said the company is committed to the road safety ethos behind the 2012 FFF campaign, not only for their staff but also the wider community.
Australian tyre dealer network Tyreplus has named its Windsor branch Dealer of the Year at an awards ceremony during the gala dinner at the annual Tyreplus conference in Fremantle, Perth last weekend. The annual Tyreplus Dealer of the Year Awards recognises outstanding customer service, presentation and performance. The store is run and owned by husband and wife team of Rod and Sue Carroll, who have over 22 years in the business. Rod Carroll said he was proud to receive recognition for the hard work his team has put in over the last 12 months. “Our whole team has contributed to us receiving this award.”
Australian mining tyre supplier Global Tyre Management Services has reportedly entered administration. Business news site SmartCompany.com.au shares information from Deloitte Australia regarding the Maroochydore, Queensland-based firm’s fate; Deloitte partner Richard Hughes said the company ceased trading on 4 April. Its assets, including trucks, tyres, forklifts and property, will most likely be sold off, and the company’s staff of less than ten faces redundancy.
New Zealand’s Ministry for the Environment has pledged NZ$135,000 (£70,000) to fund research into tyre recycling options. Environment minister Nick Smith announced on 14 March that the money will go to the Product Stewardship Foundation, who will utilise it through Tyrewise, a product stewardship programme it has established. The grant covers 79 per cent of the costs the Tyrewise project will incur and is payable upon the completion of seven milestones that culminate in readying a recycling scheme for launch.
Hankook Tyre Australia says the relocation of its New South Wales warehouse will improve distribution to dealers in that state. YCH Logistics, located at Sydney's Eastern Creek, will be the new central depot for Hankook tyres in the state; the facility replaces the warehouse currently located at TOLL Logistics in Yennora. The Yennora warehouse will continue to operate until the end of March.
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