The HiQ fast fit network recently held its second national franchisee conference of 2010, an occasion that gave the network’s commercial manager Farrell Dolan the opportunity to announce two new programmes for 2011. The network plans to raise customer service standards with the introduction of a six figure mystery shopper programme and an Automotive Technician Accreditation (ATA) programme for HiQ technicians across the network.
Continental AG’s automotive components plant in Huntsville, Alabama is preparing to close its doors for the last time. Production ended on November 11 and now only some 250 employees remain at the plant – this is expected to drop to around 100 in January. Continental has already announced Huntsville’s lost production will be absorbed by other plants in the US and Mexico.
Based on the principles of the need for quick and efficient tyre servicing, especially in the peak seasons of spring and autumn; the variety of staff experience used in workshops to deal with the high turnover and any customer inquires; and the ability to deal with increasingly popular runflat and ultra high performance tyres, Beissbarth says that the market is now placing increased quality demands on the tyre fitting process. At Automechanika in Frankfurt, the company showcased three new tyre changers and two new balancers for tyre service and contracted workshops, which it says fulfil all of the requirements for quick and easy tyre service. All three changers are certified for fitting RFT and UHP tyres by the Trade Association of the German Rubber Industry (WDK).
Hofmann Megaplan has given away one of its megamount Smart lever-less tyre changers to Mill Tyres of Boston, Lincolnshire, the latter having won the company’s Brityrex 2010 prize-draw. The Smart can handle rims up to 30” in diameter, and is specifically targeted at “tough rim and tyre combinations”, including runflats, according to Hofmann Megaplan.
According to Jay Kunkel, president of Continental’s Asia region, the German tyre and automotive component supplier intends to have sales within Asia account for 25 per cent of the company’s global total by 2013. Growth in the key market of China and throughout the region is already occurring and in response the company has established a new facility for the production of electronic brake and powertrain systems and interior electronics products.
A ‘six figure’ investment in online marketing has been outlined at the recent HiQ national conference. This sum will cover a pay per click and rich media campaign driving new business to the fast fit network’s website, where each of the company’s 150 centres hosts its own bespoke micro site. The year-long online campaign will begin in January and target popular search engines including Google, Bing and Yahoo. HiQ says it will also shortly announce some new strategic online partnerships in the affinity marketing arena.
Vellco Tyre Control recent took delivery of two brand new “60-registered” MAN 6×2 Tractor Units utilising unique EGR (exhaust gas recirculation) technology designed for Euro 5 engines. But for the company that began trading in 1950 the purchase was more than just a infrastructure investment, it was also something of a celebration of the fact that during 2010 the company has been celebrating 60 years of trading.
The seat on Continental AG’s Supervisory Board left vacant by Rolf Koerfer’s resignation on November 29 is to be filled by Professor Siegfried Wolf. The 53-year old Austrian, who is also chairman of the Board of Directors at Russian Machines OJSC, was nominated to the Conti board on December 4; Wolf’s nomination received the Board’s unanimous support and his appointment will be applied for at the local court in Continental’s home town of Hannover, Germany early this week.
More fatal traffic accidents occur in India than in any other country. According to the World Health Organisation, the country’s road toll has risen consistently since the start of the last decade and now an average of 13 people die in road accidents every hour. A study by the Technical University of Munich puts the total death toll from traffic accidents in 2008 at 120,000 – a massive figure considering India has only 15 registered vehicles for every 1,000 inhabitants. By comparison, the UK boasts 458 vehicles per 1,000 inhabitants yet figures from the Department for Transport show indicate just over 2,200 traffic fatalities in 2009: one third the vehicles of India along with a death toll more than fifty times lower.
The National Multi-Commodity Exchange of India has dismissed allegations of rubber future price manipulation. Despite claims from Automotive Tyre Manufacturers' Association director-general Rajiv Budhraja regarding “evidence for the price manipulation of natural rubber on the NMCE,” the commodity exchange states prices for the raw material have risen due to an imbalance between demand and supply.
This season’s talking point is shaping up to be winter tyres and what pros and cons are attached to them. In order to provide its customers with some clarity on the issue, Mycompanyfleet, the automotive software division of human resources services provider NorthgateArinso, has outlined the means by which fleet operators can effectively evaluate their need for winter tyres.
The UK's automotive components industry is at a critical "tipping point" and could vanish by the middle of the decade without urgent action, members of the Welsh Automotive Forum were warned. It wouldn't run down gradually but, like a ship sinking, would suddenly vanish, said Prof. Garel Rhys, chairman of WAF. "In 2008 the automotive manufacturing sector employed more than 163,000 people but two years later it was down to 116,000 – that's a 28 per cent cut and an absolute blood letting," he said speaking at WAF's winter networking dinner.
Hyundai Motor Company, South Korea’s largest automaker, began building its third plant in China 28 November with the goal of reaching a million unit a year total capacity by 2012. Beijing Hyundai Motor Company (BHMC), a 50-50 joint venture between Hyundai Motor and Beijing Automotive Industry Holding Co., held a ground-breaking ceremony for a 400,000 unit/year plant on 28 November in Shunyi District, Beijing. The new plant is scheduled to be completed by July 2012. The two existing plants which roll out up to 300,000 units each.
A ceremony held on November 23 marked the official opening of the first facility producing Hayes Lemmerz passenger car steel wheels in Asia. The plant in Chakan, near the Indian city of Pune, is the product of an established joint-venture between the US based wheel producer and Indian automotive component manufacturer the Kalyani Group. Approximately US$15 million has been invested in the plant.
During the winter months many British motorists will engage in the practice of turning on their vehicles’ engines well before departure time in order to remove the morning frost without manual scraping. The obvious resulting problem is that leaving a running car unattended invites the attentions of the criminal classes; Sainsbury’s Bank has recently published figures suggesting 66,000 vehicles are stolen in this situation. Vehicle accessories company Armour Automotive believes it has found a solution, announcing the launch of its new range of engine remote starter systems, available through the company’s Clifford brand.
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