Brakes And Clutches
Does your depot offer a brakes and clutch service, or do you regard yourself as a tyre supplier pure and simple? If you don’t offer such a service, you could be missing out on profits.
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Conti Teves Wins Ford Contract
Product NewsContinental Teves has been awarded a contract by Ford in the USA for the supply of advanced brake and chassis systems. The company will supply complete systems, including front calipers, booster, park brake system, four-wheel anti-lock brakes (ABS), brake assist and electronic brake force distribution as well as Conti Teves’s Traction Control (TCS) and Electronic Stability Program (ESP) technology.
Safety Regulations For South Africa
Product NewsSouth Africa is set to adopt UN safety regulations concerning vehicle components, such as lights, brakes and tyres. This will make it easier for South African companies to sell abroad, as well as making the roads safer. Transport Minister Dullah Omar told a conference that there was a need to educate the public and officials about proper tyre management. He also said that, although SA has no standard for the manufacture of tyres, this would be reviewed this year. The South African Bureau of Standards said that it wanted to assume a bigger role in regulating the tyre industry, as self-regulation by the industry has not worked so far.
Recall For Mitsubishi Pajeros
Product NewsMitsubishi is to recall 22,626 Pajero Minis, made between October 1 1998 and October 4 2001, due to a potential problem with the brakes. In a statement, Mitsubishi said “There is an inadequacy of the fixing of the left near brake tube on (certain) tyres.” The company stresses that the recall is purely precautionary and that there have been no accidents caused by brake failure.
Regenerative Brakes For 2003
Product NewsTRW Chassis Systems has entered an agreement with a major vehicle manufacturer to develop and supply regenerative braking systems based on electro-hydraulic brake technology. TRW Chassis Systems claims that 5 per cent improvement in braking can be gained through the new brake-by-wire technology involved. It is estimated that the system will be launched on the market in 2003.
Wheels and Brake Applications by Titan Europe
Product NewsFor this year’s Agritechnica, Titan Europe is focusing interest on its two main agricultural product areas: high speed wheel and tyre systems and brake applications for high speeds. The newly developed Titan “Relocator” wheel for high speed road use, will take centre stage at the show along with the new range of wedge ramp brakes, developed by the Italian Sirmac division of Titan, and which have made a significant impact on tractors of the power range 60 to 300 HP.
Car Servicing As An Opportunity For Tyre Retailers
Product NewsThe disastrous sales of winter tyres in Germany at the end of last year have shown at least one thing: hope has no place in the calculations of business administration, and whoever has not yet understood that will have no future in this business. All the hand wringing of the tyre retailers does not help in this situation. Considering declining gross yields and the many new distribution channels for tyres, tyre retailers are forced to diversify and widen their service offers in order to compensate for loss of profit. One example of how this can be achieved is car servicing, which brings in gross yields between 40 and 50 per cent on average. A lot of business members have long ago realised this fact and extended their range of service offers. So car servicing is no longer a question of “if” but of “how”. The differences between the service offers and the quality of tyre retailers engaged in car servicing are huge. They range from the traditional Fast-Fit-Sector, covering the classical elements (exhausts, brakes and shock absorbers) to the fully equipped and professional working car repair station, offering every kind of car servicing. In this issue of NEUE REIFENZEITUNG the present level of involvement of German tyre retailers in the car servicing business will be explained and described, including some examples.
Aggressive Expansion Plans From Pit Stop
Product NewsPit Stop, the fast-fit group belonging to Kwik-Fit (and thus, ultimately, Ford) is pushing ahead with plans to open up to 400 centres in Germany within the next two years. Pit Stop focuses on exhausts, brakes, shock absorbers, etc., as well as selling tyres.
On The Way To Chassis Control
Product NewsConti Temic is present at IAA for the first time, along with Continental ISAD, ADC, ContiTeves and Continental Passenger Car Tyres. In addition to the latest in technology, the company is introducing several projects on the way to the intelligent chassis, for example, the much acclaimed “30-Metre Car”. Synergies between tyres and brakes are not the only aspect of Continental’s vision of the future. The steering, axle modules and air suspension systems will all be integrated into the system.
Joint Venture Between Bridgestone And Japanese Partners
Product NewsBridgestone (tyres), Akebono (brakes) and Kayaba Ind. (shock absorbers) last week announced a joint venture to develop modules which include the above three products.
Buy Back in Hayes Lemmerz Stock Repurchase Program
Product NewsHayes Lemmerz International, one of the world’s leading suppliers of wheels, brakes, powertrain, suspension, structural and other lightweight components to the automotive and commercial highway markets, has announced that its Board of Directors has approved the repurchase of up to an aggregate of $30 million of its outstanding Common Stock. “Based on current market prices, our stock is at a historical low and we believe that the repurchase program is a good investment of available funds,” said Ron Cucuz, Hayes CEO and Chairman of the Board.
Fast Fit For All Brands At VW
Product NewsAuthorised VW dealers will integrate a fast fit service in Germany under the name “Car Center” by the end of 2001 open to all car brands. Besides brakes, exhausts and shock absorbers the offer will also include accessories like alloy wheels.
The Tyre As Part Of A System
Product NewsThe tyre can no longer be regarded as an isolated part of a car but is integrated into an increasingly complicated network or system. Progress in electronics especially has been revolutionary and has enormous influence on the work of tyre technicians. The engineers have to think in systems and integrate the tyre into all parts of the motive power of the car. Between the two corners “tyre wheel system” and the engine, is a wide field which the car makers and their suppliers are exploiting step by step. Immediately next to the tyres are modules such as brakes, shock absorbers and axles. Around the tyre is the “chassis”. The producers of certain of these elements in the past developed their own product without contacting the producers of neighbouring chassis parts. They were driven by their customers in the car industry, who gave information about the performance of the product with the target that all the parts should be compatible. As development progresses, this becomes harder and harder. In the future the suppliers will be forced to cooperate one with another, in order to make the best possible technology available for the car.
ContiPremiumContact – Developed to Customers’ Specifications
Product NewsFrom the spring of 2000 the new ContiPremiumContact will gradually replace the ContiEcoContact CP as the tyre for top-class cars. With this new summer tyre Hanover expects a significant increase in the replacement and the original equipment business in tyres with speed categories of 190 km/h and above during the next few years. The new tyre was presented to the international trade press in mid-February. A study undertaken by the development/consultancy “Institut für Sensorikforschung und Innovationsberatung” has established that the first and foremost user requirement of a tyre is safety. By which he means aquaplaning protection, short brake distances, steering precision, roadholding and tracking stability. With three construction specifications – an innovative bionic contour emulating a cat’s paw that extends in width when the brakes are applied, an asymmetric tread pattern and a third-generation silica compound – the PremiumContact wants to fulfil these requirements. Continental is seeking a total of 37 original equipment approvals from 14 vehicle manufacturers with the PremiumContact – available in eleven different 16 and 17 inch sizes. In the replacement business the ContiPremiumContact will initially be launched in 13 sizes, a 75 p.c. market coverage, according to the manufacturer. The new tyre will be positioned at the same price level as its predecessor.
Fast Fit Offered By Mercedes
Product NewsIn this year Mercedes wants to establish a so-called “Express-Service” covering the range from exhausts to brakes. Within one hour customers utilising this special service are assumed to be on the road again.
