A new position – chief marketing officer – has been created at Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations, and as of June 6 Philip Dobbs is serving in this role. Dobbs takes on responsibility for leading the development and implementation of an integrated marketing strategy for the company’s U.S. & Canada Consumer Tire division and for ensuring consistency between the strategy and Bridgestone’s brand image.
The all-new Chrysler flagship, the 2011 Chrysler 300, is now on sale in the US, and UK sales are tipped to start in spring 2012. The 300 is shipped in four model specifications – Touring, Limited, 300C and 300C AWD – and Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations reports its Firestone-brand FR710 tyre has been selected as standard original equipment on the more upmarket Limited and 300C versions. Another Firestone tyre, the Firehawk GT, will be optional original equipment for the same models.
Continental Tire the Americas has entered into a multi-year agreement covering the sale of Continental brand commercial tyres at TravelCenters of America (TA) and Petro Stopping Center sites throughout the US and Canada. This deal gives Continental access to 220 replacement tyre point of sale locations and truck maintenance centres. In addition, through TravelCenters of America's RoadSquad programme, emergency replacement tyres are available 24/7/365 from over 400 roadside assistance vehicles.
The formation of a new group to handle Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations’ commercial tyre business has led to the elimination of some 30 jobs within the organisation. Bridgestone Americas reports the job reductions are effective immediately; the creation of the Bridgestone Commercial Solutions Group to handle the company’s Bridgestone Bandag Tire Solutions and Off Road Tire, US & Canada Tire Sales divisions has rendered these positions superfluous.
The results in round two of the Maxxis ACU British Motocross Championship at Canada Heights on 27 March turned out to be a repeat of the season opener, reports the brand and title-sponsor. Shaun Simpson (LS Honda) and Arnaud Tonus (Bike It Cosworth Wild Wolf Yamaha) took victory in the MX1 and MX2 classes respectively, while other Maxxis-sponsored teams also posted top ten finishes.
Title-sponsor Maxxis reports that the 2011 Maxxis ACU British Motocross Championship got underway in Exeter on Sunday 6 March with five different winners from six races, leaving both the MX1 and MX2 classes “wide open”. Despite the cold weather, Maxxis says the season opener drew a large gallery of spectators who watched Shaun Simpson on the LS Racing Honda CRF450 take victory in the MX1 Class ahead of Buildbase CCM-Racing’s Tom Church and Jason Dougan of the Bike It Cosworth Wild Wolf Yamaha team. Despite a win in race three, the fact that pre-event favourite Stephen Sword did not finish the first two motos means he is lying in 14th position with some catching up to do.
Michelin North America’s newly-released 2011 fact sheet reports regional sales of US$8.2 billion for the tyre maker in 2010, a 17.1 per cent increase on a year earlier and 34 per cent of Michelin’s total global sales. Last year Michelin employed approximately 21,400 people in the North America region, some 500 more than in 2009. This small growth in employee numbers occurred in the US and Canada, with the employee head count dipping slightly in Mexico.
Michelin North America has launched a new initiative for passenger car and light truck drivers in the United States and Canada today, in which every set of Michelin tyres bought will be registered with the Michelin Promise Plan. The plan promises a 30-day satisfaction guarantee, three-year assistance with changing flats tyres and mileage warranties.
On April 1, Nexen Tire America will implement price increases of up to eight per cent on its tyre ranges in the US and Canada. In announcing the price adjustment in a letter to customers, John E. Aben, the company’s vice president sales and marketing referred to rising raw material costs and particularly the “uncertainty in the cost of natural rubber.”
The 2011 versions of two iconic US muscle car models are to be fitted with the Firestone Firehawk GT as optional original equipment, reports Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations (BATO). The V-rated all-season Firehawk GT will be supplied in size 245/45R20 99V on the all-new Dodge performance flagship saloon, the 2011 Dodge Charger plus the 2011 Dodge Challenger muscle car.
In the US Inovex Industries, Inc., the manufacturers of the Ride-On tyre protection system (TPS), have partnered with Motovan (Canada's largest distributor of motorcycle accessories) to distribute the company’s balancer/sealant product.
Walmart Canada plans to invest $500 million to add 40 new supercentres, expanding the company’s presence into Manitoba and Quebec, reports Tire Review. The new stores, which will carry groceries and general merchandise, including tyres and automotive service, will be the result of a combination of renovations of existing stores, relocations and the construction of new stores. Details about the stores’ specific locations have not been released.
Riccardo Cichi has been named president of Pirelli Canada. Hired at Pirelli Canada in 1989 as market analyst, Cichi moved to Pirelli Tire North America in 1992 as operations director. He was later promoted to marketing director and then vice president of sales and marketing for the US and Canada. Departing Pirelli Canada president Marco Zambiachi has taken on new executive responsibilities with PTNA at its New York City offices. (Tire Review)
The Retread Tire Association (RTA), formed following Harvey Brodsky’s departure from the Tire Retread & Repair Information Bureau, reports the addition of another 12 members to its ranks. New member companies include: AME International, Black’s Tire Service, Frasier Tire Service, Jirah Inc., Malerba’s Consulting LLC, Purcell Tire, Tesla Electronics and Tire Stamp, all US-based. New from Canada are Kirk’s Tire and West End Tire, while Earthmover Tyres of Scotland and Makepeace Agencies from Australia also have joined.
With a victory and a third place finish in Rounds 12 and 13 of the Cooper Tires Prototype Lites Championship at Mosport, Canada, Charlie Shears clinched both the Lites1 class overall championship and the Masters Class Championship with a race weekend to spare. The American tyre manufacturer-backed Championship features racing between two sports racer prototype classes, Lites 1 and Lites 2, presenting a dimension of competition as drivers must be aware of classes with distinctly different speeds, a similar challenge to that faced by the drivers of the American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón.
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