Fast-fit workshop manager Andy Smedley (38) has beaten 500 other entrants across the UK, displaying outstanding tyre knowledge.
Andy Smedley, the workshop manager for Fast-Fit in Norwich, entered the Michelin Certified Programme competition after being put forward by his area manager. He answered all 47 questions on tyre technology correctly, securing him a place in the top ten for the semi finals.
All-makes parts supplier Motaquip suggests that more independent garages are setting up motor factor operations to support their core business and the driving force behind this trend is the changes in Block Exemption.
Motaquip says that new business start-up enquiries to its Partnership Programme from garage owners have more than doubled as garages are looking to enter the parts distribution chain. This contrasts with 2003, when only one in 10 of Motaquip’s enquiries came from independent garage owners. Block Exemption has been cited as the major contributory factor in this growth, which has left many garages needing a good source of quality parts.
Bridgestone UK has promoted Keith Thomas to the position of national account manager, with Simon Davies taking up Mr Thomas’ previous role as national account executive. According to Keith, the promotions illustrate Bridgestone’s commitment to enhancing its UK sales operations.
As far as motorsport is concerned, Toyo targets potential consumers by sponsoring the Toyo Tyres Modified Production Saloon Car Championship. This year’s winner, Gareth Porter, had more reason to celebrate than most having driven a 240BHP Peugeot 205 to victory beating the likes of BMWs along the way.
The UK finalist of the Bridgestone e-reporter competition, Mike Channell, has been announced as the overall winner of its pan-European Bridgestone e-reporter young journalist competition.
He attended the European Grand Prix as part of his prize and reported on the inaugural GP2 Series for Bridgestone Europe and the GP2 Series’ websites. Channell will fly to Japan for this year’s Tokyo Motor Show, and also received a new laptop.
The 2006 UK Fulda Challenge team has been chosen following the European Selection Event that took place in Sulden, South Tyrol/Italy.
The two-person team – Martin Yardley, a Royal Marine physical training instructor from Portsmouth and Kate Balchin, a Metropolitan police officer from Bagshot in Surrey – will represent the UK in the sixth Fulda Challenge.
Entrants who achieve the highest marks in this year’s Top Technician theory test, will be invited to a free training seminar on modern vehicle technology. The seminar will be hosted by newly appointed technical partner, MototeK, helpline provider to many vehicle manufacturers.
Tyres & Accessories has teamed up with Continental Tyres to run an exclusive world cup competition. In its capacity as Official Partner of the 2006 FIFA World Cup, Continental is offering one reader the chance to win two all expenses paid tickets to next year’s tournament. A further 10 runners up will receive a goodie bag packed with World Cup merchandise, including match footballs. For more information log onto www.conti-online.co.uk or see the October issue of T&A.
Peter Harris, who operates the Snap-on Tools franchise, based in Rowlands Castle, Hants, is celebrating being named as one of the top performers in an industry worth over £9 billion a year to the UK economy after reaching the final of the 2005 BFA Franchisee of the Year Awards, backed by HSBC Bank and Express Newspapers.
The John Bean Visualiner 3D Arago aligner picked up the Bodyshop Product of the Year Award for 2005 at the Bodyshop Magazine’s Industry awards ceremony held at the Novotel in West London 16th September. The Visualiner 3D Arago fought off competition from a number of other high-tech products but obviously the features that the Visualiner 3D Arago offers bodyshop owners proved a winner in the end. “It is the only 3 dimensional digital alignment system, and the only self-calibrating alignment system in the world. The award is testament to it’s unique and innovative design. In my 30 years of selling wheel alignment I’ve never seen a product that has advanced alignment technology more so than the Visualiner 3D Arago,” commented Stewart Levitt, Alignment Specialist at UK Equipment, who accepted the award.
WorldSkills Gold medal winner Andrew Blair received a tribute award at the Bodyshop Magazine Industry Event in London, 15th September 2005. The award was presented by Phil Hope, Minister for Vocational Skills and Damon Hill, former F1 World Champion.
(Southern Africa/SA Treads) It’s official. Speculation surrounding the possible arrival of Marangoni Ringtread in South Africa (SA) was put to rest earlier this month, with the announcement that Leader Tread had secured the agency for this concept and that the first Ringtread machine would reach SA in the Spring.
To complement Ringtread’s innovative, splice-free retread, Leader Tread will also be bringing in a Marangoni ITT Cubo 2500 inspection machine, voted one of the best of its kind in the world.
(Akron/Tire Review) Bridgestone/Firestone North American Tire’s (BFNAT) lone Canadian tyre plant is celebrating its 40th anniversary this week. The celebrations at the Joliette, Quebec, plant included a large family event, attended by nearly 1,000 workers and their families, as well as local and provincial officials.
“We are very proud of how far we’ve come in 40 years and are confident for the future of the plant, now favourably positioned to face world competition,” said plant general manager Isaku Motohashi. The nearly one-million-square-foot plant employs some 1,250 workers, and produces passenger and light truck/SUV tyres.
Federal’s 595 competition tyre has reportedly become something of a favourite amongst professional Japanese drifting drivers. According to popular Japanese drifting magazine, Drift Tengoku, 54 contestants participated in the recent D1 Super Challenge in Japan. Five contestants, 9.3 per cent of the total number of competitors, used Federal’s 595 on their vehicle. Second place driver Atsushi Goto used 215/40/17s on the front and size 215/45/17 on the rear. Atsushi Goto noted that the wear and tear on his 595s was minimal after the event, according to Federal.
Ex-Grand Prix star and BBC MotoGP commentator, Steve Parrish, visited Bridgestone UK’s Warwick HQ last week to draw the winner of the second phase of the manufacturer’s 2005 dealer and customer promotional campaign: ‘Grip the Road – Escape to Freedom’
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