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NTDA Conference 2002

There was a new look to the conference of the National Tyre Distributors’ Association, held at the Valparaiso Palace Hotel in Palma, Mallorca, in September. Entitled “InTyreActive”, the conference was designed so that the delegates set the agenda and discussed matters that they felt were important to the industry, rather than listen to a string of speakers. Having said that, the keynote speech was retained and association Chairman, Martin Rowlands, opened the event by introducing the speaker, Sir Tom Farmer.New format gets people talking as delegates debate a series of issuesThe NTDA conference promised something different, with the delegates deciding what was important and what they wanted to talk about. InTyreActive, as it was known, was a new concept to many attendees and it was run by a facilitator, who explained what was going to happen over the two sessions. Anyone could suggest a topic, the title of which was written on a piece of paper and stuck to the wall. Delegates added their names to the topics in which they were interested. In fact, the wall played a crucial part in proceedings, as notes taken at the meeting were pinned up for general reading, plus it was used for charts, comments and suggestions. By setting the agenda, the idea was, as the NTDA publicity said, “to explore the key issues facing your industry now and in the future.”

28th November 2002/by Tyrepress Editors

NTDA Backs Tyre World Exhibition

The National Tyre Distributors Association has formally endorsed the new Tyre World event, scheduled for October 2003 in Earl’s Court, London. Buzz Carter, of organisers IDEX Media, said that London had been chosen after extensive research showed that it was the preference of domestic and international visitors. Tyre World will include a programme of seminars and associated events, including the NTDA’s annual conference Intyreactive and the national “Tyre Technician of the Year” competition. Further details are expected soon.

28th November 2002/by Tyrepress Editors

Tyre Show For London Next Autumn

Hot on the heels of the demise of InterTyre comes the news that a new UK exhibition for the tyre and related trades has been organised for October at Earls Court in London. To be called Tyre World, the show will be run by London-based conference and events organisers Idex Media. The arrangements were confirmed only yesterday and, as such, few details are available at this time.

22nd November 2002/by Tyrepress Editors

Pirelli Teams Up With Maserati In US Race Series

Pirelli is to be sole supplier of tyres and tyre technology to Maserati, the Ferrari-owned sports car maker. Next year Pirelli P Zero tyres will be fitted to Maserati cars competing in the Maserati trophy and, the following year, to Maserati cars competing on the GT race circuit. Maserati’s Spider and Coupe sell for around $100,000 and the brand was named as a “must-have” for affluent Americans in two lifestyle magazines. Maserati is concentrating on the US market and by 2006, hopes to sell 45 per cent of its global total of 10,000 vehicles in North America.

18th November 2002/by Tyrepress Editors

2001 UK ETRA Conference

Related news: Rapid-Fit To Join NTDA AA Chief to Open NTDA Conference GEA Supports UK Automotive Conference Michelin UK to ‘Adapt’ Run-Flat Advice

5th November 2002/by Tyrepress Editors

Superior Industries See Expansion in OE – End of Aftermarket

At Superior Industries 3rd quarter conference call the company announced expected growth of 15 per cent every year for the next three years. This was based on the expected demand from the OE market where the company was seeing growth in supplying the key manufacturers. Shipments to DaimlerChrysler were up to 6 per cent, whilst there was a 15 per cent growth in supplies to non-Ford/GM companies. Market share at Ford/GM continued to increase. However, the aftermarket revenue for the third quarter stood at 903,000 Dollars. Superior accepted that this was an indication that this sector of the market was nearing an end for the company.Current US capacity is around 14.5 million units, plus potentially 2 million from Hungary. In order to meet new demand the company was expanding production capacity at Rogers, Arkansas and at two other plants. Plus there was the possibility of another new plant being developed in the next two years, possibly in China producing wheels exclusively for the export market.

18th October 2002/by Tyrepress Editors

Michelin Aims At Improving Market Share

Michelin recently held an analyst conference to discuss its commercial vehicle tyre performance and strategy. This sector is worth 3.9 billion Euro a year in sales to Michelin, with an operating margin of almost 9 per cent, despite the dramatic downturn in the US and European markets. Looking ahead, the company’s strategy lies in the provision of total tyre management and problem solutions for fleets, with Michelin often taking over a customer’s total tyre requirements, from new tyres to scrap disposal. Typically, Michelin tyres command a price premium (of up to 20 per cent in Europe) over competitors’ tyres and the company intends to maintain this pricing level. Despite the higher prices, Michelin has an estimated OE market share of 70 per cent, and a replacement market share of over 30 per cent, and the company is aiming to improve on these figures. There has been a boost in the first four months of this year, with raw material prices lower than expected and sales volumes of tyres greater than anticipated.

10th June 2002/by Tyrepress Editors

Bullish Stance From Lampe

Speaking at a National Manufacturers Association conference in Nashville, John Lampe, chief executive of Bridgestone/Firestone’s US subsidiary, was extremely upbeat about the company’s future. “I’m convinced we have emerged from the recall stronger than ever before” he said, crediting the company’s “making it right” information programme with the restoration of consumer confidence. Analysts say that planned restructuring and cash reserves should be sufficient to deal with any further problems arising from the recall and lead to profitability of all divisions. Lampe added that the company intends to build market share for both Bridgestone and Firestone brands with new products.

16th April 2002/by Tyrepress Editors

Continental: End Of Truck Tyre production?

Morgan Stanley sees Continental Shares as positives at the end of the 17th Global Automotive Conference. Conti boss Manfred Wennemer had previously stuck to the goal of reducing debts and had announced that Continental was to buy the remainder of the Temic shares from Daimler Chrysler in the co ming month at a cost of 200 million Euro. When, as planned in the previous year, all five factories have been closed down, more than 50 per cent of Conti’s production capacities will be located in low wage-cost countries. After Wennemer’s statements in New York, some analysts, as has already been quoted in leading economic journals, regard it as possible, or even probable, that Continental is already thinking about dropping its truck tyre production completely – whereas the passenger tyre sector is still closely allied to the concept of chassis management.

28th March 2002/by Tyrepress Editors

Shift of Michelin Production Towards Romania

Next month, Michelin will close its truck tyre plant at Burnley (UK) and move the production capacity to Romania where the company took over a local producer several months ago. This move was confirmed by CFO Michel Rollier during the Global Automotive Conference held by Morgan Stanley in New York.Rollier added that the truck tyre business should create an average operating profit between 13 and 14 per cent. In the previous year this had been just 8.8 per cent due to the declining market. – a result which was, in any case, much better than the competitors’ results. Rollier added that Michelin wants to intensify its passenger car tyre engagement in the European high performance sector and to improve its position in the winter tyre segment. Both segments meanwhile have become attractive markets. In the USA Michelin has been able to win market share and has exchanged 2.6 million tyres during the Firestone recall.

28th March 2002/by Tyrepress Editors

Safety Regulations For South Africa

South 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.

22nd March 2002/by Tyrepress Editors

19. Fulda-Dealers Conference

Under the slogan “This is Your Road To Success”, tyre producer Fulda invited 150 of its retailing partners to Berlin for a dealers’ conference. The audience heard a clear confession towards the tyre-retailing companies and a towards a marketing strategy which will in the future be mainly oriented on qualitative items. Sales trainer Joachim Bullermann added some sarcastic pieces of advice concerning the right methods of managing your personal shop.In times during which market growth is slow and is reduced to just a few segments (UHP, Off-Road) according to Bernd Joachim Hoffmann, CEO of Fulda, the two aspects of “brand values” and “customer loyalty/trust” fulfil an important function of distinguishing the brand from the competition. Today brands symbolise more than ever “light house” qualities in an ocean of products that are perceived as becoming increasingly similar.The value of a brand is determined by different qualitative and quantitative factors: product quality, brand trust/sympathy, brand identities, brand awareness, market share, pricing behaviour of the brand distribution quality and sales presence, the advertising and marketing spending, earnings and EBIT of the company, sales efficiency, organisation of international distribution and the age of the brand. Concerning this aspect Hoffmann could point to a positive summary for the Fulda brand, saying: “We are already doing things today, while others are just starting to think of tomorrow.”

18th March 2002/by Tyrepress Editors

Michelin Surpasses Competitors

Michelin consolidated net sales for 2001 amounted to 15.775 bn Euro (+2.5 per cent over 2000). The operating profit reached 1.04 bn Euro (-10.5 per cent) and net profit was 314 million Euro (-28.4 per cent). With 6.6 per cent operating profit as a percentage of sales in a very difficult and competitive economic environment, Michelin easily outperformed its two biggest competitors Bridgestone and Goodyear. Bridgestone is still suffering from the consequences of the Firestone recall and Goodyear has reported losses in 2001. In a press conference in Paris Michelin boss Edouard Michelin spoke about the previous business year and Chief Financial Officer Michel Rollier gave detailed figures – also for the various divisions. It was the first time that Michelin has presented the company’s figures in such a major press conference, which was followed by two others in London and New York.

4th March 2002/by Tyrepress Editors

Different Opinions From Analysts Regarding Goodyear Shares

Following a conference given by Goodyear boss Sam Gibara in New York, there was a difference of opinion among analysts. While Deutsche Bank recommended Goodyear shares now as a buy – the bank also recommends Michelin, Continental and Cooper as buys because it foresees improvements for the whole industry. On the one hand there have been price increases to the dealers while, on the other hand oil prices were 15% cheaper than last year. Analysts from UBS Warburg however see Goodyear shares as a “hold”. The turnaround plans presented by Goodyear are clear and the analysts believe that these can be achieved. On the other hand they refer to the fact that the Goodyear management has made many promises in the past that they could not fulfil. Therefore from their point of view the message is ‘wait and see’. They say that the fair price for Goodyear shares at the moment is 25 US-$; at the stock exchange the shares are worth 24.50 US-$.

13th February 2002/by Tyrepress Editors

Market Domination By FTM

Fleet tyre management phoenix, FTM, has claimed domination of the UK fleet tyre management market, with coverage, largely exclusive, of 80 per cent of the fleet market. Some 1641 depots and 400 mobile units give FTM the claim to being the largest network of independent tyre retailers serving this market in the UK. Managing Director, Mike Wise, said at the annual dealer conference, that this had been achieved in the face if doubts and criticism from both the industry and press, and against a range of unprofessional business tactics from competing fleet tyre operators. Sir Tom Farmer, speaking as CEO of the Kwik-Fit Group which owns FTM, complimented the team on their success with a business which he couldn’t have given away 18 months previously.

14th January 2002/by Tyrepress Editors