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GiTi Incorporates New UK Truck Subsidiary

On 26th January 2009 GiTi Tire Europe BV incorporated a new UK truck tyre subsidiary. Company representatives report that the Chinese tyre manufacturer initiated the move in order to enable the company to focus better on the specialist needs of the truck tyre market.

Planning for the new subsidiary began in mid-2008, and the company now has premises, a third party logistics operation and three sales people on the road. The next appointment scheduled in the company’s lean business plan is the recruitment of an operations manager to oversee the truck tyre subsidiary’s back office operations.

24th March 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

NZ Wholesaler/Retailer Changes Name

One of New Zealand’s leading tyre marketers, wholesalers and retailers has announced a new name and corporate identity designed to represent the current and future direction of the business. From today, Goodyear & Dunlop Tyres (NZ) is the new trading name of South Pacific Tyres (NZ), the company that is custodian of the Goodyear and Dunlop brands, as well as the Goodyear Auto Service Centre, Beaurepaires and Frank Allen Tyres branded retail stores.

Goodyear & Dunlop Tyres managing director and CEO Judith Swales stated, “Goodyear and Dunlop are the two of the world’s leading tyre brands, so we are very pleased and proud that they form the basis of our new trading name and corporate identity. The Goodyear & Dunlop Tyres name better reflects Goodyear’s ownership of our business whilst acknowledging the heritage and legacy that is synonymous with the Dunlop brand in New Zealand and Australia.”

23rd March 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Stamford Tyres 3Q2009 Sales Down 6.6%

Stamford Tyres Corporation has reported double digit falls in both third quarter revenues (S$62.9 million, £29.2 million – down 21 per cent) and period gross profits (S$15.8 million, £7.34 million – down 16.6 per cent). The biggest quarterly fall was in the company’s net profits after tax, which fell to just S$100,000 (£46,426), down 94.9 per cent compared with the same period in the company’s 2008 financial year. Stamford puts the marked drops it experienced down to the “deteriorating business environment resulting from the global economic crisis.” Nevertheless the company evidently did turn a profit and continues to record healthy gross profit margins in excess of 20 per cent (2009:25.1 – 2008:23.8).

For the nine months ended 31 January 2009 revenue was S$227.6 million (£105.6 million), down 6.6 per cent compared to the same period in 2008. Gross profit for the first three quarters of the 2009 fiscal year was S$54.6 million (£25.3 million), comparable to what was achieved at the same point in 2008 (down 1.8 per cent to be precise). However, according to the company “most key territories in Stamford Tyres’ marketing network continued to perform satisfactorily.”

13th March 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Conti Launches Next Tyre in Extreme Series

First introduced at the 2008 SEMA show, Continental Tire North America is now launching its ExtremeContact DW at a ride-and-drive event in sunny California. The UHP tyre, designed to deliver serious performance on both dry and wet roads, is part of a new line of performance tyres from Continental that also includes the ExtremeContact DWS and the ExtremeWinterContact.

The ExtremeContact DW offers chamfered edges and a solid outer shoulder to enhance dry performance; dynamic temperature distribution to reduce distortion for enhanced energy delivery, lower rolling resistance and improved tread-life; and a high void to tread ratio with enhanced groove curvature to improve water evacuation for outstanding wet handling, the tyre maker said. (Tire Review/Akron)

11th March 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Clearway Distribution Trials Michelin Fitment

Nottinghamshire-based Clearway Distribution, a founder member of the Palletline network, is reportedly trial switching from Bridgestone to a Michelin tyre policy across its fleet of 42 commercial vehicles and 80 trailers. Gary Chamberlain, transport manager at Clearway Distribution, explained: “I will be monitoring the performance of the joint ATS Euromaster and Michelin package very carefully over the next 12 months, but am confident it will demonstrate real added value to the fleet.”

The new contract will see ATS Euromaster supplying new Michelin tyres as wear dictates, which will in turn be regrooved, remoulded into Remix tyres and regrooved again to deliver the best possible performance from each Michelin tyre casing. ATS Euromaster says it is also able to remould the existing Bridgestone tyres fitted across the fleet through Michelin’s Encore facility in Stoke-on-Trent.

10th March 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Chris Hufflett Appointed ATSE Group Operations Director

ATS Euromaster has appointed Chris Hufflett, 45, to the position of group operations director, completing an internal restructuring programme which has seen the country divided into four divisions, each with its own dedicated divisional operations director and divisional sales manager. He takes over from Vince McGurk, 48, who is joining parent company Euromaster Group to take on the new position of European operations progress director at Euromaster Group’s head office in Clermont-Ferrand, France.

Hufflett brings extensive industry experience to the role, having been employed for the last three years as one of ATS Euromaster’s divisional operations directors, looking after South West England and Wales. Before joining the company in 2006, he spent more than 10 years at vehicle distribution and logistics specialist Walon, most recently as operations director.

6th March 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Pirelli to End Tyre Production at Manresa, Spain Plant

Pirelli Tyre is reportedly ending tyre manufacturing at the company’s Manresa, Spain factory on 31 December 2009. According to a Reuter’s report, the company told union officials it hoped to branch into “other activities,” however further details are not expected until April. According to the report 550 workers employees in Manresa may lose their jobs. Headcount at the plant is said to have fallen from 750 after car demand fell in Spain. The concept of establishing a logistics centre for tyre distribution is reportedly being floated as a factory alternative.

According to the Pirelli website, the Manresa factory (located in the Catalonia region of Spain) opened in 1924 and covers 211,000 square metres. Production at the plant totals 41,900 tonnes of UHP passenger and SUV tyres a year. Total employees were numbered at 1009.

26th February 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Coal Distributor Switches to ATS Euromaster

Bagnalls, a Nationwide coal and slate distribution company, has appointed ATS Euromaster to manage tyres across its fleet of commercial vehicles. Bagnalls has reportedly opted for a joint Taurus and Bandvulc tyre fitment policy. The agreement will see ATS Euromaster support the company’s 17-strong fleet which ranges from Mercedes Benz Sprinter vans to 13 and 18 tonne Mercedes Benz Atego and Daf LF rigid bodied trucks.

18th February 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

CJ Bird Reports ‘Going the Extra Mile’ with Michelin

Welsh haulage firm CJ Bird Transport regularly clocks up 500,000 km on its Michelin drive axle tyres and 600,000 km on its Michelin trailer tyres thanks to an active programme of tyre husbandry carried out by independent tyre dealer Celtic Tyres. The Llantrisant-based company specifies Michelin as original equipment wherever possible, and the tyres’ longevity means many of the trucks it purchases never need to be fitted with a new replacement tyre during their life on the fleet.

17th February 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Triple P showcases Gulf Lubricants

In addition to the presence of tyre makers, the Aftermarket Show at Autosport International proved to be the ideal stage for Triple P, a division of Universal Automotive, to demonstrate its ability to attract performance brands, with the announcement of a distribution agreement with Gulf Lubricants UK. The road-going version of the Gulf-sponsored Le Mans winning Aston Martin DBR9 was the centre-piece of the company’s stand.

Keith Jewers, Gulf UK retail sales director joined the rest of the Triple P team and was present for the duration of the show to answer any questions about the brand. “Being at the heart of the Aftermarket Show and featuring in the TalkShop forums provided the perfect platform to really get the message across to both trade and consumer that Gulf Lubricants are back in a big way,” he explained. “The Gulf brand is synonymous with quality and innovation, and the high performance range of products we are offering through Triple P will be extremely comprehensive and competitive.”

9th February 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Hercules Tire Appoints Bill Trimarco as CEO

On February 4, Ohio, USA based Hercules Tire Company announced a new man at the helm. Effective March 2, William Trimarco will take over from Lawrence Seawell as the company’s chief executive office. Hercules reports that Seawell, who has held the role since late 2005, recently resigned to pursue other opportunities.

“We are thrilled to have Bill Trimarco as the new CEO of Hercules,” said Howard Romanow, managing director of parent company FdG Associates and member of the Hercules Board of Directors. “We have known Bill for ten years and have long respected his operational and leadership skills. We think his experience with complex, value-added distribution, international sales and foreign sourcing makes Bill a great fit to lead Hercules, and we look forward to working with him to help execute the company’s business plan.”

5th February 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Rema Tip Top Gets New Official Name

On 1 January 2009, Rema Tip Top UK Limited (the company’s automotive and industry service/distribution based operations) officially began trading as a newly reorganised group of companies. The traditional Rema Tip Top Automotive division responsible for the sale of all automotive goods and services officially became ‘Rema Tip Top Automotive UK Limited’. While the Rema Tip Top Industry division responsible for the sale of all industrial goods and services became ‘Rema Tip Top Industry UK Limited.’

Rema Tip Top Automotive UK Limited continues to operate from its headquarters in Leeds, West Yorkshire, whilst Rema Tip Top Industry UK Limited has moved its headquarters to Harworth in Doncaster.

4th February 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Shandong Linglong Aiming to Increase Sales 17.5% in 2009

Sales wise, last year was a good one for Shandong Linglong. The Chinese manufacturer of car, truck agricultural and OTR tyres reported for the first time ever sales in excess of RMB 10 billion. The company’s 2008 sales, which reached a total of RMB 10.2 billion, (£1.03 billion) in the words of general manager Mr. Feng Wang, “not only exceeded our expectations but also hit a new historical high.”

2nd February 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Goodyear Tells of Increased Market Share

Goodyear Dunlop UK and Ireland has released the claim that, despite challenging economic conditions, the company has managed to increase its car tyre market share by a margin of over 4 per cent in the last four months. Over the company’s four major brands, including European-developed Fulda and Sava in addition to the best-known Goodyear and Dunlop names, the manufacturer states that it reached a two year peak of 27.1 per cent of the market during the last third of a year.

Group managing director, Mark Brickhill said that the Birmingham-based company’s strong and diverse portfolio of brands has been the key to gaining market share in challenging conditions. While the rest of the market was declining by 0.6 per cent, Goodyear Dunlop’s December consumer sales were 6 per cent higher than in the same month in 2007. The company says that its share of Market has been growing steadily over the last four months, reaching its aforementioned peak in December.

30th January 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Hankook – “Kontrol Technology”

“Kontrol Technology” is Hankook’s technology philosophy, which reflects how the tyre should perfectly control the interaction between the driver, the car and the road while in motion (the ‘K’ stands for kinetic). It is implemented to ensure that Hankook provides the greatest benefits and driving experiences to customers in terms of safety, driving comfort, handling, performance and environmental friendliness.

As well as a Kontrol Technology information booth at Sema, Hankook showcased its new, environmental tyre – enfren – which has completed the Kontrol Technology cycle and was launched in Korea. Hankook is exploring the possibility of a North American version within three years.

30th January 2009/by Tyrepress Editors