The Continental Tyre Group announced their choice for the position of managing director. David Smith will step into the role at the end of December when current managing director Brian Smith leaves the company after thirteen years in the job.
KUMHO’s ECSTA KH11 tyre has been chosen by the Chrysler Group to be original equipment on the 2007 Chrysler Sebring. The ultra-high performance tyre, in size 215/55R18, will be a top-of-the-line plus-size option on the Chrysler Sebring in international markets, the company reports. The vehicle will be available in the UK from June 2007.
Trelleborg has taken steps to consolidate its industrial tyre production capacity, moving production from North America to Sri Lanka. Trelleborg reports that it has plans to invest in increased production capacity at one of Trelleborg Wheel Systems’ plants in Sri Lanka. As a consequence of this, the production of industrial tyres will be terminated and relocated from Trelleborg Wheel Systems’ plant in Hartville, Ohio, in the US. The cost of closure, production transfer and investments will total approximately 130 million Swedish krone (£9.7 million) over a three-year period.
Autodiagnos Limited, manufacturers of one of the leading automotive diagnostic tools has announced a major re-organisation programme designed, which the company says is designed to enhance customer focus and synergy in domestic and global markets. Dave Rushton, a Chartered Engineer, has been appointed director and general manager of the company. Rushton brings over 15 years experience in the Automotive Diagnostics business, previously working with other leading diagnostics companies and recently as Operations Director at Autodiagnos.
Mark Wright has joined the company to head up UK Sales and Marketing. Wright has 10 years of experience in sales and distribution of automotive tools and equipment and will focus on the development and support of customers in the home markets.
Korean tyre manufacturers have an uphill struggle on their hands if they want to improve their products’ brand recognition on a global scale, according to a recent Deutsche Bank report. Instead the analysts expect that any improvement should come through higher gross margins for their distribution subsidiaries. “In our view, the industry’s competitive landscape is not favourable for Korean tyre makers and it will be very difficult for them to improve their brand recognition in the highly competitive global tyre market,” the analysts commented.
East midlands-based We Sell Tyres (wholesale) company is moving its Newark wholesale operation to larger premises situated in Colwick, Nottingham. The move is due to take place in early 2007. The new premises which cover a total of over 40,000 square feet are within easy reach of central Nottingham and will further improve the company’s stock holding facility and existing delivery service into Derbyshire and surrounding areas.
In order to further improve its service, North Eastern Tyres and Exhauts (NETE) has now dedicated a side of its business to exclusively serving trade customers. With the establishment of NE Wholesale the company plans to focus will focus on the distribution side of the business and is looking to provide an “unparalleled level of service.”
NE Wholesale commercial director Gavin Marshall explained how service is ever important in such a rapidly evolving marketplace: “I feel that at NE Wholesale we operate in a completely different way from most of the tyre distribution market. We have worked terrifically hard to retain a low cost base while constantly increasing our levels of service, this means we offer up to 10 times a day delivery at the same levels of cost as some of our so-called larger competitors. The hard work done by our Group Tyre Head Office also allows us to deliver quality [exclusive brands] such as Federal and Maxxis as opposed to a hotchpotch offer of different lower quality options.
Stapletons has added 40 brand new Renault Master Panel Vans to its delivery fleet, a move the company says signals its commitment to improving its “fast, efficient and reliable delivery service.” Through its six distribution centres in Letchworth, Wakefield, Coatbridge, Bristol, Burton and Warrington, Stapletons stocks over 500,000 tyres and delivers to over 6,000 customers making the van fleet a vital aspect of the business. Stapletons representatives told Tyres & Accessories that the company is committed to ensuring customers have a wholesaler they can rely on and is a vital link in the tyre industry supply chain.
Cooper Tires has been confirmed as the sole supplier of rubber for Western Power Distribution’s fleet of Ford Ranger 4×4 vehicles. The fleet of 80 vehicles will be fitted with Cooper Discoverer ST tyres, helping WPD to service its 2.5 million customers in South West England and Wales. The contract is Cooper’s first with a major UK utility company.
SmarTire reported record revenue in 2006 of $3.5 million, compared to $1.46 million in 2005. Net loss for the year totalled $29.4 million, compared with $16.1 million a year ago. Losses for the year increased significantly primarily due to non-cash interest charges of $23.2 million in 2006, compared to $3.6 million in 2005.
Aldi is fitting Michelin A2 Energy tyres to all vehicles based at its southern distribution centre in Chelmsford, Essex, following a 12 month road test which demonstrated a fuel saving of 2.3 per cent. The trial saw a 38-tonne Scania tractor unit (X268 KON) fitted with Energy tyres, with fuel consumption measured on a weekly basis and compared against figures for the same vehicle over the previous 12 month period.
MAM Software Ltd. has announced that G.P. Automotive, one of the UK’s major component distribution businesses, has implemented its Autopart and Autonet applications as the basis of a new management and communication infrastructure. The solution, which recently went live, is being used by G.P. Automotive to provide a technology platform for managing sales processes, controlling stock, and providing fully-featured electronic ordering functionality for its customers.
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Quinton Tyres, a Michelin MBA dealer covering Cheshire and most of Lancashire, has unveiled a striking new livery for its fleet of eight mobile tyre fitting vans which operate from branches in Dukinfield in Cheshire and Chorley in Lancashire. The livery incorporates life-size images of The Michelin Man waving to motorists on both sides and rear doors of each of the company’s Mercedes-Benz Sprinter panel vans.
The booming Chinese tyre industry has not only created various new business relations between manufacturers and distributors but it has also supported the growth of so-called tyre agencies. These companies act like wholesalers although they have no own stock capacities available. In turn the tyre agents are professionalising the interface between Chinese manufacturers and suppliers and foreign customers. The Aufine Group Co., Ltd. based in Qingdao is one such company.
Uzmai International srl, manufacturer of Maitech Radial EM tyres has announced that it has added Kings Road Tyres & Repairs Ltd to its UK and Eire dealer network. Adrian Bader, managing director of Kings Road Tyres (Wholesale) said: “We are pleased to have been appointed as the sole distributors of Maitech ‘all steel radial’ EM tyres for the UK & Ireland. This opportunity enables us to provide our existing customers with a top quality product on a regular basis.
The Maitech Radial range covers sizes: 15.5R25, 17.5R25, 20.5R25, 23.5R25, 26.5R25, with 29.5R25 becoming available in 2007.
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