Midwest Motor Factors, part of Arnold Clark Automobiles Ltd, has joined automotive trading group Groupauto. Midwest Motor Factors operates out of six branches across the West Midlands alongside the award-winning Monmore Auto Parts branch, which is based in Wolverhampton. All operations will join Groupauto with immediate effect.
Bodykit creator Liberty Walk has announced its official presence in the UK by appointing The Performance Company (TPC) in Northampton as its sole British distributor. The Wellingborough based firm, which also recently added AirRex air suspension systems to its portfolio, said the deal would augment other blue-chip names like Remus, Pipercross, Ultra Racing and V-Maxx in its portfolio.
Autoparts UK was named the UAN distributor of the year at the recent Groupauto/UAN Gala Dinner and Trade Show. The parts distributor, which operates out of 12 branches with a head office in Glasgow, Scotland, has been a member of the group for nearly 10 years.
Solid Auto (UK) Ltd has become an official UK distributor for Denso aftermarket products. The West Midlands business is rapidly expanding its supply portfolio and states that the addition of the Denso brand will further complement the company’s specialism in the supply of Japanese and Korean car parts. The manufacturer’s spark plugs will initially be available from Solid Auto UK with more product groups likely to be added in the future.
Wheel servicing specialist Pro-Align has been awarded a five-star rating by leading garage equipment manufacturer Hunter Engineering for the first time. Pro-Align said this reflected the significant progression and development of the Hunter brand in the UK. The company was also presented with Hunter’s “Platinum Partner” award for the ninth consecutive year, indicating the Towcester-based company as one of Hunter’s most successful and important global distributors.
Through its Trelleborg Wheel Systems business area, Sweden’s Trelleborg AB has finalised the acquisition of French industrial tyre distributor D.G. Manutention Services SAS (DGMS), a company active in southern France and specialising in the distribution and service of industrial tyres, such as those fitted on forklifts. The transaction was consolidated on 1 February.
Australian OTR tyre specialist Marathon Tyres has become premium partner for Magna OTR tyres in Australia. This new arrangement is said to build on the relationship between Magna Tyres and Marathon that began in 2013, and Magna describes Marathon Tyres as the “ideal partner” for the expansion of its OTR tyre activities in Australia. Provisions of the agreement grant Marathon Tyres the right to sell Magna branded OTR tyres utilised in the mining, construction, port handling and scrap metal/waste handling industries.
Bridgestone Corporation subsidiary Bridgestone Middle East & Africa East FZE (BSMEA) announced today its appointment of Zantrak International s.a.l. as its first sole distributor in the Republic of Iraq. Under this agreement, Zantrak International will exclusively distribute Bridgestone brand consumer, commercial and off-road tyres and tubes in Iraq.
A second former Unipart Automotive director has been recruited by The Parts Alliance. Joining south west regional director Paul Dineen, James Geldart will be responsible for the Eastern Alliance’s 21 branches, serving independent garages in London and the South East of England. Geldart was previously a divisional director with Unipart Automotive (UA), and was appointed with effect from Monday, 1 September.
The Parts Alliance has acquired three more former Unipart Automotive (UA) branches. Located in the south west of England, the Chard, Frome and Plymouth sites are expected to re-open around the end of September, according to The Parts Alliance. They bring the number of former Unipart Automotive branches acquired by the HgCapital-owned business group to 15 including the 12 acquired in July after UA went into administration. 24 more jobs have been saved as a result, while Paul Dineen, formerly regional director with UA and head of the Unipart Car Care Centres (UCCC) programme, has been recruited to oversee the eight ex-UA sites in Barnstaple, Penryn, Taunton, Tiverton and Exeter.
Paderborn, Germany-based, Hämmerling – The Tyre Company GmbH, has signed a distributor agreement with Irish company Philip White Tyres Ltd. This family-owned company is now the exclusive distributor of Athos truck tyres in the UK and Ireland with immediate effect. This newly-signed agreement with Philip White Tyres Ltd is aimed at achieving further growth of Hämmerling – The Tyre Company GmbH in the UK tyre market.
At this month’s Reifen 2014 show in Essen, Germany, Hankook Tire will occupy more than 300 square metres of exhibition space at in Hall 3.0 (stand 3A32). At this, the 11th occasion the tyre maker has exhibited at the trade fair, Hankook will display an extended UHP line-up and will highlight its recent original equipment segment activities.
Prior to its presence at Reifen 2014, BKT will partner with Italian market distributor Industrial Gomme at Samoter 2014, the triennial international exhibition for earthmoving and construction vehicles that this year takes place in Verona from 8 to 11 May. At their joint stand, the two companies will showcase products from the BKT industrial range, including the Loader Special (L5) and Earthmax SR 30 and SR 45 and AS.
Alliance Tire Americas, Inc. is now an official sponsor of the National Tractor Pullers Association (NTPA), according to the association the world’s oldest and most respected truck and tractor pulling sanctioning organization. NPTA reports that the three-year deal will “raise awareness for the Alliance brand by exposing it to fans attending tractor pulls across the Midwest and South, as well as to the thousands who follow the action on RFD-TV and online.”
Tiresur International, a leading tyre distributor in Southern Europe, recently appointed Antonio Cortés as its new managing director for Spain. Tiresur is, amongst other things, GT Radial’s exclusive distributor in Spain and Portugal.
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