Euro Car Parts has been appointed as the UK’s largest distributor of Contitech drive belts. The deal ensures that Euro Car Parts, the UK’s largest independent supplier of car parts, can meet the highest volume demands from trade and retail customers 30 branches nationwide. Contitech is an original equipment manufacturer on some of the world’s leading car marques including BMW, Mercedes, Porsche, Volvo, Seat and Audi.
(Akron/Tire Review) Michelin North America (MNA) has filed a suit in the federal court of Birmingham, Alabama, against Canadian distributor Dynamic Tire and Chinese manufacturer, Aeolus Tyre, claiming tyre design patent infringement. Robert Sherkin, president of both Dynamic Tire Corp and Aeolus Tire in North America was also named in the action.
“We will not tolerate look-alike tyres trading on Michelin expertise and will bring the full resources of Michelin North America to bear on those seeking to profit from our innovations,” said Luc Minguet, COO of MNA’s Michelin Americas Truck Tyres unit. MNA claims that the tread design of the Aeolus HN-308 medium truck tyre is identical to its patented design for the Michelin XDA-HT.
A UK network of specialist battery dealers is being set up to handle the new range of Optima high-tech automotive batteries manufactured by Johnson Controls.
The Optima range of YellowTop dual power batteries is aimed at car customisers and ICE fans. Optima says that it combines the proven abilities of a starter battery with all the advantages of a deep cycle battery for optimum charge and recharge. The capacity to maintain higher voltage during the discharge cycle means that motorists can power all the electronics and play car audio systems louder and longer.
UK Equipment Ltd has appointed David Speirs as area sales manager for Scotland and Northern Ireland.
In this role Mr Speirs will be responsible for strengthening the company’s existing distributor base, whilst growing the brand through its OEM business and corporate dealers throughout the region.
In the UK the implementation of nitrogen inflation is still a relatively new topic. But when ATS Euromaster began a nitrogen inflation trial at 25 of its UK outlets earlier this year, it stirred interest about the subject within the market.
Alliance has introduced 40 new forestry tyre designs to its existing ranges in an attempt to strengthen its position in the segment. The tyres feature reinforced steel and include flotation forestry tyres for harvesters, agro-forestry R1 tyres for combined applications in forestry and agriculture, and LS forestry tyres for logger skidders.
The new tyres were developed in co-operation with machinery manufacturers, under severe conditions, said David Shahar, head of R&D for Alliance. “Forestry tyres should be able to drive effortlessly in difficult terrain, without puncture and costly down time,” Shahar explained.
World Trade Association (WTA) is an international tyre wholesaler, based in Coral Springs, Florida.
The company deals in all brands of passenger car, high performance, light truck and truck tyres and has more than 30 years’ experience dealing in the global marketplace, shipping tyres all over the world.
WTA is also the worldwide distributor for the Hanksugi Japan range of truck tyres, which are available in both bias-ply and radial construction. They are produced in Shanghai, with the manufacturing process controlled through the Sinochem International Company Limited.
(Akron/Tire Review) American Tire Distributors Holdings Inc (ATD) has announced operating results for the first quarter ended 2 April. Consolidated net sales increased 17.6 per cent to $354.3 million, versus $301.4 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2004, and gross profit increased 10.9 per cent, ATD reported.
Euro Car Parts has launched its brand new catalogue for 2005/06. The new catalogue, which contains 196 pages of more than 60,000 parts and accessories for the German, French and Scandinavian car marques provides claims to be the most comprehensive reference and ordering point in the UK.
(Akron/Tire Review) Hercules Tires & Rubber Co has officially announced that its senior management has “partnered” with private equity firm FdG Associates to acquire the Findlay, Ohio-based private brander and distributor. Hercules’ 33 dealer shareholders voted to sell their share to FdG
According to its statement, Hercules said the transaction was financed with equity from FdG’s second institutional fund, FdG Capital Partners II LP, and “will provide Hercules with the capital to further expand its Hercules branded private label program, solidify its industry position and capitalize on opportunities for continued growth and acquisitions.” Details of the deal were not disclosed.
(Australia/Australian Tyre Dealer) Corghi, the world’s largest Italian manufacturer of tyre service equipment, is aiming to increase its presence in Australia.
After a number of years in the doldrums, Corghi brand wants to play a major role in the Australian tyre market again. Under newly-appointed general manager, Jonathan Gant, Corghi is looking to replicate the success it has enjoyed in New Zealand, where its Italian-made wheel balancers and tyre changers enjoy more than 60 per cent market share.
ICA Security Systems is to distribute the SmarTire for Motorcycles product in France. ICA Systems is the largest manufacturer and distributor of motorcycle alarms and anti-theft systems in the French market with over 1000 dealers across the country.
“We welcome the opportunity to distribute SmarTire’s innovative tyre monitoring system for motorcycles in France,” says, Philippe Aubeges, CEO of ICA Systems. “SmarTire for Motorcycles fits very well into our overall strategy to expand into safety related products in addition to our security and anti-theft products. ICA’s established dealer base can also provide the necessary installation and servicing required to support the introduction of this product into the French market.”
Toora, the Italian alloy wheel manufacturer, has announced that its new UK distributor is to be Exclusive Tuning & Design. Established in 1993, Toora have modern facilities based in Bergamo, and have a range of popular designs which have sold well throughout the UK.
Exclusive Tuning are based in Exeter and have a management team with decades of experience in the UK’s aftermarket industry. Paul Normington of Exclusive Tuning said: “We are delighted to have been selected by Toora to supply their well designed range of wheels. We will be holding large stock levels to ensure we can cope with the strong demand.”
BMW has chosen the Continental Road Attack as original equipment for its R1200RT motorcycle.
The sports-touring tyre is the first OE contract for the new radial. The tyre was developed “hand in hand” with BMW to achieve the contract and was specifically tailored to the R1200RT performance requirements, says UK distributor Cambrian Tyres.
BMW has also extended homologation to fit the tyre to the R1100S, R1150R and K1200RS models. Continental is also original equipment supplier to BMW’s GS range in the form of the “world conquering” TKC80 enduro tyre, that fitted to the bikes of Charley Boorman and Ewan Mcgregor in their “Long Way Round” project.
(Akron/Tire Review) Initial analysis of NHTSA’s final regulations mandating tyre pressure monitoring systems (TPMS) on all new passenger vehicles shows the new regulations are badly flawed, raising questions about how well they will protect drivers.
And they illustrate clearly just how much sway the car manufacturer lobby has with the safety agency, and how little consideration the logical and correct argument raised by the tyre industry and the automotive aftermarket really received.
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