Rondell is to aim at enhancing its market share of luxury and performance brands, the company has announced. The news follows the successful launch of a number of other wheels earlier in the year. According to Rondell’s UK distributor, Sherbrook International, demand for the existing designs has “soared.”
R H Claydon has announced that it has been appointed the sole distributor of Dunlop’s Agricultural, Industrial and MPT tyres in mainland UK and Northern Ireland, from the beginning of October.
Bridgestone Corporation (Japan) has increased its shareholding in Bridgestone Firestone Maxiprest, its listed South African new tyre distributor and tyre management service provider. The increase will see Bridgestone’s stake rise from 66 to 70 per cent.
It is uncertain whether Bridgestone intends to increase this stake or make an offer to minority shareholders de-list the company. Takashi Wada, the chairman and chief executive of Bridgestone SA Holdings and chairman of Bridgestone Firestone Maxiprest, was unavailable for comment.
Gordon Sinclair, the company secretary at Bridgestone Firestone Maxiprest, commented said that “from his understanding” Bridgestone SA Holdings did not have any intention of increasing its stake in the company.
Following a £5 million investment in its Belfast location, Magowan Tyres is set to benefit from a huge expansion in the mid-range tyre market. A member of Group Tyre UK, the company will now distribute the Italian Stunner brand selling its Scudo and Torneo tread patterns.
Darryl Magowan Jr commented: “We have never had a mid market tyre range before and Stunner is an innovative quality brand – it is great news and there is enormous potential in Ireland.”
Magowan’s claims to be one of the biggest tyre retailers in Northern Ireland. Its Newton Abbey site has a 25,000 sq ft retail depot, 40,000 sq ft wholesale depot and 22 retail and commercial fitting bays. The company explains that its 100,000 sq ft storage space ensures that large stocks are held of all the major brands.
The company is the sole Irish distributor for Federal, Maxxis and Trayal and specialises in UHP, 4×4, SUV, agriculture and truck tyres in addition to mainstream volume tyres.
“One of the strengths of our operation is the Group multi brand tyre policy of carrying all lines and giving a prompt same day delivery service throughout Northern Ireland. We will also be extending our sales operation in the south and are currently finalising our plans for this,” explained Mr Magowan.
Group Tyre UK chairman John Church added: “We are delighted that Magowans has already made such an impact as a Group Tyre member. They have brought new standards of service to the franchised garage trade, retail businesses, fast-fit outlets and the independent sector and the addition of Stunner to the portfolio is going to hugely expand the middle market.”
UK power tool distributor, Toolmarque, will be launching a new range of Campbell Hausfeld air compressors and air tools on its stand, at this year’s Automechanika.
Toolmarque’s sales manager, Roy Hackett, commented: “We are delighted to add the quality of the Campbell Hausfeld name to our comprehensive range. They are synonymous with unique design features, outstanding warranty commitment and value throughout the line.”
The company will be show casing a range of products at this year’s exhibition, including reversible pneumatic drills. Visitors to the stand will also have the opportunity to test the products, as an air line will be installed to allow product demonstrations.
Chinese distributor, Beijing Boom Technology, has received its first volume shipment of 100 ‘SmarTire for Buses’ systems. The tyre monitoring systems will be marketed to tourism and public system bus operators in China.
The general assembly of Point S in France has announced the appointment of Olivier Steier as its new president. Mr Steier succeeds Jean-Piere Legros who decided not to stand for re-election.
SmarTire Systems Inc., in conjunction with is master distributor in China, Beijing Boom Technology Co. Ltd., closed a deal to supply the Taiwanese tour bus industry.
SmarTire Systems Inc. has announced it has signed an agreement with Motohaus Powersports Ltd. to distribute SmarTire’s second generation tyre monitoring product for motorcycles in the UK. Motohaus Powersports is a well-established distributor of motorcycle accessories and has a strong base of dealers throughout the UK. “With safety high on the agenda for UK riders and with tyre pressures so critical to the handling of modern high-performance motorcycles, we are excited to be offering SmarTire’s tyre monitoring system to the UK market,” says Owain Evans, Managing Director at Motohaus.
Bridgestone UK Ltd. has acquired Kingsway Tyres, an independent tyre distributor that has 16 service centres throughout the East Midlands and East Anglia. The purchase, which took effect from March 1, 2004, is Bridgestone’s first venture into the Equity market in the UK.
Interstate Europe BV, the European importers for the Mastercraft brand manufactured by Cooper Tire, has announced the appointment of British & International Tyre Supplies (B.I.T.S.) as the new UK distributors for the complete Mastercraft passenger tyre range. Read the full story in the April edition of Tyres & Accessories.
Yokohama Rubber Ltd. plans to invest 5.8 billion yen on a new truck and bus radial tyre factory in Thailand according to Hisakuni Yamashita, president of Yokohama Tyre Manufacturing (Thailand). The Thai unit was set up in January and will commence production in April 2005, with initial annual capacity of 315,000 tires and a final target of 600,000 tires in the second phase. Japan’s Yokohama Rubber owns 95 per cent of the Thai unit while the remaining 5 per cent is owned by T Siam Commercial Ltd., the Yokohama tyre distributor in Thailand.
ProLogis, a leading global provider of distribution facilities and services, today announced that it has signed a build-to-suit lease agreement with Bridgestone, one of the world’s largest tire manufacturers. Bridgestone will lease 245,611 square feet (22,818 m2) of distribution space at ProLogis Park Evry located on the outskirts of Paris.
The Micheldever wholesale operation has been rapidly growing but until 2001 had been concentrated in the South. However, the desire to replicate the wholesale success achieved in the South had led Tony to search for strategically placed wholesale premises initially in the Midlands and North of England, and when Southam Tyres came on the market in October 2001, Tony beat off competition from UK, European and Far Eastern wholesalers to acquire the Southam business. This immediately provided Micheldever with the UK’s most successful 4×4 tyre distributor and its specialist sales team, plus exclusive distribution rights to BFGoodrich 4×4, General Tire and Roadhog. However, due to virtually zero investment from its previous owners, the Southam warehouse was poorly equipped, lacking adequate storage systems and having an ageing fleet of vehicles.
The Micheldever investment came swiftly, with a new fleet, tyreracking systems and a vastly increased range of stock. The benefits of having the most comprehensive range of car and 4X4 tyres available in the Midlands quickly led to excellent sales results for the previously product starved Southam sales teams.
However, the move that really sent the message out that Micheldever had intentions to become a national player was the announcement of the new Halifax depot. A purpose built warehouse on four floors it will have a capacity for 600,000 tyres. By mid 2003 work was progressing well at Halifax, and finally in Sept 2003 the UK’s largest tyre warehouse commenced deliveries on a phased schedule.
Obviously for Micheldever the main thrust of the business at present is the development of the wholesale division and taking the offer to the trade across the UK. One of the much-vaunted drivers for offering national coverage is the potential to be developed in the franchised dealer network. The opportunity to supply tyres as first fit on fleet cars through the franchised dealers is reportedly enormous.
Tony Todd is adamant that there are two factors to being successful. The first is that you can’t sell it if you haven’t got it; the second is that you can’t do the job unless you have got the right tools and the right people in place.
Hwa Fong Rubber manufacturer and distributor of Duro and Dunlop tyres, will list on the Stock Exchange of Thailand on Dec 15.
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