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Race and Road – Suppliers of Leading Brand Wheels

Established in January 2003 and initially specialising as an online retailer, Race and Road Ltd and its partner company Automotive Wheels are today the official UK suppliers of the premium European Borbet and Ronal alloy wheel brands. As most people will be familiar with these wheel manufacturers through their OE activities – the two players combined produce in excess of 21 million wheels and their client list reads like a who’s who of Europe’s automotive marques – it is hardly necessary to mention that Borbet and Ronal wheels, whether OE or aftermarket, are of the highest quality.

27th March 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

UK Heavy Vehicle Sales Plummet During February

Monthly figures released by the ACEA show dismal UK sales of heavy commercial vehicles for February 2007 compared with data recorded a year earlier. These results contrasted with Europe-wide figures that revealed mild growth in most market segments.

New UK registrations of commercial vehicles weighing 16 tonnes and over were down by 28.4 per cent on February 2006, with only 1,372 vehicle registrations. This was the largest percentage decrease measured anywhere in Europe, and the ACEA attribute these figures to the decline in orders experienced after the Euro 4 emission regulation came into effect last October. Throughout the EU an average 11.2 per cent increase in registrations was recorded.

27th March 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Kraiburg Reports Sales Growth

With sales totalling 80.1 million euros in 2006, Kraiburg Austria has succeeded in improving its figures compared to the previous year. Of this some 58.6 million euros was ascribable to the “Retreading Material” business unit. The retreading specialist was therefore able to post a 6.8 per cent and 5.5 per cent increases in sales compared to 2005. Kraiburg is reportedly satisfied with this result, despite the fact that the profit situation is not quite so positive owing to the 23 per cent rise in the price of raw materials in 2006.

26th March 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Kraiburg Reports Sales Growth

With sales totalling 80.1 million euros in 2006, Kraiburg Austria has succeeded in improving its figures compared to the previous year. Of this some 58.6 million euros was ascribable to the “Retreading Material” business unit. The retreading specialist was therefore able to post a 6.8 per cent and 5.5 per cent increases in sales compared to 2005. Kraiburg is reportedly satisfied with this result, despite the fact that the profit situation is not quite so positive owing to the 23 per cent rise in the price of raw materials in 2006.

Development of Kraiburg plus, hot and precured market

Reflecting the performance of the company’s premium products in general, the sale of premium profiles Kplus 30 improved year-on-year by a further 2.5 percentage points and now accounts for more than 15 per cent of the total sale of precured treads. The precured segment also improved slightly in the past year: Thus, two per cent more precured treads were sold than in 2005, with Germany and the Czech Republic achieving the largest growth in absolute terms.

26th March 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

TRA to Exhibit at Brityrex in May

The Tyre Recovery Association (TRA) will exhibit at Brityrex for the first time this May. The rapidly growing body whose members operate the Responsible Recycler Scheme is unique in a number of ways (not least its voluntary character). TRA is reportedly the largest national tyre recovery programme in Europe. During this year’s show the association will be offering tyre dealers, garage owners and anyone handling old tyres a five-point ‘Health Check’ to help them understand their legal obligations.

26th March 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Aeolus Importer Launches European Customer Website

Aeolus Tyres entrusted the development of its special Website for the European market to Dutch importer Heuver Tyrewholesale. The new site www.aeolus-tyres.eu was developed in the Dutch town of Hardenberg. The layout of the new European site offers the user a way to find background information and extensive product information. Later this year, Heuver Tyrewholesale will open an interactive web store on the site, where customers can place their orders any time.

26th March 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

TRA to Exhibit at Brityrex in May

The Tyre Recovery Association (TRA) will exhibit at Brityrex for the first time this May. The rapidly growing body whose members operate the Responsible Recycler Scheme is unique in a number of ways (not least its voluntary character). TRA is reportedly the largest national tyre recovery programme in Europe. During this year’s show the association will be offering tyre dealers, garage owners and anyone handling old tyres a five-point ‘Health Check’ to help them understand their legal obligations.

26th March 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Goodyear launches DuraGrip City Tyre

City driving, with its constant starting and stopping, places its own unique pressures upon a vehicle’s mechanicals, and also its tyres. With so many drivers undertaking most or all or their motoring in these conditions, it stands to reason that a demand exists for tyres specifically designed for city traffic. One such product is Goodyear’s DuraGrip, released in March 2007, a tyre its maker promotes as designed especially to cope with constant stopping and starting in heavy traffic conditions.

This city car tyre features a new silica compound that Goodyear claims improves mileage, strengthens the tyre’s wet performance and provides shorter braking distances. The tread pattern is asymmetrical with a closed outside design and two continuous outside ribs to maximise traction on dry surfaces. Wet weather handling is enhanced through the spaces created by the tread’s open design and circumferential grooves, both of which maximise contact area in situations when aquaplaning is a risk factor. To address the issue of lateral stability Goodyear have built stiff blocks into the DuraGrip’s outside shoulder.

23rd March 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Goodyear Reworking Credit Facilities

(Akron/Tire Review) Goodyear is refinancing some of its credit lines with an eye to reducing interest expenses, the tyremaker announced yesterday.

To be refinanced are a $1.5 billion credit facility due on Apr. 30, 2010; a $1.2 billion term loan also due on Apr. 30, 2010; and a 505 million euro credit facility for its Goodyear Dunlop Tire Europe subsidiary also due on that date.

Goodyear said it is looking to extend or amend the credit facilities by two to four years, staggering their due dates from 2012 to 2014.

22nd March 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Bridgestone Americas Realigns Finance Department

(Akron/Tire Review) Bridgestone Americas Holding made several changes in its finance department. Tim Walsh, formerly on assignment with Bridgestone Europe NV/SA, has been named controller of Bridgestone/Firestone North American Tire.

Ken Weaver, presently BFNAT’s vice president of finance and controller, was promoted to corporate controller of BSAH. Weaver will also continue in his BFNAT post. John Vispo, who was corporate controller for BSAH, will continue as BSAH’s vice president of finance.

19th March 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Passenger Car Registrations Show Mixed Results

Passenger car registrations across the 15 established European Union states are showing signs of a slight decrease compared with 12 months ago, according to figures released by the ACEA on March 15. Throughout this entire region a total of 975,666 new passenger cars were registered in February 2007, a 3.5 per cent dip compared with February 2006 registrations. The scenario in the UK market was in line with this trend, with February 2007’s new car registrations – 73,586 new passenger cars – 3.2 per cent lower than the number recorded a year before. However new car registrations are traditionally low in the UK during February due to the March number plate changeover, and it must be pointed out that combined January/February 2007 new car registrations totalled 239,189, a 2.5 per cent increase on 2006 and bucking EU15 trends, where a 1.5 per cent decrease was recorded.

16th March 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Conti Launches New Van Tyre

Continental’s replacement to its most successful van tyre, the Vanco, is scheduled for release in March 2007. Called the Vanco 2, the new tyre features changes that Conti claim will benefit consumers, including greater mileage and handling performance equal to that of a passenger car tyre.

With the continuing growth of van sector, Continental’s new offering is of significance to the market. The light commercial vehicle sector has grown 60 per cent in the last ten years and now represents two million new van sales a year across Europe. This is partly due to the significant increase in city distribution traffic, with small distance and small package distribution up 38 per cent compared to 1995.

16th March 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Michelin guide to Tokyo an Asian First

The guidebook often referred to as the ‘gourmands’ bible’ and legendary for its ability to make or break the reputation of high-end restaurants in Europe is soon to be given its first Asian edition. On March 14 Michelin released word that a Tokyo edition of the famous Michelin guide would be released in November 2007.

With about 35 million people living in the Greater Tokyo Area, the city is one of the world’s largest and also home to an estimated 300,000 restaurants. Michelin’s publications director, Jean-Luc Naret, praised the quality of Tokyo’s restaurants at a news conference in Tokyo. “Restaurants here are often very simple — a counter, a kitchen and some stools — but what’s on the plate is really worth three stars,” he said. He added that the criteria for Japan were very different to that in Europe.

15th March 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Varta Launches Free Scrap Battery Scheme

Battery manufacturer Varta is launching what it describes as “an innovative, free of charge, scrap battery collection and incentive service.” The scheme is also billed as “an industry first.” The scheme, which is being run in partnership with Europe’s largest waste collection network, gives distributors the chance to collect and return batteries in compliance with legislative requirements and also to recover the value of the lead contained in each scrap battery.

15th March 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Kwik-Fit Signs First Major Fleet Deal With Enterprise Rent-A-Car

Kwik-Fit Fleet has won its first major vehicle servicing fleet deal with one of the UK’s largest suppliers of rental cars. The fast-fit giant will become the preferred servicing supplier of the 30,000 cars and light commercial vehicles on the Enterprise Rent-A-Car fleet.

In the UK, Enterprise Rent-A-Car is a major provider of vehicles to corporate and public sector fleets as well as offering replacement vehicles and courtesy cars. The company started in the UK in 1994 and operates from more than 300 locations. The majority of Enterprise Rent-A-Car branches are within five miles of a Kwik-Fit centre so making it easy for vehicles to undergo an oil and filter change, an interim service or full service depending on mileage.

15th March 2007/by Tyrepress Editors