Following its US launch, the point S network has announced its entry into another new market – this time in Scandinavia. On 23 November, point S Development management signed a contract with the independent dealer network “Fagdekk”, which is made up of 43 service centres throughout Norway.
Nokian Tyres has announced it will open four new Vianor Industrial outlets in Sweden at the start of next year, and the company says it also plans to expand the concept into Russian and Kazakhstan. At present 34 Vianor Industrial outlets are in operation; Norway is the currently the largest single Vianor Industrial market, with 16 outlets, followed by Sweden, with 12 outlets. The Ukraine and Nokian’s home market of Finland each boast three Vianor Industrial outlets.
The prevalence of motorsport and rally involvement amongst tyre manufacturers is testament to its effectiveness as a brand promotion tool. Yet most events, in Europe at least, take place in the summer months, and maintaining a profile through motorsport in the colder part of the year requires a measure of creative thinking. Kumho, through its German operation, did just that and kept its name on the lips of European petrolheads during the winter of 2010/11 through its sponsorship of the ‘Drift & Drive’ rally school in Finland.
European tyre retail franchise point S, which only entered the UK market last year, already has 90 branch members. This development will enable the European management achieve better forecasting and make the target of 100 service centres in the UK the firm announced at Reifen Essen and Brityrex last year a reality. "Our partner network in the UK is on its way to becoming the third largest national organization in the point S to develop Europe," said Jürgen Benz, director of European point S and point S Germany.
Nokian Tyres’ Vianor retail network is already active in 19 countries, with a total of 623 outlets in operation. In several Scandinavian markets the company has now extended Vianor concept to heavy vehicle tyres. Vianor, together with the Nokian Heavy Tyres division, has developed Vianor Industrial, through which companies and contractors operating heavy vehicles are offered a “professional solution utilising the latest innovations and operating models in the field of tyre manufacturing.” The Finnish tyre maker states it intends to add further Vianor Industrial outlets and expand the concept globally.
At the Intermot exhibition, held in the German city of Cologne, Nankang Rubber Tire has shown off its first-ever motorcycle tyre. Aimed at the growing sport touring segment, the radial Roadiac WF-1 is said to be the product of three years’ intensive joint development work between Nankang and Delticom/Pnebo.
Nokian Tyres reports that statutory negotiations at its Nokia, Finland plan came to an end on June 21. The results of these negotiations have been 13 permanent and 37 temporary lay-offs. Nokian comments that these cuts concern “all personnel groups” and adjust the plant’s production and support function resources to meet the shift system currently in use.
On June 11 the President of Finland awarded Kim Gran, the president and CEO of Nokian Tyres, the Finnish honorary title of “Vuorineuvos”. This traditional title is given to leading captains of industry, and comes with no responsibilities or privileges.
Nokian Tyres reports that on May 10 it entered into statutory negotiations affecting around 70 employees at its facility in Nokia, Finland. In a press statement, the tyre maker says approximately ten office employees and 60 blue-collar employees are involved in “adjustment measures” that include changing some of the rotating shift lay-offs initiated in January 2009 to full lay-offs, effective until further notice. Nokian also intends to terminate some employment contracts, it says.
The second season of Bridgestone’s sole tyre supply to MotoGP got underway at the Grand Prix of Qatar on April 11. On the championship’s official Dorna Sports’ operated website, chief coordinator of the Bridgestone MotoGP project, Thomas Scholz, has given an explanation of the new tyre allocation process in use this season.
Last week, North American tyre dealers got the opportunity to preview Nokian Tyres’ new winter tyre, the Hakkapeliitta 7, reports Tire Review. Touted as the most technologically advanced Hakka yet, the tyre is currently available in Europe, but won’t be widely available in North America until 2011, in time for the 2011-12 winter season.
Motorsport.com reports that tests at Jerez revealed some concern for the reported lack of longevity in wet and intermediate tyres. Finland's Turun Sanomat told Motorsport.com that between two and three seconds were being lost very soon after fitting the wet-weather tyres.
Nokian Tyres’ dedication to grip in the snow goes beyond its tyre products, as was witnessed at the Nokian Tyres Snow Soccer World Championships in Finland on 6 – 7 February 2010. The sporting event, which Nokian describes as “very crazy, but so cheerful”, involves 1,000 players and 70 teams competing on a playing surface covered by 50 centimetres of snow. This new snow sport, adds the Finnish tyre maker, is extreme fun: exhausting, difficult and adventurous, and the players with the most grip and skill will prove to be the winners.
The National Board of Patents and Registration of Finland (NBPR) has admitted Nokian Tyres’ “Hakkapeliitta” brand name to its ‘List of Trademarks with a Reputation’. So far, 42 trademarks have been admitted to the list. Admission to the list requires substantial evidence of trademark's awareness in Finland, and is used to help avoid trademark disputes.
Nokian Tyres claims its Hakkapeliitta 7 studded winter tyre was successful in recent comparison tests conducted by European car magazines, reported Tire Review. The tyre achieved test victories in publications from Finland, Sweden and Russia, Nokian said.
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