Its tyres may all be black and round but the team at Michelin are a far more diverse group, and this has been acknowledged by a group of French organisations specialising in issues related to diversity. On October 1, Michelin was awarded a Trophée de la Diversité 2009 in recognition of its commitment to innovative methods of promoting diversity.
In the five years Tyres & Accessories/Tyrepress.com has been publishing a dedicated e-Commerce feature, one of the most common themes has been the real need for an integrated approach to selling tyres online. Now this need is being answered with the introduction of the EDIWheel eBusiness standard into the UK, linking and automating the whole approach from stock availability through to invoicing.
The online tyre market is estimated to occupy a 4 per cent market share across Europe, however, the true potential for eBusiness in the UK tyre industry is yet to be fully realised for two main reasons. Firstly the amount of ordering websites that are not integrated with the dealer’s order processing systems or processes. And secondly, the absence of an agreed industry wide eBusiness standard for core business processes such as ordering and invoicing.
According to the group of collaborating tyre manufacturers involved, these issues are being addressed by key members of the tyre industry with EDIWheel (Electronic Data Interchange Wheel – wheel representing the distribution cycle and not a physical wheel) eBusiness standard which enables the automation of stock availability checking, ordering, order confirmation, dispatch advice and invoicing. Specifically, a forum hosted by TIF about EDIWheel for tyre manufacturers, software developers, dealers and wholesalers has been scheduled for mid-November.
As Toyo retained its 7th place ranking in this year’s online brand equity report, Toyo Tire Europe GmbH representatives have reported that the European headquarters’ website (toyotires.eu) has experienced a 352 per cent increase in visitors since the beginning of 2009. If you include growth since the company refreshed its online presence this time last year, traffic has actually grown by over 3000 per cent. Toyo marketing and strategic planning manager – Europe, Mike Rignall, gave Tyres & Accessories an overview of how the company has achieved this growth, and how it plans to sustain it.
While the tyre business in general has seen better years (although Mike Rignall points out that Toyo are experiencing a much better period at this end of the year), Toyo has clearly experienced strong online success in terms of digital marketing. Rignall wouldn’t put a figure on it, but T&A understands that Toyo sky-high percentage increase figures refer to unique users, which the Japanese tyre manufacturer uses as its preferred benchmarking metric. From Rignall’s perspective, the best part about the increasing figures is the fact that the growth is continuing to date. The number of unique users grew 23 per cent in August, for example, and another 24 per cent in September.
Tyre business systems provider, Cam Systems, has signed an exclusive distribution agreement with EDP France and EDP UK for the UK tyre industry. The move is being seen as a significant step today in the company’s “business process optimisation strategy” and as a move towards RFID. The agreement covers all software and local support and installation services associated with EDP’s products, incorporating the company’s desk bound management platforms: Tyre parc; Fleet Check; and Fleet Check Lite.
Mike Allen, managing director of Cam Systems explained: “As service providers in the UK seek to increase productivity whilst also saving process costs, it became apparent that we needed to provide them with an option for a world class fleet inspection platform. The EDP software was designed in France, largely in conjunction with Michelin Europe, so its development credential is superb."
No sooner had Travis Kang been appointed to the position of President of Nexen Tire (on 5 January), than he set off on visits to strategic markets such as the US, France, Saudi Arabia, Hong Kong, China – reportedly visiting each a few times. After one such week-long visit to the Middle East markets, he made a proposal to company executives: “After seeing the market of Middle East, I truly believe Dubai is the bridgehead for the new market. Let’s open a branch there immediately.”
Nexen Tire Dubai covers the strategic markets of Dubai, Saudi Arabia, Iran and North African markets. The Dubai branch opened in August, just four months after the initial proposal was made.
For the first time ever, Michelin’s Ladoux Technology Center near Clermont-Ferrand is not off limits to the public. Those wishing to take a peek inside are however encouraged to head for the nearest web browser before booking their flight to France – tours of the 450-hectare site are virtual and can be taken at www.michelin.com/ladoux.
The majority of Kraiburg’s partners are more than satisfied with their retreading materials supplier, according to a survey conducted by the Austrian based company. The survey questioned 30 key account customers in the European market. Topics such as service, products, package value and suggestions or criticism were discussed in personal interviews. Marks were awarded from 1 for very good to 5 for unsatisfied. The average total mark was 1.63.
The Austrian company reportedly fared well in sales service, office and logistics departments (average mark 1.38) or availability and competence of the technical service (1.28). The same applies also to responses on the quality of the company’s cold and hot material (1.34 and 1.33 respectively).
Titan International has signed a non-binding letter of intent with Goodyear Tire & Rubber to purchase certain farm tyre assets, including the Goodyear Dunlop Tires France (GDTF) Amiens North factory. The agreement is subject to the French Goodyear operation’s “satisfactory completion” of a social plan related to consumer tyre activity at the Amiens North facility, along with completion of due diligence, a definitive acquisition agreement and other standard acquisition approval requirements.
European online passenger car and motorcycle tyre provider, Pneus Online has launched the fourth version of its website (www.tyres-pneus-online.co.uk). The company has sold tyres on the internet since 2001 and have used this experience to develop a new optimised platform so that each customer is able to order the desired tyre in a few clicks.
Infinity Tyres’ French distribution partner, Fort Pneus, has announced that despite the current economic situation, sales of Infinity tyres have increased “substantially during the first half of the year.” In a recent internal newsletter, company representatives reported that Fort Pneus staff were presented with an Infinity brand plans for the future including details of “considerable investment in new product and sizes” Referring to his meeting with Al-Dobowi Group executive director Harjeev Kandhari, Frederic Breysse, director of Fort Pneus, commented: “The visit by Infinity was a huge success. There are exciting plans to grow the brand in France and we look forward to developing our partnership with them.”
Infinity, a brand belonging to the Al Dobowi Group, is continuing to carve out a growing spot within the UK passenger car tyre market. Its relationship with Bond International, with whom Al Dobowi has developed a significant relationship in the four years since it was appointed the exclusive UK distributor four years ago, was the focus of an event hosted by key members of the Infinity Europe and Al Dobowi companies in the plush surroundings of York Racecourse earlier in the year.
Recent positive economic indicators coming out of Europe, Asia and the US have given analysts reason to forecast a recovery in the global logistics industry. However for global freight and parcel volumes and revenues to rebound significantly – and therefore the tyre sales which rely on logistics firms’ prosperity – analysts at Datamonitor suggest there will need to be “major improvements in consumer confidence, industrial output and subsequent international trade volumes.”
After 61 years, Goodyear’s World of Rubber museum in Akron, Ohio has finally lost its bounce. Citing a lack of attendance and the company’s move to a new headquarters building as key motivating factors, the US tyre major has announced the museum’s upcoming closure. Doors at the centre will shut for the last time on August 28.
On 13th August 2009, Motor Vehicles Regulations came into effect, making it illegal to fit a non type-approved catalytic converter to a vehicle registered on or after 1st March 2001. This means that a "Y" registered or newer vehicle requires a type-approved "cat". The new law also requires that replacement Diesel Particulate Filters (DPFs) are also type approved. The following information, supplied by the NTDA, outlines the reasons behind the law’s introduction and the importance of compliance.
Hankook Team Farnbacher drivers Pierre Kaffer – this year’s class winner at the Le Mans 24 Hours – and Allan Simonsen in the GT2 class will be on the starting line for the 1000 kilometre race of the Le Mans Series, which is to be held at the Nürburgring on August 23. The Team will be driving a Ferrari F430 GT fitted with Hankook Ventus racing tyres.
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