Graham Willson is retiring as Chief Executive of the British Tyre Manufacturers’ Association at the end of April, and the BTMA board has named Darren Lindsey his successor. Lindsey, who is commercial product director at Michelin Tyre PLC, brings more than 25 years of experience in national and international missions and a wealth of industry knowledge to his new function.
Recent years have seen tyre industry interest and investment in sustainability sharply increase. In August the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) published an uncompromising report warning that “Scientists are observing changes in the Earth’s climate in every region and across the whole climate system” and adding that “some…are irreversible over hundreds to thousands of years.” Here, British Tyre Manufacturers Association chief executive, Graham Willson explains why the UN red alert on climate change is a call to action and what it means for the UK tyre industry:
NTDA national chairman Roger Griggs used his speech at the 86th NTDA Annual Dinner to echo many of the sentiments expressed at the Tyre Industry Conference, calling especially for unified voices in tackling industry-wide issues. Encompassing cheap imported products, the under-regulated part-worn tyre market, MOTs and road safety, and the importance of attracting young talent to the industry, Griggs’ speech outlined the evolution of the NTDA’s position over the past year and, most crucially the work it is doing in attempting to bring together a variety of disparate voices. Reinforcing the association’s “growth and renewed energy,” according to Griggs, the dinner was the “biggest… in recent decades, with 620 guests in attendance,” indicating the “value…we all place on spending time together as an industry.
After a decade-long hiatus, the National Tyre Distributor Association (NTDA) resurrected the concept of having an annual tyre industry conference, with a new location and new format at the start of October. The new conference sees the association position its gathering as an industry-wide professional event alongside the NTDA dinner. The decision to re-launch the conference comes at a time when the NTDA dinner has itself evolved significantly – this year some 600 people attended (see complete coverage in the preceding section of this issue). But the most noticeable thing was the concerted effort, especially on the part of various industry associations participating, to present a united front. By doing this they showed that the associations are now more interested in highlighting where they stand together as opposed to where they differ.
The UK tyre industry and various government agencies will forge a closer working relationship following a meeting hosted by PACTs at the House of Commons on 5 November. Both parties are jointly committing to increase efforts to reduce further the number of tyre related casualties which occur each year on the UK’s roads. Those attending […]
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