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Kwik-Fit Fleet Expands its Service to Include Glass Repair

Kwik-Fit Fleet has rolled a new vehicle windscreen repair service. Kwik-Fit centres across the UK are now able to repair vehicle windscreens by injecting a liquid acrylic resin into the damaged glass. The resin is cured by the use of long wave ultra violet light. The call-in service, which by the end of 2007 will be available at all 670 Kwik-Fit outlets, sees Britain’s largest independent fast-fit giant on target to win a significant slice of the windscreen repair sector.

The glass repair market is presently dominated by just a handful of players and is estimated to be worth £310 million a year with the average value of each of the approximate 2.8 million jobs being £121. The windscreen repair sector is estimated to account for 25-30 per cent of work and is estimated to be worth around £38 million with the average cost of each job being £50.

Repairs at Kwik-Fit centres will typically take 20-30 minutes. While the majority of the repairs are via insurance companies, fleets account for about 15 per cent of work.

8th October 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Sales – and Losses – Increase for Amtel-Vredestein

Amtel-Vredestein has recorded an increase in net losses during the first half, an occurrence attributed to losses at its AV-TO operation and growing debt service expenses. Net loss for the period was US$33.5 million, up from $22 million last year, and to this negative figure the AV-TO unit contributed $17 million.

On a brighter note, the tyremaker reported net sales increasing 26 per cent in the first half, with the company delivering “strong operational results in its core passenger car tyre business.” Net revenue from passenger car tyres grew 24.5 per cent to $258.2 million from $207.5 in the first half of 2006.

A company statement reported Amtel-Vredestein is continuing to project sales of approximately $1 billion for 2007 and plans to be operationally profitable during the second half, subject to any potential asset impairments charges and provisions required by IFRS as a result of acquisitions and disposals made in 2006. However, the company expects to continue showing losses on a consolidated basis due to negative contributions by its AV-TO business and high interest expenses.

3rd October 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Hankook Lends Support to Transaid Charity Ride

Hankook is switching its attention to cycling this winter with the launch of plans to support transport charity Transaid in a 400 km charity cycle ride across Kenya. The tyremaker has pledged its support by becoming key sponsor for Gary Williams, a 55 year old former tyre fitter who is now on the board of Transaid and works for Direct Tyre Management.

Gary said he was looking forward to the fundraising effort. “This is a huge challenge for me but such a worthwhile cause,’’ he said, adding that he is already in training for the cycle ride. “At the moment I’m cycling 20 miles at a time and just thinking about the amazing views across Rift Valley and Lake Victoria.’’

Hankook’s UK commercial sales manager Barrie Horrocks said he was delighted that the company was part of this fundraising event that will help people in Africa benefit from safe, affordable and efficient transport. “As a global company Hankook is involved in transportation around the world and to be participating in such a prestigious and worthwhile event is ideal for us,’’ said Barrie. “We fully support this initiative.”

21st September 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

BendPak/Ranger Introduces New Truck Tyre Changer

Ranger Products has given the new R2600HD its US launch. The super-duty truck tyre changer is designed for servicing truck, bus and other commercial and OTR tyres and wheels. The addition of the R2600HD greatly extends Ranger’s market presence from general tyre repair to larger, more specialized commercial truck garages and service outlets.

Features include an electric-hydraulic drive system, multi-directional, self-centring hydraulic clamp chuck, quick positioning mount/demount arm, hydraulic sled and a single piece frame for superior rigidity. Hydraulically operated spreader-type jaws ensure secure clamping of virtually all rims and off-road style wheels.

7th September 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

VancoWinter 2 Launched in the UK

Continental Tyre Group is pleased to announce the launch of its latest cold weather van tyre to be sold on the UK market – the VancoWinter 2. Available from October, VancoWinter 2 features an advanced sipe concept meaning the sipes spread when braking. This creates an ice scraper effect on the road surface allowing shorter braking distances on winter roads. Open shoulders on the tyre with wide lateral grooves give excellent water drainage leading to a high level of protection against aquaplaning on wet roads.

The VancoWinter 2’s optimum tyre footprint coupled with a unique cold weather compound gives the VancoWinter 2 as much as 30 per cent extra mileage potential in the winter months compared to a conventional van tyre. According to a Continental statement heralding the release, the winter tyre market is becoming “increasingly important for van drivers and fleets who realise the safety benefits of fitting cold weather tyres to work vehicles.”

Continental’s van OE approval success continues with the VancoWinter 2 approved by Mercedes for the popular Sprinter van and the Iveco Daily. Currently one in three vans leaves a European factory on Continental tyres.

7th September 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Viking Stocks New Range of Varta Batteries

This battery season sees the launch of a new range of batteries supplied by Varta. With over six million cars in the 6-9 year old UK car parc and a further seven million in the 3-6 year sector, this new range is designed to help Viking International’s customers more effectively meet end user expectations. All Varta batteries incorporate the latest Calcium-Silver technology, adopted by top car manufacturers to enhance battery life by as much as 20 per cent. The range includes the Varta Black Dynamic, the Blue Dynamic, and the new Silver Dynamic, accepted as an OE fitment for Audi, BMW, Citroen, Ford, Peugeot, Saab and Volvo.

5th September 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

CP7220H and CP7250H – Get a grip!

Chicago Pneumatic has launched two new handle sanders. The CP7220H and CP7250H series handle sanders combine power, comfort and greater productivity with low noise and low vibration. The power of the new sanders is delivered by a 0.3hp oil-free motor, the most powerful in its class. Given that the sander is a very lightweight, at only 0.9kg, the impressive power-to-weight ratio means minimal operator fatigue and greater productivity.

The adjustable speed regulator (from 0 to 12 000 rpm) provides the operator with a wide range of speed options depending on the application. Other benefits include a special speed control lever, with air shut off when in the closed position, which reduces the risk of accidental start-up and the special oversized hub bearing with dust seal promotes a long service life.

3rd September 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Nankang’s Sonar PF-1: Good for Winter, Good for the Environment

Nankang Rubber Tire has introduced a new winter tyre range for its house brand, Sonar. The Taiwanese tyremaker’s latest cold weather offering, the Sonar Polar Fox (PF-1) studless winter tyre will be available on the market in time for the 2007 northern hemisphere winter.

According to Nankang, the launch of the PF-1 represents a new era for the Sonar brand, and the company highlights the steps towards an environmentally responsible approach it has taken with the design of the PF-1 – the tread compound used in the entire series contains no carcinogenic high aromatic oils, eliminating a potentially serious health risk to both humans and the ecosystem.

The PF-1 features a unidirectional tread pattern with 3-Dimensional sipes reduce tread block stiffness, thereby improving performance on icy roads. The central tread’s arrow pattern and zigzag grooves enhance snow and ice surface traction, as do the mutli-sipe tread blocks in the central tread area.

16th August 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Best of British – Dunlop teams up with Triumph

Dunlop says it is proud to be British. The tyre manufacturer’s heritage and reputation span nearly 120 years and Dunlop has played an important role in Britain’s motoring history. The company claims the distinction of being involved at every stage in the evolution of the road transport industries and national infrastructure since Dunlop’s establishment in 1888.

Dunlop recently joined forces with another great and British brand. The manufacturer’s award-winning Sportmax Qualifier D209 street tyre has been approved as the sole OE tyre on the all-new Triumph Street Triple motorcycle for 2008. The Street Triple is essentially a ‘naked’ version of Triumph’s Daytona 675, but incorporates extensive modifications including new forks and brakes. Its restyled rear end is also based on its bigger brother – the Speed Triple. The first prototype of the Street Triple was tested by Triumph’s development riders in Spain in December 2005 and volume production began in July 2007.

16th August 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Italian Connection

Visitors to May’s Brityrex exhibition and the CV show were amongst the first in the UK to be given a first hand demonstration of the latest wheel balancer on offer from Apaseal – the Corghi EM7440. This product from the renowned Italian firm features an ergonomic design and a wide flat surface area, which Apaseal claims is ideal for accommodating any required weights and accessories. The unit’s adjustable display utilises on-screen piezoelectric touch sensitive technology, allowing for user-friendly operation and eliminating the need for a keyboard that would take up workspace otherwise put to better use.

The EM7440 has a 40mm diameter shaft that extends from the balancer across the distance of the flange face. The shaft can carry a maximum load of 75kg even without the unit being affixed to the ground. Balancing speeds start from a low launch speed of 70rpm, with 85 and 98rpm also available. The low balancing speed minimises wheel spin times, thereby saving energy and reducing strain on rotating components. Rim diameters up to 30 inches and widths of up to 20 inches can be accommodated.

1st August 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Cooper Tire on Track Again to Fight Malaria in Africa

Legendary adventurer, Kingsley Holgate, and Cooper Tire have linked up once again to begin another epic humanitarian mission across the African continent, in the continuing fight against malaria. Following Holgate and Cooper’s collaboration on last year’s Rainbow Expedition, the off-road tyre manufacturing specialist is spearheading another twelve month-long trip, the Outside Edge Expedition. A convoy of 347 Land Rovers all shod with Cooper all-terrain tyres – the longest humanitarian train ever – set off from the Cape of Good Hope in April.

The mammoth expedition will circumnavigate Africa, travelling as the name suggests, around the edge of the vast continent. The aim of the trip is linked to the Cooper-supported One Net One Life campaign, which will see the expedition delivering tens of thousands of life-saving mosquito nets to pregnant mothers and children under the age of five. Shockingly, two babies die every minute from the bite of a mosquito – that’s 3.5 million Africans a year, more than die from HIV/Aids, according to the One Net One Life campaign.
Also linked to the Outside Edge Expedition is the Cooper Tire-supported Right to Sight initiative, in which ‘readers’ are supplied to help poor-sighted villagers.

18th July 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Deldo Shows Wanli Run-Flat

Deldo caught attention recently with the premier of its brand new Wanli run-flat tyre. Deldo representatives told T&A during the Autopromotec that this will be the first Chinese run-flat tyre in the European market. Deldo is also the exclusive distributor of Wanli, Sunny and Fortuna tyres for the European market, and has been since 2002.

Deldo was present with a large booth of approximately 80 square metres. Company representative are reportedly “very happy with the atmosphere and quantity and quality of the visitors.” Besides the large number of Italian customers there were a lot of international people at the show. Deldo has been doing business in Italy for many years. At this moment, Deldo is active with four salesmen in the market and sales are growing step by step.

The company also showed the 26” in Wanli (305/30 R26) tyre. The launch of this product follows increased dialogue between Deldo and South China Tire and the well-known test centre, TUV Germany. According to the company, South China Tire is investing more and more in technology and new developments. Wanli is currently available in more than 200 sizes.

29th June 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Amtel-Vredestein Adds Petr Zolotarev to Executive Board

Amtel-Vredestein N.V. had confirmed that it has nominated Russian Machines CEO and Gaz Group Chairman Petr Zolotarev to its Executive Board. Acting Vice-President at Yukos Refining and Marketing, Vadim Pesochinsky, was also nominated to the Executive Board. Both appointments are to be effective July 1st, once they are approved at the company’s Annual General Meeting of Shareholders (AGM) scheduled for 30 June in Amsterdam.

Zolotarev is expected to succeed Alexei Gurin as head of the Company. Gurin, who joined the Company in 2001 and rose to the post of CEO in 2004, plans to leave the Group to pursue new opportunities as soon as the terms of his resignation are concluded — which is expected to be at the time of the Company’s AGM.

19th June 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

£25 million Interest-Free Funding For UK Entrepreneurs

Pioneering British entrepreneurs could be in for up to £25 million in funding following the launch of a unique, high profile national initiative by Bank of Scotland Corporate – the Entrepreneur Challenge. The Bank will be making the funding package available entirely free of interest and arrangement fees for a period of three years. For each of five regions across the UK, a sum of £5 million is being provided. One company in each region will succeed in obtaining the funding package. According to the bank, it will be used by the successful applicants to help turn exceptional business plans into profitable reality.

Bank of Scotland Corporate is inviting applications from established businesses who meet specific entry criteria. Applicants will be existing established companies with a turnover of at least £2 million per annum and at least two years’ sustained growth in sales, revenue or profit. The applicants must also be based in the UK and operating in a substantial UK or global market and driven by a highly motivated and able management team.

18th June 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Techking Tires Gains ECE Approval

Techking Tires Limited has launched its ECE approved crane tyre, the 16.00R25. According to the company, the Techking 16.00R25 is the first product amongst similar Chinese crane tyres to receive the three-star ECE rating. In July, Techking plans to launch additional 14.00R24, 14.00R25, 17.5R25 and 20.5R25 sizes for mobile crane application.

“Our intended design, from day one, is to have this product be in compliance with ECE requirements. Our engineering department ran a lot of internal tests. Thanks to the above, we receive the ECE mark without any back and forth revision or redesign,” said Tony Jiang, the R&D manager, who is the team leader for the project.

“With the engineering sources and expertise we have, we try to stay always one step ahead of our competitors. We focus on only radial OTR and try to be a specialist in this category. We source the materials from the best-in-class suppliers. With our “all for rugged” design philosophy, our 16.00R25 crane tyre is competently ready for heavy load and high speed”, said Tech Wang, President of the company.

18th June 2007/by Tyrepress Editors