LEGISLATION
A recent Farmer’s Weekly article entitled “One man’s waste…Profit from tyres” encourages farmers to shop around for the best deal when it comes to disposing of tyres. The article pointed to new waste regulations that came into force on 15 May, explaining that Farmers can store waste tyres that are “already on-farm” under an exemption licence from the Environment Agency that must be applied for by 15 May 2007.
Tomahawk, the UK’s pioneering manufacturer of retread radial motorcycle tyres, has added a 200 section tyre to their range in response to steadily increasing demand from British and European riders. The British company is gearing up production in anticipation of EU legislation that will come into force in June this year. The Landfill Directive (1999) bans the disposal of all waste tyres in landfill sites. With over 2.5 million tonnes of waste tyres arising in Europe each year, of which over 1.3 million tonnes were disposed of in landfill, creating a significant problem for disposal businesses.
(Akron/Tire Review) The independent automotive aftermarket scored a major victory May 25 in its battle for passage of the Motor Vehicle Owners’ Right to Repair Act (H.R. 2048) when the House Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection Subcommittee voted in favor of the legislation in an open mark-up session.
Although the bill was amended during the committee meeting, AAIA said the primary goal of the legislation remained intact. Right to Repair legislation would require the Federal Trade Commission to enforce requirements that independent repair shops have access to the same information and tools that are available to new car dealers.
Trials of the world’s first all rubber road and rail highway, funded by WRAP (the Waste & Resources Action Programme), are now underway in association with Holdfast Level Crossings Ltd. The HoldFast Rubber Highway (HRH) has the potential to recycle an average of 354,000 tyres in every one mile stretch of rubber highway. WRAP is funding the trial following an open call for demonstration trials using UK post consumer tyres in a range of new applications. The trial will incorporate 8,000 vehicle movements over an eight week period to assess early life performance of the HRH.
Credential Environmental Ltd has made another key acquisition, announcing the further integration of its tyre collection and reprocessing businesses into one division under the Credential Automotive banner.
Credential Environmental already owned the Automotive Waste Solutions (AWS) and Waste Tyre Solutions (WTS) recycling businesses, and has now acquired Wednesbury-based Tyre Collection Services (TCS) to complement its growing portfolio of automotive sector recycling businesses bringing the group’s turnover to around £16.5 million in 2006.
Bridgestone UK will use the Commercial Vehicle show in April to launch a new, long-distance steer tyre, the R249, and a new range of Truck Point retread tyres.
The R249, for trucks of 16 tonnes and heavier, has been designed following a study of nearly 1,000 fleets operating in six major European markets. Reliability and mileage proved to be the main criteria for fleets, followed by traction/grip, fuel efficiency and comfort. Cost per kilometre is assuming ever-greater importance.
The NTDA is planning to organise a series of seminars up and down the country devoted to the subject of run-flat tyres. The announcement follows a series of similar events centred around proposed new legislation on safe material handling, which attracted over 200 members during the winter months.
The impact of new legislation banning tyre shred from landfill sites was the main discussion topic during the second WRAP (the Waste & Resources Action Programme) Tyres Stakeholder Forum. Over fifty representatives from organisations involved in both new and recycled tyre markets gathered in London in January to receive updates on WRAP’s progress since the first Forum, held last June, and continue to provide views and guidance to WRAP on its activities under the programme.
Bridgestone’s R249 steer-axle radial has been voted commercial vehicle ‘Tyre of the Year 2006’ in Spain. The award, promoted by ‘Neumáticos y Mecánica rápida’ magazine, is now in its seventh year. Winners are selected by a group of more than 50 independent professionals, ranging from tyre workshop technicians to distributors, representatives of the media and members of several associations.
Bridgestone reports that it conducted extensive testing in nine countries, including Spain in the course of producing the R249. The manufacturer designed the product based on user requirements identified in a long-term study covering almost 1000 European fleets.
Surveying the current state of the run-flat aftermarket reveals that there is a fair amount of discontent amongst dealers when it comes to so-called “fail-safe” tyre technology. As you would expect, retailers are interested in the financial benefits, but are not so keen on the short supply and customer satisfaction issues some have faced.
One of the lingering problems in this respect, is the question of whether or not to repair run-flats. For some dealers it all comes down to a question of customer service. One business told T&A recently: “A customer got a flat run-flat on his BMW. When we told him that he had to fork out £200 to replace a two-week old tyre, he was not impressed.”
Israel’s Knesset has approved the first reading of new legislation designed to curb the amount of waste tyres and the spread of dengue fever. Israel produces two million waste tyres each year and, according to Environment Ministry data, doesn’t yet have any recycling plants.
Stapletons recently embarked on a series of seminars outlining the important role of tyres in road safety. Representatives of the Letchworth-based wholesale business recently delivered a presentation at a regional meeting of the Institute of Advanced Motorists in Worcester, pointing out key facts on construction, tyre design, pressures, treads and legislation.
On 12 May this year, an exclusive gala dinner was held at Forbes House in London, commemorating 100 years of Michelin in the UK. Special guest at the event was Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal, patron of the Transaid charity, which aims to promote mobility in Africa and of which Michelin is a founder.
All-makes parts supplier Motaquip suggests that more independent garages are setting up motor factor operations to support their core business and the driving force behind this trend is the changes in Block Exemption.
Motaquip says that new business start-up enquiries to its Partnership Programme from garage owners have more than doubled as garages are looking to enter the parts distribution chain. This contrasts with 2003, when only one in 10 of Motaquip’s enquiries came from independent garage owners. Block Exemption has been cited as the major contributory factor in this growth, which has left many garages needing a good source of quality parts.
The German Bundesrat is set to ratify new winter tyre regulations in Germany by the end of the year. While the legislation will not actually require winter tyre usage it goes one step further than a simple recommendation. Under the new law, German drivers not using winter tyres in adverse weather conditions could be fined between 20 and 40 euros by police if they breakdown. And of course a new regulation along these lines will give insurance companies all the ammunition they need to refuse to pay-out for winter accidents involving cars fitted with summer tyres.
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