The bigger the tyre brand, the more important marketing becomes in order to communicate its values and its worth. With this in mind, the “marketing” tag collates all the latest marketing-related news and analysis into a single place. This reverse-chronological list of thousands of articles is your go-to source of tyre industry, marketing-related news and information.
At the start of November 2013, Goodyear Dunlop appointed Nick Harley as director Consumer Tyres for Goodyear Dunlop UK and Ireland. At the end of July 2014, Tyres & Accessories caught up with him to hear – nine months in – his reflections on the current state of the tyre market and what he can foresee in the future.
New data from Innocean Worldwide Europe suggests that low brand recognition levels in the European tyre markets mean challenger brands have an opportunity to step up and occupy increased market share. The research found that some 40 per cent of consumers have no idea what make of tyres is on their car – and almost half of buyers (46 per cent) spend less than five minutes in the decision making process before buying new ones. Therefore the study, which was published on 8 July, adds that because tyre brands are “failing to gain traction in the minds of consumers” this is a “golden opportunity for new challengers looking to shake up the market.”
C4 Carbides, the Cambridge manufacturer of power tool accessories and industrial band saw blades, looks set to deliver a ten-fold increase in exports to Brazil.
C4 Carbides’ rapid growth began a call to UKTI in April 2012, following a recommendation from their finance director. “International sales have always been an important part of our business as we know there is a limited market in the UK for our products,” says Pete Nicolson, company founder and CEO. “In the early days, our approach to exporting was quite ad hoc. Over time I began to realise that we would benefit from expert support to help us develop a more strategic plan.”
The Kings Road Tyres Group has appointed Tim Bader to the new senior role of operations manager. Bader was previously KRT’s purchasing and marketing manager, and the promotion brings with it the added responsibility for a wide portfolio of Group roles, including IT and communications, stock control, transport and health & safety.
Giti Tire is returning to the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb on 29 June after playing a key role in last year’s electric division victory by Nobuhiro “Monster” Tajima and his ‘Monster Sport E-Runner Pikes Peak Special.’ Last year, Tajima switched from Falken to Giti tyres for the Pikes Peak event and set a new electric record of 9:46.530 last year after Giti Tire engineers hand cut tread grooves into the tyres after the road became wet from a 30-minute rainfall – a measure the driver said gave him much-needed grip. For the 2014 event, he will compete in a vehicle that is based on last year’s machine but incorporates a number of performance enhancements, including specially designed 17-inch GitiCompete GTR1 slicks (340/710-18) in place of the 20-inch version used last year.
At this month’s Reifen 2014 show in Essen, Germany, Hankook Tire will occupy more than 300 square metres of exhibition space at in Hall 3.0 (stand 3A32). At this, the 11th occasion the tyre maker has exhibited at the trade fair, Hankook will display an extended UHP line-up and will highlight its recent original equipment segment activities.
Continental Tyre South Africa announced the appointment of Niel Langner as marketing manager; Jiminy-Ann Knoetze Bosman as public relations and communications manager; and Morris Naiker as national sales manager on 14 May 2014. The move is being described as a set of strategic appointments designed to strengthen the firm’s tyre sales position in the country.
The world of tractor pulling awaits Mitas following the development of the company’s first prototype tractor pulling tyre and the signing of a sponsorship agreement with the European Tractor Pulling Committee (ETPC). The Mitas Powerpull has been developed using a similar manufacturing process to that used for the Czech tyre maker’s high-power tractor tyres, and Mitas says the production version of the Powerpull will be available this year. The first test prototypes were cured at the company’s Otrokovice factory in April.
Fires at tyre recycling and processing sites have long been a problem. In order to offer a solution Owen Batham, sales and marketing director of Elite Precast Concrete Ltd, suggests there is a growing need for firms to take a more proactive approach to their fire risk management and to develop more sophisticated disaster recovery plans.
Once again, Trelleborg will partner with the Tractor of the Year awards. The latest round of this agricultural sector honour kicked off with an event in France on 6 and 7 May; at the “Tractor of the Year 2015: Let the challenge begin” function in Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, the Swedish tyre maker also launched a new advertising campaign to promote the qualities of its TM1000 High Power agricultural tyre.
GT Radial’s latest commercial tyre all-rounder will receive its European show debut at Reifen 2014, with two new products to be unveiled. The GSR225 Combi Road multi-usage tyre has specially developed tread and base compounds to improve mileage and a wider tread pattern to deliver improved handling and extra resistance to tearing and curbing, making it appropriate for a wide variety of regional and long-haul vehicles. GT Radial products will be exhibited on Hall 3, stand B16.
Taiwanese tyre manufacturer Federal Tyres has joined the Imported Tyre Manufacturers Association (ITMA), and in doing so receives access to regular updates on technical and legislative matters affecting the sale of tyres within the EU, helping it to ensure its products remain fully compliant for sale.
Israel-based tyre industry machinery specialist Pelmar Engineering Ltd. has named Joseph Anglister its chief executive officer. Anglister began his new role on 1 May and takes on some of the duties formerly carried out by managing director Hagai Peled.
When it comes to racially-weighted remarks catching up with public figures, this has been quite a week. Jeremy Clarkson has issued an apology for his mumbled ‘N-word’, and on the other side of the Atlantic Donald Sterling has received a lifetime ban from the NBA for discriminatory comments. Following the decision to bar Los Angeles Clippers owner Sterling from any association with the basketball team or the NBA, Yokohama Tire Corporation has reached an agreement on its Clippers sponsorship.
Yokohama Tire Corporation has reinstated its sponsorship of National Basketball Association franchise Los Angeles Clippers, having agreed that half of the 2014 NBA playoff sponsorship funds will be earmarked for charitable donations. YTC had suspended its sponsorship following racist remarks allegedly made by owner Donald Sterling, who was subsequently banned from the NBA for life.
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