Kumho Tyres has launched a summer campaign, 'Cash for Causes', in the UK. The company says it will donate £100,000 to deserving causes, charities, local groups and projects across the country, via the ECSTA Performance Centre network of independent retailers it supports through its national distributor, Micheldever Tyre Services.
Sussex Police is TyreSafe’s latest supporter in its campaign to raise awareness about tyre safety and maintenance. Although the south coast constabulary joined forces with TyreSafe for last year’s Tyre Safety Month, this year will see a big increase in involvement, actively promoting a number of campaigns aimed at educating road users about the importance of tyre safety.
Following Micheldever Tyres Services’ recent announcement that its branches are implementing a scrapping policy on all removed passenger car tyres, the Retread Manufacturers Association (RMA) has signalled its disappointment with this approach.
The Haribo Racing Team has announced it will use Falken’s race tyres on its Porsche 997 GT3 R for the VLN series and Nürburgring 24 Hour race. The team said its move to the Japanese brand’s tyres, developed specifically for the 997 GT3 R, was completed after a successful test at the recent ADAC Westfalenfahrt race. “We were very satisfied with the way the race went, delivering fast, consistent lap times,” reports Marco Alfter, Haribo’s head of corporate communications.
16 tyre dealers from GT Radial’s UK Performance Centres and distributor, Micheldever have braved Arctic conditions to complete winter tyre testing workshops at the company’s Mellatracks Proving Ground in Ivalo, Finland. The tyre professionals travelled to Test World, based several hundred kilometres inside the Arctic Circle in the northernmost area of Finnish Lapland, in order to complete four separate tyre tests in temperatures as low as -15°C. A report of the testing is available in Tyres & Accessories April edition, and on Tyrepress.com below.
Motor Codes has revealed the nation’s 50 most trusted garages, following six weeks of voting by thousands of motorists. Motor Codes, an OFT approved code of practice for car service and repair and new car sales, in invited satisfied customers to nominate their local garage through its annual Garage of the Year contest. This year around 10 per cent of the top performers were tyre specialists despite strong competition from general garages, MOT centres, and franchised vehicle dealerships.
Micheldever Tyres Services will no doubt be particularly pleased with the results, as four of these branches belong to the group, which is know for its Micheldever and Southam wholesale brands as well as its famous Micheldever Station retail outlet and Protyre chain. This year Micheldever Tyre & Auto Services, Winchester as well as Protyre Plymouth, Protyre Gloucester and Protyre Poole were the ones to make it into the top 100.
Southam/Micheldever Tyres has added a new size to the General Grabber All-Terrain range. The 255/50R19 107H XL is suitable for Range Rover Sport, Porsche Cayenne and Volkswagen Touareg to name just a few fitments.
Micheldever/Southam Tyres has added the new General Eurovan 2 to the General Tire product range. This means the new van range covers 88 per cent of the UK van sector. According to the company, the new Eurovan 2 is optimised to European road conditions through a combination of flat belt technology and tread design, ensuring high mileage performance and safety.
Continental Tyre Group Ltd has named Phil Scanlan as its new passenger sales director. Scanlan takes over from Angus Smith who left the company after 10 years in the position to become commercial director with Micheldever Tyre Services at the end of 2011. Scanlan has been with Continental for over 25 years in varied positions such as regional sales manager, national accounts sales manager, car fleet sales manager, and European key account manager. Based at the German tyre manufacturer's UK head office in West Drayton, he will have overall responsibility for profitable sales and account management of independent, regional, national and wholesale accounts in the UK and ROI.
GT Radial dealers from Scotland and Northern England recently enjoyed full hospitality at the Theatre of Dreams for Manchester United’s home leg Champions League match versus Romanian side Otelui Galati, after winning their places for “exceptional sales performance.”
Kumho Tyres has announced in increase in its NVQ training programme. Having started in 2009, the programme has created 22 graduates to date while a further 37 tyre technicians from 31 of the company’s nationwide network of ECSTA Performance Centres (EPCs) are currently progressing through the scheme. New expansion plans will encourage retailers from the wider EPC network to become involved, according to Kumho. The scheme is being run in conjunction with Kumho’s national distributor, Micheldever Tyre Services, while the training is being delivered by ReMIT – the UK’s largest motor industry specialist training provider.
Falken Tire has announced that it will continue to expand its motorsport activities “aggressively” in 2012. Teams supported by the manufacturer won two American Le Mans Series races in the challenging GT class during the 2011 season and claimed a second consecutive Championship in the Formula Drift series. “Falken vigorously supports its motorsports involvement with numerous marketing strategies,” explained Andrew Hoit, Falken’s vice president of marketing. The brand demonstrated its marketing strategy in blending motorsport involvement and social networking activity at events in Europe too, such as its use of Facebook during the 24 Hours at the Nürburgring, reported by Tyres & Accessories in June.
Continental Tyres has appointed Tracey Hyem as commercial marketing manager. Hyem is no stranger to Continental having been with the manufacturer eight years. Initially joining as marketing communications manager, she then moved into a role as brand manager for passenger car tyres – a position she held for five years – before taking up her current role as marketing manager for Continental’s commercial vehicle and industrial product lines.
Following the initial announcement last week, Micheldever Tyre Services Ltd has confirmed the appointment of Angus Smith to its board in the position of commercial director, effective from January 2012. Smith joins Michelever with years of experience at Continental Tyre Group culminating with work in the role of sales director.
After 10 years as sales director of Continental Tyres, Angus Smith has chosen to leave the organisation to pursue a new career and fresh challenges with Micheldever Tyre Services.Until a suitable successor is in place, managing director David Smith will take on the sales director responsibilities for the company’s car, van and 4×4 tyre sales in the UK and Ireland.
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