Motor Codes Ltd is the self-regulatory body to oversee standards in the car and garage sector, set up by the SMMT. Motor Codes relies on feedback from customers to rate various aspects of the service they have received from participating garages across the UK. In October, 1,822 service or repair customers completed surveys and the results are encouraging, particularly in view of recent negative publicity in some parts of the press.
Having attended Goodwood events in the past Toyo Tires has reported another “successful” year at the Goodwood Revival, at which it was the exclusive Tyre Partner for the first time. To mark the occasion, VIP Toyo customers previewed two brand new road tyres in the Proxes range, the ultra high performance Proxes T1 Sport and the Proxes C1S, tyres built for performance and ride comfort respectively. Both tyres will be made available from 2011. Toyo said that it was looking forward to continuing its deal with the event in 2011.
Recent growth at the Micheldever Group has driven the firm up to 90th place in the prestigious Sunday Times Top Track 250 list of the most successful mid-market privately owned companies. With just the Top Track 100 of the biggest private companies in the UK above it, this puts progress in the business into context. Micheldever first entered the Sunday Times list in 2006 in 184th position and in the intervening three years has jumped an amazing 94 places with the group’s sales in the last financial year reaching over £275 million.
Leading tyre wholesale operation Micheldever Tyres Services reports that it has increased unit sales despite the difficulties of selling in a market beset with recessionary pressures. This year the company expects sales of 6 million tyres – equivalent to just under 20 per cent of the total UK market – with an annual turnover of over £300 million. Not bad for a company that was bought from its founder Tony Todd in a reported £85 million deal just four years ago. When Tyres & Accessories spoke to wholesale director Alan Baldwin he revealed that these unit sales are set to include 1.2 million Kumho tyres. So does this figure reflect a market move to the mid-range as other sources suggest?
A reduction in fuel consumption to the tune of two to three per cent is possible with the latest van tyre segment offering from Giti Tire. When compared with its predecessor, the GT Radial Maxmiler EX achieves up to this saving through a ten per cent weight reduction and approximately 15 per cent rolling resistance; the manufacturer states that the production technologies and materials used in the new tyre have enabled such use of an optimised weight construction.
Collaborating with Micheldever and Protyre, Toyo Tires presented a large two-tier stand in a prime location at the Goodwood Festival of Speed; company representatives said they communicated with hundreds of visitors about Toyo, its product range and Micheldever, making it “another great year at one of Britain’s biggest celebration of motorsports and speed.”
August’s Question of the Month on tyrepress.com asks readers whether the recent news that a coroner has written to the DfT recommending more attention be paid to tyre age means that tyre age should be inspected as part of MOT tests. So far, the overwhelming majority seems to think it should, with only one reader suggesting tyre age should stay off the MOT agenda. To lodge your vote, see the Question of the Month box on the tyrepress.com homepage.
Micheldever Tyre and Auto Services has signed-up to the Motor Industry Code of Practice for Service and Repair. The company, which sells about six million tyres a year, has subscribed its 50 ‘Protyre’-branded outlets to the Code aiming to enhance the company’s profile and reach while reinforcing its high customer service standards.
“The decision to subscribe to the Service and Repair Code was taken after extensive research into both our customers’ requirements and the need for the whole industry to raise its standards,” said Simon Hiorns, retail director at Micheldever. “We recognise that in many cases the motor industry needs to build trust with its customers, as over the years, this has been eroded by ‘cowboy traders’. Protyre has built a reputation for providing exceptional service, something that Motor Codes allows us to promote to our customers.
Giti Tire (UK) Ltd representatives have hailed the firm’s latest passenger car eco-tyre as a “fuel saving champion. According to the company, GT Radial’s Champiro ECO is one of a new generation of tyres designed to meet the demands of price-conscious and environmentally aware drivers. Design wise GT Radial’s new passenger car tyre reportedly combines “excellent performance characteristics with low noise emissions and low rolling resistance.” The tyre, which is aimed at small and mid-size cars, is available in 29 sizes, with T and H speed ratings.
Crucially for the GT Radial brand – which is now distributed by leading wholesaler Micheldever, following a contract signing in April – the company says its Champiro ECO already meets the forthcoming EU tyre regulations that will come into effect in 2012. The ‘S’ and ‘W’ displayed on its sidewall confirm that Champiro ECO meets the noise threshold, ‘S’ and traction in wet conditions, ‘W.’ In the third EU category that evaluates rolling resistance and fuel consumption the Champiro ECO gets a preliminary C on a scale of A to G (measuring methodology still to be confirmed), according to the manufacturer.
Kumho’s UK distributor Micheldever Tyre Services and alloy wheel manufacturer OZ Racing have formed an alliance to make “ultra competitively priced” wheel and UHP tyre packages available through ECSTA Performance Centres nationwide. The tyre maker says that every sort of vehicle from Fiestas to Ferraris are catered for, and purchasers can choose from the OZ Racing line up of rims or the OZ Racing-designed MSW alloy wheel collection. All rims, Kumho adds, are TÜV approved and manufactured to the highest possible standard. The rims are available for cars, SUVs and MPVs in a “vast array” of finishes and sizes from 14 to 22-inch.
Occupying a booth in Hall 2, Atturo Tire’s Michael Mathis was enthusiastic about the opportunity provided by Reifen to make contact with the company’s European dealers (Micheldever in the UK), while also gaining new distributors. Mathis mentioned Spain, Italy, Eastern Europe and the Middle East as the territories from which much of the traffic for the stand came. Though the company had expected “a higher quantity of visitors,” said Mathis, “the quality of the traffic has been good. In a month from now, I think we will be pretty satisfied,” he concluded.
Having already taken delivery of 16 new trailers this year – 15 sliding bogie skelletals and one box van – trailer supplier Montracon reports that Micheldever Tyre Services has ordered a further 25 more stepframe curtainsiders. Prior to last year the firm only bought used trailers. According to Montracon, that policy changed a year ago and now the company uses a mix of replacements and additions. The curtainsiders are progressively going to work, distributing tyres to the firm’s 12 wholesale warehouses and 49 Protyre retail sites across the UK and will move over six million tyres a year.
Toyo Tires has announced it will again join Micheldever and Protyre at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, which the manufacturer describes as a “key event in the motorsport calendar”. Toyo declared itself proud to be associated with its partners at Goodwaood, since “Micheldever is one of the UK’s leading tyre distributors, which also has its own very successful and ever-expanding retail chain, Protyre”.
Research by Micheldever Tyres Services shows that over 30 per cent of cars coming into the company’s flagship outlet in Hampshire have at least one illegal tyre – up from 19 per cent one year ago. Furthermore, over 80 per cent of cars have badly worn tyres, with a tread depth below 2mm.
BJ Waters (Transport) Ltd., serviced by UK Tyres Direct in Derbyshire, recently awarded GITI Tire (UK) Ltd. the contract to supply tyres for its fleet of vehicles. A family run haulage business dating back to the early 1920’s, the company operate a fleet of over 50 vehicles from its two midland based depots and specialise in bulk tipper movements throughout the UK and Europe.
In addition Hadfields Transport Limited awarded GITI Tire (UK) Ltd. the tyre supply agreement, which is serviced by Pro-Fit Tyres of Oldham. Operating over 50 vehicles from the company’s new purpose built 62,000 square foot warehouse in Miles Platting, Manchester, the company was established in 1906 and specialises in offering a tailor made service.
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