It is with sadness that Tyres & Accessories learnt of the passing of Ian Palmer, advertising manager of Retreading Business. Ian died suddenly on 22 September, aged 58, while working with colleagues in Belgium. He leaves a son, Stuart, and a daughter, Louisa.
It is now becoming increasingly vital that dealerships across the country understand the fitting implications that run-flat tyres bring with them, Bridgestone has reported. As a result Bridgestone is promoting its free Run-Flat Certificate Programme, which offers training for tyre dealers and fitters across the UK. To date, in excess of 600 UK fitters and store managers have attained certification, and more than 400 machines have already been inspected and accredited by Bridgestone.
It is now becoming increasingly vital that dealerships across the country understand the fitting implications that run-flat tyres bring with them, Bridgestone has reported. As a result Bridgestone is promoting its free Run-Flat Certificate Programme, which offers training for tyre dealers and fitters across the UK. To date, in excess of 600 UK fitters and store managers have attained certification, and more than 400 machines have already been inspected and accredited by Bridgestone.
Members of the NTDA’s Northern Ireland region are planning a charity “Tyre Push” to raise money for a Children’s Hospice and to increase awareness of the industry’s 3mm campaign.
The push will commence at Northwest Tyres in Londonderry on the 12th September and will conclude on the 12th November, taking in as many member depots as possible.
Dick Johnson, chief executive of Goodyear Dunlop, has been confirmed as the guest speaker at the NTDA’s Tyre Wholesalers annual lunch in November.
The annual meeting will again be held at the Raven Hotel in Droitwich on 23rd November. It will be attended by over 100 members of the Wholesalers Group, tyre manufacturers, retail chain management and the officers of the NTDA.
Roadsafe has organised a ‘Tread Safely Week’ as part of the UK’s 3mm replacement campaign to take place from 3 – 9 October 2005. An information pack has also been issued in conjunction with this, urging motorists to change their tyres before they reach the legal limit of 1.6mm.
Tread Safely week will see Roadsafe undertaking targeted press activity, broadcast interviews and consumer roadshows to bring home the message of the importance of checking tyre tread depth and considering taking action to replace tyres which could underperform in an emergency situation.
Kwik-Fit has shocked UK tyre industry members by withdrawing its support from the Tyre Industry Council. An associate member for the past 12 years, the retail chain has announced that it will not renew its membership.
The company is keeping its reasons behind the decision within its four walls, but has issued the following statement: “We are supportive of the TIC’s aims and ambitions. After a number of years working with the TIC and with the many new challenges facing our industry, it is now time to change the way we provide our support, promote tyre safety awareness and raise the standards of service to the benefit of all motorists.”
Gyles Brandreth, a former member of John Major’s government is to be the guest speaker at the NTDA’s 2006 Annual Dinner and TAFF Awards.
The event will be once again held alongside the Commercial Vehicle Show in Birmingham at the Birmingham Metropole Hotel on 26th April 2006.
Gyles is perhaps better-known for his appearances on Channel 4’s Countdown, TV-AM and for his writing.
Chairman John Tarbox said: “We are delighted to have secured the services of such an accomplished after dinner speaker who, I am sure. Will make a major contribution to what promises to be the main tyre industry event in 2006.”
The NTDA is to run a nationwide series of health and safety “talk-ins” designed to help members get up to speed on new recommendations and legislation affecting tyre retails premises.Supported by the Health and Safety executive and local authorities, the meetings will feature presentations from local inspectors on what to expect when premises are visited by HSE inspectors, as well as detailed information on the new recommendations on manual handling.
ECI International, organisers of the Brityrex International exhibition, have announced that the 2007 event will be held from 1 to 3 May at the G-Mex Convention Centre, Manchester.
Paul Farrant, ECI’s managing director, revealed that there were a number of reasons for the move. “We wanted to expand the floor space available in 2007 based on the success and re-bookings taken at the 2005 show and Harrogate were unable to give us the third hall we needed to grow the show.”
By the time you read this article, European directive 2000/53/EC will have come fully into force. This regulation, more commonly known as the end of life vehicle (ELV) directive, will have a profound effect on the tyre trade – banning the sale of lead balancing weights. But is the trade ready? Tyres & Accessories spoke to representatives from weight manufacturers Trax and Remog in order to find out more.
A scheme to raise standards of car servicing and repair by testing the competence of technicians currently working in the retail motor industry has been launched.
Automotive Technician Accreditation (ATA) is a voluntary assessment system designed to appraise technical competence and in turn raise the professional status and credibility of skilled individuals whilst providing a benchmark for technician recruitment and career development. It is hoped that the initiative will improve consumer confidence in the retail motor sector.
The NTDA’s spring conference, held last month, highlighted the tyre industry’s desire to initiate a similar scheme and the Institute of the Motor Industry, IMI, offered its support in moving forward with the idea. The assessments would be based upon National Occupational Standards, and formed in cooperation with industry representatives to ensure that they are updated with changing technologies. The NTDA is currently looking to organise a seminar in July, which will be hosted by the IMI, and invites all interested parties to join the discussion.
New hazardous waster disposal regulations are come into force on 16 July 2005 and are expected to impact on around 20,000 sites related to the motor industry, with the Environment Agency having the powers to issue £300 on the spot fines to sites which are in breach of the law. Some things have a way of sneaking up on you, and the new Hazardous Waste Legislation is not different. Of course it doesn’t help when businesses bury their heads in the sand and pretend it’s not going to happen. And to some extent that’s what the UK tyre industry has been doing over these latest environmental rules and regulations. The issue raised its head at the NTDA’s Spring Conference, and highlighted a serious need to raise the industry’s awareness, something the association is trying to do, and quickly.
“The UK aftermarket industry must play a key role in bringing the findings of new research into tyre performance to motorists’ attention” – this was RoadSafe’s message at its recent ‘safety in the wet demonstration,’ a message it successfully managed to impress on guests.
MIRA (Motor Industry Research Association) and RoadSafe welcomed both journalists and ‘opinion formers,’ including representatives from the AA, police and RoSPA, to the association’s test grounds in Nuneaton last month, to host comparative tyre tread depth tests and to promote the industry’s 3mm tyre replacement cause.
Guests were offered the opportunity to take part in a practical demonstration that aimed to further impact the tyre safety message. Four cars, each with one of the specified tread depths, 8mm, 4mm, 3mm or 1.6mm were available for guests to complete wet braking tests. The results were strikingly clear, the lower the tread depth the longer and further it took to stop the vehicle. A simple exercise, a simple message; yet despite the simplicity a large percentage of motorists drive on illegal levels of tyre tread. What the 3mm working group says is that it’s up to the UK tyre industry to do something about this and promote change.
The last issue of Tyres & Accessories carried an in-depth article analysing the future of passenger tyre retreading in Europe. Contrary to the current prevailing opinion, the RMA believes that the passenger retreading sector is far from dead. Indeed, the association believes the overall pessimistic view of the prospects for passenger retreading is based on the failure of the retreading industry to effectively explain the role and position that passenger retreads are capable of having as well as a misunderstanding of the kind of sales levels required by the retreading industry in order to create a viable business proposition for the UK’s remaining retreaders. This viewpoint, I believe, is perpetuated by 10 key misconceptions, which I have characterised here as “The Ten Great Myths of Passenger Tyre Retreading”.
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