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Manbat, the UK’s largest battery distributor is reporting that the aftermarket response to its control of the Lucas battery brand has been “fantastic.” Manbat was awarded the distribution contract following a tender invitation in the New Year and it became the only source of supply for the Lucas brand on 1 March. The agreement includes all Lucas automotive and commercial vehicle batteries for the UK and Eire.
Tyre recycling machinery maker Granutech-Saturn Systems has announced the appointment of Mike Hinsey as international vice president and the promotion of Scott White to the position of sales manager. Hinsey, a 25-year Granutech veteran, was previously the company’s international sales manager, a post he held for more than 15 years. In his new position he will develop and direct all non-US sales efforts, will oversee the activity of a number of sales agents with international territories, and will report to Granutech’s board of directors.
Since its establishment in 1977, Turkish wheel manufacturer Jantsa has constantly worked towards building up and expanding its export business. Today its wheels are exported to over 80 countries worldwide, Jantsa export area manager Europe Omar Oztan told Tyres & Accessories. In fact, three out of every four wheels produced by Jantsa is destined for export. A region of increasing interest for the Turkish company is Southeast Asia. For this reason the company decided this year to once again exhibit at Tyrexpo Asia.
European heavy truck deliveries may have fallen by as much as 50 per cent in the first quarter of 2009, “the steepest fall for many decades,” according to Deutsche Bank. Citing anecdotal evidence, the market watchers suggest that demand may be stabilizing at the current level, which could lead to a 50 per cent fall in full-year 2009 totals. This would reportedly return demand to 1995 levels. “There are some signs that European industrial production may trough as soon as Q3, also at 1995 levels. We do not expect truck sales to recover until late 2010/early 2011,” the analysts commented. In the meantime truck stocks are said to be up 23-35 per cent over the last month.
Pirelli Tire North America reports landing the top spot in three out of four online consumer surveys performed in April. Tire Rack, one of the largest tyre dealers in the US, rated Pirelli’s Scorpion Ice & Snow, the 210 Sottozero, and Winter Carving tyres number one following an opt-in survey it conducted.
Consumers and customers of the online retailer are asked to contribute their opinions to a tyre survey that addresses twelve separate areas, including hydroplaning resistance, wet traction, cornering stability, dry traction, noise/comfort, steering response and other parameters such as light or heavy snow traction, ice traction and whether or not the customer would consider purchasing the tires again if given the opportunity. The survey data was tabulated from the responses of customers and website visitors, with performance traits rated on a scale from “0” to “10”, with “10” considered superior.
The first batch of European spec Nissan GT-Rs have arrived in the UK, and the specification list for the Japanese sport coupe is very impressive indeed. In its European guise the GT-R has had its 588 Nm-rated 3.8 litre V6 twin-turbo engine tweaked to deliver 485 horsepower, and this is complemented by a paddle shift six-speed dual clutch transmission and all wheel drive. Despite a top speed of 193 mph, however, the Nissan is not just about performance – every GT-R is delivered with Bluetooth connectivity, touch screen satellite navigation, climate control, leather trim and Bose sound system.
Michelin North America’s Dick Wilkerson has engaged in a further tête-à-tête with his local newspaper, and he is clear that the company is “committed to manufacturing our product in North America and selling it in North America.” The regional operation’s chairman and president told The Greenville News that around 90 per cent of the company’s North American sales tonnage is produced on the continent, including at its Mexican and Canadian plants. These four factories complement Michelin’s 11 major US manufacturing facilities.
Dr. Nikolin, responsible for both Continental AG’s passenger tyre and commercial vehicle tyre divisions since the departure of Alan Hippe, is in the bad books with a sizeable chunk of the company’s workforce. He is, of course, the man who recently simultaneously announced the closure of two facilities – the first in Clairoix, France and the second in the company’s home city of Hanover, Germany. Since this time the road along which he’s travelled has been, to put it nicely, a little bumpy. High-level politicians both in France and Germany, with the saving of jobs in mind, have grabbed hold of the issue.
The blame for the planned closure of the Clairoix facility can’t really be pinned on Nikolin; this was already in the pipeline at the end of last year. But regardless of whose decision it was, the response from Paris is that the French President, a popular target for demonstrations during his two years in office, really can do without further news like Conti’s in the Paris region. Sarkozy’s economic policy is geared towards enhancing the country’s competitiveness, and amongst other measures this includes a future extension of weekly working hours. Such increased demands on the French workforce have also come from management at Continental, and have to a large extent already been implemented – around two years ago workers agreed to a longer working week to boost production when demand was high. Yet the very clear signals coming from “French politics” in recent times appear to have been enough to make Hippe hesitant and relegate the matter to the backburner for the time being. Vehement protests now seem to be inevitable. It looks like Continental will at any rate have to weather serious damage to its image in France, and perhaps there is nothing it can do about it.
Kumho has announced that its three tyre plants in South Korea will be closed until Monday 20 April following a sustained period of slowing sales. The measure is designed to keep company inventories under control, according to a press release.
Alliance Tire Group has announced that the Company appointed Jean-Paul Spijker as vice president sales global OEM, B.S. Rama Murthy as group vice president commercial and D. Suresh as vice president of Technology function at the end of February.
Manbat, the UK’s leading battery distributor, and Johnson Controls Batteries Ltd (JCI) have announced a revised distribution agreement which takes effect immediately. Both companies have grown their businesses impressively in the last two decades and this formalised distribution agreement follows three years of particularly close cooperation. The contract, which was signed on 15 January 2009, is for an initial three-year term, but with the intention of maintaining the agreement on a rolling basis, reviewed annually.
From the early 2000s, JCI began the process of reducing the number of own label supply contracts it had inherited through its battery manufacturer acquisitions, to concentrate on its own brands and the supply of Original Equipment (OE) batteries for the automotive and commercial vehicle sectors. Manbat was the obvious partner through which to grow the aftermarket supply business for those two sectors for the Varta brand.
HiQ’s Banbury centre has invested £60,000 in a refurbishment programme. The Oxfordshire centre is the first of the franchise network’s 150 stores to boast British Touring Car Championship branding, to coincide with the company’s official sponsorship of Britain’s premier motor racing series.
HiQ is the official sponsor of the British Touring Car Championship and the Banbury centre will aim to bring the excitement and passion of the motor racing series onto its forecourt. The new Banbury concept has been developed on the back of an 18 month study looking at consumer attitudes to fast fit services.
Deldo president and founder Jos Delcroix recently celebrated his milestone 65th birthday. At a ceremony to mark the occasion on March 22, Mr. Delcroix received a chocolate tyre (Belgian chocolate, of course) from employees – complete with DOT and sidewall instructions.
Delcroix established the Antwerp, Belgium based company in 1973 together with his wife Paula Donckers (the initial letters of the surnames Delcroix & Donckers were used to form the name Deldo) and one driver. In the ensuing years the company has developed into a Europe wide operation selling more than 6.5 million tyres per year. Despite this growth Deldo remains a family business – in 1975 Delcroix’s brother Stani joined the company, both of Jos & Paula’s children – Philip and Katleen – are today involved in the daily management of Deldo Autobanden.
An employee was reportedly killed in an industrial accident at Alliance Tire Company’s Hadera factory, according to the Jerusalem Post. Police are said to have launched an investigation into how the accident occurred. The Jerusalem Post reported that factory employees managed to remove the worker – in his fifties – from the machinery he was trapped in however medics were unable to revive him.
The city of Carlisle will reverberate to the sound of throbbing motors and tyres traversing gravel on the weekend of April 17 to 19 when 150 cars compete in no fewer than five Pirelli International Rally events. Topping the bill is the second round of the MSA British Rally Championship, an event that is bringing an international field of competitors to Cumbria.
Ahead of the crews lies two days of action over the fast gravel tracks in the border forests where any slip can land a car in one of the many deep ditches, leading to instant retirement. But with vital championship points at stake, the drivers will be no doubt give every ounce of effort to wring every second out of their times.
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