After examining its preliminary financial results Delticom has declared 2010 a “record year” for the company. During the 12 month period the online tyre dealer’s revenues increased 34.8 per cent to 419.4 million euros and its customer base across the more than 100 online shops operated in 39 countries grew by almost a million to give Delticom a total of 4.4 million customers.
The divestment programme underway at Trelleborg as part of the company’s strategy to focus on selected segments has taken a further step with the signing of an agreement to divest its brake hoses for light vehicles operation, which is located in Brazil and is part of the Trelleborg Automotive business area. The buyer is the French company Flexitech.
From 1st January 2011, the Department for Transport introduced individual grants of £5,000 to purchase electric vehicles (EVs). This is part of the Office for Low Emission Vehicles' £400 million fund to reduce emissions from road transport.
Pirelli aims to increase the amount of tyres directly sold to consumers through online channels, a goal it believes best achieved through increased consumer product awareness and targeted communication. With this in mind, the tyre maker has launched a completely refreshed global website. The overhauled www.pirelli.com website is now live and offers consumers a way to discover the best tyre for their specific vehicle and driving requirements. To do this, the visitor can select an avatar who will guide them through a series of questions about annual mileage, vehicle type and usual driving terrain. A ‘perfect’ tyre to suit the visitor’s needs plus other options will then be recommended, followed by a series of virtual product tests and details of the dealers in the visitor’s local area.
Belarusian tyre maker Belshina is currently redeveloping its on and off-road businesses. A 32.6 million euro upgrade of passenger car tyre production facilities is close to completion, the company reports. The project will be funded in part by loans, with the remainder coming from Belshina and parent company Belneftekhim. Equipment for the upgrade has been supplied by Dutch firm VMI. The upgraded plant will enter operation at the end of 2011 and will reach its planned capacity in 2013. Belshina anticipates the replacement of obsolete equipment and the upgrading of other units will not only increase output volume and enable a larger assortment of products to be manufactured; the tyre maker says production quality and labour conditions will also improve.
UK wholesaler Protyre is helping motorists prepare for the icy driving conditions this winter may bring by giving away free ‘Winter Essentials’ packs when they purchase two Goodyear car tyres. The pack includes essential items such as a de-icer, windscreen scraper, screen wash and cleaning sponge.
Vellco Tyre Control recent took delivery of two brand new “60-registered” MAN 6×2 Tractor Units utilising unique EGR (exhaust gas recirculation) technology designed for Euro 5 engines. But for the company that began trading in 1950 the purchase was more than just a infrastructure investment, it was also something of a celebration of the fact that during 2010 the company has been celebrating 60 years of trading.
Some two weeks after it acquired Watts Tyre Group – a purchase that Maurizio Vischi, president of the company’s Trelleborg Wheel Systems business area, described as a “further step in our strategy to continuously strengthen our positions in selected segments,” the Swedish firm has taken a further step towards focusing on its core business areas by entering into an agreement to divest its roofing operations. This part of the Trelleborg Engineered Systems business area will be taken over by Axcel, a Nordic private equity fund with offices in both Copenhagen and Stockholm. The acquisition requires approval of the appropriate authorities, and is expected to be finalised in the first quarter of 2011.
Joining the list of vehicle manufacturers endorsing cold weather tyres in the UK is Ford, who is teaming up with Pirelli to help drivers nationwide “avoid any slip-ups” this winter. And the two companies seem certain that British motorists can benefit from winter tyres – Ford and Pirelli reckon more than 30 days with average temperatures sitting below seven degrees Celsius await us between January 1 and February 28, yet should their forecasting talents be found wanting the companies will refund half the tyres’ cost. Any customer buying four Pirelli cold weather tyres through a participating Ford dealer before December 31, 2010 is eligible to register his or her details and receive a 50 per cent refund on the tyres’ purchase price if the weather proves to be warmer.
This season’s talking point is shaping up to be winter tyres and what pros and cons are attached to them. In order to provide its customers with some clarity on the issue, Mycompanyfleet, the automotive software division of human resources services provider NorthgateArinso, has outlined the means by which fleet operators can effectively evaluate their need for winter tyres.
Tyre Bay Direct aims to be a one stop shop for all tyre fitting and consumable needs. The company reports the stocking of a complete range of valves, including exclusive customised valves available printed with a company’s details, plus balancing weights, repair materials, workshop tools, tyre changers and wheel balancers as well as other garage equipment. Much of the range on offer is exclusive to Tyre Bay Direct, the company adds.
Trelleborg has signed an agreement for the acquisition of the UK’s Watts Tyre Group through its Trelleborg Wheel Systems business area, an action the Swedish company believes will strengthen its industrial tyre segment position through geographic expansion and an increased presence in the aftermarket. Watts has annual sales of approximately £27.4 million and about 230 employees. The purchase consideration amounts to approximately £21 million.
Less than two weeks after former Grouptyre member Broadway Tyres went into administration, new owner Traxx Tyres has announced its purchase of the company’s assets. Tyres & Accessories understands that Traxx Tyres, which is new to the UK market, is connected to successful tyre wholesaling in Australia. It is fair to say that Traxx has taken the British market by surprise with its first UK acquisition, reportedly outbidding competing offers for Broadway Tyres. Sources close to the negotiations told T&A that Broadway will not be a member of Grouptyre under its new ownership and that instead the national wholesale operation will be running its own logistics operation from High Wycombe in order to maintain continuity of supply to its customers and in competition with Traxx Tyres.
Goodyear Tire & Rubber has shown its support for the US military through its ‘Support Our Troops’ initiative, which has raised more than US$100,000 for the non-profit organisation. The tyre maker ran the initiative in conjunction with its NASCAR tyre supply involvement and launched its fundraising effort on July 4 this year. Goodyear reports the funds raised will go towards the more than $8 million per year Support Our Troops spends sending care packs to soldiers serving in combat zones and providing assistance to their families back home.
Sales at Titan International amounted to US$222.8 million during the third quarter of the 2010 financial year, representing a year-on-year increase of 57 per cent. This improved result was accompanied by a gross profit of $27.9 million and a net income of $4.0 million. Year-to-date, the company’s sales have increased 12 per cent year-on-year to $648.9 million, while net income has reached $10.8 million.
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