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Friend Tire, ITDG Merge Buying Groups

(Akron/Tire Review) Tire distributor Friend Tire Co. and Independent Tire Dealers Group have combined their existing marketing/buying groups for independent dealers into one programme. “The Independent Tire Dealers Group program is a perfect fit with our own Nationwide Tire Dealers Program,” said Don Isbell, president of Friend Tire. “Combined, the two offers the independent tire dealer everything they need to operate a successful business. We will begin immediately to explore the opportunities presented by this new configuration.”

23rd August 2006/by Tyrepress Editors

Weld Wheels Files for Bankruptcy

Weld Wheel Industries, a Kansas City maker of high-performance automotive wheels, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. A Kansas City Star report said the 21-year-old family-owned business lost $1.1 million in the first six months of this year on net sales of $21.8 million. The bankruptcy petition said the company has total assets of $31.6 million. Weld Wheels has signed an asset-sale agreement with American Racing Equipment Inc. in southern California. American Racing will pay $17 million and assume various debt and lease obligations, according to local news sources.

22nd August 2006/by Tyrepress Editors

TIA Supports Rolling Resistance Legislation

On 18 July the US Tire Industry Association (TIA) announced its support of House Resolution 5632, after “much deliberation,” TIA has decided to support H. R. 5632. The TIA Government Affairs Committee was able to come to a consensus after weighing the pros and cons of the legislation, the association said in a statement. “We were very pleased to receive feedback and questions from our membership regarding H.R. 5632,” said TIA President, Bob Malerba. “It was extremely helpful to our Government Affairs Committee in making a decision on whether to support the bill.”

17th August 2006/by Tyrepress Editors

Kwik-Fit Offers Vehicle Servicing and MoTs to Fleets

Fleets can now get their company cars and light commercial vehicles serviced and MoT’d at Kwik-Fit centres. Around 230 of Kwik-Fit’s nationwide network of 670 centres are now equipped to undertake interim and full services on all-makes of vehicles and 250 centres will also be capable of undertaking MoTs by the end of 2006. Following the completion of a long-time retail pilot, Kwik-Fit is now extending its servicing and MoT capability to all fleets.

16th August 2006/by Tyrepress Editors

Amtel-Vredestein First Half Revenues up 22 per cent

Describing itself as Europe’s fourth largest tyre producer, Amtel-Vredestein (AV) has announced first-half results showing sales of $350 million, up 22 per cent from £286 million in 2005. Gross profit improved 43 per cent from $56 to $80 million in the first half, up 22 per cent in the second quarter compared with the first three months of the year. However, Amtel-Vredestein’s first half net losses totalled $15 million against the $1 million profit at the same time last year. Most of the losses were acquired during the first quarter, with net losses decreasing to $5 million in the second quarter, write AK&M analysts. In the same period net revenue from Passenger Car Tyres grew 52 per cent from $135 million to $205 million in the first half and now represents 59 per cent of total sales.

14th August 2006/by Tyrepress Editors

Unipart Automotive Launches OE Quality Battery Ranges

Unipart Automotive, the UK’s largest independent parts and supplier network, has re-launched its battery offerings and includes a range that beats original equipment (OE) standards.

According to the company, the Unipart Samson battery range consistently out-perform original manufacturer specifications and comes with a four year warranty while the Unipart battery range aims to equal OE standards and comes with a three year guarantee.

9th August 2006/by Tyrepress Editors

Amtel-Vredestein to Acquires Russian Tyre and Auto Part Distributors

Amtel-Vredestein’s (AV) AV-TO retail subsidiary has announced that it is to buy Nizhny Novgorod-based motorfactor, Pigma, and tyre distributor Megashina. With over 10 years in the market, LLC Trade House Pigma (Pigma), is reportedly a dynamic company that sells more than 27,000 auto components from approximately 40 producers to over 1500 customers throughout Russia and CIS. Pigma also built a network of seven tyre service retail centres in Nizhny Novgorod – which it sold to Amtel-Vredestein in March 2006.

8th August 2006/by Tyrepress Editors

The Whys and RAV4s of Run-Flat Systems

Tyres & Accessories asked Bridgestone UK senior marketing analyst, Andy Dingley to explain why the company recently decided to advise Toyota RAV4 T180 diesel owners to go back to the showroom at tyre changing time. Bridgestone is keen to point out that there is no alternative motive attached to this move, just simple technological constraints. According to the Japanese manufacturer, the situation all comes down to the fact that the new RAV4 uses the Bridgestone Support Ring (BSR) run-flat system rather than a sidewall supported product.

2nd August 2006/by Tyrepress Editors

Marangoni Unveils Second Ad Campaign

Marangoni has embarked on its second advertising campaign for 2006, continuing the ‘intelligence’ theme which has become synonymous with the brand. The campaign features high quality imagery of ‘intelligent’ animals, with their key abilities reflecting the attributes of the Marangoni Mythos UHP tread pattern.

1st August 2006/by Tyrepress Editors

“Hello, I’d Like to Make a Super Complaint”

Did you know that the tyre business could be subject to a “super complaint” because of poor service in the wider automotive service sector? Did you know that it could cost you as much as £750 per depot if the government is forced to push external regulation on the business? During the recent NTDA conference in Marbella, this subject stood head and shoulders above the rest as most delegates were surprised to hear what a so-called super complaint might mean for them.

So what’s behind all this talk of an Office of Fair Trading (OFT) super complaint? Basically the National Consumer Council (NCC) believes that there are too many legitimate customer service complaints being made against the automotive service industry and the tyre trade is being tarred with the same brush in terms of potential consequences. The recent push for action from the consumer point of view also follows media reports highlighting the “garages don’t care” attitude fostered by many consumers.

1st August 2006/by Tyrepress Editors

Making the Most of the Internet

Online retailing has come of age and UK consumers are leading the way. Conservative calculations suggest UK e-shoppers bought some £6.9 billion worth of products online in 2005. This year IMRG, the professional body representing online retailers, expects sales to increase to around £30 billion because 45 per cent of shoppers are looking to increase their online spending this year. Despite this, government figures suggest that only 15 per cent of tyre related businesses are represented online. And the 2006 NTDA/Trend Tracker Tyre Wholesaler survey found that over half of respondents described the Internet as “not important” when it came to their part of the business. Tyres & Accessories spoke to Internet specialists from both inside and outside of the tyre trade and found out that fresh business is there for the taking.

31st July 2006/by Tyrepress Editors

LSUK Seeks Retail Battery Partners

LSUK, which claims to be the largest single supplier of batteries in to the UK automotive, marine, leisure, industrial and commercial industries, is giving proactive garages, fitters and retailers the opportunity to join its battery programme – and reap numerous rewards at the same time. The UK battery market is estimated to be worth £120 million in retail sales every year and LSUK has established itself as a leading player in the sector with the unrivalled service that it can offer. With 52 distribution branches nationwide, LSUK is in the position to offer first class product availability from stock, access to the best brands on the market, and arguably the most competitive pricing structure in the battery sector.

27th July 2006/by Tyrepress Editors

TIA Says It Backs RMA-Drafted Fuel Efficiency Bill

(Akron/Tire Review) After weeks of review, TIA has decided to support the tyre fuel efficiency program bill (HR 5632) written by the RMA and recently passed by the House Energy Committee. In making the announcement, TIA said, “The TIA Government Affairs Committee was able to come to consensus after weighing the pros and cons of the legislation.” Separately, SEMA announced earlier this month that it would not support the bill, which calls for NHTSA to create a national tyre fuel efficiency consumer information program that would include a fuel efficiency rating system, requirements for providing such information to tire buyers, and a national consumer tire maintenance consumer education program.

27th July 2006/by Tyrepress Editors

TIF Delegation Meets With MP

A delegation from the Tyre Industry Federation (TIF) had a successful meeting yesterday with the Minister at the DTI responsible for sustainable development, Malcolm Wicks, to discuss the issue of used tyre recovery. The delegation, on which all member associations were represented and which was led by TIF chairman, Jim Rickard, made the Minister aware of the steps the industry had taken towards ensuring full recovery of used tyres by 16 July 2006 – the date the complete ban on landfilling of tyres came into force.

According to a statement released by the TIF, it also impressed on him the need for Government, in partnership with the industry, to continue to keep a close watch on the arrangements set up to implement the ban and to take rigorous enforcement action wherever necessary. The Minister in turn acknowledged the success of the industry’s efforts in rising to the challenge of the ban.

25th July 2006/by Tyrepress Editors

Delticom Exceeds 2005 Sales Goals

Now in its fifth year of online tyre business, Delticom AG continues to grow. Last year the company exceeded the sales goals it set itself, registering about 128 million euros in annual sales. This represents a 60 per cent increase over the previous year, when the company’s sales amounted to 80 million euros.

Wholesale activities accounted for around 20 million of Delticom’s 2005 sales, while online retail sales totalled approximately 108 million euros. Sales growth was said to be “particularly robust” in Germany, France, Switzerland, Sweden and Great Britain. Delticom recently ‘opened’ a new bilingual online store in Canada, which will offer some 60 tyre brands and 10,600 SKUs.

16th July 2006/by Tyrepress Editors