News articles on the tyre retail business
Apollo Tyres has announced a deal with Kwik-Fit to sell its tyres throughout the fast-fitter’s 180 car service centres across The Netherlands. Apollo’s entire summer and winter range of passenger car and 4×4 tyres will be available from Kwik-Fit. Martin Post, general director at Kwik-Fit, said, “Apollo is a trendy brand that suits the character of Kwik-Fit. We very much look forward to offering our customers quality tyres from Apollo.”
Winter is still well and truly with us yet those seeking cold weather tyres for their car needn’t pay their local Kwik-Fit outlet a visit – the fast fit network reports its entire 50,000 unit allocation of winter passenger car tyres has sold out following strong interest from both corporate and retail customers. Kwik-Fit says it still has some 5,000 winter tyres for light commercial vehicles in stock, however.
The supply agreement Michelin has operated with the US Navy since 2000 has been extended with the exercising of a second five-year option. The tyre maker will thus continue supplying 100 per cent of the Navy’s aircraft tyres around the world, including those required by deployed aircraft carriers. In announcing the extension of its supply contract, Michelin says its management of the Navy’s tyre performance-based logistics (PBL) program has eliminated backorders, reduced the Navy wholesale tyre inventory and reduced retail allowances by two-thirds, or nearly $2 million. Michelin states it has also reduced logistics response times, resulting in 99 per cent on-time (in four days or less) delivery anywhere in the world.
Following a gestation period of some five years, a new retail venture entered the UK tyre market in January 2011. Blackcircles.com has announced the launch of Tesco-Tyres.com in partnership with Britain’s leading retailer, a venture that offers access to Tesco’s massive nationwide customer base – including its 13 million Clubcard holders. Speaking with Tyres & Accessories, Blackcircles.com founder and managing director Mike Welch reflects on what the realisation of this long-held goal means for his company and what the future for Blackcircles may look like.
The US commercial truck tyre market rebounded strongly in 2010 – Yokohama Tire suggests that it may even have rebounded too strongly, leading to fill rate difficulties. The tyre maker has published an interview held with Dan King, its senior vice president of sales and marketing; King discusses this issue along with other challenges facing the industry and what the market may expect in 2011. The Yokohama Q&A session is published complete and unchanged below.
In response to Delticom’s record full-year 2010 figures, financial analysts have commented on the “very strong preliminary full-year figures.” Prior to the release of the preliminary numbers, which Tyres & Accessories published online at tyrepress.com on 17 January, the company predicted it would achieve 30 per cent growth and a pre-tax profit margin (EBIT) of 11 per cent. However financial analysts at Deutsche Bank had predicted that the company would outperform these already strong figures.
In response to flooding that has affected an area large enough to swallow up a good-sized European country, Bridgestone Australia Ltd has announced a donation of AU$100,000 (₤62,000) to the Queensland Premier's Flood Relief Appeal. In addition, the company will also be holding the Bridgestone Flood Appeal across its retail network from Friday, January 21, where participating Bridgestone stores will conduct fundraising activities.
A number of changes have been made to the Consumer Tire business management structure at Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations (BATO), making it more akin to the structure already in place at the tyre maker’s commercial tyre business. In announcing the restructuring, Bridgestone Americas refers to the new management model as “fully integrated” and one that will “facilitate continued growth and make the business even more customer-focused.”
Michelin marked a double centenary today, kicking off a series of events celebrating the 100th anniversary of both Michelin House (81 Fulham Street, South Kensington) and 100 years of the company's iconic guide books in the British Isles.
The building was officially opened on 20 January 1911 as Michelin’s then UK headquarters, in the presence of co-founder André Michelin and a host of distinguished guests including the French Ambassador and the then president of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). Now exactly 100 years later the company plans to re-enact that historic moment with a similar VIP event. On 20 January 2011, leading political, business and industry dignitaries (rumoured to include company managing partner Michel Rollier and current SMMT head) have been invited to attend an evening of celebration at Michelin House as part of a series of landmark events. These will also include a recognition luncheon for employees, including those who worked at Michelin House during the Fulham Road building’s heyday in the eighties.
Persistence has paid off for Blackcircles.com. The online tyre specialist has been courting Tesco, Britain’s largest retailer, for around three years and the two companies have now finally reached an agreement under which Blackcircles.com will sell its products through a Tesco operated website. The Tesco tyre site is expected to go live in February; Blackcircles.com’s managing director and founder Mike Welch – who in former times packed shelves for the retail giant – commented that Tesco’s marketing clout “will be great for us.”
Tyre supplier and fleet service provider Quinton Tyres has consolidated its operations at three sites into a single location. The new 28,000 square foot site in Dukinfield was set up with a ₤1.35 million investment and will act as a base for Quinton’s entire operations, including mobile tyre fitting, sales, accounts, marketing and a new retail on-site fitting facility.
Fast fit network HiQ has announced the appointment of Kelvin Taylor as its new regional franchise manager for the Midlands and surrounding areas. Taylor brings 13 years’ automotive sector experience with him into the new role, having previously worked in similar positions for a number of vehicle main manufacturers, including Citroën, Nissan and Subaru.
On January 10 the new facilities at HiQ Crewe were officially unveiled by local MP Edward Timpson. The fast fit network states that following its upgrade the Nantwich road centre is now able to boast a full provision of automotive services for motorists; facilities installed as part of a £100,000 investment by owners Andy Bucknall and Ken Lawton include an ATL class 4 MOT bay. The facility has been extended to accommodate two extra bays and motorists are now able to observe their vehicles’ treatment from a new customer lounge.
Infinity Tyres Europe Ltd has appointed Jorge Crespo as the company’s new European general manager. Crespo joins Infinity following nine years at Cooper Tire Europe where, as sales and marketing director, he was a board member. Prior to joining the Cooper Avon operation in Melksham, Crespo worked in the rubber compounding industry. However, having trained as a solicitor before entering the business world, he also brings a level of legal awareness into his new management position. Crespo took up his new role on 4 January.
The UK car market reported full-year growth at the end of 2010, but with registrations down nearly a fifth in the last weeks of the year analysts are predicting a 5 per cent decline in 2011. The latest UK automotive registration figures issued by the SMTT show that the market grew by 35,847 units to 2,030,846 units in 2010 ending 1.8 per cent up on 2009 figures. However, with registrations falling 18 per cent in December (123,817 units for the month), the SMMT predicts registrations will decline 5 per cent in 2011 to 1.93 million units due to continuing tough market conditions. Put into long-term context, 2010’s registration figure is the second lowest in the past decade and almost 375,000 units short of the 2007 levels.
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