News articles on the tyre retail business
Hankook Tire Canada Corp. opened its second Canadian distribution centre in Richmond, British Columbia this month, bringing Hankook’s total number of distribution centres serving North America to eight, reports Tire Review. The new distribution centre will support retailers and multiple distribution points in western Canada, according to the company.
Bridgestone’s Biker’s Club network of motorcycle tyre dealerships has a new business development manager. Neil Barrett will be working alongside sales manager Andy Whitehead to support all dealers and to facilitate their business development through promotions and a comprehensive training programme. He has 20 years experience in the motor and tyre trade. The appointment is described by Bridgestone as “a significant investment to further support and grow the Biker’s Club network.”
According to Delticom, the number of potential online tyre purchasers is much higher than many experts previously thought. The online retailer has drawn this conclusion from the results of its “Reifen Online 2010” survey of 1,001 German motorists, which was conducted by renowned survey organisation forsa. The forsa survey revealed as many as a third of all German drivers can envision purchasing tyres online; for motorists between 18 and 30 years of age, this figure rises to 42 per cent.
Cooper Tire stockists are giving customers buying a set of four designated Cooper tyres between 2 April and 15 May the chance to win a trip for four to one of horse racing’s most glamorous events: Ladies Day at Ascot on 17 June. Purchasers of four qualifying tyres from Cooper’s high-performance or 4×4 ranges will be entered into the free draw to win the prize, which includes a full Royal Ascot hospitality package for four people, plus hotel accommodation and £50 worth of betting vouchers. In addition, the retail site providing the most competition entries will also receive a package for two people.
National Tyres and Autocare reports that it has teamed up with eBay to offer car and van tyres to consumers online. National joins well known retail names Tesco, Argos and Debenhams as a top rated seller on the popular site. According to the company, the new partnership enables National to “reach out to a greater number of customers.”
Michael Bourne, group marketing director at National Tyres and Autocare, commented: “We are always looking at innovative ways to reach new markets. Our research found that traditional eBay customers were unlikely to consider high street retailers for their tyre purchases, assuming prices to be uncompetitive.
He may be long retired from the British Touring Car Championship, yet Jeff Allam’s connection with HiQ is today stronger than ever. The 55-year old – who during the early to mid 1990s competed in Britain's premier motor racing series in Vauxhalls and BMWs – has become a franchisee of the fast fit network.
An employee at a County Durham fast fit outlet who stole tyres from his workplace over a four-and-a-half year period has been imprisoned four 15 months. Christopher Edward Watson, who worked at Tyre Spot in Darlington, entered non-existent transactions into the company’s computer system in order to make it appear that tyres were being transferred from Darlington to other Tyre Spot depots. Watson then sold these tyres, which had a total retail value of almost £120,000, to friends and other willing buyers.
Retail Motor Industry Federation (RMI) has European MOT group, CITA. “MOTs are a high priority for independent garages, therefore it is vital that the RMI plays a full and active role in CITA, The leading European body for vehicle inspection,” said Steve Coles, the RMI’s Head of MOT Technical Operations.
The UK’s largest tyre wholesaler Micheldever Tyre Services (MTS) could be about to change hands for over £200 million, more than twice the price paid for the company when it was sold in an equity-backed management buyout for £85 million in 2006. According to reports published in the 11 April issue of the Sunday Times, the sale would include 50 Protyre depots – Micheldever’s growing retail chain. MTS an annual turnover of £275 million, a roughly 20 per cent market share and employs almost 900 people.
Scott and Michael Steadham recently opened A-1 Tire Center in Cantonment, Florida, reports Tire Review. The dealership, located at 228 South U.S. 29, offers a full line of passenger car and light truck tyres, including Bridgestone, Firestone, BF Goodrich, Michelin, Goodyear and Nitto, as well as other brands. Brake and undercar service, custom wheels and tyres also are available.
Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations has notified the US National Highway Transport Safety Organisation that it intends to recall a total of some 768 non-compliant tyres imported from Japan between 2006 and February 2010. The offending items, Potenza RE050A, B390 and Turanza ER30 products, were manufactured for use on North American built vehicles intended for export markets and thus do not feature the DOT symbol and other labelling information legally required in the United States.
Bridgestone’s network of motorcycle tyre dealerships, the Biker’s Club has reported the success of its first ever dealer conference, which was held at the National Motorcycle Museum in the Midlands. More than 70 dealer representatives from around the country attended the conference to find out vital information regarding the network’s plans for the year ahead.
Before Baywatch and a questionable singing career, David Hasselhoff was best known as Michael Knight, the character he played in the early 1980s US series Knight Rider. Yet – and while we don’t wish to hassle the Hoff – the real star of the show was KITT, knight’s intelligent Pontiac Trans Am. This black car is fondly remembered by many who grew up in the 80s, and more than a few people will be thrilled to hear that KITT is making its television comeback in an advertising campaign for Kwik-Fit.
Leading wholesaler Micheldever Tyre Services (MTS) has added the Continental produced General Tire brand’s car range to its existing General 4×4 offering. The addition of the General car range to MTS’s private/exclusive brand portfolio follows the development of General’s 4×4 range into “the UK market’s fastest growing replacement 4×4 brand,” according to Southam Tyres (MTS’s specialist 4×4 wing). According to the company, MTS recently launched the stunning range of General car and van tyres as an exclusive product for tyre retailers in need of a high quality, high margin retail tyre.
Pace, Zeta, Duration, DHT and Agrostar are amongst the private brands contract manufactured for SD International. The trading company, established in under the name Shanghai Durotyre in 2002, offers a comprehensive product range through these brands, covering the passenger car, commercial and earthmover tyre segments. Sales offices in the UK, Argentina and USA have aided in the establishment of SD International’s products in numerous markets and helped the company sell more than 600,000 tyres in 2008.
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