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Premium Brand Draw Sees Arnold Clark Customer Win Fiat 500

A Stafford man has won a Fiat 500 in a promotion to encourage road safety. At the end of 2009 all Arnold Clark Service Departments throughout the UK ran the campaign focusing on tyre safety, offering free tyre checks and entering people into a competition to win a brand new Fiat 500. The competition was set up in conjunction with six leading tyre manufacturers: Goodyear, Dunlop, Bridgestone, Continental, Michelin and Pirelli. The competition aimed to encourage motorists to increase their road safety by purchasing a premium brand tyre. On the purchase of a premium tyre they were entered into the prize draw to win the Fiat 500.

11th January 2010/by Tyrepress Editors

SUV Version of Nokian’s Hakkapeliitta 7 Released

Nokian Tyres reports that the market launch of its new Hakkapeliitta 7 SUV studded tyre has provided 4×4 drivers “who enjoy driving in varying winter conditions” a “superior alternative” in terms of grip and driving stability. This new tyre, the Finnish manufacturer states, combines unyielding grip with exceptional durability and unique driving comfort. Designed for heavy use, this latest addition to the Hakkapeliitta winter tyre range is intended to continue Nokian’s emphasis on what it identifies as a core strength: the world’s leading winter tyre expertise. Nordic winter conditions were a focus when designing the Hakkapeliitta 7 SUV, and Nokian reports the tyre can easily adjust to quick changes in weather and temperature, from frost to snow storm to rain. The technical solutions incorporated into the passenger car version of the Hakkapeliitta 7 have also been adapted for use in this 4×4 tyre.

11th January 2010/by Tyrepress Editors

National Opened 6 Branches in 2009, Next Opening: January 2010

National Tyres and Autocare finished 2009 on a positive note with a string of new branch openings and looks to the year ahead with plans for further acquisition and investment as part of the company’s expansion strategy. Despite a tough year all round for the market, National launched a number of new branches throughout the year, including sites in Livingston, Grimsby, Norwich, Selby and Leicester. Further branch openings are on National’s agenda for 2010 with the first, in Wrexham, due to launch at the end of January.

8th January 2010/by Tyrepress Editors

Uniflate Gains Pirelli Driver Approval

The Pirelli Driver Centre scheme – a pan-European network of approved independent fast fit centres focussed on customer service and industry best practice – is now recommending the use of nitrogen tyre inflation from Uniflate.

Malcolm Russell, manager of the Pirelli Driver Centre programme commented: “The purpose of the Driver Centre scheme is to offer motorists a network of trusted independent fast-fit centres. Clearly, quality of service is a major focus for us, and being able to recommend trusted suppliers such as Uniflate allows us to offer the centres – and through them motorists – the best possible service.”

7th January 2010/by Tyrepress Editors

Bauer Built Builds New Iowa Tyre Centre

Durand, Wisconsin-based Bauer Built Inc. has expanded and relocated one of its oldest tyre centres, reports Tire Review. The tyre distributor, retailer and retreader moved into a new facility in Mason City, Iowa, earlier this week. The new full service tyre facility will allow Bauer Built to better serve commercial customers, including the addition of truck and bus alignment capabilities. Bauer Built originally entered the Mason City market in 1979 with a new location after servicing the market through associate dealers for a number of years.

16th December 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Techking Aims for January Launch of Effiplus 'Green' Car Tyre Range

Well-known as an OTR/EM tyre manufacturer, Techking Tires is now seeking to sell a low rolling-resistance passenger car tyre range called Effiplus from January 2010. The Qingdao, China-based tyre manufacturer reports that it has already arranged a substantial off-take agreement with an as-yet unnamed Chinese tyremaker. Marketing manager Ben Zhang refused to reveal exact details of which manufacturer the company would be working with and how many tyres the company is planning to make, but Tyres & Accessories understands it will manufacture with one of China's largest producers. The plan is to sell the tyres direct to wholesalers/dealers in these respective markets, rather than distributing through importers.

While Zhang didn’t explicitly explain the thinking behind this part of the decision, it is likely to be related to the fact that, while the company’s partnerships with local distributors work well with high value items like OTR tyres, margins are slim on low value items such as passenger car tyres – particularly in such a competitive climate for the economy sector. What Zhang did say was that the company is considering offering the right wholesalers brand exclusivity, something that would enable the company and the wholesalers it partners with to share the marketing and business development investment.

15th December 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Cooper Asia Pacific Marketing Push Aims to Increase Domestic Sales

Whether the attention Cooper Tire & Rubber Co., Asia Pacific gained at Reifen China was a result of the tyres on display or the bus loads of dancers performing on the exhibition stand each hour, you cannot ignore that the company has embarked on a slick and high profile marketing campaign and is increasingly making an impact on the domestic Chinese market in both the passenger car and truck tyre sectors. With this in mind, Tyres & Accessories interviewed vice president and general manager Asia operations, Allen Tsaur, and senior PR manager Jojo Tang.

Cooper’s ongoing region-specific marketing push aims to invest in the future of China’s fast growing automotive business by reaching more consumers and particularly the young driver audience. Car ownership in general has shot up in recent years, but Tang reports that ownership in the 23 – 35 age group has “boomed.” And this explains the “Charlie’s Angels” meets “Kill Bill” styling of the Cooper Angels customer-facing marketing concept.

15th December 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Tyrepac Launches China Tyre E-Tail Portal

Singapore-based online tyre retailer Tyrepac announced the official launch of Tyrepac China (www.tyrepac.com.cn) on 8 December. Like the many similar services operating across European and World markets, upon purchase and payment online, consumers can select from a list of appointed retailers to have their tyres changed, or have them delivered to a location of their choice. The difference is that this service is based in the key production and emerging replacement market of China.

9th December 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

I-Spy: The Michelin Books are Back

Those of you whose childhood memories stretch back to the 1950s or 60s will most likely remember the popular Michelin I-Spy books. During their heyday the I-Spy series had a cult following, with more than 1.5million children becoming members of the I-Spy ‘tribe’. They’ve been absent from bookshop shelves since 2002, yet those with fond memories of the books – and those yet to savour their delights – are in for a treat. Michelin has announced the return of the I-Spy range in time for Christmas.

8th December 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

In From the Cold: Former Michelin Nordic MD Returns to UK

When Malcolm Scovell was appointed commercial director at Michelin Tyre Plc earlier this year, his appointment marked a significant change in the company’s management as it followed the almost simultaneous appointment of Bill Schafer as commercial director of Michelin’s UK truck and bus operations in July. Now Scovell’s predecessor (Hervé de Froment) has transferred to take on a new role with Michelin in sunny Spain, Scovell – himself the former managing director of Michelin Nordic – has taken the opportunity to move to warmer (if not drier) climes. In his first full interview since taking over at Campbell Road, Tyres & Accessories asked what he brings to the role and what the market can expect in the next 12 months.

According to Malcolm Scovell, premium brands have managed to maintain their overall market share despite the pressures of the down market. However, it is clear that some have faired better than others. As far as Michelin is concerned this year is said to have been pleasingly stable: “We are confident we have been able to maintain our position…[But] if we hadn’t have taken such a broad approach to the market – fleets, distribution, OE etc – we could have lost ground.”

4th December 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Skidding in the Wet Our Greatest Driving Fear – Survey

A consumer poll indicates that half of all UK drivers put skidding on wet roads as their worst nightmare – and a the huge increase in rainfall in the past few weeks across the country, they have grounds to be concerned. Almost 1,000 motorists took part in the poll CCB fast.MAP undertook in November for the mytyres.co.uk online tyre retail portal, and 55 per cent put skidding out of control as their worst nightmare. Breaking down on the road was the second highest fear and, interestingly, getting a puncture only concerned three per cent of motorists.

3rd December 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Bigger is Dumber

Editorial/Comment

In a recent speech given to the Professional Contractors Group (PCG), legendary tyre retail mogul Sir Tom Farmer warned would-be entrepreneurs against having simplistic, size orientated goals for their businesses. The Kwik-Fit Founder may have sold a 700-branch strong tyre retail chain to Ford for £1 billion in 2001, but for him size isn’t everything. He might not be Warren Buffet yet, but Scotland’s own oracle of Edinburgh had this sage advice: “bigger is dumber.”

PCG is apparently the biggest organisation representing freelancers in Europe, so it sounds like Sir Tom was preaching to the choir with his message of the importance of building businesses on a core group of key employees, and then outsourcing the rest. However, as virtually all the global tyre manufacturers are now demonstrating in their collective quest to make an increasing amount of high-performance tyres in low-cost countries with less human intervention, full-time employees are expensive and an inevitably long-term investment. And, as most national tyre retail chains will concede, running large networks such as theirs is a similarly complicated business.

2nd December 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

FT: PAI Pumps £20 million into Kwik-Fit

PAI, the French private equity fund has owned Kwik-Fit since 2005, is reportedly planning to inject £20 million (22 million euros; $33 million) into the UK’s leading tyre retailer to avoid a banking covenant breach, according to a report in the Financial Times. Kwik-Fit, which was last sold to PAI for around £800 million after seeing off fellow bidder Bridgestone, has reportedly seen a slight slowdown in sales growth in the recession and been hit by foreign exchange rates. Nevertheless the Edinburgh-based business is still expected to generate turnover of more than £900 million this year, that’s a 7 per cent growth in like-for-like sales. EBITDA is expected to drop 3 per cent to £96.3 million.

2nd December 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Formula One Autocentres Opens 50th Fast-Fit

Formula One Autocentres, reputedly UK’s largest family owned fast-fit chain, opened its 50th branch Wolverhampton at the end of November. Located, on Willenhall Road, the new Formula One branch is the company’s 50th in an impressive, on-going programme of expansion. Brothers Paul & Leon Glencross are delighted with local response to the launch. Leon commented: “As a family business opening our 50th branch is a fantastic, landmark occasion for us and Wolverhampton is the perfect location”, he said.

30th November 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Signal Extraprise Opens New Europe Office

Last month tyre and aftermarket systems supplier Signal Extraprise opened a European office with the UK and Irish markets the primary focus. Since 1992 Signal Extraprise has developed information systems that support tyre outlets and auto service centres across North America.

In 2006, Signal reportedly set out to create a revolutionary product, targeting all tyre and vehicle-servicing enterprises in the automotive aftermarket. That work culminated in 2009 with the launch of eXceed an offering designed to help service providers to remake their businesses based on the very different marketplace they face now. Instead of, for example, focusing on the mechanics of ordering, quoting, work orders and the like (which are all still important and included), Signal built a technology to help the dealers transform their stores into engines of growth and profitability.

27th November 2009/by Tyrepress Editors