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Car Sales – Good News, Bad News

Despite widespread fears that the UK is entering an economic recession, there are grounds for cautious optimism about sales of new and used cars in 2009. According to EurotaxGlass’s, publisher of Glass’s Guide, the used car market is likely to be the first to recover from today’s lows, followed by a steady – albeit modest – upturn in retail sales of new cars. However, fleet registrations are expected to remain lacklustre, at least until late next year.

“In the short term, conditions will remain difficult for car dealers, reinforced by the usual seasonal decline in demand that accompanies the latter months of the year,” explains Adrian Rushmore, Managing Editor at EurotaxGlass’s. ” However, we believe the swift and painful downturn we saw in the summer months of 2008 was probably a one-off event. The arrival of the ‘09’-plate next March will clearly be an acid test for both new and used sales, and analysis of the current market indicators suggests there are reasons for cautious optimism.

30th October 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Canadian Tire Include Bread, Milk in Product Line Up

Canadian Tire has announced that it will open two experimental stores that will push the boundaries of which products a tyre retailer chooses to stock. The “smart store” concept will be tested in new locations in Welland (Niagra) and Orleans (Ottawa), both of which are due to open in the middle of November. Newly available products will include foodstuff, such as bread and milk, though many other product lines are planned. The idea is not without precedent; Canadian Tire stores already sell sporting goods, household appliances, gardening products and clothing and footwear, in addition to snack foods and cleaning products.

29th October 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Nokian Buys Two Monro Stores

Finland’s Nokian Tyres has acquired two retail locations from Monro Muffler Brake, and plans to convert them to its Vianor retail tyre outlets. The new Nokian properties are located in Brattleboro, Vt., and Keene, N.H. The two new locations gives Nokian 12 Vianor stores in the U.S. Nokian has some 470 Vianor stores in Europe. (Tire Review/Akron)

28th October 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Conti Renews Business Relationship with VW and Audi Canada

Continental Tire Canada has renewed its business relationship with Volkswagen Canada and Audi Canada. As of October 1, the Volkswagen and Audi sales and service network, which includes 170 Volkswagen and Audi dealerships across Canada, is able to offer customers a comprehensive line of Continental and General passenger and light truck tyres as well as Gislaved winter products. As part of the new agreement, all dealers will be able to offer their customers tyres for any Volkswagen or Audi model and can choose from among the three tyre brands.

24th October 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Universal Opens New Branches

Universal Tyres Autocentres Ltd has opened a new retail branch in Thurrock (680 London Road, West Thurrock, RM20 3LX) and redeveloped its Greenwich outlet on Blackwall Lane, Greenwich. The new Thurrock store is directly opposite West Thurrock’s famous QEII bridge and is a purpose built autocare facility, employing three fitters.

Store manager Kevin McGill, revealed the secret to the company’s success: “We are a small, but highly skilled team here at universal. Between us we have over 35 years experience in the automotive trade. We have built up an exhaustive knowledge of autocare and in addition we each have a number of specialist skills which means we can provide a fully comprehensive service to all our customers – whatever their requirements.”

23rd October 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

“Motorsport Remains our Mobile Laboratory”

Looking back on its year in motorsport, Marangoni reflects that racing has oftentimes given the company opportunities to push forward commercial and technological developments in a competitive forum. From the toughest of endurance racing, through specialist events and one-make championships, to the mountain hill climbs of Italy, Marangoni rubber has again taken a number of podiums.

However Derek Carruthers, global sales and marketing director believes that race victories are only one form of success: “Again this season, Marangoni has been performing in various motorsport disciplines and helping drivers to achieve impressive results. Motorsport remains our mobile laboratory, with tyre development opportunities through competitive use translating into tangible technical advances in our road tyres. Our communication strategy to the consumer is that your tyres have been developed and continue to be proven in some of the toughest motorsport disciplines, delivering total performance whatever the drive and whatever the conditions. This is a substantiated claim that our Team Marangoni colleagues can communicate with total confidence.”

23rd October 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

HiQ Names Suffolk, Essex and South Wales Franchisees

HiQ has named the franchisees it has appointed to the tyre retail chain has appointed to its Suffolk, Essex and South Wales business zones. Phil Cowell and Robert Brown – with more than 70 years combined experience in the industry – have purchased the Essex and Suffolk zone of HiQ centres and now own outlets in Chingford, Grays, Ipswich, Wood Green and Bury St. Edmunds.

And Darren Haszczyn is the owner of the company’s South Wales zone, which incorporates centres in Llanelli, Cardiff, Chepstow, Hereford and Ludlow. Haszczyn, who has 22 years of experience in the trade, will run the centres with business partner Stefan Quinn, who boasts 30 years of tyre trade knowledge.

23rd October 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Grouptyre Competition Winners Visit Ford Rally Aces

The two-month Pirelli promotion on wholesaler, Grouptyre’s website successfully boosted sales of Pirelli car, van and 4×4 tyres in the independent and garage sector by 10.7 per cent compared with the previous average sales of participating dealers. It was the first in a series of national incentives and exclusive promotions the wholesaler aims to run in conjunction with premium brand tyre manufacturers. In addition, the company – in conjunction with the Italian premium manufacturer – sent an independent retail manager to the World Rally Championship in Spain, allowed an auto-services site owner to send his sons to Oxfordshire for the Pirelli Driving Experience and gave the proprietor of an exhausts and tyre centre a Pirelli track day to enjoy with his son.

Aaron Bothamley, manager of Fairway Tyre and Auto Services in Rickmansworth, was delighted to win an all expenses paid trip to the WRC Rally of Spain in the promotion. Bothamley, accompanied by his brother-in-law Paul, joined a dawn VIP helicopter trip to familiarise themselves with the sweeping asphalt roads of stage one before moving on to the third stage, where they watched defending World Rally Champion and current Championship leader Sebastien Loeb and BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team drivers Mikko Hirvonen and Jari-Matti Latvala demonstrate their skills. Then it was on to the service area for lunch with team principal Malcolm Wilson and the drivers.

22nd October 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Micheldever Group Climbs the Sunday Times Corporate League Table

Micheldever, the UK’s largest independent tyre wholesaler, distributor and retailer, has jumped 49 places to 154th position in the annual Sunday Times HSBC Top Track 250 league table of the best performing mid-market private companies, after achieving annual sales total of more than £224 million in the last financial year, an increase of almost 33 per cent on the previous year’s performance. According to Micheldever, it is only tyre firm to appear in this year’s list.

21st October 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Grouptyre Improves Wales and the South West Tyre Distribution

Grouptyre has expanded its Wales and South West tyre distribution service through the expansion of member company King David Tyres. The new additional distribution centres will be place in St. Clears, near Carmarthen, and St. Austell, Cornwall to provide multiple same-day deliveries within the South Wales M4 corridor and the valleys and throughout Cornwall.

King David Tyres is a family-owned business established over 30 years and operates retail and wholesale depots in various locations in South Wales, Devon and Cornwall. It serves a large territory incorporating Devon, Cornwall, Avon, Bristol, Somerset, Mid Wales and South Wales, as well as parts of Wiltshire and Gloucestershire.

21st October 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Australian Goodyear Dunlop Distributor Renews Supply Contract

Supply chain management specialist Ceva Logistics has in Australia renewed its national distribution contract with South Pacific Tyres, a move that should consolidate the tyre distributor’s supply chain operations. Ceva provides warehousing, transport and logistics services to the operator of the Beaurepaires, Goodyear Autocare and Dunlop Super Dealer retail channels and distributor of the Goodyear and Dunlop passenger and commercial tyre brands.

20th October 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

HiQ Looks Forward to Further BTCC Success

HiQ is promising to continue its good work throughout the length of its three-year sponsorship of the British Touring Car Championship, having been praised by organisers for its “brilliant” first 12 months with the UK’s premier motor racing series. The final round of racing at Brands Hatch in September signalled the end of a first year of partnership with the BTCC, which HiQ has branded “extremely fruitful”.

BTCC series director Alan Gow said: “HiQ and the BTCC is developing into a brilliant relationship. The company has been extremely pro-active from the first race back in March and we have received a great deal of feedback praising the company’s energy and enthusiasm. A lot of time and effort has gone into engaging with the fans of the series, who are reaping the benefit of having HiQ as the title sponsor and the introduction of this clever Champagne Moment initiative is giving those watching both trackside and live on television yet another chance to get actively involved in the championship.”

The Champagne Moment competition asked raceday crowds to visit its website www.hiqonline.co.uk and vote for their favourite driver at each round, embracing the BTCC’s approach of interacting with the public. HiQ also arranged Fans Forums to give fans a chance to meet the BTCC’s teams and drivers at its local stores ahead of each race meeting. Both initiatives helped the company to raise awareness of the HiQ name among thousands of new potential customers.

17th October 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Wal-Mart Closes Unionised Tyre Centre

Following the closure of a unionised Quebec tyre and lubrication shop, Wal-Mart has said that costs related to the first labour agreement imposed on any of the world’s biggest retailer’s North American locations were to blame. The closure was enacted because the agreement would have raised operating costs by 30 per cent and forced “dramatic” price increases on products, said the retail giant.

Andrew Pelletier told Bloomberg over the telephone that, “The union contract that was imposed is simply unworkable,” and that the agreement would have seen wages rise by a third – more than ten times the average hourly rate of Quebec companies this year. The Canadian president of the United Food and Commercial Workers, Wayne Hanley, responded that, “if you join a union, they’re going to close your shop… It’s hard to see how the additional labour costs were going to drive up the price of a cheap oil change, while at the same time they rake in multi-billion-dollar profits every year.” The company said that the six workers at Wal-Mart Tire and Lube Express, Quebec would be offered jobs elsewhere.

17th October 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

US Tyre Safety Week Moves to June

US based tyre trade representative organisation the Rubber Manufacturers Association (RMA) has announced that its Annual National Tire Safety Week will, as of next year, be held in June instead of April. In 2009 the campaign will be held between June 7 and 13, and the June date will be kept in future years.

The annual event is an initiative of the Rubber Manufacturers Association’s “Be Tire Smart – Play Your PART” program, a year-round effort designed to help drivers learn the simple measures they can take to ensure their vehicle’s tyres are in good working condition. For the campaign, the RMA will provide tyre retailers, auto dealers and automotive repair shops with free “Be Tire Smart” brochures and other materials. More than 19,000 tyre dealers, auto dealers and automotive repair shops participated during this year’s National Tire Safety Week.

16th October 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Stapleton’s to Buy Central Tyre

Company News, News, UK News

Stapleton’s (Tyre Services) Limited has agreed to buy 56 Central Tyre stores from Pirelli UK Limited. The deal, with a price-tag to be determined when the transfer of Central’s properties is completed, sees the tyre retailer and distributor expand its retail operation from 45 stores to a new total of 101 throughout the UK. The proposed transaction includes both retail and commercial tyre fitting outlets and the existing Central Tyre workforce is expected to transfer across to Stapleton’s upon completion of the sale. Initially Stapleton’s plans to concentrate on integrating the new stores into its network, meaning the company will be responsible for STS Tyre Pros, STS Tyre & Exhaust and now Central Tyre-branded outlets. It is not clear if and how this might change in the future.

16th October 2008/by Tyrepress Editors