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Goodyear Dunlop Regaining Lost UK Truck Tyre Market Share

2009 was a difficult year for the whole tyre business, but those selling commercial vehicle tyres had a particularly rough ride. With operators running fewer vehicles less often, and with the credit crunch biting at the heels of haulage companies already under pressure from sky-high fuel prices, there was considerable price pressure on premium tyre companies. As a result, last year saw the total UK truck tyre market shrink and some key changes take place in terms of market share. One key decline in unit share saw Goodyear Dunlop slip from 20 per cent in 2007 (third place) to estimated 9 per cent in 2009 (fifth place). With this in mind and in the context of the appointment of a new managing director at Tyre Fort, Tyres & Accessories visited Goodyear Dunlop’s UK headquarters for an exclusive interview with Nigel Sowerby, director commercial vehicle and off-the-road tyres.

25th March 2010/by Tyrepress Editors

Demand for Private Brands Growing, Deldo Reports

Belgian wholesaler Deldo Autobanden is one of the largest operators in Europe, and amongst the more than 25 brands stocked at the company’s 60,000 square metre warehouse in Antwerp are four exclusive and two private brands – Fortuna and Minerva. The labels are aimed at the budget segment, an area where Deldo reports seeing significant growth during the last 12 months. In an interview with Tyres & Accessories, Deldo marketing manager Rutger Veerman stated the company has “noticed a growing demand in the European replacement market. Acceptance of Chinese products is growing, and we are benefitting from this.”

2nd March 2010/by Tyrepress Editors

E-Tailers and Autocentres are on the Up

Editorial/Comment, UK News

What will the tyre retail business look like in five years time? Who knows. As I have learnt to my peril in this column, prognostication is a dangerous business. Let’s not recall how last year I wrote “unless there is an unlikely stay of execution” regarding the implementation of s-marking regulations (see T&A’s August 2009 issue for more on this). But I digress.

The news at the end of February that Halfords bought Nationwide Autocentres for £73.2 million (see page 14 for complete coverage) says something about how tyre retail is evolving. Along with the purchase announcement came plans to rebrand the chain and the affirmation of existing plans to double the number of branches to 424. When you consider that the second largest tyre retail chain in the country, ATS Euromaster, reported that it was “reviewing” up to 80 of its 456 branches last September, it is clear that size gap between chains at the top of the two sectors is narrowing. True, Autocentres don’t focus on tyre sales like the traditional outlets do, but there are signs they are considering how to increase their focus in this area.

2nd March 2010/by Chris

S-mark Enforcement to Begin on 23 March 2010

Enforcement of the European s-mark legislation that took effect in October 2009 is set to begin in the UK on 23 March. From this date onwards anyone selling tyres not in compliance with Directive 2001/43 (in other words non s-marked tyres) will be subject to the consequences of a statutory instrument signed off by Department for Transport minister Sadiq Khan on 10 February. BTMA chief executive, Graham Willson, told Tyres & Accessories that this approved text will now be laid before parliament and, unless there is an adverse reaction from parliament – something that is considered unlikely, the statutory instrument completing the implementation of directive 2001/43 will become effective on 23 March 2010.

Some industry observers see the time before this as the last chance saloon for anyone who has been clearing stocks of non-compliant tyres, with the Vehicle Certification Agency and Trading Standards are expected to be vigorously enforcing the new law, with penalty fines of up to £5,000 a tyre for those caught selling non-compliant products after 23 March.

12th February 2010/by Tyrepress Editors

Reifen China 2010 Exhibitors Examine Post ITC Options

The third Reifen China exhibition, held in Shanghai between 11 and 13 November 2009, hosted 6,693 visitors (1,333 international visitors) during the show’s three days. These were welcomed to the show by exhibitors mainly from the world's largest production market. In addition to the wide variety of Chinese and international tyre manufacturers and traders at the show, the 2009 event featured an increased number of retreading equipment and consumables companies (such as tyre valve suppliers) over previous years.

18th December 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

TWG Chair: Tyre Wholesalers Again Show Recession Resilience

As a man of 40 experience in the tyre trade – and with it the knowledge of three recessions – Tyre Wholesalers Group chair Ashley Croft is in a good position to comment on the effects of the current financial crisis (which, depending on whose opinion you are heeding, may or may not have come to an end). In his speech at the 2009 TWG Annual Lunch, Croft described the past year as a “harsh period”, but made clear that the recession had hit hardest in the tyre business where manufacturers were most committed to supplying original equipment. However, he stated, “replacement market traders have once again proved themselves to be relatively recession-proof”.

9th December 2009/by Chris

Successful Debut For TIF Question Time

An innovation on the day of the NTDA's recent Annual Dinner was a "Question Time"-style seminar, in which a panel drawn from all sectors of the tyre industry answered questions from the floor. Here’s our synopsis of questions, answers and comments from the delegates. The event was sponsored by the Tyre Industry Federation and it attracted an audience of more than 30. TIF chairman Peter Gaster chaired the panel and the other members were: Alan Baldwin, Micheldever Tyre Services; Mark Brickhill, Goodyear Dunlop Tyres; Derek McMartin, Maxxis UK; Patrick O'Connell, Bandvulc Group; Noel Pope, Merityre Specialists and Tim Stott, Sapphire Energy Recovery. Thus, between them, the panel covered all segments of the tyre business, from manufacturing and importing tyres, to wholesaling, retailing, retreading and scrap tyre disposal. Here's a summary of what was said:

5th November 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Will the Lift Market Rise in 2010?

With an estimated 6500 vehicle lifts sold last year, this essential part of a working garage’s life cannot be ignored. And as long as there are lifts, those using them need to be aware of how they can protect their safety and maximise the potential of their investments. In order to find our more Tyres & Accessories recently interviewed Garage Equipment Association (GEA) chief executive, Dave Garrat.

GEA members sold 5247 vehicle lifts, according to the last full-year figures in 2008. Add another 20 per cent for the remaining non-GEA members operating in the market and it is clear that at least 6500 vehicle lifts were sold in the UK last year. And what’s more, despite the global economic meltdown that began in the second part of 2008, this number represents an increase over the 2007 figure. This year’s figures are not expected to be so good as, in line with the rest of the business community, the lift sector has experienced its fair share of belt tightening this year, with garages and fast fits delaying purchase during the course of 2009. However, according to Dave Garratt, this doesn’t mean there has been a boom in sales of low-cost machinery. Rather, it is said to have brought equipment maintenance into sharper focus.

3rd November 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

ETRMA Welcomes Tyre Labelling Agreement

The European Tyre & Rubber Manufacturers Association (ETRMA) has welcomed the European Parliament’s agreement on tyre labelling, issued 1 October. According to a statement issued by the organisation, ETRMA and its 12 leading tyre corporate members “fully support and welcome the objective of the mandatory tyre performance information requirement.”

16th October 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

NTDA – Over 80 Years and Still Going Strong

Beginning by quipping that he didn’t mean to lie at last year’s event when he said the 2008 dinner was to be his last, NTDA chairman Peter Gaster opened this year’s chairman’s speech by explaining that the his chairmanship has been extended while he completes a review of NTDA’s future. Kwik-Fit’s David White, who will succeed Gaster as chairman, is set to take over when the select group of NTDA members has been consulting with have completed their recommendations.

The current chairman was keen to point out the association’s history and strengths: “Our association has been in existence for over 80 years and, in tyre industry terms, is the oldest surviving association and is still going strong! The main themes of any proposed changes are based upon the strength and weakness or pros and cons of our association.”

This was a reference to the association’s recent moves to resist “integration with other organisations.” However, “we would view any trade association that wanted to affiliate or even join the NTDA with an open mind and on its merit,” he added. This means that NTDA will maintain its office in Aylesbury with the ongoing support of its director and staff for the “foreseeable future.”

1st October 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Failure to Comply?

Tyrepress.com has published a new question of the month for September. After getting off to a positive starte with our launch question (which showed that a large majority of readers favour the new-look tyrepress.com) this month’s readers poll looks at how long it will take for dealers to comply with the new s-marking ruling which is set to officially take effect on 1 October. At the moment the first few responses seem pessimistic about the chances of largescale compliance before March 2010, short of a robocop kind of enforcement. However, every point of view needs to be taken into account. So, to cast your vote click 'home' to answer this month's question. Every opinion counts so don’t forget to leave a comment.

7th September 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Tyre s-marking statutory instrument delayed

Editorial/Comment, International News, Legislation

I had to say it, didn’t I? I should have known better than to put proverbial pen to paper and write “unless there is an unlikely 11th hour stay of execution at the European parliament.” I should have known better because no sooner had these words gone to print then exactly this happened. I am, of course, referring to the wonderful s-mark legislation (also known as regulation 2001/43), which has become the subject of so much coverage in Tyres & Accessories recently. Apparently, tyres won’t necessarily need an s-mark to comply with regulation 2001/43 and, er, be s-marked.

However, it doesn’t end there. The latest from the Department for Transport is that there has been a “delay in putting into place the statutory instrument which is required for the new s-marking regulations to become law.” In short, there won’t be any means of enforcing the new law in the UK until March 2010. This fact doesn’t affect the other European markets, which will all have to comply by the original 1 October 2009 deadline.

28th July 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

S-Mark Won’t Take Effect in UK Till 2010

S-mark legislation limiting the sound levels emitted by tyres won’t not take effect until March 2010. According to an NTDA e-zine published this afternoon, the revised deadline comes after the Department of Transport reported that there has been “a delay in putting into place the statutory instrument which is required for the new s-marking regulations to become law.” In short, there won’t be any means of enforcing the new law in the UK until March 2010.

28th July 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

European Commission Compromises on S-Mark Rules

The European Commission has modified its interpretation of regulation 2001/43 so dealers with compliant but non-s-marked stock will be able to sell them under the following circumstances. While the new system is clearly not a self-certification system, the latest decision (made on 6 July) does offer much-needed clarification and flexibility to the market. Tyres & Accessories understands that while the other options the commission and member states discussed have been eliminated, this decision still has to pass through a “commentology” process and may not be officially ratified until September.

13th July 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

The Clock is Ticking

If you are not sure whether your stock is s-marked or not, you need to read this. With just a couple of months left before s-marking comes into force, there could be as many as 2.5 million non-compliant tyres left in the supply chain.

2009 has seen the tyre business rush to interpret and apply tyre various different legislation affecting manufacturers, wholesalers, importers and distributors alike. Arguably this year has seen more new focus on this subject than in any of the five years preceding it put together. However, conflicting opinions in the market place, announcements of formal “first readings” and the general legal complexity of the texts have led to more than a little confusion in the marketplace.

24th June 2009/by Tyrepress Editors