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European Associations Launch Right to Repair Campaign

Automotive aftermarket and motorist representatives have today launched the Right to Repair Campaign at Equip’Auto 2007 to safeguard consumer choice and effective competition in the market for vehicle replacement parts, tools and equipment, servicing and repair.

“Vehicles are more and more becoming “computers on wheels”, stated Campaign spokesperson Sylvia Gotzen. “While technological innovations provide better emissions control as well as more safety and comfort, they have made it increasingly challenging to service or repair a vehicle. Fair and full access for independent market operators to technical information, multi-brand diagnostic tools as well as test equipment, replacement parts and training is therefore more than ever crucial to be able to provide European motorists with the quality service and parts they deserve in the aftermarket care of their vehicles”, she explained.

16th October 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Dunlop Reach 50,000 Tyre Milestone at Bathurst 1000

Dunlop proudly supplied its 50,000th tyre to the V8 Supercar Championship Series at the most prestigious race on the Australian motorsport calendar. Dunlop reached their 50,000th tyre milestone after beating rival manufacturers to win its third consecutive contract to supply its highly-acclaimed control tyre to teams participating in the Australian V8 Supercar Championship Series. Since 2002, Dunlop has been the sole tyre supplier to the Championship, providing and servicing more than 9,000 tyres per year.

10th October 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Revolution Opens New £1m Megastore

Performance specialist Revolution is set to open the doors to its latest and greatest outlet. The one-acre purpose built site, in the heart of Northeast England, will begin trading on Saturday October 27.

Now in its tenth year of trading, Revolution has grown steadily from its inception to become a highly regarded tuner and mail order suppliers of tyres, wheels and related equipment plus a host of other performance and styling accessories. According to Revolution the new megastore, located just off the A1 in Gateshead, will house the largest selection of wheels and tyres in the UK and be equipped with no less than four fitting bays staffed by specialist technicians trained in the latest wheel alignment and tyre fitting technology. Nitrogen tyre inflation and facilities for fitments of up to 30-inch rims will be, Revolution adds, all ‘business as usual.’

“Our philosophy with the new store is to deliver the ultimate experience for the customer,” says owner Glenn Campbell. “Whether they’re buying tuning parts, visiting us for routine servicing or simply popping in for some impartial advice.” Visitors walking into the Gateshead outlet will find surroundings that Revolution describe as “most alien to hardened tuners” – a comfortable environment with seating, televisions, gaming areas and the obligatory coffee bar. All provided without compromising the company’s price match policy, reassures Campbell: “We can still match any like-for-like quote you can find!”

9th October 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Grocontinental Opts For ATS Euromaster/Michelin Fleet Servicing

Shropshire-based truck fleet, Grocontinental, has appointed ATS Euromaster as its sole commercial vehicle tyre services provider across its fleet of 55 commercial vehicles and 100 trailers following an extensive Michelin tyre trial. The new agreement will see ATS Euromaster work in partnership with Grocontinental’s maintenance team fitting Michelin tyres across the fleet. According to the company the new contract replaces a previous Goodyear policy which had been managed internally for more than 30 years.

David Grocott, Joint Managing Director of Grocontinental says: “Tyres have a critical impact on a vehicle’s fuel economy, and after a Michelin tyre trial we saw that by working with ATS Euromaster to manage our tyres more effectively, we could make valuable savings to our fuel bill. Switching our procurement policy will also allow us to follow Michelin’s Four Lives tyre strategy.

“It was a difficult decision for us to make because of the length of time we have worked with our previous supplier, but ATS Euromaster was able to offer a range of additional benefits including a nationwide roadside assistance service and weekly fleet checks to ensure our tyres remain in the optimum condition,” he adds.

9th October 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Kwik-Fit Fleet Expands its Service to Include Glass Repair

Kwik-Fit Fleet has rolled a new vehicle windscreen repair service. Kwik-Fit centres across the UK are now able to repair vehicle windscreens by injecting a liquid acrylic resin into the damaged glass. The resin is cured by the use of long wave ultra violet light. The call-in service, which by the end of 2007 will be available at all 670 Kwik-Fit outlets, sees Britain’s largest independent fast-fit giant on target to win a significant slice of the windscreen repair sector.

The glass repair market is presently dominated by just a handful of players and is estimated to be worth £310 million a year with the average value of each of the approximate 2.8 million jobs being £121. The windscreen repair sector is estimated to account for 25-30 per cent of work and is estimated to be worth around £38 million with the average cost of each job being £50.

Repairs at Kwik-Fit centres will typically take 20-30 minutes. While the majority of the repairs are via insurance companies, fleets account for about 15 per cent of work.

8th October 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Sibur’s Yaroslavl Plant Granted International Certification

Sibur Russian Tyres’ Yaroslavl Tyre Plant has been awarded ISO/TS 16949:2002 certification. The attainment of this independent certification, which specifies the quality system requirements for the design, development, production, installation and servicing of automotive related products, will permit the factory to participate in the submission of tenders for the supply of original equipment tyres to international vehicle manufacturers.

3rd October 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Ingrid Celebrates 21 Years at Autofit Ipswich

Ipswich businesswoman, Ingrid Ward, has just celebrated an amazing 21 years as a director of the town’s Autofit garage, which she founded with husband Kevan. During this time, the couple – along with fellow director Dave Chapman – have watched the Britannia Road firm go from strength to strength, winning an army of loyal customers along the way.

“The past 21 years have flown by,” says Ingrid. “There have been some big changes and challenges here over the years, but I’ve enjoyed every minute of it.” Autofit, which is a member of Bridgestone UK’s 200-strong network of independent First Stop tyre dealerships, was opened by Ingrid and Kevan, a former RAF officer, in 1986.

26th September 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Fleets Increasingly Switching to Non-Franchised Servicing

With a new report rating customer care at franchised dealers at just 6.3 out of 10; it is no surprise that 39 per cent of companies are switching to non-franchised dealers for routine servicing.

The 2007 Business Car Perceptions Report by business and management consultants BearingPoint suggests that the traditional franchised dealer network, which car manufacturers depend on as their key channel to market, is under strain as a result of a growing fall-off in aftersales business. reveals that fleet servicing business, which provides an important source of revenues for car manufacturers and franchised dealers alike, is being lost to non-franchised dealers.

The research, which was conducted by Professor Peter Cooke, the recently appointed Professor of Automotive Management at the University of Buckingham, in association with BearingPoint, shows that almost two-fifths (39 per cent) of companies already use non-franchised dealers for routine servicing. This number is set to grow, as nearly a fifth (18 per cent) of those respondents still using franchised dealers expect to switch to non-franchised dealers in the future.

19th September 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Kwik-Fit Launches New-Look Website and Text Services

Kwik-Fit, Britain’s number one fleet and retail fast-fit specialist, has launched new-look fleet and retail websites and a locate-a-centre text service. Kwik-fit.com details the independent fast-fit chain’s service and gives comprehensive information on tyre safety and reducing your transport carbon footprint through the company’s ‘Go Green’ initiative.

The site also provides an online MoT and service booking facility so drivers can take advantage of the two of the most recent additions to Kwik-Fit’s plethora of services. In fact, Kwik Fit is now the country’s largest chain of car servicing specialists and Vehicle and Operator Services Agency-approved MoT testing centres.

Additionally a ‘Tyre Search’ facility on both the company’s fleet and retail sites enables fleet operators and drivers to book an appointment at their local Kwik Fit centre or with Kwik Fit Mobile to fit tyres on their car or van.

13th September 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Solideal Opens 25,000m2 Warehouse in Duisburg, Germany

Solideal Germany, (also known in the market as Industrie Reifenkontor Lüdtke), has put the final touch on its new facility in the new Logistics Port at Duisburg – the familiar Solideal logo, high atop a 26 meter high concrete post, making the German headquarters visible from a long distance.

Solideal Germany moved into its new facility in January 2007: a new building with 25,000 square metre, 21 dock-level loading doors, tyre fitting services, comfortable office space, a conference room, a training room, and a modern wheel fabrication facility to serve short-run wheel service needs. This move has allowed the company to consolidate activities from six different locations in the region. Solideal Germany also continues to operate a service centre in Frankfurt.

12th September 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

BendPak/Ranger Introduces New Truck Tyre Changer

Ranger Products has given the new R2600HD its US launch. The super-duty truck tyre changer is designed for servicing truck, bus and other commercial and OTR tyres and wheels. The addition of the R2600HD greatly extends Ranger’s market presence from general tyre repair to larger, more specialized commercial truck garages and service outlets.

Features include an electric-hydraulic drive system, multi-directional, self-centring hydraulic clamp chuck, quick positioning mount/demount arm, hydraulic sled and a single piece frame for superior rigidity. Hydraulically operated spreader-type jaws ensure secure clamping of virtually all rims and off-road style wheels.

7th September 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Nationwide Autocentres Open Branch in Gateshead

Nationwide Autocentres, the UK’s largest independent chain of car servicing and repair centres, has opened a purpose built centre in Gateshead. The new centre is located in Retail World, Team Valley, and is able to service and repair all makes and models of vehicles, including prestige marques and fleet vehicles. It will be officially opened in August with a raft of special offers for local residents to enjoy, details of which will be announced shortly.

Nationwide Autocentres, the car repairer of the year 2007, a position held by the company four times in the last five years, is also the UK’s only AA approved service, MOT and car repair specialist. The AA will independently audit the centre every 6 months to maintain its “AA Approved Service Centre” status.

Commenting on the new centre, Duncan Wilkes, CEO of Nationwide Autocentres, said: “The new Gatshead centre is an exciting development for us. We currently operate over 200 service and repair centres in the UK and hope to have increased this to 230 by the end of the year. The new Gateshead Centre will be the flagship of our new centres and its opening marks an exciting period of expansion for us.”

4th September 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

ATS Euromaster Wins 160 Vehicle Council Contract

ATS Euromaster has secured a contract with Lancaster City Council to supply Michelin tyres and provide related service to the council’s 160 vehicle fleet. The three-year deal includes tyres for a mixed bag of vehicles ranging in size from lawn mowers through to refuse and recycling collection trucks.

“The varied nature of our fleet means that a fully managed approach like this is key to delivering best value for money for the taxpayer,” commented Graham Powell, fleet manager for Lancaster City Council. “ATS Euromaster and Michelin are also committed to ensuring that tyre-related downtime is kept to an absolute minimum, and helping the Council to achieve additional cost savings by maximising the performance and life of every tyre on the fleet. Selecting a partner with the skills to support our wide-ranging fleet was also crucial, with ATS Euromaster technicians as proficient at servicing the tyres on some of our more unusual pieces of equipment as they are on regular cars and trucks.”

17th August 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

GEA Helps Garages “Keep Cool” About New Car Air-Con Regulations

The Garage Equipment Association (GEA) is part of a working group in consultation with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) regarding the new EC Regulation No 842/2006 on Certain Fluorinated Greenhouse Gases (F-Gases), and has produced an eight page guide to help those in the vehicle servicing industry understand what this regulation means to them.

The principle objective of the F-Gas Regulation is to contain, prevent and thereby reduce emissions of F-gases covered by the Kyoto Protocol. Key obligations in the Regulation apply in the UK and the rest of the EU with effect from 4 July 2007.

F-Gases are hydro fluorocarbons (HFCs) and their main application in the motor industry is the use of F-Gas 134a as the refrigerant in vehicle climate control and air conditioning systems. As such the July 4 phase-in of the above-mentioned obligations impacts the vehicle service industry.

10th August 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Kwik-Fit’s Green Emphasis

Kwik-Fit, Europe’s largest independent fast-fit company, has been at the forefront of ensuring that tyres collected from its centres are reprocessed for many years. As the company’s range of services has extended in recent years to embrace brake replacement and vehicle servicing and MoT work, so Kwik-Fit has worked with waste management companies to dispose of all waste products.

More than five million tyres and almost 40,000 tons of tyre casings are removed from cars and vans annually by Kwik-Fit. Some tyre casings are remoulded and others, along with tyres, are shredded or crumbed. The resulting material is used as: fuel in the cement industry, in landfill engineering projects, as surfaces at sports and equestrian centres and playground, to make carpet underlay and roof tiles and in producing portable rail crossings. The steel cord in casings is extracted and re-used in steel making.

7th August 2007/by Tyrepress Editors