James Stopps is gearing up to expand PCL’s distributor base in the South. He joins the company from consumables and fasteners supplier Würth UK Ltd, where he managed a team of 12 sales consultants and over 1800 accounts for the automotive division, growing the area by over 20 per cent.
Stone Tyres is using a TreadReader DriveOver tyre measurement system which is “driving up sales and ensuring maximum safety and value for its customers”, according to the company.
Big Motoring World, an independent use car dealer, is using the TreadReader 3D DriveOver ramp system to “improve productivity and efficiency” at its national preparation centre in Peterborough.
AES UK (Automotive Equipment Solutions) has introduced a hand-held tyre scanner which allows commercial vehicle operators, workshops and tyre retailers to quickly and accurately measure tyre tread depth. TreadReader HD (Heavy Duty) is a compact, easy-to-use device which provides full-width tread depth analysis and creates a detailed scan of each tyre to within 0.2mm.
Following the news that TreadReader developer and manufacturer Sigmavision has gained venture capital backing for its future development, further details about the funding have emerged.
The UK’s leading exhibition for the automotive aftermarket and vehicle production industry, Automechanika Birmingham, welcomed 10,200 industry personnel to its 2018 event. Featuring 500 exhibitors from 26 countries in 9,400sqm of floor space, the organiser stated that more than 120 companies exhibited for the first time, including: AA Garage Guide, Snap-On, Ceramex, GSF Car Parts and Wurth Electronics. Tyres & Accessories joined the National Tyre Distributors Association in representing the UK tyre industry at what was a lively event for the automotive sector, with an emphasis on visitor interaction – a fact underlined by the three in-hall dedicated presentation spaces, in which speakers addressed major issues currently affecting the sector.
Sigmavision has announced its plans to launch TreadManager, a new cloud-based tyre sales management service developed for the tyre aftermarket. The company states that TreadManager will help tyre providers to increase sales revenue and boost turnover from tyre-related services. Registered users will be provided with tyre measurement data and management information for all vehicles scanned using TreadReader tyre measurement devices. The full range of TreadReader products, including the Hand Held scanner and all specifications of the Drive Over ramp, whether flush-fit or surface-mounted, will be compatible with TreadManager.
Sigmavision is bringing its 3D TreadReader images to workshops and dealerships within the eDynamix iVHC system, following a new integration. TreadReader 3D tyre scans, which provide industry-leading clarity and accuracy, continue to set the standard for tyre tread depth measurement. In addition to revealing tread depth, the detailed tyre scans help to diagnose incorrect inflation and wheel alignment issues.
Sigmavision will showcase its new TreadReader tyre measurement App at Automechanika Birmingham. The 3D tyre measurement technology company has added the App to its TreadReader range of tyre measurement products; it is used to control the Hand Held scanner, making a tyre inspection and diagnostic tool. Downloaded to a phone or tablet, the App connects to the scanner via Wi-Fi. Intuitive screens guide technicians through the scanning of vehicle tyres, with the option of printing a PDF report for the customer, illustrating tread depth and tyre condition.
Sigmavision is to promote its TreadReader technology to the commercial sector when it exhibits at The Commercial Vehicle Show (Stand 4F65, Birmingham NEC, 25-27 April). The company states that TreadReader “addresses the shortcomings of traditional dip gauges and other spot-measurement or laser-line devices currently available.” Each product in the range, which includes mobile and fixed workshop options, creates a 3D scanned image showing a 50mm band across the full width of the tyre. Sigmavision adds that its scans are reliable and accurate even on wet and dirty tyres.
Nokian Tyres has become a shareholder in diagnostics equipment firm Sigmavision, launching its own digital tyre checking service, branded SnapSkan. SnapSkan will use TreadReader Drive Over ramps to provide a service that SigmaVision says will help to advance its “Beyond the Workshop” strategy. Dr Andrew Pryce, Sigmavision’s managing director, commented “The opportunity to progress our ‘Beyond the Workshop’ strategy with Nokian Tyres plc is a significant step and we are also delighted to welcome Nokian Tyres as a shareholder in our business.”
Sigmavision has announced the findings of a recent survey conducted in collaboration with Bridgestone and First Stop at the recent Sky Sports British Masters golf event. The company’s technicians surveyed 2,400 cars over two days away from the fairways and greens at The Grove, measuring tyre tread depths with Sigmavision’s TreadReader handheld scanners. The results of the survey back up Bridgestone’s hypothesis that motorists currently do not make the regular checks necessary to ensure their tyres are safe.
TyreSafe’s Innovation and Technology Award, sponsored by Michelin Tyre, has been awarded to Sigmavision. The award recognises the innovative use of technology within the tyre industry, and TyreSafe’s positive contribution to raising awareness of tyre safety issues. Chairman of TyreSafe, Stuart Jackson said the Sigmavision TreadReader shows “versatility [and] capability for adoption across a comprehensive span of applications.”
The maker of the TreadReader handheld tyre scanner has called for fleet managers to prioritise tyre maintenance, citing economic and road safety statistics in its reasoning. Pointing out that tyres account for around 35 per cent of a car’s overall maintenance budget, SigmaVision says prolonging the healthy life of tyres is sound practice, securing maximum value from a set of tyres. The early detection of uneven wear, for example, means the cause of the problem – incorrect inflation of the tyre, or wheel misalignment – can be corrected. On the safety side, fleets’ tyre care policy has a clear role to play too: more than a quarter of road traffic incidents involve someone who is driving as part of their work at the time.
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AES UK