Last year, IMI the maker of truck balancing powder, Equal, launched a product aimed at the passenger car market. XactBalance, distributed in the UK by Rema-Tip Top, is a new style of dynamic balancing weight and is aimed at premium level fitments.
(Akron/Tire Review) American Trucking Associations’ Technology & Maintenance Council (TMC) has released the revised third edition of its Radial Tire Conditions Analysis Guide. TMC said the revision, available on CD-ROM and in print, is the first comprehensive update of the manual since 1994.
(Akron/Tire Review) No one doubts that 2006 has been a very tough year for tyre dealers and manufacturers alike. The RMA revealed yesterday just how tough the year will finish: tyre shipments will be down 4.5 per cent overall compared to the record-setting results of 2005. RMA said the decrease in tire shipments “reflects the overall slowdown in the U.S. economy during 2006,” driven by a shrinking GDP, higher energy costs, and a declining housing market. OE and replacement segments combined in all categories shows shipments will be down some 14 million units to a total of 306 million tyres.
Pirelli Metzeler Moto UK, the motorcycle division of Pirelli Tyres Ltd UK has launched a new trade initiative aimed at the motorcycle and motorcycle tyre dealers in the UK. Central to the initiative is Moto Keypoint, a new trade club concept that was presented to 15 key dealers at a launch in Birmingham. The brief is simple says Anthony Fry, the recently appointed trade marketing manager for Pirelli Moto UK, “to grow the business in terms of volumes, profitability and share through a collaborative approach to the market with our key dealers”.
Apollo Tyres has launched India’s first ever w-rated ultra-high performance directional tyre. Dubbed “Aspire”, the new tyre was unveiled by Dilip Chhabria of DC Design and Onkar S Kanwar, chairman and managing director, Apollo Tyres Ltd at the Autocar Performance in Mumbai. This latest offering from the Apollo stable comes close on the heels of the launch of the V-speed rated Apollo Acelere Sportz earlier this week. Meant for sporty car lovers, currently the 17-inch Aspire can be shod on the Mercedes E and C Class, Audi A6 and A4, Toyota Camry, Skoda Superb, Laura and Octavia and the Honda Accord. More sizes are going to be added in the coming months.
UK tyre dealers gave a clear ‘thumbs up’ when Lassa held its inaugural UK Race Day recently. The day, which was held at Prestwood Hall in Leicestershire, was split into 3 sections – race track, rally and off-road. All the vehicles used had been pre-fitted with Lassa tyres, giving dealers a first-hand opportunity to test the Lassa range. In addition, the afternoon rain not only tested the tyres but also tested the skills of the drivers and instructors alike. In fact the senior instructor from the driving school went as far as saying: “Lassa tyres have done really well – they represent an excellent value-for-money tyre.”
With wheels and tyres rapidly getting bigger, heavier and tougher, tyre service is becoming more challenging than it has ever been – and choosing the right equipment is critical. At the SEMA Show 2006, Hennessy Industries unveiled the Coats APX90 tyre as its way of solving today’s tyre changing challenges.
New wheels, both aftermarket and OE, are increasingly large and unwieldy and require delicate care. In addition, mounting and demounting low-profile, high-performance and a variety of run-flat designs can be challenging. According to company representatives, “no matter what kind of assembly, the Coats APX90 was designed to handle any job quickly,” with protection for customers’ wheels in mind.
Maxxis International UK plc has appointed Kings Road Tyres Ireland as a new distributor of HST, ATV, Turf and motorcycle tyres in Ireland. “Kings Road Tyres is one of the leading tyre distributors in Ireland and it is a natural progression for both companies to expand into the more specialist HST, Turf, ATV and motorcycle markets,” says Maxxis International UK managing director Derek McMartin.
Tyrespot Ltd has confirmed its credentials as an environmentally-friendly company by scooping the inaugural Green Dealer Award presented by the Retread Manufacturers Association (RMA). The Award was presented to Tyrespot managing director John Shaw by RMA director David Wilson at the Rubber Industry Dinner held at the Marriott Renaissance Hotel in Solihull on 29 September.
The Green Dealer of the Year Award is a new award introduced by the RMA to recognise tyre dealers who have been particularly supportive to the retreading industry and who continue to market passenger retreaded tyres both actively and successfully.
The Indian government has put provisional anti-dumping duty (ADD) on tyres imported from China and Thailand, with effect from 9 October the Business Standard reported. According to the newspaper, 300,000 imported tyres brought in mainly from China for the commercial vehicle (CV) segment are sold in India annually. Domestic manufacturers sell over 10 million tyres.
A group of 4×4 tyre dealers were flown out to Morocco recently, to take part in a 4×4 desert rallying experience, courtesy of BFGoodrich. As part of the five-day trip, the group enjoyed the chance to co-drive with official members of the five-times Paris Dakar winning Mitsubishi team. The group was selected by Michelin’s appointed wholesaler for BFGoodrich in the UK, Southam Tyres. Southam Tyres is the largest distributor of 4×4 tyres in the UK, and selected the dealers in recognition of their continued support of the BFGoodrich brand.
First Stop tyre dealers rubbed shoulders with stars from TV and radio to help raise more than £1,500 for impoverished African youngsters. The owners of Tyrecraft, Bootle; Tyresave, St Helens; Tyreworld, Widnes; Pemberton Tyres, Wigan; and Ashton Tyre & Exhaust, Ashton-in-Makerfield, were joined by Big Brother celebrities Nikki and Mikey, Coronation Street’s Richard Fleeshman and Radio 2 presenter Sally ‘Traffic’ Boazman at Truckfest North West, which attracted thousands of people to Haydock Park Racecourse on 16/17 September.
Goodyear Dunlop Tyres UK Limited has launched a campaign which it says aims to “protect UK customers from unknowingly buying tyres that were not designed for road conditions in this market.” The campaign targets Asian and African manufactured tyres bearing the Dunlop and SP trademarks, but designed for their local markets, and not imported or recommended by the UK company. The company has issued the first of a series of claims against importers and distributors dealing in unauthorised Dunlop tyres. The claim was issued in the English High Court 1 September.
Pirelli has awarded £1,000 in Thomas Cook holiday vouchers to the top performing Ford Rapid Fit tyre dealers, with regard to Pirelli sales, in the North and South Regions respectively. A further £1,000.00 in Thomas Cook vouchers was awarded to the next highest performer overall.
Pirelli was delighted with the increase in sales as a result of the promotion.
The winners are:-
1st South
Bristol Street Motors, Bristol Road, Gloucester
Winner: Mr Alan Slater
1st North
T C Harrison Ford, Stukeley Meadows, Huntingdon
Winner: Mr Mark Nelson
3rd Highest Performer Overall
Brunel Ford, Ashton Gate, Bristol
Winner: Mr Neil Scull
Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd., broke ground for the construction of its new Suzhou Yokohama Tire Co., Ltd., factory on 11 August. The new “affiliate” facility will produce and sell steel radial tyres for truck and buses in China.
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