Across the Atlantic they are called tires, while over here we use a “Y” and say tyres. This tag provides the latest tyre business news emanating from the United States of America (USA), whichever way you spell it.
For nearly three decades, the East Anglian company Bickers has been developing the Maxxis brand in a number of niche markets, including motorcycles and scooters, Moto-X, ATV and lawn care. Now, following the establishment of a joint venture between Maxxis and Bickers (Maxxis International UK plc), a concerted effort will be made to develop the brand – especially in the passenger car tyre and LCV markets.
The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders has published its annual ‘Motor Industry of Great Britain’ for 2005. As usual, the 220-page report contains a wealth of information and statistics concerning the world automotive industry. If you want to know how many cars per 1,000 population there are in Bolivia, for example, then this is the publication for you. (The answer, by the way, is ‘three’.)
Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company has completed its acquisition of Ansell Ltd’s interest in their South Pacific Tyres (SPT) joint ventures. Goodyear now owns 100 per cent of SPT, the leading tyre marketer and manufacturer in Australia and New Zealand.
So far the growth of run-flat tyre sales has been almost exclusively through OE business. As the replacement market becomes more and more visible, Tyres & Accessories to took the opportunity to ask Goodyear Dunlop UK MD, Dick Johnson; Michelin’s Technology Centre Europe director, Bernard Delmas; and Bridgestone UK marketing manager, Andy Lane, for a deeper insight in the development of the run-flat aftermarket.
Last month Bridgestone announced that it had shipped its three-millionth run-flat tyre in total. At the same time the UK wing of the multi-national manufacturer said its run-flat sales boomed in 2005. While 3 million run-flats may sound like a lot of tyres, speaking to other manufacturers puts the Japanese company’s figures into context. Bernard Delmas, director of Michelin’s Technology Centre Europe, described the segment as a “fledgling market” which equated to 1 per cent of 300 million, in terms of the total European OE market.
Autogem, the UK’s largest workshop consumables and exhaust fittings specialist, has completed its warehouse re-location to Park Royal London. While the company will move into a new 60,000-foot facility in London, it will retain its telesales and administrative team in a new office in Leeds.
Dunlop Tyres has linked up with the London College of Fashion, challenging students to design a ‘ready to wear’ collection inspired by motorsport. The winning designs were unveiled at Birmingham’s Air nightclub on 11 January during an exclusive Dunlop brand event hosted by Radio 1’s Sara Cox, which also kick-started Dunlop’s presence at the annual Autosport Show.
(Akron/Tire Review) The Tire Industry Association (TIA) announced that John Buettner, executive director for the Indiana/Illinois Tire Dealers Association, was elected chairman of the TIA state executive directors for 2006.
(Akron/Tire Review) Toyo Tire USA Corp. is sponsoring the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), a combat sporting event that involves international competitors from martial arts backgrounds.
Last year 6 million vehicles were sold on the Chinese market, making China the world’s second largest auto market. According to a Reuters report, China produced more vehicles than third-place Japan, but is still behind the US which remains the world’s largest market.
Three Leicester tyre dealers were temporarily closed on the 13th January after failing checks to see if they dispose of waste tyre correctly. The survey by Leicester City Council found they could not prove they were disposing of their scrap tyres legally. The dealers in question could now face fines of up to £5,000.
Officials in Kent County, Michigan, have offered a $1,000 reward for information leading to the conviction of whoever has been dumping scrap tyres along its roads and those of three other counties.
So far almost 10,000 dumped tyres have been collected in the four counties, with collection and disposal costs running into thousands of Dollars.
The next president and chief executive of the Bridgestone Corporation will be Shoshi Arakawa (61), the former head of the company’s European operations. His appointment will become effective on 30th March.
GreenMan Technologies has announced that it expects to report “aggregate net loss for the fiscal year ended 30 September 2005 [of] between $14 and $15 million.” The company also said it will delaying filing its 10-KSB for the year. According to the company, this will take no more than 30 days and is necessary for it to finalise the accounting treatment of the pending divestiture of its Georgia operation. Greenman is recycles over 20 million scrap tyres per year in the US.
(Akron/Tire Review) Bridgestone Americas Holding said that the Bridgestone/Firestone Trust Fund donated more than $3 million to nearly 700 US charities and non-profits in 2005, including more than $800,000 to charities in Middle Tennessee. The donations included relief funds for victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
(Akron/Tire Review) The $15 billion US replacement tyre market has grown 34 per cent since 1999, according to a new study from Research and Markets. Volume sales benefit from an automobile fleet that is larger and older than any in US history. However, the real growth in the market increased in what consumers spend per tyre, with average price per tyre rising from $59 in 1999 to $76 in 2005.
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