Winter is still well and truly with us yet those seeking cold weather tyres for their car needn’t pay their local Kwik-Fit outlet a visit – the fast fit network reports its entire 50,000 unit allocation of winter passenger car tyres has sold out following strong interest from both corporate and retail customers. Kwik-Fit says it still has some 5,000 winter tyres for light commercial vehicles in stock, however.
Premier Vehicle Rental (PVR) has selected Avon Tyres for its new three-year, fixed-term tyre supply contract through ATS Euromaster (ATSE). PVR is aiming to double its fleet of 150 vehicles and will benefit from the combined strength of ATSE’s nationwide centre network and its fleet of nearly 1,000 mobile service vans.
PVR has reportedly been seeking to better manage costs and says streamlining tyre servicing through a national provider will help take it “from strength to strength.” Its intention to double its fleet size in the next three ears, with an increase to 220 vehicles in the next six months, means that adopting a one-stop national approach is a vital step for the business. PVR’s fleet comprises mainly Mercedes-Benz Vito and Sprinter vans, which are rented on contracts for a minimum of 12 months. Its customers range from maintenance firms to food delivery services.
ATS Euromaster has issued the following comment in response to reports of insurance companies charging drivers a premium for fitting cold weather tyres to their cars / vans:
Following a good number of years managing the tyre maker’s in-house vehicle fleet, Michelin’s John Stack recently took the decision to retire. Rather than appointing someone else to take over the role, Michelin chose the outsourcing path and launched a competitive tender process to find a new service provider. This tender was won by Fleet Support Group (FSG), and the Wiltshire based company has now taken over management of Michelin’s 340-strong fleet and begun providing a range of vehicle related services including its occupational road risk management system.
Online tyres company etyres says that it is strengthening its nationwide coverage and continuing to grow at a rapid rate, despite the challenging economic climate. etyres has reported a steep rise in the number of new branches launching across the UK.
The intensified growth of the company has led to a strengthening of its nationwide coverage. The consolidation of its network is also enhancing the service provided to thousands of customers every week, says the company.
Online tyre retailer etyres has released a short online video showing motorists how changing a tyre is so easy that even a child can do it. Most motorists dread the idea of getting a puncture and being stranded at the roadside waiting for a breakdown truck. Now etyres has released a short online video which shows drivers how they can fit their spare wheel in a matter of minutes and be back on the road in no time. And to demonstrate just how easy it is, the entire procedure is filmed being carried out by 10-year-old William Stepney. This idea is similar to the YouTube video from TyreSafe, in which two seven-year-olds check tread depths with a 20p coin.
The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) reports that the upturn in van registrations of recent months continued in October, with 18,147 new registrations making a 22.4 per cent increase on September’s figures. Truck registrations recorded a spectacular-sounding 79.9 per cent rise on September, though that month was represented by the lowest figures in recent memory. 3,158 new trucks were registered.
In this final polled category only two companies – Credential Environmental and DME Tyres – survive from last year's finalists and they are joined by previous winners Kingpin Tyres, Envirotyre and Hardings Vans, a company providing a localised service. The awards, which recognises which tyre collection and recycling-related company members of the wider tyre industry considered most worthy in a popular vote, went to Envirotyre – a company that bills itself as being “one of the largest collectors of end of life tyres in the UK.”
Nearly one in ten national car and van fleet customers visiting an ATS Euromaster centre with a tyre-related issue drive away with a repaired tyre, rather than a bill for the cost of a new fitment, according to the fast-fit chain. ATSE says the statistic highlights its commitment to driving down running costs; a puncture repair typically costs a fleet customer £8, according to the company, representing a 92 per cent saving, assuming the customer would have bought a premium brand replacement at an average price of £96.
ACDelco notes with pride that its batteries described as “the best dressed and the business”, and this distinction may be one of the reasons why batteries remain one of the company’s flagship product groups. And with ACDelco looking to focus on fine-tuning its part offering across all main product groups this year, the company will be shortly enhancing its battery range with the addition of a number of new parts references.
Michelin has become the 50th ‘business champion’ to join government-backed Driving for Better Business campaign. In doing so, the company has committed to help promote at-work driving safety initiatives to other public and private sector fleets. The tyre maker’s involvement with the campaign comes after reducing its road crash rate by more than 50 per cent in the last five years and adopting a target of zero incidents. Michelin says improving safety has helped reduce accident damage costs by 46%. It has also seen significant savings on indirect costs, such as vehicle hire and driver time.
RoadSafe is urging transport minister Mike Penning, to maintain the MOT test as an annual check-up for vehicles. In 2008, the Department for Transport said the MOT failure rate was high, at 35 per cent. Between 2009 and 10, the failure rate continued its steady increase to 37 per cent. Despite this, the DfT is looking into reducing the required frequency of tests to fall in line with Europe.
In the UK, vehicles must have their first test within three years of registration, and annual tests thereafter. As a minimum, EU law requires vehicles to have their first test when they are four years old and subsequent tests every two years. Most European countries follow the EU minimum requirement and there is pressure on the UK to do the same. RoadSafe is warning that this will lead to more crashes, caused by poorly maintained vehicles.
Cheshire-based bakery Frank Roberts & Sons has added two new Cartwright Multi-deck trailers fitted with Michelin X One MaxiTrailer tyres to its 70-strong fleet. Having gone to bespoke manufacturer Cartwright looking specifically for a high trailer with extra load capacity, the baker took the decision to trial the X One MaxiTrailer tyres for the improved stability they would provide the 4.5-metre-high trailers.
Hankook Tire says it is excited to announce its first appearance at the Moscow International Automobile Salon. The company’s reports that its exhibition space (booth 430 in hall 12 for those of you planning to visit) has been custom designed for this show and reflects the growing importance of the Russian and CIS markets for the company’s future business strategy.
Stapleton's recently added 22 new vans to add to its delivery fleet. In an investment worth over £600,000, Stapleton’s expanded the fleet with the addition of six Mercedes Benz Sprinter Panel Vans, seven Renault New Master Panel Vans and nine Isuzu 7.5 tonne trucks.
Stapleton’s are amongst the first in the UK to receive Renault’s New Master Panel Van. Liveried with the company’s corporate identity each of these vans will go straight into the company’s ever growing fleet, providing customers with a twice-a-day, same-day or next-day nationwide delivery service.
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