Car manufacturing in the UK has grown during the first half of 2013, with acceleration to 4.6 per cent coming in the second quarter and a 10.4 per cent rise in June. The SMMT says that while four out of five cars built in the UK are exported, higher output for the home market, up 24.4 per cent, has boosted volumes.
Total CV registrations dipped 4.7 per cent in May to 24,149 units, but market remains up 8.3 per cent for the year-to-date. Van registrations were 3.8 per cent behind May 2012 at 20,503 units; the January-May volumes remain strong; up 13 per cent to 110,136 units. Truck demand fell 9.4 per cent to 3,646 units in the month and declined 14.3 per cent during the first five months of 2013.
Marangoni Group once again shared a large stand at Autopromotec, probably the largest in the dedicated retreading section of hall 22.
With regard to retreading, which accounts for most of the group’s business in the Italian market, Marangoni announced that important new additions have been made to the Marix range of retreads. These includinged the MD National Grip 3 for regional heavy transport, and upgraded compounds mainly in the Energeco line for long distance applications. For the earthmoving sector, the MDT Recaflex pattern, available in size 27.00X49 for heavy-duty dumpers has been added. Other products on display include patterns for 4x4s, SUVs and vans, representing a wide range that has been expanded even further.
TruckForce, Goodyear Dunlop’s dedicated mobile service and breakdown network, is taking delivery of 60 additional Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 313 CDIs at a rate of one per day from Birmingham dealer Midlands Truck & Van. The new fleet was the focus of its activities at the CV Show. Based across TruckForce’s 15 operating centres, “hubs” for its satellite locations across England and Wales, they are being used by technicians who repair, replace and service customers’ tyres at their premises or at the roadside. The Sprinters are fitted with engine-driven PTOs which power on-board compressors, as well as Hope Safe-T-bar rear safety bumpers and roof-mounted flashing beacons.
Kwik-Fit showed its new range of light commercial vehicle fleet initiatives at the CV Show 2013, highlighting its mobile fleet’s LCV tyre repair and placement capability; its expanded range of premium, mid-range and budget tyres; a plan to expand availability of MoTs on Class 7 vans; and a new Kwik Fit Drive card, for LCV and car fleets, with supermarket fuel and vehicle breakdown and recovery benefits, as well as Kwik-Fit charge reductions.
Delticom has added a wheel configurator to dealers at yourtyres.co.uk. In addition the company’s complete aluminium wheel and alloy wheel range is also being expanded on yourtyres, and on Delticom's dedicated site for fleet buyers.
Total CV registrations increased 30.9 per cent in April to 24,370 units and grew 11.8 per cent during the year so far. Van registrations rose 43 per cent to 20,751 units in the month, and grew 17.6 per cent during the year-to-date.
Truck demand fell 12.1 per cent to 3,619 units in the month and declined 15.5 per cent during the first four months of 2013.
To help workshops take full advantage of professional four wheel alignment servicing, equipment specialist Pro-Align has a comprehensive range of alignment lifts it says can be used to help maximise alignment efficiency and revenue opportunities. Both scissor and four post alignment lifts are on offer, and Pro-Align comments that the availability of both types ensures its customers have the choice and flexibility to suit a variety of space configurations and budgets.
With a 15-year track record as a leader in laser wheel alignment for commercial vehicles, Haweka UK is frequently asked to supply wheel alignment systems for passenger cars. In January this year the company, which is also well known for its Haweka range of centring accessories for wheel balancing, began test marketing a 4-wheel 8CCD camera alignment system for cars and vans.
Radian Services has teamed up with ATS Euromaster to upgrade the tyres on its 160-strong fleet of vans after accessing the Government Procurement Services (GPS) tyre framework agreement.
Volkswagen Group Leasing (VGL), the fleet and corporate hire arm of Volkswagen Financial Services (UK), has chosen Michelin as its preferred tyre brand and appointed ATS Euromaster to fit and service tyres across its fleet for the next two years. Both contracts commenced on 1 April 2013 and cover VGL’s fleet of more than 40,000 cars and vans, which are supplied to customers on a mixture of contract hire and fixed cost maintenance agreements. The fleet also includes cars supplied to Volkswagen Financial Services’ employees.
Toyo has a range of SUV/4×4 tyres to cover on and off-road applications, with two tyres available for the high-powered, road-going SUV class. The Proxes T1 Sport SUV was created specifically for the high load and speed demands of the current crop of ultra-high performance SUVs like the Porsche Cayenne Turbo, Toyo says. The tyre extends the fitment coverage upwards of the longer-established Proxes S/T, whose “double V” tread pattern offers high speed stability and wet weather performance.
Demand for used vehicles overseas is leading to cars targeted for export selling for up to twice their UK value or more at auction, say independent car information experts CAP. But the used vehicle export phenomenon is not confined to cars, with CAP's experts also reporting a constant flow of trucks, trailers, motorcycles and vans abroad as the export trade grows every day. This trade, supplying almost every continent with used British vehicles, is pushing prices ever higher in the UK and creating shortages of certain models.
A 173 vehicle fleet thought to be amongst the most likely to sustain tyre damage has appointed ATS Euromaster to help maintain its tyres. Oxfordshire-based Chevron Traffic Management is the UK’s largest independent traffic management company and claims to operate in one of the most demanding environments for road-based vehicles in the UK. Chevron runs 4×4 pick-ups, vans and trucks completing daily tasks on debris-strewn motorway hard shoulders.
West Midlands tyre dealer Truck Tyre Solutions (TTS) reports securing a contract with one of the UK’s leading steel hauliers to supply Continental tyres as exclusive tyre fitment. Brierley Hill based A Hingley Transport runs a fleet of 80 top-weight tractor units and 180 trailers and specialises in the movement of steel as well as carrying out general haulage throughout the UK. The company is part of the AH Group, which also refurbishes trailers and builds new trailers, all of which will be fitted with Continental tyres as original equipment.
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