Wheel Alignment
Pro-Align has introduced a new range of scissor and four-post alignment lifts. The new Liftlign range has been designed to fit a variety of space configurations, allowing compact workshops the chance to offer a high-quality four wheel alignment service.
ATS Euromaster will launch its new high-tech service centre in Brighton on 24-25 February. Previously a car showroom, the UK’s second-largest tyre retailer has spent around £320,000 renovating the site over the past six months. During the launch weekend, visitors to the Church Road centre will offer a range of exclusive discounts and promotions, including four Michelin tyres at a 50 per cent discount for the first five purchasers, the chance to try a state of the art Formula One simulator, and to see the Lotus Evora – a 162mph British GT racing car, which will be parked on the forecourt.
Wheel alignment equipment specialist, Pro-Align has made DCM Tyres in Shaftesbury its first ‘Alignment Centre of the Month’ winner for January 2012. The Hunter distributer says DCM has enjoyed a considerable month on month increase in turnover and profit generated from its HawkEye HD imaging aligner, installed five months ago when the Shaftesbury site opened. The retailer reports income of £4,000 from the machine in January alone.
Infinity Tyres has completed its tenth annual December promotion in Nigeria. Themed as “Value Drive”, the company distributed scratch-cards after any tyre or battery purchase from its 11 nationwide outlets. Vikas Bahl, Infinity Tyres’ head of Marketing, said that in previous years: “we have organized successful promos and we have seen their effect on our customers, their countenance, and consequently, their loyalty to the brand. We believe that our customers are highly valuable and for this reason, their loyalty to Infinity Tyres should be appreciated at the end of every year, through programmes like this”.
A minute’s too long to wait for an accurate wheel alignment. Just as well that those in the business understand the importance of getting the job done before the second hand can lap the dial. Southampton based alignment specialist Supertracker, who says its ongoing success is centred around a competitive mixture of wheel alignment speed and efficiency, reports that its latest STR410 unit is able to provide customers with an accurate alignment in just 59 seconds.
Wheel alignment specialist Pro-Align has set a new record by aligning twelve cars in thirty minutes. The record was set using the new range-topping Hunter HawkEye Elite TD system. “Speed and efficiency is of critical importance to workshops that utilise their alignment bays fully, so we set ourselves the challenge of measuring as many cars as possible in thirty minutes to demonstrate the true capabilities of our new Hunter Elite TD system,” explains Paul Beaurain, managing director, Pro-Align. “We were delighted with how many measurements we achieved and the evidence really backs up our claims about the impressive speed and potential of our new system.”
Recently Michelin and truck manufacturer Volvo teamed up to study the influence of tyre and wheel-related factors on fuel consumption – and found having the right tyres, tyre pressure and wheel alignment reduce consumption by up to 15 per cent. Volvo notes this equates to a saving of as much as £6,650 per vehicle per year.
Bosch has appointed Iain Procter to the position of product specialist for Around the Wheel equipment within its Automotive Aftermarket division. Proctor’s sphere of responsibility includes tyre service equipment, four wheel alignment, lifts and brake testers. His role encompasses marketing and product management, including both technical and sales support for the Bosch and Beissbarth product ranges.
ATS Euromaster has been named Van Equipment Supplier of the Year in the Fleet Van Awards 2011. Judges praised the organisation for standing out as “the best example of a totally van fleet-focused company”. The Award recognised ATS Euromaster’s £10 million investment during 2010 and 2011 in extending its offer to the van (and car) market, with new services including nitrogen tyre inflation, air-conditioning recharging, computerised wheel alignment, fault diagnostics and electronic brake servicing.
Fuel consumption and tyre wear account for a large chunk of most transport operators’ ongoing costs, thus it is crucial to eliminate all unnecessary expense. Incorrectly aligned bus and coach wheels, for example, can have an adverse effect on both tyre wear and fuel consumption. When PSV wheels are aligned properly, these two problems are reduced, less strain is placed upon mechanical components, drivers report reduced fatigue and tyres are less likely to overheat.
Rackhams Auto Body Centre in Ipswich has installed a second wheel alignment bay, the second of which is operating a state-of-the-art Hunter HawkEye WA Imaging system with an in-floor lift from supplier Pro-Align. The other aligner is also from the American alignment firm, a Hunter P411 with conventional sensors. Rackhams’ purpose built Boss Hall Business Park site, which primarily operates as a body repair centre, repairs about 50 to 60 cars a week, about half of which require wheel alignment.
Luxury car manufacturer Aston Martin will use the Hunter HawkEye four wheel imaging aligner and GSP9700 Road Force Balancer to be used in its dealerships around the world. Paul Beaurain, managing director of Pro-Align, which exclusively distributes Hunter products in the UK said: “It’s a real feather in our cap for Hunter to have the endorsement of such a prestigious sports car manufacturer as Aston Martin.” Pro-Align worked with Aston Martin to gain its approval for the deal.
Hofmann has launched a scrappage allowance promotion, which enables workshops to gain up to £500 for their old wheel aligner, tyre changer or wheel balancer when purchasing a new Hofmann undercar product. The promotion runs until 31 December, and is exclusively available via Unipart Garage Equipment Services, Hofmann’s UK-wide distributor partner.
A Mercedes-Benz commercial vehicle dealer covering the North East of England has invested in four Haweka Axis200-2 wheel aligners, turn plates and car kits. Bell Truck and Van in Billingham, Gateshead, Longbenton and Spennymoor says the investment will enable them “to help customers save costs on fuel and tyres”. The dealer group purchased the aligners from Haweka after seeing a demonstration of the equipment in their workshops.
HiQ branch Raw Tyres in Pontefract has won a Hunter HawkEye ‘Special’ imaging aligner worth £8,995 in a competition organised by wheel alignment specialists Pro-Align. The winning workshop was one of 251 from across the UK that entered Pro-Align’s online competition as part of its 20th anniversary celebrations.
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