Wheel Alignment
The April 2010 of Tyres & Accessories is now available to subscribers for virtual viewing online. All you have to do is click more to read it. The latest issue contains our annual wheel report, the first part of our Essen show preview coverage, a wheel alignment feature and part one of our Tyrexpo Africa review.
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Tyremen Hull Ltd is expanding into new 26,000 square foot (2500 square metre) premises, reportedly creating “a new one stop shop for tyre services.” The new site in Witty Street, west Hull, just a few yards from one of the firm’s current sites, means the well established family tyre business in Hull is bringing all its services together under one roof. Currently, the company is split between three units in Witty Street, Anlaby Road and Argyle Street, however after the move is completed the three sites will be consolidated into one “huge” facility offering services such as tyres, alloy wheels, batteries, exhausts and wheel alignment.
By centralising all its work at the former Swedecor premises, Tyremen representatives say the company hopes to improve efficiency and increase work capacity. Tyremen was set up more than 40 years ago and is run by co-directors Lindsay Carlin and his son Phil.
Conservative estimates from Supertracker place the daily number of wheel alignments carried out using its equipment at around 18,000. Therefore the company has no doubt that training in the correct and most efficient use of the machinery has never been so important for the industry.
According to the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI), recent survey results indicate that more than 80 per cent of the population do not know how to tell a good vehicle technician from a bad one. To help UK motorists gain consumer confidence in the automotive repair industry, the institute has administered an Automotive Technician Accreditation (ATA) scheme since June 2005. The ATA tests the current competence of individuals working in the retail motor industry, and following a pilot programme, the IMI has announced that two levels applicable to technicians working in the fast fit sector have now been added to scheme.
Hofmann, a brand within Snap-on Equipment, says that its geolite 3D wheel alignment machine makes the process “accessible to more workshops”, with a price tag of £7,995 (excluding VAT). The company says the geolite has the facility to take accurate alignment readings to OEM specification in under three-minutes from vehicle set-up, with global passenger car data for vehicles up to 25-years old.
In March 2010 Beissbarth received the "2010 German National Award for Outstanding and Innovative Achievement in the Field of Trade" from Germany’s Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology for its ‘Easy 3D’ chassis alignment system. The Beissbarth system received the favourable attention of a panel of representatives from numerous German trade organisations on the basis of its speed, simplicity to operate and the small space required for its use. The award was presented to Silke Spitzer, head of technology at Beissbarth GmbH, during a trade fair on March 7.
Haweka is gearing up to launch its Axis 4000 truck wheel aligner in the US. The heavy duty commercial vehicle alignment system will be distributed in this market by Haweka USA and the company comments that the Axis 4000 “promises to revolutionise the heavy-duty alignment of a full range of commercial vehicles such as long-haul trucks, buses, multi-axle cranes and agricultural vehicles” in the same way that existing Haweka product lines have benefitted car wheel balancing.
As a provider of advanced wheel alignment systems to the UK market, Northamptonshire-based company Pro-Align stresses the advantage of cutting edge equipment from the point of view of both service quality and commercial opportunity. Its latest product from US garage equipment manufacturer Hunter – the Hunter CodeLink – fits this bill, both catering for models in the Audi, BMW, Lexus, Chevrolet, Mini, Toyota and Volkswagen ranges and anticipating the increase in popularity of Electronic Stability Control in new cars; a system that will become a requirement in all new cars from 2012.
Startrescue.co.uk figures suggest that the recent cold weather has left the UK’s roads in a bad way, causing the number of call-outs for tyre and suspension related repairs to rise rapidly in the 2009-2010 winter season. The relatively new breakdown recovery service reported a 13 per cent increase in December and January.
Tyre supplier Strathclyde Tyres has won the West Dunbartonshire and South Lanarkshire local authority Exel contracts. Strathclyde reports that the use of Cam Systems’ Cameo software platform has assisted Strathclyde’s account management and reporting, allowing it to develop its communication with customers. Cameo provides a foundation line-of-business application suite for tyre wholesalers and retailers. Debbie Tracey, manager at Strathclyde Tyres says: “Our partnership with Cam Systems has enabled us to improve the way in which we manage accounts and streamline our reporting process. This has allowed us to improve the way we communicate with our clients and, in turn, make us more marketable. We selected Cam as we had been looking for a software package which is specifically built to meet our needs and have been impressed with the increased visibility it has given our company.” Cameo reportedly helped to increase visibility across its two divisions – private and commercial – provided by Cam Systems, the leading software solutions provider to the independent tyre industry.
Snap-on Equipment is urging tyre shops to consider the commercial opportunity of adding wheel alignment to their existing undercar service business. Field research by the garage equipment manufacturer has shown that by carrying out just four alignment procedures per day can generate additional net income of £32,910 per annum, based on a five and a half day week, direct costs of £15 per hour and a charge of £50 for each alignment procedure. Accurate wheel alignment also diagnoses chassis problems due to kerbing and pothole damage that can often require replacement suspension and steering components, resulting in further revenue generation.
Wheelquip was established in 1984 as a distributor of wheel service equipment, tyre and tube repair material, tyre valves and tyre tools. Initially known as Tyre Maintenance Suppliers, the company’s management saw the need for supplying the tyre industry with the most technically advanced equipment, consumables and tools and providing the industry with service excellence. Today the firm supplies many international brands and boasts the sole South Africa agency for Corghi automotive equipment from Italy. Corghi recently celebrated its 50th anniversary, and Wheelquip was awarded a 20-year service excellence award from the Italian manufacturer.
Gloucester tyre centre, Chris Mullins Tyres has reported a successful first year in business, exceeding its sales targets by more than 50 per cent according to the company. The centre, located on the city’s Bristol Road, began trading last January.
Specialising in selling and fitting car, van and motorcycle tyres to the general public and local businesses, a statement from the centre says it achieved 155 per cent of its first year’s trading target by selling more than 13,000 tyres and associated services such as wheel alignment. The statement added that it achieved a number of record trading days during the recent cold snap, as motorists replaced or upgraded their tyres to specialist snow products.
Visitors to Tyrexpo Africa in Johannesburg in early March will have more than 140 exhibitors to talk business with as they look to take advantage of exclusive brand opportunities with tyre suppliers and improve the efficiency of their businesses with the latest workshop equipment, consumables and services. According to the show’s organisers, the third staging of Tyrexpo Africa (4, 5 and 6 March 2010 at the Sandton Convention Centre (SCC), Johannesburg) has experienced a late surge of exhibitor bookings taking the show to near stand space capacity.
Dubai Taxi Corporation (DTC) and the local Roads & Transport Authority (RTA) recently signed a contract with Al Dobowi Tyre to supply Hankook tyres to its fleet for two years in a deal worth 9 million dirhams (£1.525 million; 1.703 million euros; US$2.450 million). The contract was signed by DTC CEO Abdul Aziz Malik and Al Dobowi CEO Harjeev Singh Kandhari, in the presence of several directors and executives from both parties.
Al Dobowi was selected following a public tender attracting participation from several tyre specialist companies from across the globe. However, following analysis of offers made, Al Dobowi was nominated for submitting the best offer of 8,878,608 UAW dirhams. “…the company has a good record of experience and reputation in the field of tyres" commented Abdul Aziz Malik.
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