Winter Tyres
Bridgestone Europe has renewed its Swedish market supply contract with DHL Supply Chain. The Jönköping based firm has handled Bridgestone Europe’s warehouse operations for the Swedish market since 1997 and the extended contract, valid until 2013, includes warehousing and a number of value-added services such as the studding of winter tyres.
Ministers from the Scottish Parliament are assembling an ‘alliance’ representing the tyre and insurance industries plus motoring organisations in order to focus on the role winter tyres can play in keeping Scotland moving during times of harsh weather, and one MSP hopes this focus will benefit the Michelin plant located in his constituency.
Having received 2010’s Winter Tyre of the Year from consumer views website TyreReviews.co.uk for its SP WinterSport 3D, Dunlop stated that the recognition could help to further the prominence of seasonal rubber in the UK. Goodyear Dunlop PR support manager Kate Rock said: “We’re very pleased to win the TyreReviews award. This accolade will help us build on the successes of winter tyres this season, and continue to make winter tyres more relevant to the UK market. Awards like this help to give us leverage when we communicate the benefits winter tyres offer UK drivers when the cold weather arrives.”
According to the UK distributor for Yokohama tyres, Yokohama HPT, the British motoring public seems to be grasping the benefits of using winter tyres. Even before the recent cold snap, YHPT reported swift sales of its W.drive range of winter tyres, available for the first time in the UK this season. The consensus among those companies selling winter tyres into the British market seems to suggest that this year has seen significant growth, a development predicted in tyrepress.com articles since last year’s cold snap.
Toyo Tire has announced that its Toyo Open Country W/T tyre has been chosen by Audi as original equipment tyres for its Q7. Commencing in January 2011, the Open Country W/T (AO) in size 255/55R18 109H will be fitted to the Q7, also supplied on 18” rims where winter tyres are ordered.
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.
After examining its preliminary financial results Delticom has declared 2010 a “record year” for the company. During the 12 month period the online tyre dealer’s revenues increased 34.8 per cent to 419.4 million euros and its customer base across the more than 100 online shops operated in 39 countries grew by almost a million to give Delticom a total of 4.4 million customers.
In an analysts report published at the end of last year (17 December) financial analysts surveying the market on behalf of Morgan Stanley found that replacement light vehicle tyre markets were very strong in Europe and North America and grew by 15 per cent and 6 per cent respectively in November last year. The figures were based on research conducted by Michelin, which was published the same day.
Toyota and Lexus became the latest vehicle manufacturers to join tyre safety organisation, TyreSafe, helping the group reach a dozen vehicle manufacturer members helping to raise standards of tyre care and maintenance through driver education and engagement. “It’s wonderful to receive the support and backing of two fantastic brands such as Toyota and Lexus,” comments Stuart Jackson, chairman of TyreSafe. “We have seen very positive results from the excellent contributions made by our other vehicle manufacturer members and we are looking forward to the two new members becoming equally involved.”
During times of snow such as we have recently been experiencing in the UK and across larges swathes of Europe, chain maker RUD-Erlau is recommending that, as in Scandinavia, all commercial and rescue vehicles should carry a set of traction chains. While snow may be fun for the kids, “the last thing you want to be is either sliding on the stuff or stuck fast with nothing but a thermos for company” the company said in a statement, addressing those of us with both safety concerns and tight schedules to meet.
Cold weather and snowy conditions do not just provide an opportunity for those selling winter tyres, Pro-Align has explained in a new statement. The effects of the climate last long after the snow has cleared, with the quality of road surfaces affected and providing motorists with the additional hazard of potholes. The UK’s pothole problem costs UK motorists around £2.8 billion each year according to the website potholes.co.uk, and Pro-Align says workshops without the latest four wheel alignment equipment may be missing out on a lucrative revenue opportunity. Driving over potholes is a major cause of wheel misalignment, which can reduce vehicle safety, increase fuel costs plus poor vehicle handling, causing distraction and concern for drivers. Unless workshops are equipped with the correct equipment, they will not be able to properly diagnose customer’s alignment problems and carry out the subsequent corrective work, claims the alignment specialist.
Britain’s largest ambulance trust, the North West Ambulance Service, has signed a deal with ATS Euromaster to fit Michelin cold weather tyres to its fleet of 135 rapid response cars. The NHS Trust covers Cumbria, Lancashire, Mersey Regional, Cheshire and Greater Manchester. It selected the cold weather tyres for its ‘blue-light’ Ford Mondeos, Skoda Elegances / Scouts and Volvo V50s. The tyres are being delivered directly to nominated Trust vehicle workshops across the North West, with ATS Euromaster’s extensive mobile tyre fitting fleet – the largest of its type in the country – used to co-ordinate the replacements promptly on-site.
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: “We are in agreement with Tyresafe's criticism of insurance companies charging higher premiums for drivers with cold weather tyres,” says Huw Williams, Group Marketing Director of ATS Euromaster. “It highlights the widespread confusion surrounding their fitment and proven suitability for the UK market.
Domestic market prices for Toyo Tire & Rubbers’ commercial and light commercial vehicle tyres are to increase by an average of seven per cent as of March 1, 2011. These Japanese replacement market prices apply to both summer and winter tyres and are being implemented in response to increasing natural rubber prices plus the high price of petrochemical raw materials such as synthetic rubber and carbon black. Toyo notes it has made efforts to minimise raw material prices through product mix and cost rationalization, however these internal measures are not sufficient to not cover the increase in raw material prices.
Delticom has once again raised its guidance for 2010 due to a surge in demand for winter tyres leading to supply shortages. As a result of this market-wide scarcity, winter tyre prices have increased starkly across Europe. Delticom management's guidance for the 2010 financial year from November 26th has thus been overtaken by the recent developments. On the back of strong fourth quarter sales, the company should be able to grow 2010 revenues by more than +30 per cent year-on-year (previous guidance: more than +20 per cent). Due to the “very beneficial pricing environment” throughout the year and especially in the fourth quarter, profitability will be “unusually elevated” and thus significantly better than last year. Management sees a 2010 EBIT margin on the order of 11 per cent as realistically achievable (previous guidance: around 10 per cent, last year: 9.4 per cent). Depending on how the next weeks will evolve with regards to demand, stock levels and prices, margins could come in even higher than currently estimated.
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