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Winter Tyres

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Get Checked Out for Winter, Advises Kwik-Fit

Almost a fifth of drivers surveyed by Kwik-Fit admitted to never checking the condition of their cars between annual MoT tests, and this high rate of vehicular laissez faire has prompted the fast-fitter to wonder whether British motorists have already forgotten the lessons learned last winter. By applying the behaviour of its sample group to the wider UK motoring population, Kwik-Fit estimates that up to six million drivers could be heading into the cold season completely unprepared.

26th November 2010/by Tyrepress Editors

Socks an Effective Winter Tyre Alternative, says Vauxhall

While manufacturers such as Toyota and Mercedes-Benz are promoting winter tyres in the UK, Vauxhall is promoting that perennial Christmas favourite, socks. No need to fear finding Vauxhall-endorsed footwear wrapped and waiting for you under the Christmas tree though – the socks recently added to the carmaker’s range of accessories are ‘Snow Socks’, a type of tyre cover.

26th November 2010/by Tyrepress Editors

Toyota Launches Winter Tyre Programme

A peek out the window right now may be enough to silence even the most vocal winter tyre sceptic, and the weekend’s weather conditions provide a fitting backdrop for the latest vehicle manufacturer to announce a British cold weather tyre programme. Toyota has launched a trial winter weather tyre scheme in order to help motorists “be best prepared” and is targeting owners of its most popular models, the Auris, Avensis and Corolla, plus the Dyna and Hiace light commercials. Two Toyota centres are handling fitting: Currie Motors in West London and Ron Brooks Toyota in the East Midlands.

26th November 2010/by Tyrepress Editors

Conti Summarises European Winter Tyre Laws

It’s getting cold out there, and tyre maker Continental notes “there are no Europe-wide regulations for winter tyres in sight.” So until the day when nations throughout the region are encouraged to sign up to the tyre world’s equivalent of EMU, those planning to take their vehicles across the Channel during the coming cold months need to study up on the various national regulations in effect. Fortunately, Continental has made such swotting easier by outlining the winter tyre rules currently in effect in Europe.

19th November 2010/by Tyrepress Editors

Kitty Litter & Credit Cards – The Canadian Approach to Winter Driving?

British drivers by no means hold a monopoly when it comes to being ill-prepared for winter motoring; evidence of this can be seen in a survey released by Canadian Tire, which shows many citizens of its particularly wintry homeland to be dilettantes in conditions they should have long come to grips with.

18th November 2010/by Tyrepress Editors

First Tyres From Phase 2 of Hankook Hungary Plant Produced

Hankook Tire reports that the first additional tyres produced at the firm’s Rácalmás, Hungary as part of the factory’s second phase expansion plan have rolled off the production line well ahead of its target date. The construction of the factory’s second phase had started in September 2009 and will reach its full capacity by the second half of 2011. According to the plans, the new 58,000 square metre sized unit will then be able to produce a further 16-17 thousand tyres a day taking daily production at the plant to 34-35 thousand units daily. According to the company, increased demand has allowed Hankook to invest a further 230 million euros in this expansion bring total investment in the site up to 550 million euros.

17th November 2010/by Tyrepress Editors

Analysts: Winter Tyres; Price Increases to Support Sumitomo Profitability

Following the publication of Sumitomo Rubber Industries’ nine-month 2010 results, financial analysts have observed that the firm was “hit by higher raw material prices,” which are said to have “shaved off” billions of yen of profitability. Nevertheless the company maintained its full-year earnings advice. Deutsche Bank analysts said they expect the company to outperform in the fourth quarter of this year off the back of winter tyre sales: “The key point is whether price rises/better product mix/higher volumes can offset the impact of raw materials prices, including natural rubber and yen/baht appreciation.”

15th November 2010/by Tyrepress Editors

TWG sees Continuation of 2010 Trends into 2011

Yesterday saw the Tyre Wholesalers Group Annual Lunch held at the National Motorcycle Museum in Solihull. At the event, TWG chair Ashley Croft reviewed the year in UK tyre wholesaling, saying that “TWG members are fortunate within the replacement side of our market to have enjoyed a year of consistent market size, although the busy first half of the year has been balanced by a quieter period following.” Croft also looked forward to 2011, in which he forecasted “a year of challenges” for TWG members, commented on the rising interest in winter – or cold weather – tyres in the UK and the long-term potential effects of a consistent, large seasonal market; the persistently low availability of product throughout the year; his concerns about tyre labelling; and the education of non-NTDA member retailers. Below, tyrepress.com presents the transcription of his speech.

12th November 2010/by Chris

Winter Driving Conditions ‘Begin at 7’, Reminds Kwik-Fit

Research from Kwik-Fit notes that, although the weather outside still seems relatively mild, millions of rush hour drivers are already facing winter conditions on their morning commute. This is because, the fast-fitter elaborates, when it comes to winter driving the key figure motorists should bear in mind is not freezing point; it is a much less chilly 7°C. It is at this temperature when the performance of summer tyres deteriorates and the shorter braking distance offered by winter tyres comes into its own. Comparative tests between summer and winter tyres (carried out by Continental) show that winter tyres has stop a car 4.8 metres before summer tyres on a wet road, and when ice becomes a factor this stopping distance extends to 11 metres.

12th November 2010/by Tyrepress Editors

Delticom 9-Month Figures Show ‘Very Successful’ Year

Germany’s Delticom AG has once again shown online tyre retailing to be a lucrative business. The company behind numerous national portals, including mytyres.co.uk, reports that during the first nine months of 2010 its revenues increased 27.5 per cent to 257.0 million euros. In the third quarter Delticom generated revenues of 79.7 million euros, a year-on-year rise of 27.6 per cent. EBIT during the nine months to September 30 was 22.7 million euros, up 54.5 per cent, and in the third quarter amounted to 6.0 million euros. Delticom’s net income for the first nine months of the year was 15.2 million euros, 51.9 per cent higher than in the same period of 2009.

11th November 2010/by Tyrepress Editors

Germany Legally Clarifies Winter Tyre Requirements

Even though 87 per cent of German motorists fitted winter tyres last year (according to figures from the motorists’ organisation ADAC), the absence of laws detailing the finer points of their usage has baffled some drivers. This ambiguity has now been addressed. “We are now introducing a concrete version (of winter tyre requirements) into legislative procedure and, with this, certainty of law for our roads,” commented Germany’s transport minister, Peter Ramsauer. “We are defining what will be deemed a winter tyre in the future.”

10th November 2010/by Tyrepress Editors

Suzuki Cold-weather Tyre Offer

It seems that the message about the effectiveness of cold weather tyres is gradually spreading; the latest convert is Suzuki GB PLC, which is offering a cold weather tyre promotion. Michael-Le Flay, Suzuki aftersales marketing manager, said: "Many people are unaware of the fact that when temperatures drop below 7ºC, the rubber in standard tyres becomes harder and less flexible, which affects braking and cornering performance.

9th November 2010/by Tyrepress Editors

Kwik-Fit Fleet Meeting Longer Investment Cycles with Increased Service Provisions

A dominant player in the UK passenger car and light van sector, in which it estimates it has a market share of “75 per cent and growing”, Kwik-Fit Fleet has seen increasing opportunities for the provision of fleet maintenance since the recession – hastening the advance of policies already in play before the financial crisis. Peter Lambert, sales director at Kwik-Fit Fleet told Tyres & Accessories that the extended replacement cycles of many car and van fleets coincide naturally with “increased fleet demand for tyres and mechanical work including vehicle services and MoTs”, while also increasing pressure on fleet managers to ensure older vehicles remain on the road. “We anticipate that fleet demand for all forms of mechanical work at Kwik-Fit centres will continue to increase as all businesses look to minimise vehicle downtime,” concludes Lambert.

4th November 2010/by Tyrepress Editors

TyreSafe Gets Behind Winter Tyre Cause

“Winter weather tyres offer considerable safety improvements for many months of the year when driving conditions are typically cold or damp,” explains Stuart Jackson, chairman of TyreSafe. It is a theme that has continued throughout the past month, and now the UK’s leading tyre safety organisation has added its own specially commissioned research to the mountain of evidence that suggests the use of correct seasonal tyres could help increase the safety of the country’s drivers in the winter.

2nd November 2010/by Tyrepress Editors

Carmakers Back Winter Tyres

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) has issued a statement recommending motorists use winter tyres to improve road safety, which the association says echos recommendations set out by government. The report, which has been released in the context of a review of England’s infrastructural resilience during winter, outlines recommendations for industry to develop technical solutions to be better prepared for adverse weather conditions.

According to the SMMT, the report, based on consultations with 132 private and public sector organisations, was commissioned in March 2010 by the secretary of state for transport, Philip Hammond MP, and written in response to the winter of 2008/09, which recorded the harshest UK winter conditions in 30 years.

2nd November 2010/by Tyrepress Editors