Wheel alignment equipment supplier Absolute Alignment has announced its first Absolute Alignment Approved Motorsport Centres in the UK. More than 20 workshops are in the company’s new network, which it says is “dedicated to providing the best in race car servicing and set-up.”
With all new cars now coming equipped with TPMS, uneven tyre wear as a result of under (or over) inflated tyres should theoretically become a thing of the past. That theory has yet to materialise in practice; the latest Department for Transport figures reveal that around 1,000 casualties are caused every year on the UK’s roads from tyre-related incidents. And perhaps the brave new world of tyre safety promised by required TPMS fitments may have been inspired by too much blue sky thinking anyway. With many drivers now relying on TPMS systems to advise them when to top up their tyres with air, it is possible that some are checking their tread depth even less frequently than before.
Wheel alignment equipment supplier Absolute Alignment has launched a new consumer website to assist motorists in locating local Absolute Alignment Approved Centres. The site also includes a guide to four wheel alignment.
Rema Tip Top has launched Corghi’s latest Artiglio 5000 automatic tyre changing machine. The Artiglio 5000 has third generation “Leva la leva” (lever-less) technology for vehicle, SUV and commercial vehicles wheels up to 28”. The new demounting tool with Lite Smart Corghi System movement reduces the stress on the tyre and never touches the rim.
Since it became part of the US garage equipment supplier Integrated Supply Network’s ISN Europe division in late September 2017, UK distributor Tyre Bay Direct has added its newly related company Atlas Equipment’s range of garage equipment to its portfolio. The UK company was identified by the US giant, which operates from 13 locations across the USA and Canada, and exports to Central and South America, as “the ideal partner” to help launch its equipment range into the UK, it states.
Technological tipping points are not always easy to identify, and the pace of change in the automotive industry can make it a challenge for garages not affiliated with new car dealerships to stay on top of new carfeatures as they begin to require repair. Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) are emblematic of this, and considering their centrality to the safe operation of many new cars, the stakes have also risen. Tyres & Accessories visited Hella Gutmann Solutions’ facilities in and around Ihringen, Germany to see how the supplier of diagnostic and camera and sensor recalibration solutions is responding to garages’ increasing need for new equipment, technician training, and data, to address the rise of ADAS.
Machine Mart has introduced the new Clarke CEW1100; a powerful heavy-duty ¾” corded electric impact wrench, an excellent addition to any worksite or workshop.
Absolute Alignment has had a podium filled 2018 season in the MSA British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) with Power Maxed TAG Racing, securing three race wins – while also partnering with highly-successful British GT, Porsche Carrera Cup and Caterham racing teams.
Despite the fact that here in the UK and Ireland there is not a culture of changing from summer to winter tyres at the end of the season, tyre related problems do increase during the colder, wetter months. In order to help workshops to be ready to tackle these potential issues, TecAlliance has developed a tyre change checklist that provides optimal support and offers customers maximum transparency. Another important issue is the installation and configuration of tyre pressure monitoring systems (TPMS), for which it now offers even more comprehensive information.
Rema Tip Top was presented with the Tyre Industry Award for product innovation for a product it calls a “revolutionary, innovative and economic solution” designed to preserve workshop tools and equipment. The Expel compressed air filtration device eliminates condensate pervasive in compressed air systems, removing 99.9999 per cent of liquid, oil, water and other contaminants down to one micron when installed at point of use.
Wheel alignment equipment supplier Supertracker has introduced a new six-sensor aligner, the STR130RW. The versatile aligner is capable of carrying out checks virtually anywhere in the workshop; it can be operated on a full wheel alignment lift, a standard four post lift, a two post lift, and on a level surface.
Supertracker has appointed Tom Lovesy as its general manager. The son of managing director, Trevor Lovesy, and grandson of original founder Keith Lovesy, Tom’s appointment shows the continuity of the wheel alignment specialist’s ownership. The company is preparing to enter its third generation of family management as one of the leading wheel alignment specialists in the UK market.
Responding to statistics showing that a third of all tyre related incidents occur during the summer months, released as part of TyreSafe’s summer motoring guide, Absolute Alignment advises all motorists holidaying by car to check tyre pressures and wheel alignment before taking to the road. According to the Department for Transport’s data, despite the UK’s cold weather and difficult road conditions from October through to March, it is actually July and August when tyre related accidents are at their most frequent.
German equity investment company Stargate Capital GmbH has entered into an agreement to purchase the Beissbarth GmbH and Sicam Srl subsidiaries from Robert Bosch GmbH. The purchase price has not been disclosed, and the deal’s finalisation is subject to approval from antitrust authorities.
The UK’s leading exhibition for the automotive aftermarket and vehicle production industry, Automechanika Birmingham, welcomed 10,200 industry personnel to its 2018 event. Featuring 500 exhibitors from 26 countries in 9,400sqm of floor space, the organiser stated that more than 120 companies exhibited for the first time, including: AA Garage Guide, Snap-On, Ceramex, GSF Car Parts and Wurth Electronics. Tyres & Accessories joined the National Tyre Distributors Association in representing the UK tyre industry at what was a lively event for the automotive sector, with an emphasis on visitor interaction – a fact underlined by the three in-hall dedicated presentation spaces, in which speakers addressed major issues currently affecting the sector.
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