Company News
BKT broadens football sponsorship in France
It’s already title partner to the knockout championship Coupe de la Ligue (French League Cup), and now BKT has extended its football activities in France by becoming title sponsor to the country’s second division league. From the start of the 2020/21 season, this will be known as Ligue 2 BKT.
UK News
HMP Featherstone inmates train with Bridgestone
Prisoners at HM Prison Featherstone are being given truck tyre training in an attempt to address the skills shortage in the truck tyre industry and “instil pride into prisoners’ lives”. Bridgestone has partnered with the prison to offer a hat-trick of commercial tyre training qualifications.
Product News
Liqui Moly launches ‘lowest viscosity’ motor oil
Liqui Moly has launched its new Special Tec AA 0W-16 oil. Tim Keller, export area manager responsible for the UK and Irish market says it is the "lowest viscosity" product it has ever launched. It is suitable for selected models from Honda, Lexus, Suzuki and Toyota.
International News
New CEO for US tyre retail giant Discount Tire
The world's largest independent retailer of tyres and wheels has a new chief executive officer. US-based company Discount Tire has promoted Dean Muglia to the role. He succeeds Michael Zuieback, who will retain the role of executive chairman.
Career Tracks
Remit investing in second Derby training academy
On 16 January 2019 Remit Group invited representatives from OEMs, tyre manufacturers, equipment suppliers and the media to its existing Derby training academy in order to learn more about the organisation’s forthcoming “Derby 2” training academy. Tyres & Accessories joined representatives from the likes of MAN, Scania, Michelin, Autogem to name just a few in order to find out more.
Motorsport News
Giti Tire all-female VLN, French drifting success cap ‘busiest motorsport year’
Giti Tire’s “busiest year-to-date in European motorsport” was capped by two victories by Giti and GT Radial sponsored partners. The all-female racing team, ‘Girls Only – Ready to Rock the Green Hell’, recorded their first ever class win in the ninth and last race of the VLN Langstreckenmeisterschaft in their VW Golf VII GTI TCR. Meanwhile Benjamin Boulbes became a six-time French Drift Championship winner on GT Radial tyres.
Retreading News
Vipal Rubber VT110 tread approved in Romania
Global retreading supplier Vipal Rubber’s VT110 tread has been approved in Romania following trials conducted by fleet operator Senidav Trans SRL. The Eastern European fleet company carried out performance tests using retreaded tyres with the VT110, recording favourable results against a competitor brand. Measurements were recorded by Vipal’s Moldovan partner, Tehno Profil, after 260,000km on Romanian roads, which present adverse track conditions, with mountains, slopes, snow, and other problems.
Comment
Counterfeiting: Flattery or just illegal imitation?
“Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery”, according to Oscar Wilde. But businesses don’t tend to be so charitable in their interpretation of such actions. Indeed, industrial counterfeiting, copyright breaches and general contempt for intellectual property are all-too common. The most recent example of copyright dispute in the tyre industry saw one of the world’s largest and longest established tyremakers pitted against a relative unknown.