FIGIEFA surveys pandemic independent parts distributor impact
FIGIEFA recently conducted a survey open to independent automotive spare parts distributors to assess the impact of COVID-19 on their operations and what was needed to help them recover.
FIGIEFA recently conducted a survey open to independent automotive spare parts distributors to assess the impact of COVID-19 on their operations and what was needed to help them recover.
An extra one million cars could be set to hit UK roads as commuters follow government advice and switch public transport for private vehicles, new research suggests. The study, published by the Active Travel Academy (ATA), concluded restrictions put on the number of passengers that trains and buses can carry due to the coronavirus pandemic would lead to many more commuters using their cars to get to work.
Around 40 per cent of drivers won’t be making use of the current six-month MOT exemption, a survey of 2,200 UK drivers has suggested. Just one-in-seven drivers (14 per cent) who responded to the RAC survey said they will make full use of the extra six months added to MOT due dates, with three times that proportion (44 per cent) planning on getting their car checked as normal, despite the impact of the coronavirus.
The International Tire Exhibition & Conference (ITEC) scheduled for September is switching to an online format.
India officials have announced restrictions on imports of passenger car, two-wheel, truck and bus tyres in a bid to help boost domestic tyre
manufacturing.
The last time Tyres & Accessories took a close look at the aftermarket sector back in July 2019, we took the optimistic view that the UK aftermarket space would be able to weather the Brexit storm. Of course, back then Brexit and trans-Atlantic trade wars were the most significant pressures on aftermarket parts segment. Now, however, things are considerably more complex and unpredictable. So, in this analysis we examine the most recent pre-lockdown data as well the latest mid-lockdown information in order to answer the question: is the UK aftermarket still weathering the storm?
The Ateq VT Truck – the smart heavy-duty vehicle TPMS maintenance tool for dealerships, multi-brand workshops, fleet managers and hauliers, offered by Tyresure Ltd now includes 30+ truck, bus and trailer sensor combinations.
TireTech GmbH isn’t known to many in the tyre market, as Bernhard Brain and Karl Staudinger only set up the company last year. The two founders, however, each boast 25 years of professional experience and are experts in mechanical engineering and automation. The German company is now presenting an automated solution to grade used tyres for reuse or disposal: The new and already patented, modularly configurable TP1 with Tire Measurement Reporting System (TMRS) can examine up to 400 used car tyres per hour and – according to customer specifications – sort and dispatch these for further application, such as retreading. With this solution, Brain and Staudinger claim they’ve finally “brought automation to arbitrary, manual car tyre testing.”
Ending lockdown has “unleashed a surge in demand for cars,” according to the online car supermarket BuyaCar.co.uk. While spectacular increases in every measure of consumer interest during June are somewhat tempered by equally spectacular declines in the preceding months, BuyaCar contends that enquiries from buyers are not simply bouncing back from the depths of the coronavirus crisis. They are already beginning to overtake pre-pandemic levels.
A new study from market research firm Global Market Insights expects the airless tyre market to surpass 139,000 units by 2024. The researcher said that stimulated production of military and heavy commercial vehicles in the Asia Pacific region would boost the segment. Also backed by urbanisation trends in the region, Global Market Insights estimates that APAC will account for more than 34 per cent of the global market by 2024.
Cooper Tire Europe will return to live motorsport competition next month when RallyX Nordic hosts the ‘All-Star Magic Weekend’ at Höljes. Planned with strict health and safety measures amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the event will run behind closed doors over four days from 2-5 July. Cooper has continued to develop its support for rallycross in recent years, It added the exclusive supply deal for the next three British Rallycross Championship seasons last year.
Michelin is supplying more than 2,000 UK and Ireland tyre dealerships with COVID-19 safety kits as the demand for tyres in all sectors begins to increase. The packages contain materials to help implement standardised hygiene practices for employees and customers. The free packs have begun shipping to all independent Michelin Quality Centre, Michelin Exelagri and Michelin Service Pro dealers. These networks support Michelin customers across the car, agricultural and commercial vehicle sectors respectively.
Rockwell Automation, Inc. and PTC have announced strategic enhancements to the FactoryTalk InnovationSuite and used in factories around the world – including automotive and tyre operations. Launched in 2018, the FactoryTalk InnovationSuite, has reportedly seen “rapid customer adoption, helping achieve significant improvements in operational efficiency, reduction in unplanned downtime and improved quality.”
Vaculug, the UK’s last remaining largescale independently-owned retreader celebrates its 70th anniversary this year. And while the last edition of our bilingual Retreading Special supplement carried details of the family-focused summer fete-style party the company planned for its team in June, coronavirus and the resultant national lockdown has put paid to that. However, having started in straightened times of the post-war years, during the businesses’ seven decades of trading Vaculug is one of only a few retreaders that can say it has seen – and come through – it all: governmental changes, recessions, global financial crises and more. With all this in mind, you can see why company representatives recently tweeted: “70 years and no virus will stop us going for the next 70 and the next 70 after that!”
Two New Zealand retreaders (Tyre Retreaders and Power Retreads) have invested in retread manufacturing equipment produced by Vipal Machinery. In total, three machines were shipped from Brazil, Vipal’s headquarters, to Oceania.
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