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Last weekend saw the 2010 Michelin Power Cup race series draw to a close as the final round took place at a cloudy but mainly dry Cadwell Park in Lincolnshire. In the 1000cc class Jonathan Otter took first place with second and third places taken by Greg Allsop and Rhalf Lo Turco, respectively. In the 600cc class, Will Monie took the top spot with Adrian Allsopp and Andy Rouse following in second and third places.
Japanese tyre manufacturer Yokohama celebrated its 100th race as official tyre supplier to the FIA World Touring Car Championship earlier this year, having supplied the control tyre to the series since 2006. Commenting on the season, Yokohama HPT’s Motorsport manager, Mark Evans, said: “We’ve seen another exceptional year of competition in the WTCC, which is a superb environment to showcase the brand’s performance.” The ADVAN wet and dry racing tyres have drawn critical acclaim from the competitors, with the manufacturer developing products that suit both the front and rear wheel drive cars competing.
The plans of international tyre buying and marketing cooperative Point S to fill in the gaps in its European market map with a UK operation are reported to be “ahead of schedule.” In less than a year since membership talks began and just four months after the news of Point S (UK) Ltd formation was announced, the company’s plans for the establishment of one of the largest retail networks in Britain are said to be running so well that they could meet next year’s target before the end of 2010.
Motor Codes Ltd is the self-regulatory body to oversee standards in the car and garage sector, set up by the SMMT. Motor Codes relies on feedback from customers to rate various aspects of the service they have received from participating garages across the UK. In October, 1,822 service or repair customers completed surveys and the results are encouraging, particularly in view of recent negative publicity in some parts of the press.
High Wycombe-based wholesaler Broadway Tyres entered administration yesterday (4 November) after being officially declared insolvent the day before. The company is understood to have faced cashflow problems related to significant debts. Bearing in mind the fact that Broadway is a member of the 13-company Grouptyre operation, what affect is the move is likely to be on Grouptyre in general and Broadway’s customers in particular? A source close to Grouptyre told Tyres & Accessories that customers won’t notice any disruption in either service or supply as the collective is working closely with both Broadway and the administrators to ensure it is “business as usual” for customers. The source also suggested that Grouptyre will be continue to honour its supply agreements post-administration whatever the outcome of this period is.
APT Tyre Distributors Ltd of Goole in Yorkshire has become the 800th tyre service provider to enrol into the Infleet network. APT Tyres owner Alan Payling signed the service agreement after successful negotiations with the Infleet sales manager David Tattler. The news marks rapid expansion for the fleet business which announced its 500th provider just over 18 months ago.
Online tyre retailer etyres has released a short online video showing motorists how changing a tyre is so easy that even a child can do it. Most motorists dread the idea of getting a puncture and being stranded at the roadside waiting for a breakdown truck. Now etyres has released a short online video which shows drivers how they can fit their spare wheel in a matter of minutes and be back on the road in no time. And to demonstrate just how easy it is, the entire procedure is filmed being carried out by 10-year-old William Stepney. This idea is similar to the YouTube video from TyreSafe, in which two seven-year-olds check tread depths with a 20p coin.
Pirelli & C Spa reports that it tripled net income to 164.1 million euros during the first three quarters of 2010 from 50 million euros in the first nine months 2009. At the consolidated level, revenues to 30 September 2010 totalled 3,703.4 million euros, an increase of 18.9 per cent compared with 3,114.7 million euros in the first nine months of 2009.
EBIT to 30 September 2010 including restructuring charges of 12.4 million euros (28.1 million 30 September 2009) was 309.6 million euros, an increase of 69.7 per cent from 182.4 million euros in the same period of 2009. The margin as a percentage of revenues (8.4 per cent) shows a significant improvement from the 5.9 per cent recorded in the first nine months of 2009. In the third quarter, in particular, the operating result (EBIT) including restructuring charges was 116.2 million euros, growing 82.7 per cent from 63.6 million euros in the third quarter of 2009, with the margin as a percentage of revenues rising to 9.1 per cent from 5.8 per cent.
The Tire Retread & Repair Information Bureau has appointed David Stevens, 42, as its new managing director, reports Tire Review. Stevens will replace interim managing director Marvin Bozarth, who had filled the role after the TRIB board of directors dismissed long-time managing director Harvey Brodsky on 5 October. Stevens’ appointment was unanimously agreed upon by the board, which had been searching for a new managing director for the last few weeks, incoming TRIB board president Bob Majewski told media during a press conference Wednesday at the Global Tire Expo/SEMA Show.
Goodyear Aviation product support manager Robert Robson has emphasised the importance of daily aircraft tyre pressure checks. Aviation tyres' design and construction differ from automobile tyres, and though it is important to maintain the correct pressure in car tyres, proper aircraft tyre pressure is the most important factor in aircraft preventive maintenance. As a result, pilots and maintenance personnel must resist the temptation to follow the same schedule they would use in checking their cars' tyres to determine that their aircraft tyre pressure is correct, advises Robson, who regularly teaches aviation industry authorised inspection classes and has ten years of aviation tyre experience.
While the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders suggests the 2010 new passenger car market will be 1.5 per cent up on 2009 figures at the end of the year, October saw a “significant fall in… new car registrations,” says Paul Everitt, SMMT chief executive. Registrations fell 22.2 per cent to 131,495 in year-on-year comparisons, though this figure is in line with October 2009 if one discounts the Scrappage Incentive Scheme volumes. The impact of the Scrappage Incentive Scheme would therefore seem to have had no effect but to prop up the 2009 market temporarily, while the sluggish recovery of demand in 2010 could partially be the effect of consumers bringing new car purchases forward to take advantage of the scheme. Everitt also said “some deterioration in consumer confidence” was responsible.
The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) reports that the upturn in van registrations of recent months continued in October, with 18,147 new registrations making a 22.4 per cent increase on September’s figures. Truck registrations recorded a spectacular-sounding 79.9 per cent rise on September, though that month was represented by the lowest figures in recent memory. 3,158 new trucks were registered.
Kumho reports that it enjoyed 4mins and 35secs of exposure during the BBC’s recent Korean Grand Prix coverage. Not in relation to F1, but through footage of the recent rally success of the show’s ebullient anchorman, Jake Humphrey, and long-standing Kumho-sponsored rally driver and Sky TV pundit, Tony Jardine.
The event, the Cambrian Rally, was Humphrey’s first ever rally and he took to the sport sufficiently quickly to guide the Ford-Fiesta-mounted pair to an impressive second in class. Running on Kumho rally tyres, their Fiesta was suitably adorned with Kumho stickers, while Kumho logos were clearly visible on the crew’s overalls. The team’s exploit’s also received a good airing in The Sun newspaper, which was another of their sponsors.
The recent Brityrex exhibition saw Tyresensors.com exhibit featured the company’s range of Schrader OE replacement sensors and service kits, not to mention the firm’s ATEQ line of TPMS trigger tools, which it exclusively distributes in the UK. So how did the exhibition go?
“A lot of people were interested in TPMS in generally as well as our parts in particular,” managing director Ian Smith told Tyres & Accessories, adding that the company’s ATEQ tool demos had the effect of drawing visitors in. As a result the company representatives report that they made “a lot” of good contacts, with a real emphasis on the quality of the leads gained.
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When Goodyear Dunlop Tires Europe said it had appointed George Rietbergen as managing director UK and Ireland in March, the announcement meant the Dutchman would become the operation’s third managing director since 2004. During that time significant changes have taken place in the company’s UK and Eire operations including the separation of HiQ in a hard franchised passenger car only retail operation and a Truck Force network; the adoption of multi-brand and multi-company distribution strategy via outsourced third party logistics (namely Norbert Dentressangle) and a significant number and scope of personnel changes. Set against this backdrop you could be forgiven for expecting more upheaval, but as Tyres & Accessories recently found out in an exclusive interview with the new MD, he brings with him a refreshingly up-front Hollandic approach and an understated management style that puts the emphasis on the departmental heads and middle managers rather than “the man at the top.”
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