Winter tyre growth in cyclical decline, but UK a market for all seasons
In Tyres & Accessories’ August 2013 Winter Tyre feature, we discussed the UK tyre industry’s continued deliberate steps towards the development of a winter tyre market, and the possibility offered by all-season tyres (which we’ll come to later). While the figures showed that sales of specialised products represent a much greater share of the market than you might have thought in the winter months, the correlative spikes in this figure remain confined to the months in which the weather is coldest. Market analyst GfK’s latest infographic on winter tyres, displayed on this page, goes further towards showing that this trend is prevalent even within the October-January period where winter tyre sales are most popular.
Continue ReadingMay motorcycle sales show year-on-year rise
May UK motorcycle sales figures show that there were 10,509 more machines registered than in May 2013 with sales reflecting new confidence in the market and economy.
Continue ReadingModern Tyre Service 9th largest tyre retailer in the UK
Following the publication of our latest coverage of the development of tyre retail business in the UK in the May issue of Tyres & Accessories (see “Mind the gap: UK retailers continue right-sizing” online and in the print edition), it has come to our attention that one company that has grown into a significant position of influence within the market during the last few years was overlooked.
Continue ReadingUK tyre retail: following pack growing fastest
Continuing our coverage of developments in the UK tyre retail sector, Tyres & Accessories reports on the following 15 companies in its 2014 top 20 leading UK tyre retailers report. After the market leading five, the next five companies in the top 20 are the fastest growing in our ranking, and probably in the market as a whole. Like Micheldever/Protyre, McConechy’s Tyre Service has grown significantly since our last survey, adding seven branches to its number and pushing its total up to 52. This brings the company’s total back to pre-recessionary levels and could be read as another indication of improving conditions in the market.
Continue ReadingUK tyre retailers continue right-sizing
Continued branch attrition at some of Britain’s largest tyre retail chains means the line between the top five and the rest of the top 10 has continued to blur. Furthermore, we now have three 50+ branch retail chains outside the top four (which are all 100+) for the first time since Tyres & Accessories started tracking this data five years ago.
Continue ReadingAverage England and Wales commute lengthened over last decade
The latest census data has revealed that the average distance travelled by commuters to work has increased in all English regions and Wales. The Office of National Statistics analysis of the 2011 Census shows that while those commuting regularly are averaging greater mileage, five per cent fewer workers made regular journeys to work than in 2001.
Continue ReadingFebruary decline in bus and coach market
Figures from the SMMT show that the UK bus and coach market fell 12.1 per cent in February to 356 units. The purpose-built sector dropped 44.4per cent in the month, down 18.6 per cent for the year-to-date. However, the converted bus market picked up, rising 31.2 per cent in February.
Continue ReadingStrong van sales boost February CV market
The SMMT has revealed that total UK commercial vehicle registrations grew by17.5 per cent in February to 13,320 with the rolling year figure up 15.1 per cent to 330,283. Van sales drove the CV growth with a strong February performance. A 28.2 per cent rise in the month to 11,731 registrations boosted the rolling 12 months by 13.8 per cent.
Continue ReadingFebruary marks two years of growth in UK car sales
February new car registrations rose 3.0 per cent to 68,736 units; this means that the UK new car market has achieved 24 consecutive months of growth, increasing 17.4 per cent over the period. The SMMT suggests that rising GDP and growing car registrations signal increasing consumer confidence and automotive retailers are looking forward to March results as expectations rise for a strong 14-plate performance.
Continue ReadingStrong start to 2014 for European new car sales
According to the latest new car sales analysis from automotive intelligence provider JATO Dynamics, there was a much healthier start to 2014 for the European new car market compared to one year ago, with January sales up 4.9 per cent on last year at 965,406 vehicles. Building on a strong finish to 2013, 44,823 more […]
Continue ReadingPirelli emissions control JV dissolved
The joint venture agreement Pirelli subsidiary Pirelli & C. Ambiente SpA signed with Clean Diesel Technologies, Inc. (CDTi) in February has been dissolved. Eco Emission Enterprise Srl (E-Cube) was established to market and sell emissions control products for both petrol and diesel applications in Europe and the CIS countries, however the operation hasn’t performed according to expectations.
Continue ReadingNew car registrations continue positive trend
New car registration figures for September show the UK once again delivered above-average performance, with the market growing 12.1 per cent year-on-year to 403,136 new registrations during the month. Registrations across the EU27 region were up 5.4 per cent on September 2012, with 1,159,066 new registrations recorded. Upon reporting these results, the European Automobile Manufacturers’ […]
Continue ReadingAll segments up in September
Figures released by Michelin this week add further weight to the ETRMA’s suggestion of recovery being evident in recent European market developments. The French tyre maker reports growth in both the passenger car/light commercial vehicle and heavy truck markets in Europe (including Russia and Turkey) during September.
Continue ReadingMichelin continues prominence dominance, but…
What’s in a name? Keeping a good name means as much in business as in life. When it comes to online marketing it arguably means even more. For the last nine years Tyres & Accessories has surveyed the prominence and sentiment of tyre brand names in the online world. We’re not experts in the very specialist and highly technical research field so we have spent all this time partnering with a company in silicon fen, which knows a whole lot more about this than we do. Previously our research partners were known as Envisional, but in the year since our last report the company has re-branded itself as NetNames. Nevertheless it is the same system and therefore it continues to be comparable with our data archive.
Continue ReadingWell-balanced tyres top motoring organisations’ winter test
This year, German motoring organsiation the ADAC got together with its Austrian and Swiss counterparts, the ÖAMTC and TCS, to produce its winter tyre test. Two sizes – 185/60 R15 T and 225/45 R17 H – were tested, and in both size categories Continental and Michelin received a “good” recommendation with their ContiWinterContact TS 850 and Alpin A4. Four products were rated “inadequate” by the testers.
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