Michelin Launches Accredited Centres
The Michelin name has become an important reference for lovers of good food and the award of a Michelin star is the ultimate accolade for any restaurant. Now the company has launched a scheme that aims to raise the bar when it comes to tyre retailing, with the establishment of Michelin Accredited Centres. In an effort to dispel the publics image of poor facilities and poor service in the tyre trade,
Continue ReadingPirelli Rubber Destroyed by Fire
Around £750,000 worth of rubber, destined for Pirellis tyre factory in Carlisle, has been destroyed in a fire. The blaze, which began yesterday and is expected to continue all day, occurred in a 100 metre square building at the former RAF 14 MU site between Rockcliffe and Cargo. Firefighters are now using a pioneering foam to try to stop the day-old blaze that ruined 550 tonnes of rubber – enough to make 50,000 tyres. Pirelli claims that production should be relatively unaffected, as a delivery lorry had picked up some stock from the warehouse on the day before the fire.
Continue ReadingNankang Winter Sales Grow 10-Fold
Nankang’s European winter tyre sales have grown to 10 times the size they were in 2003, the Taiwanese company has reported. According to company representatives, Nankang expects to move some 400,000 units of winter tyres, across Europe, this season. This is something, the company, which was reportedly the first Taiwanese company to produce snow tyres, is understandably proud of. The historically high target is set against previous records of 80,000 tyres in 2004 and 40,000 units in 2003.
Continue ReadingMaywood Keeps the Royal Mail Clean
When Royal Mail opened its newest workshop in the West Midlands on 9 August, chief executive, Adam Crozier, invited some of its largest equipment suppliers to attend. The brand new facility will be responsible for 800 Royal Mail and Parcelforce vehicles, as well as being able to service and MOT vehicles from other fleet operators in the area. Director, Gavin Masterton, and sales manager Mick Norman represented Maywood Equipment Group. According to the company, Adam Crozier was most impressed with the mobile column lifts that the Maywood supplied and asked a number of questions about them. Royal Mail project manager, Robert Thomas commented: “They have completed the workshop and are being well used!”
Continue ReadingTRW Automotive Close Brake Plant
Auto parts supplier TRW Automotive Inc. said on Thursday it plans to close a Michigan brake components plant by July 2006 because of increasing industry pricing pressures.
Continue ReadingIndian Newspaper Upgrades MRF to Buy
Indian newspaper, The Hindu Business Line, has awarded tyre manufacturer, MRF, its ‘Buy’ rating. “Though the recent trend of subdued growth in earnings may continue for a while, the long-term prospects are encouraging,” the newspaper reported. “The performance of MRF and other tyre producers has taken a knock owing to the sharp rise in the price of key raw materials such as rubber and carbon black. The pick-up in demand in domestic and export markets has mitigated the damage to the bottom line,” the report added.
Continue ReadingToyo Tyres Produce Slick Performance
Toyo claims to have turned conventional racing wisdom on its head, following tyre partner Nick Williamson’s recent driving performance. Williamson leads his class and is currently second overall in the Track and Race Saloon Car Championship Class B and has won five out of the six last meetings, running on Proxes R888 tyres.
Continue ReadingSchumacher Considers McLaren Move
Kimi Raikkonen has won the inaugural Turkish Grand Prix, beating championship leader, Fernando Alonso, into second position. Meanwhile reports that Michael Schumacher is considering a move to McLaren have emerged in the German press.
Continue ReadingATS Euromaster Appoints Property Advisors
ATS Euromaster has appointed Hartnell Taylor Cook LLP and Gerald Eve as its new property advisors in a bid to reduce costs and improve the quality of its 525 properties. Howard Elliot-Jones of ATS Euromaster, said: “We were finding the varied quality of advice coming from previous advisors wasn’t helping us to improve the operational value of our estate. A strategic property review identified the benefits of reducing the number of advisers and implementing a national strategy that would reduce our costs and improve the quality of our estate.” “The competitive bid process gave us valuable opportunity to review incumbent advisers against new ones. Hartnell Taylor Cook LLP and Gerald Eve have the experience and knowledge we are looking for to preserve and build on the value of our properties to our business.” Hartnell Taylor Cook LLP takes responsibility for ATS Euromaster’s portfolio in Southern England and South Wales from its London, Bristol and Plymouth offices; whilst Gerald Eve’s Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle and Glasgow offices are instructed on ATS Euromaster’s properties in Northern England, North Wales and Scotland.
Continue ReadingSemperit Adds 70 Series
Semperit has extended its product portfolio by adding a 70 series truck tyre range. Designed as a front-axle fitment for heavy trucks, and as an all-wheel fitment for buses the products are an extension of the recently introduced Semperit M350 Euro-Front 80-series range. A new compound has been developed for the M350 Euro-Front to improve driver safety. The enhanced flexibility of the rubber maximises grip in wet weather, aided by the design of the tread, which has been created to improve wet braking behaviour.
Continue ReadingConti Clocks Up Fan Miles
Newcastle United’s Toon Army and Sunderland’s Mackems have been named as the nation’s most committed football fans for miles covered per season, in a survey conducted by Continental. The Toon Army claim number one spot, travelling 22.8 million miles, according to the results of Conti’s study of 92 English and Welsh clubs.
Continue ReadingNTDA Announce TAFF Speaker
Gyles Brandreth, a former member of John Majors government is to be the guest speaker at the NTDA’s 2006 Annual Dinner and TAFF Awards. The event will be once again held alongside the Commercial Vehicle Show in Birmingham at the Birmingham Metropole Hotel on 26th April 2006. Gyles is perhaps better-known for his appearances on Channel 4s Countdown, TV-AM and for his writing. Chairman John Tarbox said: “We are delighted to have secured the services of such an accomplished after dinner speaker who, I am sure. Will make a major contribution to what promises to be the main tyre industry event in 2006.”
Continue ReadingThe Monolift Revival
The Hofmann 2.0 Monolift, the company’s original single post lift, first manufactured 30 years ago, has felt a resurgence in sales, according to Maywoods director Gavin Masterton. “When I was MD of Hofmann we sold regularly at least one each week for many years but in more recent times sales had fallen to just a handful. Now under Maywoods sole distribution of the Hofmann range of lifts, sales are rocketing to unprecedented levels. “The great thing about the Monolift is that where you can park a car you can fit a Monolift and it can handle virtually every car available from a mini to a Rolls Royce!
Continue Reading100,000 Tyres and Counting
(Akron/Tire Review) Michelin has celebrated the production of its 100,000th Michelin PAX System assembly at Michelin’s PAX 1 facility. PAX tyres are featured on the 2005 and 2006 Honda Odyssey Touring Edition minivans. The manufacturer says additional OE fitments will be announced shortly.
Continue ReadingTiger Wheels Buys Kentucky Plant
Tiger Wheels has reinforced its position in the North American market with the acquisition of a large-diameter wheel plant in Kentucky. The company reports that the plant is dedicated to supplying Ford motor manufacturing plants in Detroit, Louisville and elsewhere and cost $24 million. The acquisition, which was made by Tiger’s 74 per cent owned German-based wheel manufacturing business, ATS Beteiligungs GmbH, looks a good purchase when the assets’ book value ($45 million) is taken into account. ATS Beteiligungs bought the facility from the Australian ION Group, which is currently in administration.
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