July 2019
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Autosupplies Group to acquire Leisureways UK Ltd
Autosupplies Group, comprising leading motor factors Autosupplies (Chesterfield) and Butlers Automotive, has entered into an agreement to purchase Leisureways UK Ltd of Rotherham.
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Falken celebrates 20 years at the Nürburgring
Falken Tyres celebrated 20 years at the Nürburgring with sponsorship of the ADAC TOTAL 24-Hour Race (N24), held on 22-23 June 2019. The Sumitomo Rubber Industries brand’s team, run by Sven Schnabl, now fields two cars at the event, and in the VLN Endurance Championship. The UK’s Peter Dumbreck and Swiss driver Alexandre Imperatori drove the BMW M6 GT3 alongside BMW factory drivers Stef Dusseldorp and Jens Klingmann to claim an excellent sixth place finish, having started 31st on the grid, while the new Porsche 911 GT3R, driven by Austrian duo Martin Ragginger and Klaus Bachler supported by Porsche factory drivers Dirk Werner and Jörg Bergmeister, finished the race in 21st, having suffered an off that put paid to its chances of a top-ten finish. Falken also supplied racing tyres to Subaru Tecnica International’s WRX STI. Tyres & Accessories took the opportunity to catch up with Falken Tyre Europe’s new chief operating officer and president, Markus Bögner, on what is probably the rising company’s most important weekend of the year.
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Bridgestone pulling away at the top of global tyre manufacturer rankings
This month’s magazine includes our annual leading tyre manufacturers table (click here for more). Ranking the world’s biggest and big tyre firms in this way gives everyone a baseline reference for gauging different firms’ performance and – if previous years are anything to go by – it can be a real conversation starter as well.
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Tyre dominance in overall aftermarket beginning to diminish
The value of the United Kingdom (UK) automotive aftermarket grew by 4.9 per cent during the course of 2018. According to MarketLine, which produces its data in US-dollars across all markets worldwide, this means the UK automotive aftermarket was and is worth $28.5 billion (£22.53 billion) a year. However, the same research suggests that the value of the UK automotive aftermarket sector is increasing and in 2023 is forecast to be worth $34.4 billion (£27.2 billion), up 20.7 per cent compared with 2018.
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Autopromotec: Changing Europe makes cooperation more important
When the doors for Autopromotec 2019 opened at the end of May, the show organisers were already reporting a 4.4 per cent increase in the number of exhibitors. More than 1,650 companies exhibited at Autopromotec 2019. 43 per cent were non-Italian companies from 53 different countries. It has undoubtedly become a large and influential international show, but how will this work in a post-Brexit environment?
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June 2019 – Retreading Special
Click on the CONTINUE READING button to view the June 2019 issue of Retreading Special
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Tyre Recovery Association Forum day welcomes record numbers
The 2019 TRA annual forum day attracted record numbers of delegates to its annual day conference held at the Ardencote Manor Hotel on Tuesday 18 June. Numerous topics were covered during the day, but the TRA’s calls for government support in pursuit of its goals; details of the association’s recent tag technology trial details; and the launch of a tyre recovery industry-specific Fire Prevention Plan stood out. More than 90 delegates were in attendance.
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June 2019
Click on the CONTINUE READING button to view the June 2019 issue of Tyres & Accessories
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Tyre aging law could take effect in 2020
The UK government is consulting on plans to ban old tyres for buses, coaches, lorries and minibuses and a new law could be introduced this year and come into force early 2020. Tyres aged 10 years and older would be banned from use on buses, coaches, lorries and minibuses under the new proposals. However, further clarity about precisely what the new rules will cover is needed.
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Digital transformation in the tyre sector
At the start of May, Zivojin Sekulic of GAJ d.o.o. gave a presentation on the digital transformation of the tyre industry at Guangrao Tyre Conference and Expo 2019. Shortly afterwards, he shared details of the presentation with Tyres & Accessories, which shows how digital data is affecting all parts of the distribution chain.
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MWheels refocuses business on wheel expertise
During the first half of 2019, Manchester-based commercial wheel services company MWheels has been implementing an evolutionary process to change its target. The company has sought to position itself differently within its markets; from a UK wheel distributor campaigning for legislative input on wheel safety, to a European provider of wheels and wheel services designed to make commercial operators more aware of the safety and business implications of fitting and maintaining the most suitable products for their fleets. “The last four months,” chief executive officer Matthew Mardle tells Tyres & Accessories, “have been a big success in following through on the strategies” implemented since the changes in leadership at the helm of the company in January – Mardle was appointed CEO, while company founder John Ellis took up a new position as chairman – and, in the longer term, since the company opened its European operation, MWheels GmbH, in Germany.
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Have the truck tyre import tariffs ‘worked’?
The size of the UK truck tyre market by sell-out unit volume fell 9.8 per cent in 2018 set against the backdrop of European import tariffs, according to GfK data presented at Autopromotec 2019. But what do the tell us about the effectiveness of the tariffs?
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Do tariffs and trade wars work?
At the time of going to press, the President of the United States of America is mid-way through a state visit to the UK. Before he even landed on British soil, President Donald Trump stirred up controversy by tweeting his disparaging thoughts about London Mayor Sadiq Kahn. Whatever view one might hold about the propriety of Trump’s visit, we all know that 31-gun salutes and tea with the queen are about more than niceties. Sure enough less than 24 hours into the state visit, presidential talk turned to trade, with Trump backing out-going Prime Minister Theresa May to complete Brexit negotiations and promising a “phenomenal” trade deal between the US and UK. But all this is set against the backdrop of all-out trade war between the US and China at the same time that Europe is involved in somewhat more Cold War-esque trade skirmishes with China as well. The questions are: do such measures work? And what do they mean for the tyre business?
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A day in the life with Bridgestone OTR major accounts manager Rob Cole
Bridgestone’s OTR major accounts manager Rob Cole is celebrating his 30th anniversary with the world’s largest tyre manufacturer. He spoke exclusively with Tyres & Accessories about his role at the company – and the changes he has encountered over the years.
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