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706

Ten Great Myths – The Case for Passenger Tyre Retreading

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The last issue of Tyres & Accessories carried an in-depth article analysing the future of passenger tyre retreading in Europe. Contrary to the current prevailing opinion, the RMA believes that the passenger retreading sector is far from dead. Indeed, the association believes the overall pessimistic view of the prospects for passenger retreading is based on the failure of the retreading industry to effectively explain the role and position that passenger retreads are capable of having as well as a misunderstanding of the kind of sales levels required by the retreading industry in order to create a viable business proposition for the UK’s remaining retreaders. This viewpoint, I believe, is perpetuated by 10 key misconceptions, which I have characterised here as “The Ten Great Myths of Passenger Tyre Retreading”.

707

Brityrex is Back

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Next month sees the much anticipated return of Brityrex. After an eight year absence the show is returning to Harrogate as Brityrex International and the organisers, ECI International, are determined to deliver exactly what they promised from the beginning – an exhibition dedicated to the tyre and related industries. Tyres & Accessories caught up with event organisers, Paul Farrant and Rowena Suthers, of ECI international, to discuss the up and coming event, in this, the final countdown to the show.

There hasn’t been a UK tyre trade show for years, so why re-launch the show?

“The UK is an important market and it should have its own tyre show,” enthused Rowena Suthers, when asked about the company’s decision to revive the show. Brityrex dates back to 1979 and was seen as the only opportunity for the UK tyre industry to get together and exhibit its wares. Tyre Exhibitions held the last show in 1997, an exhibition that Paul Farrant and Rowena Suthers, now ECI International, were originally involved with. As well as having first hand experience of the show itself, the organisers also bring with them the knowledge gained from running the successful exhibition, Tyrexpo Asia. Together the pair have 38 years of experience in organising exhibitions and as frequent exhibitors themselves they know what exhibitors want as well as what the tyre trade wants.

“UK legislation is changing and shows like Reifen and SEMA can’t satisfy the needs of companies present in the UK market. Brityrex was never intended to be a Reifen or a Sema but it was meant to be as important to the UK market as they are to their respective markets,” explained Rowena. And what about demand for a UK show? “As the second largest market in Europe there is demand there, it’s an important market, it has always had its own event and it deserves to have its own show.”

708

Ten Great Myths – The Case for Passenger Tyre Retreading

/in

The last issue of Tyres & Accessories carried an in-depth article analysing the future of passenger tyre retreading in Europe. Contrary to the current prevailing opinion, the RMA believes that the passenger retreading sector is far from dead. Indeed, the association believes the overall pessimistic view of the prospects for passenger retreading is based on the failure of the retreading industry to effectively explain the role and position that passenger retreads are capable of having as well as a misunderstanding of the kind of sales levels required by the retreading industry in order to create a viable business proposition for the UK’s remaining retreaders. This viewpoint, I believe, is perpetuated by ten key misconceptions, which I have characterised here as “The Ten Great Myths of Passenger Tyre Retreading”.

709

Working Time Directive Could Affect Fitters

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When the Road Transport (Working Time) Regulations come into effect on 23 March 2005 they are likely to affect tyre fitters, the NTDA has reported. From the start, workers covered by the regulations will be limited to working an average 48-hour week that will be calculated over a 17-week period. While it will be possible to extend this period to 26 weeks by using a collective or workforce agreement, the maximum working time allowed in any single week will be 60 hours. The worker cannot ‘opt-out’ of either the maximum average working week or single week maximum hours.

The Regulations will apply to those persons who are mobile workers currently covered by the EU drivers’ rules i.e. those persons who work within the transport industry operating either goods vehicles, or passenger vehicles transporting more than eight seated passengers. Self-employed drivers will not be covered by the provisions until 23 March 2009. Mobile workers also need to comply with existing EU drivers’ hours rules in addition to the new regulations.

710

If There’s an “R” in the Month!

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“The atrocious road conditions of recent weeks has spawned some debate on the safety benefits of certain vehicles, centring on ultra strong safety shells, anti lock brakes and safety bags protecting every part of the drivers anatomy! However there does not seem to be any reference to the one component which largely dictates exactly where the vehicle is going – the tyres.” This was the recent comment of NTDA director, Richard Edy, in a statement concerning the UK’s current campaign for the introduction of ‘cold’ weather tyres.

711

Tyre Wholesaler’s Group Annual Lunch

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One year after becoming chairman of the NTDA’s Tyre Wholesaler Group (TWG), Peter Gaster addressed his second TWG annual lunch. In his speech the managing director of Kings Road Tyres conveyed the TWG’s support for three millimetre tread depth, shared his thoughts on how businesses can protect their ever-decreasing margins, while warning members of the continuing and expensive reality of health and safety scrutiny. One of the industry’s best-known figures, Sir Tom Farmer, also addressed the collection of members and invited guests.

According to TWG chairman, Peter Gaster, profits margins are under continued attack: “In reality we all face many of the same problems and as we know tyre prices are on the way up, I think we will all have to carefully consider the need to remain competitive and take into account our rising costs, as I don’t think that wholesale margins can absorb these increases,” he said adding, “as wholesalers we need to focus on maintaining service, as essentially that is what we are, service providers. But rising costs are putting us under pressure to maintain this level of service and keep prices down.”

In his speech, Mr Gaster went on to define one source of this continuing pressure, the requirements of the health and safety executive. “I am not complaining about the need for proper and safe working conditions, and I understand that this needs to be monitored, but it appears to me that the tyre industry is under scrutiny and I can only repeat what I have said before – if you have not had a visit, you probably will,” he explained.

Wholesalers are not tax collectors

For Mr Gaster, the devil is in the detail: “I don’t hide from the fact that I am personally concerned about the increasing bureaucracy, red tape and legislation that this government continues to burden the industry with.” Warning that the powers that be were responsible for the current situation, the TWG chairman told of his frustration at being treated as an unpaid tax collector: “If anyone from the government should hear or read this speech, I will be very happy to explain in detail about my frustrations. I recently received a letter from our local MP who wanted to know how all the advantages of ‘government working with business’ was helping our company – I am still working on my response.”

However there was definitely a positive side to the story: “The good news is that the NTDA has been working closely with the health and safety executive and has recently agreed upon an advisory package regarding the manual handling of tyres in the workplace. I think it is fair to say that if the NTDA had not been consulted, the resulting regulations would have been extremely difficult to apply.”

When is an E-marked tyre not a European tyre?

The love/hate relationship between wholesalers and manufacturers was also briefly touched on. “I received a letter, as many of us did, from Goodyear/Dunlop regarding their right to protect their trademark on the one hand, and warnings about compounds etc on the other. In seeking clarification of these intentions I would ask one question. If a tyre is E-marked and is homologated for the EEC, wherever it is made, is that tyre not legal and fit for use in the UK?” From Sir Tom Farmer’s point of view this kind of banter comes with the territory. “They are just doing their job,” he said, adding that “its all part of the fun.”

Mr Gaster also highlighted the TWG’s “unanimous support” for the current campaign to improve awareness of three millimetre tread depth, which is being driven by Brian Smith of Continental. “We at the TWG and the NTDA are firmly behind this campaign and will do all we can to support it via out association and by choice as individual companies. Let us not forget that our parliamentarians and police forces do not ride on tyres with less than three millimetres tread depths.”

Referring to the government’s landfill directive, Mr Gaster explained that he was “delighted” to confirm that “the current thinking is the industry has taken care of the problem so far and has increased the recovery rate away from land fill up to approximately 85 per cent. Therefore the government has agreed to monitor this progress and in the meantime will not be putting forward mandatory legislation.”

712

Two Shows in One?

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Tyres played a significant part at this year’s Autosport Interntional/Aftermarket Show. Yes some of the biggest players (Michelin, Bridgestone and Continental) were noticeable by their absence, but the shows still managed to attract some 92,000 people of whom 25,000 were registered trade and international visitors. Importantly, a number of these visitors will have found themselves ‘crossing over’ to the other side, from consumer to trade or vice versa.

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713

What a Model Tyre Dealer Looks Like

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One of the highlights of the Aftermarket show, from a tyre point of view, was the Model Tyre Retailer display. Set up in the form of a Yokohama Advan Dealership, the exhibit was designed to be a demonstration of best practice. Each hour, on the hour, tyre technicians gave 30 minute presentations showcasing market leading products and services.

Speaking at the opening of the Model Tyre Dealer display, NTDA national chairman, Martin Rowlands commented: “The exhibit offers an insight into the type of equipment and services that modern, forward looking tyre shops are beginning to use. The pace of development for both tyres and vehicles has accelerated at a frightening speed over the last decade and there is now a need for better diagnostic equipment, better technical knowledge and above all premises that are clean, efficient and inviting! Customers have become better informed and more demanding, but also more receptive to service quality,”

The exhibit featured tyres produced by Yokohama, Pro-Align wheel alignment systems, REMA Tip Top Machinery and CP Designs tools. The organisational forces behind the stand were show organisers Haymarket Exhibitions and alignment specialist Pro-Align.

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714

100+ To Attend Winter Tyres Seminar

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The NTDA has confirmed that more than 100 delegates have registered to attend a seminar exploring the possibility of developing a market for winter tyres in the UK.

The suggestion follows a successful campaign in Holland, where involved parties saw the winter tyre market increase nine-fold in four years. The NTDA says that a similar exercise in the UK could establish a new market of over 2.5 million units. In Holland, the campaign has been based on the slogan: “If there’s an R in the month change to winter tyres.” Although the country has a similar climate to the UK, sales have risen from around 50,000 units in 1997 to the current high of almost 500,000.

“In a highly competitive and mature market like the UK the prospect of increasing the overall market size by over two million units is an opportunity that cannot be ignored. We are delighted with the response to the seminar which has exceeded expectations so we know the trade is interested in finding out how the concept can be turned into reality,” added Mr Edy.

Tyre & Accessories will be reporting from the seminar, which will take place on 13 January at The Aftermarket Show in Birmingham.

715

Renault To Sponsor New Tyre Industry Awards

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The NTDA has announced that Renault Vans will be supporting its Tyre and Fast Fit (TAFF) awards in 2005. The TAFF awards are due to be launched at the NTDA’s Annual Dinner in April. The awards will feature Tyre Manufacturer, National and Regional Wholesaler, Tyre and Aftermarket Equipment Supplier, Product Innovation and a special award for Industry Advertising Campaigns.

716

The Aftermarket Show 2005

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The Aftermarket Show will open its doors to tyre industry visitors at the NEC from 13 to 16 January next year. Organiser, Haymarket Exhibitions, believes that the show will be both relevant and appealing to all sectors of the industry.

“The tyre section of the show is sponsored by the TIC, and the NTDA is again taking a stand; this is an exhibition that the tyre and fast fit market is keen and willing to support,” says Haymarket’s group sales manager Giles Brown.

Exhibitors such as Vredestein, Nordisk, Rage, Eurosport, Autopart and equipment suppliers like Supertracker, Tecalamit and Mace Industries will all be returning for a second successive year.

The last show was the first to combine all elements of an aftermarket industry, elements that had previously been exhibited as separate entities within Autosport International. The move is also an attempt to emphasise the combination of business and pleasure, and the automotive exhibition takes place over a full weekend for the first time. More than 90,000 people, including almost 25,000 from the automotive trades, attended the NEC for the two shows in 2004.

Although the focus is on the consumer, brands such as Dunlop, Pirelli, Uniroyal, Yokohama, Kumho and Silverstone will all be displaying their latest motorsport and high performance ranges to visitors. Fulda will also be present and is sponsoring the Live Action Arena at Autosport International as part of its campaign to launch its ultra-high performance car tyres in the UK.

717

‘Without Us Britain Stops Moving’

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As part of the NTDA’s series of 75th anniversary celebrations, association chairman, Martin Rowlands, and director, Richard Edy invited NTDA members to ‘walk the halls of power.’

On a sweltering midsummer’s evening the Houses of Parliament provided the backdrop for NTDA members to rub shoulders with parliamentarians. The evening reception was held at the invitation of David Lidington, Member of Parliament for the NTDA’s home constituency, Alylesbury.

In their welcoming speeches Mr Lidington and Mr Rowlands encouraged dialogue between the industry and government. “We value our relationship with both government MPs and the civil service and will continue to represent our members interests on government working groups covering scrap tyre disposal and road safety. As one of the guest MPs said: ‘it is important that a trade association has a voice and that we parliamentarians have an organisation with whom we can talk’,” said Martin Rowlands.

Throughout the evening guests had the opportunity to network with influential members of the tyre business and, in chairman Martin Rowlands’ words, “bend the ear of politicians, with a particular interest in our industry.”

718

Call for renewal of tread depth laws

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The NTDA is to work with its European partners and FARCO in Holland to press for a review of the Tread Depth laws. It is seeking a new legal minimum for car tyres of 2 mm for S,T and H, and 3mm for higher speed rated tyres.There will also be campaigning for an increase in the minimum legal limit on commercial vehicle tyres.

719

Insurance – A Change Of Policy?

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Insurance for all in the tyre industry is fast becoming a major problem. Legislation and an increasingly litigious society make it advisable to have the best cover you can, but it’s not always that easy. Premiums have shot through the roof as insurance companies are affected by the downturn in the stock market – it seems that the tyre industry is one sector whose business the insurance companies don’t want. Insurance was one of the topics debated at last year’s NTDA conference, but if retailers think it’s difficult to get cover, spare a thought for the poor retreader.

720

TyreCheck Joins Forces With BRAKE Road Safety Week

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The National Tyre Distributors Association has announced that, following the success of last year’s inaugural TyreCheck Safety campaign, the association has joined forces with road safety lobby group BRAKE for this year’s event. TyreCheck 2001 will run alongside the BRAKE Road Safety Week (31st March to 6th April) and is open to all UK tyre retailers. The 2000 TyreCheck found that 10 per cent of tyres examined were below the 1.6mm legal minimum tread depth.

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