Wheel servicing equipment manufacturer Hunter has launched the fourth generation of the Revolution tyre changer. The top of the range, fully automatic changer has been upgraded to suit the needs of high-volume tyre shops, according to the brand’s UK distributor Pro-Align.
For garages looking to increase the number of revenue-generating tasks they can complete, the increased efficiency of their equipment is of paramount importance. Most directly, changing a tyre more quickly and safely means more customers can be served – and of course billed. But the latest changer from Hunter, distributed in the UK by Pro-Align, offers the chance to increase the additional tasks its operator can complete through increased automation of the process.
A Monmouth tyre dealer has spoken of the benefits offered by the Hunter Revolution tyre changer’s almost fully automated procedures. Pro-Align, Hunter’s distributor, demonstrated the machine to Tyres & Accessories when it first arrived in the UK, and now the changer is proving its value in the real world at garages like Paul Jarrold Tyres. Technician Matt Robert-Buxton said: “As an operator it removes all worry of damage to tyres, rims and TPMS, resulting in stress-free tyre changing.” The retailer has been running two Revolution changers since June 2015.
New updates to the Revolution, Hunter’s fully automatic tyre changer, have reduced the unit’s footprint by 25 per cent and enhanced ease-of-use.
UK Hunter equipment distributor, Pro-Align has identified the increased relevance of winter tyres as a key reason to ensure the efficiency of their tyre changing equipment. “Historically, there has been little appetite for winter tyres in the UK which meant that when workshops were removing tyres, they were normally being scrapped so it didn’t matter if the tyres were damaged in the process,” explains Paul Beaurain, managing director, Pro-Align. “However, now that there’s been quite a sizeable growth in the winter tyre market, workshops need to ensure that they do not cause any damage when removing and refitting tyres.”
While the financial context of the last five years has undoubtedly provided a challenging market environment for many players in the tyre industry, the premium garage equipment sector has seen opportunity. As tyre retailers have broadly seen margins squeezed further as consumers look to save on tyres, so has the importance of maximising ancillary services grown. On the occasion of the launch of another trail-blazing addition to its range with the Revolution tyre changer, Hunter garage machinery supplier to the UK Pro-Align took the opportunity to show Tyrepress the effects of providing innovative services to the sector.
