Pictures of de-mounted tyres removed from cars at Micheldever retail businesses look more like scrap than tyres taken of road-going vehicles two weeks ago. And this has made some company representatives suggest that the problem of illegal wear is worse than ever.
Tyre wholesaler Micheldever Tyre Services and a number of its tyre manufacturer suppliers recently raised £7000 in a charity auction in aid of Motor Neurone research on 21 September 2018. Micheldever executives thanked the tyre manufacturers (Bridgestone, Continental, Falken, Goodyear, Michelin, Pirelli and Yokohama for their “exceptional generosity”.
In last year’s ranking of the top tyre retailers in the UK, Tyres & Accessories predicted that the pace of change in the top 20 chains by branch count would result in some jostling for position. This has proved entirely accurate, as two major acquisitions have brought two of 2017’s top 20 into the fold of higher ranked companies, leading to both Micheldever/Protyre, leapfrogging HiQ into fourth place as predicted last year, and Lodge Tyre, into the top 10 from joint-14th last year, making significant jumps in this year’s table. Most other retailers have held relatively stable positions in terms of the number of stores, while our most recent additions to the table, Eden Tyres (15 stores) and Elite Garages (13) were identified as narrowly missing out on places last year.
Micheldever Tyre Services (MTS) has begun 2018 with the launch of new tyre products into its distribution line-up, with plans to grow the product lines throughout the year. As well as a new Falken tyre, the wholesaler will commence the distribution of the Sumitomo brand, as discussed with Tyres & Accessories in December, with the BC100 pattern.
Micheldever Group has welcomed the Department for Transport’s decision to maintain the existing ‘3-1-1’ MOT regime. The conclusion follows last year’s consultation on extending the date of the first MOT test from three to four years.
In order to clear any consfusion arising from the announcement that Michelin and Sumitomo Corporation of Americas (SCOA) are forming a joint venture to pool tyre wholesale resources in the USA and Mexico, the Micheldever Group has issued a statement stressing that it is not in any way connected with Sumitomo Corporation or its North American subsidiary.
Following the news that Micheldever and Kumho Tyre are ending their 15-year distribution relationship, Kumho Tyre (UK) Ltd. (KTUK) has confirmed that the cooperation will end in May 2018. After that date, KTUK will itself be responsible for distributing Kumho branded car, 4×4 and van products in the UK (excluding Northern Ireland).
Micheldever Tyre Services (MTS) has confirmed it is ending its 15-year tyre distribution partnership with Kumho Tyre in the UK. According to the company, the exclusive distribution agreement with Kumho Tyre will “end by mutual agreement” by the end of May 2018. However, MTS says the decision has also been prompted by a “clash of long-term ambition” for the Kumho brand in the UK. It comes at the same time Kumho’s global headquarters is embroiled in a complex ownership and financing struggle.
General Tire, supported by Micheldever Tyre Services, has raised £14,000 for the Children’s Air Ambulance since they formed a partnership two years ago.
The current total has been achieved thanks to an on-going commitment from the MTS network of General Tire independent tyre dealers fundraising at individual business sites, as well as funds donated from various General Tire events.
As we go to print on the December issue of Tyres & Accessories, Micheldever Group is marking a year since Sumitomo Rubber Industries, manufacturer of Falken Tyres for which MTS is UK distributor, bought the UK tyre distributor from previous owner Graphite Capital Management. While the sale was not unexpected, the identity of the new owner may have been somewhat surprising, though SRI’s investment in Falken Tyre Europe following the late-2015 dissolution of its alliance agreement with Goodyear makes the acquisition of a leading distributor a logical move. For Micheldever’s board, SRI was said to be an attractive new owner, with the presumption that it would offer offering longevity, stability, and consistency; as a large, well-established, high quality top-six tyre manufacturer seeking to broaden its knowledge of UK distribution with an already successful business.
Micheldever Tyre Services (MTS) reports that recent updates to its TyreClick website have drawn a positive response from the MTS independent dealer network, with many reporting significant increases in sales since the site was revamped.
In one of the biggest and most significant investments into TyreClick since its launch in 2014, the site updates have seen a raft of new design and user functionality features – with the new look site already delivering increased sales for the independent network of tyre dealers using it.
The AlloyGator wheel protector has an opportunity for growth as motorists battle alloy wheel damage caused by hitting potholes. Hitting the side of a pothole can cause scrapes, scuffs and dents to alloy wheels resulting in expensive repair bills or even the need for replacements – all of which can be avoided by fitting AlloyGators, the company states. With the winter months sure to exacerbate the pothole problem, due to frozen water expanding cracks in the road, AlloyGator is increasing its efforts to roll out its product to more tyre retailers.
Almost 60 independent tyre dealers attended two extreme driving experience events organised by Micheldever Tyre Services (MTS) to try out General Tire’s Grabber AT3 and Grabber X3 off-road 4×4 tyres. The participating dealers, from MTS’s network of General Tire performance partners, took up the extreme driving challenge at Parkwood Off-Road Centre in Bradford and the Harbour Hill Copse off-road site in Aldermaston near Reading, two of the UK’s most challenging 4×4 proving grounds. The two-day event, which included expert off-road driver training and education about the on and off-road properties of the new 4×4 patterns, was held as a reward for the dealers’ increased sales and customer loyalty.
Micheldever Tyre Services has been voted Tyre Supplier of the Year for the second year running at the Power Awards, organised by Workshop magazine.
The award was voted for by the magazine’s readers, made up of workshop professionals at both independent and franchised dealers.
Micheldever Tyre Services (MTS) has joined forces with a leading independent tyre retailer and TyreSafe highlight illegal part worn tyres.
MTS, Steve Andrews Tyres, based in St Austell, and TyreSafe are working to help shine a light on the world of part worn tyres, with their campaigning efforts taking them all the way to Westminster.
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