Tyre News

Continental Scoop Tyre Award at Fleet Van Awards
Hankook Wins Design Awards for Environmentally Friendly Tyres
Maxxis Centres of Excellence Programme Gains Impetus
Manbat's African Adventure
Eagle Equips Vehicles with Tyre Socks to Keep Drivers Safe
Bridgestone Names BMTR as Top Dealership

Continental Scoop Tyre Award at Fleet Van Awards

The inaugural Fleet Van awards ceremony held in Birmingham recently saw Continental Tyre Group win top prize in its category as Tyre Provider of the Year. The judging panel evaluated entrants based on a number of criteria, which included: validated performance of the current product range; availability of supply; simplicity of fitment and evidence of the company's commitment to future development and innovation.

Trevor Gelken, Editor of Fleet Van Magazine commented: "We were very impressed with Continental's performance in all of the judging categories, but the deciding factor for us was the outstanding focus on safety".

Continental actively promotes safety through its work with road safety and government organisations using initiatives such as the 3mm minimum tread depth campaign. In addition, safety has always been the first consideration for Continentals Research & Development teams in developing new product.

Speaking after the ceremony Continental Tyre Group managing director David Smith said; "We're obviously delighted to have won this award in its inaugural year. Continental works closely with both manufacturers and fleets to provide the optimum tyre performance in terms of safety, durability and fuel efficiency and it's great to have that recognised. It's one of the reasons that one in three vans leaves a European factory on Continental tyres."

Hankook Wins Design Awards for Environmentally Friendly Tyres

Hankook Tire has received two awards for the design of its enfren and Optimo 4S tyres at the iF Product Design Awards 2009, one of the world's leading design competitions organised by the International Forum Design, on the 25th November in Hannover, Germany.

The environmentally friendly tyres enfren and Optimo 4S are the first passenger car tyres ever to receive this prestigious design award. They were both awarded in the 'Transportation' category, based upon the tyres, technology, environment friendliness, functionality, safety and design quality.

Maxxis Centres of Excellence Programme Gains Impetus

The Maxxis Centres of Excellence programme continues to grow in popularity with 400 retailers of car and motorcycle tyres now promoting Maxxis as the affordable alternative to the premium brands and generating sound profit opportunities for themselves as they help Maxxis build its share of the UK's PCR market.

"We know the extent to which buying decisions can be influenced by over the counter advice provided at the point of sale and have made a serious commitment to build trade relationships, especially within the independent sector," says Derek McMartin, managing director of Maxxis International UK plc.

"Through a variety of marketing communications activity, including top level sponsorship of Premiership football, the European Drift Championship, British Superbikes, the Isle of Man TT Races and motocross, we are getting across the message that Maxxis tyres represent reliability and good value. This is reinforced by our growing network of professionally branded Maxxis Centres of Excellence, which also boosts our profile among the tyre-buying public."

Cheadles Garage in Penkridge, Staffordshire, is a family-owned servicing and MOT business of some 25 years' standing and was first to register as a Maxxis Centre of Excellence.

"We're promoting Maxxis as a high quality and good value solution when customers ask us for a recommendation," says owner Ian Price, whose business caters for the tyre-buying public in Penkridge, Stafford and Cannock, as well as a few local businesses.

"Before we switched to Maxxis we put it to the test with a variety of vehicles to make sure it would do the job, and our overall our experience of the brand has been superb."

W W Wheel & Tyre of Burton on Trent joined the programme in November 2007 because owner Wayne Wilford wanted continuity of supply and a USP. As the only tyre retailer in its area selling Maxxis, the business has benefited from a degree of exclusivity and now sells more Maxxis tyres than any other brand to a predominantly retail customer base.

"If customers specifically request a premium brand, I'll certainly sell it, but if they ask for my recommendation I always quote on a Maxxis because it's a good, all round tyre. I'm very pleased with Maxxis, it certainly works for me," says Wayne, who has branded his business with Maxxis banners, opening times signage, posters and leaflets.

Another business with just over a year's experience as a Maxxis Centre of Excellence is Goodfellow & Son Ltd of Cockermouth, Cumbria, which is promoting the brand as a mid-range solution. Owner Barry Goodfellow is especially impressed with the strength in depth of the Maxxis range.

"Our customer base is mainly retail but we have some business accounts, such as builders, window cleaners and delivery firms, and it helps that we can offer UHP, 4x4 and van products. If we get a customer in for car tyres but they also have a small van, they will very likely switch that vehicle to Maxxis too," he says. "People who come in for a premium brand will rarely buy anything else, but we find that customers looking for a value option will usually choose Maxxis over a budget tyre."

The Tyre Outlet opened in Huyton, Merseyside, in September 2008 and immediately signed up as a Maxxis Centre of Excellence offering the car, light truck, 4x4 and UHP ranges. In addition to utilising Maxxis banners, posters and overalls, the depot features prominent Maxxis signage.

Depot manager Ian Dawick says: "There has been a tyre business on this site for the past 25 years but it didn't have Maxxis. Now it is selling well and we are promoting the lifetime guarantee to sell up from the budget brands."

Sunderland's KB Tyres was established in 1996 and serves local consumers and businesses. The company became a Maxxis Centre of Excellence in May 2008 and proprietor Kevin Burlington says around 90% of the tyres he fits are Maxxis.…

"Maxxis is our house brand and has been very well received. We sell Maxxis car and van tyres plus 4x4 and UHP, and they have gone down very well," he says.

Maxxis PCR, 4x4 and high performance tyres are available exclusively from Grouptyre, the UK's leading independent wholesaler, which enjoys an exclusive distribution arrangement with Maxxis and is helping to develop the Centres of Excellence programme.

"Maxxis is gaining in popularity all the time and for anyone selling PCR tyres the brand represents an attractive business growth and profit opportunity," says Grouptyre's managing director Karl Naylor.

Manbat's African Adventure

Manbat, the leading battery distributor has agreed to supply batteries for a fleet of Land Rovers and in the process support the forthcoming From Tyrefort to Timbuktu charity event.

The idea behind the event is for the team of 4x4's to travel Form Tyrefort in Birmingham to Accra in Ghana, via Timbuktu, with the intention of supporting orphanages and related charities as they travel through Western Africa. Setting off immediately after the New Year celebrations ceased, the convoy got underway on 2nd January and pass through France, Spain and Portugal before reaching 'the dark continent'.

Once in Africa, the charity destinations are Mauritania, Gambia, Mali and Ghana and the team will be donating medical equipment, educational support materials, comfort equipment, plus all the vehicles and their spare parts. The only things that will return to the UK with the team are what they'll be wearing at the airport!

Event organiser Glen McKeith said; " What started out as a 'little run' to support communities in Western Africa, has become a fairly major charity event. "Bearing in mind the nature of the terrain we will be tackling, we believe it's vital to use the ultimate in 4x4 vehicles, which is why we are using a combination of Land Rover Defender's and Discovery's. It then follows that the ultimate vehicles should use the ultimate in batteries, which is why we are so pleased to rely on Manbat."

Manbat's marketing manager, Myles Pemberton said: "We are always happy to consider support for interesting events, but the combination of great adventure and tangible charitable support was really inspirational and made the From Tyrefort to Timbuktu an event which we wanted to get behind."

Eagle Equips Vehicles with Tyre Socks to Keep Drivers Safe

Scotland's leading independent courier firm has decided to equip its delivery vans with special safety "socks" in a bid to cope with the treacherous winter road conditions in Aberdeenshire and the Highlands. Eagle Couriers has invested in the revolutionary new equipment and plans to use the tyre socks to ensure their drivers are as safe as possible on snow-covered or icy roads.

The company carries out many deliveries in the north of Scotland during the winter, and already uses safety equipment such as tyre chains, which they fit to their vans when they need to drive through heavy blizzards and snow drifts. However, by using the "tyre sock" technology, which was devised in Norway, they hope to improve their vehicles' grip on the road when faced with less extreme weather conditions such as sleet and ice - which are less suitable for chains.

Under the move, the company will be trialling the equipment on vehicles travelling through Aberdeenshire and the Highlands to ensure that medical equipment and sensitive data is delivered safely and on time. If it proves successful, the firm will roll out the technology across its entire fleet.

Jerry Stewart, one of Eagle Couriers' directors, said: "We make sure our drivers are fully trained and have the best equipment available to ensure they stay safe on the road. "We carry out a lot of work in the north of Scotland and, during the winter, the weather conditions up there can be very challenging. We carry snow chains in our vehicles but while these are perfect for heavy snow, they aren't always the best thing for icy conditions.

"These tyre socks, on the other hand, are designed to improve friction between the tyres and the road and are perfect for dealing with light snow and ice. They have been highly recommended by industry experts but are still very new in this country, so we are delighted to be one of the few pioneering companies to use them.

"We hope they will become yet another option that our drivers can use in order to stay as safe as possible on treacherous roads throughout Scotland this winter."

Eagle Couriers currently works with major organisations such the NHS and delivers medical supplies, equipment and important documents hospitals across the whole of Scotland. Their work also involves regularly travelling along isolated roads across rural Scotland - including the Highlands, Aberdeenshire and the Scottish Borders.

Bridgestone Names BMTR as Top Dealership

Tyre dealership Birmingham Motor Tyres (BMTR) has recently been announced as the overall winner of Bridgestone's First Stop Business Development Programme, which recognises outstanding achievement by First Stop dealerships across the UK. The dealership, which has two retail outlets in the Midlands, was judged on a number of criteria including performance in tyre safety checks, the appearance of staff, workshop and reception areas, alongside staff expertise and training. The dealership scored particularly highly on customer service and was announced as the overall 'Centre of Excellence' title winner, receiving a complete refurbishment of the Coleshill site's reception area and gift vouchers for the employees.

Established 90 years ago as one of the first independent tyre distributors in the UK, BMTR's ultra modern tyre centres are now fully equipped with the most sophisticated tyre fitting, balancing and alignment equipment available. It operates a fleet of mobile tyre service vehicles and is fully equipped to offer high standards of service on-site for both car and truck tyres.

Gary Hickman, Director and General Manager at BMTR, is thrilled to have won the prestigious award: "We are delighted to have our achievements formally recognised and our 'Centre of Excellence' accreditation is testament to all the hard work that the team puts in. We have a long and proud heritage and, with the support of Bridgestone, we continue to strive for success."