This is all part of a continuing trend. Because, tyre manufacturers are looking to trade direct with the public. Hence, by buying out tyre retail groups. Therefore, to increase their market share.
I have seen all this kind of thing before. In the sixties and the seventies all the big tyre companies bought out retail tyre groups. It became a mad frenzy? Thus to try and build up the largest retail organization.
Dunlop began to build it’s Tyreservices empire. This is where I first started in the tyre industry. A tyre fitter at National Tyres Dewsbury, UK.
One big thing that came out of it is that Tyre manufacturers could not handle running the retail sector. The whole thing eventually fell apart. Most of the best guys worked for the independent tyre retailer.
I suspect that this is what will happen again. Tyre manufacturers have no idea about running a retail organization. Who knows? only time will tell. Meanwhile people like Hankook tyre think that this is the way forward and only time can tell.
Sumitomo tyres of Japan. Have taken the best route in my opinion. Hence, by buying the wholesale group known as Micheldevers.
Apollo Tyres plans to set up a subsidiary in Malaysia over the next two years as the c
This Indian based tyre company are having expansion plans all over the world. They also make a great tyre product including their excellent winter tyre range.
As Apollo agents here in the Halifax area we will be offering the Apollo tyres winter tyre range to the public this winter.
Apollo tyres plans over the next two years include setting up the Malaysia venture and then increasing their worldwide presence by 15 %
They intend doing this by exports. Part of the their plans, include increasing their capacity to expand their truck and bus tyre range from the tyre manufacturing plant in Chennai. The capacity is expected to rise from the production of 6000 tyres up to 9000 tyres a day.
New investments will double the capacity at the Chennai plant due to an investment of 2700 Rupees crore (crore is an Indian numbering system and is 10 million Rupees). This investment will be spread over the three to four years.
Apollo Tyres plans
The Indian tyre maker have plans for a strong profits performance. Including, a strong operating profit. So combined with lower cost of borrowing.
Apollo tyres plans over the next two years. Include setting up the Malaysia venture and then increasing their worldwide presence by15 %
They intend doing this by exports. Part of the Apollo tyres plans, include increasing their capacity. Hence, to expand their truck and bus tyre range . Of course, from the tyre manufacturing plant in Chennai. The capacity is expected to rise from the production of 6000 tyres up to 9000 tyres a day.
New investments will double the capacity at the Chennai plant.
So, due to an investment of 2700 Rupees crore (crore is an Indian numbering system and is 10 million Rupees). This investment will be spread over the three to four years.
The Indian tyre maker plans for a strong profits performance. Thus, with a strong operating profit. Combined with lower cost of borrowing.
Here in the UK we have witnessed the acquisition of Vredestein tyres. Of course, a very strong performing Dutch tyre manufacture. Which, now is starting to pay dividends. Vredestein tyres have always been strong in the making of winter tyres. The plans included the joint names of the companies. The name has now become Apollo/Vredestein.
Apollo tyres plans also include the setting up of a tyre retail network. Which was the previous Vredestein dealer network. Made up of independent tyre retailers and now the addition of the Point-S tyre organisation.
Apollo Tyres Spending Spree I must admit as an Apollo tyre retailer, this one came out of the blue?
Apollo Tyres Spending Spree has taken another step
With the recent acquisition of the German tyre retailer “Reifencom”. Hence, this is just a part of the mad rush for the cash strapped tyre manufacturers. Hence, to expand their empires.
The agreed price is said to around 45 million Euros. Although, I have never heard of the German tyre company. So they are said to have grown to one of the largest tyre retailers. Thus, with an online presence. Reifencom have 37 retail outlets and also sell tyre products online. Naturally, in Germany and other parts of Europe. Including France, Italy, Austria, Switzerland and Denmark.
The Apollo Tyres Spending Spree has not yet hit the UK tyre market, but with tyre retailers the likes of “National”, up for grabs, then who knows?
The nearest we have been was the acquisition of Vredestein tyres in Holland. Vredestein have a very strong presence here in the UK and so I think it is a case of watch this space?
Neeraj Kanwar, is the MD of Apollo tyres and said,” The acquisition is a strategic fit in further growing our European business”, “It will enable Apollo to improve its mix of distribution channels in Germany and Europe and aid in increasing the visibility of Apollo and Vredestein tires in the offline and especially the fast growing online retail space.”
All of this follows in the steps of Michelin tyres who have now acquired online tyre businesses in Germany, France and the UK.
Tyre manufacturer’s boardrooms must be buzzing with conversations about what will be happening next. My money will be on Bridgestone?
Bridgestone are the world’s largest tyre manufacturers are will not want to be left behind. The large Micheldever tyre operation is up for grabs? Now bought by Sumitomo tyres. Who knows.
The Vector 4 Seasons tyres are for new Ford car models.
Hence, to versions of its Galaxy, C-Max, Focus, Fiesta, and S-Max models.
The Goodyear vector 4 Seasons tyres, came out with very good results. Especially, in a recent German Auto Magazine tyre test. The Goodyear Vector 4 Seasons tyres came with excellent wet braking results. Of course, in snow and icy conditions, she also did well in all the other disciplines during the test.
There is no doubt
that winter and all season tyres have become a popular choice for UK and European motorists in recent years. In my opinion, it is a faster lifestyle and more safety conscious drivers who are looking to fit safer tyres on their cars.
We are also having more unsettled winters.
The weather can change from mild and wet to a heavy snowstorm over night. Motorists are more aware of this now and are fitting winter tyres such as the Goodyear Vector 4 Seasons tyres.
The original Goodyear all-season tyres were brought out more than thirty years ago. Today’s tyre is a different animal, with the use of up-to-date materials for the tyre compounds. This includes the addition of “silica” and natural rubber to the compound mix.
Ford has made a good move by fitting these Goodyear Vector 4 Seasons tyres, and I am sure that other car manufacturers will follow suit.
Goodyear all-season tyres are said to have the following attributes:.
Excellent year-round performance
Traction for all road conditions
Environmentally friendly
Better control on wet and dry roads
These tyres follow in the Goodyear tradition of supplying excellent quality tyres at a reasonable price and are available from Pellon Tyres in Halifax.
There were 500 deaths and 19,000 injuries in 2014 from aging tyres-related accidents, according to the National Transportation Safety Board.
AGING TYRES
Cracks, like the ones in this tyre are probably caused by aging tyres .Hence, that are too old to be driving about when fitted to your cars.
There has been an increase of tyre related accidents. Naturally, due to the increase of drivers buying part worn aging tyres. Many of these aging tyres are from breakers yards. For that reason, are well past there sell by date and not fit for the road.
Compounds containing anti-oxidising chemicals. Are used to slow down the natural aging process of rubber. Thus, in new tyres. The problem arises. because, the tyre becomes older than five years old. On the other hand Michelin and Continental. As expected, say that, under the right conditions a tyre could last up to ten years.
AGING TYRES
Like anything else you should check out your tyres for any cracking and bulges or bubbles appearing on the sidewall area or the tread area. The tyre in the image could have been running under pressure, but it could also be over age?
The date when the tyre was manufactured is embedded onto a tyres sidewall. It tells you the week and year that the tyre was manufactured. In the past few years, cash strapped motorists have been buying part worn tyres.
AGING TYRES
What people do not realise is that many of these part worn tyres have been sold illegally. In the 1990’s we had a similar economic downturn and laws were passed to curb the number of part worn tyres that were sold.
These laws allowed the sale of part worn tyres, providing they were inspected and tested in a correct manor. This resulted in an improved situation, until recent times. All sorts of rubbish part worn tyres are now been sold to the public.
In recent times we have seen tyres with cuts, nails, bubbles, screws and worse of all aging tyres that are passed their best and full of cracks.
checking and maintaining good Tyre tread legal limit conditions.
This is a good video. Therefore, it shows an easy way for the tyre-buying consumer. To check their remaining tyre tread legal limit.
I remember this law coming into the UK. The minimum Tyre tread legal limit was set at 1.6 mm.Hence, across two thirds of the tread from the centre of the tread outwards.
This has now lasted for a few years.
It is a thought, though. That the trade think the legal limit. Thus, should be raised to 2 mm.
This is primarily because car designs and speeds.Consequently, have changed significantly in the past ten years. As expected, tyre companies have had to keep up with these changes. Naturally, the introduction of SUVs and crossover vehicles.Thus, has meant much larger tyre sizes.
The relevance of this is. That tyre companies such as Continental tyres. I have now stopped putting sipes (the tiny slits in a tyre that dispel water from the tyre) at 2 mm.
legal limit of your tyres
This means that the Tyre tread legal limit at 2 mm, certain tyres are bald apart from the drainage grooves that run down the circumference of the tyres.
Tyre manufacturers were quick to incorporate technology into their tyre design and included the addition of a bar of thin rubber that runs from one side of the tread edge to the other.
This bar of rubber is exactly 1.6 mm in depth.
It was put there so that the public (and the police) could see if the tread was illegal or not. When the tyre tread had worn down to these bars, the tyre was at the end of its life and should be replaced. It is at the legal limit, and below that, this makes the tyre illegal.
So watch this space; the tyre guys are campaigning for a 2 mm tread limit.
Castrol’s new Nexcel tech promises 90-second drop oil changes and dry sumps for all. But could this revolutionary new process spell the end for DIY home mechanic?
Wow this is out of the blue?
All the energy in the recent auto scene has been dedicated to the engine emissions and cutting back on greenhouse gasses, but I never saw this one coming. Changing oil is pretty easy and i would not have thought that engineers were or would be looking for ways of making it easier.
I can see where they are coming from, but i feel that the prediction of most cars having this technology fitted by 2020 a little far fetched, but you never know. it is nice to see some stuff coming out about the regular cars and not the electric side of the jog, for a change.
Little has changed when carrying out
Oil Changes, over the past fifty years and more. Just about everybody could change the oil in their car, but things are about to change.
The old oil in the engine will enter the box. The box will then be unplugged and then removed. A new cartridge will be inserted containing the correct amount of oil for the particular model of car.
The box will be electronically
connected to the cars engine management system and it is claimed that this will give better engine CO2 emission results. The old oil in the box will then be recycled responsibly.
In my opinion, car designs
will have to change to fit the Oil Changes box under the car bonnet. Although it is battery-sized, if the battery were removed from another part of the car, it could still work.
Also, there is nothing said about topping your oil level up or when oil changes will take place? Only time will tell whether or not this is a good idea or not?
Yokohama Rubber is testing new radial tyres complete with spoilers on their sidewalls, which it says improve air flow underneath the car.
Yokohama Rubber of Japan makes new advances in tyre aerodynamics
Yokohama Rubber has come up with a clever way
of making their future tyre more efficient. So, by creating better air flow around the tyres when the car is in motion,.
Yokohama Tyres, which makes car tyres from their factory in Japan,. Importantly, have also been successful in recent years by developing a greener tyre. Of course, that has less rolling resistance and are now developing the idea of an aerodynamic tyre. So, that will help reduce air drag. This will work similar to fitting relevant spoilers to cars.
This development work has been going on since 2010 and first started with the introduction of built-on fins to the tyre inner sidewall.
This had the effect of reducing drag inside the cars wheel wells. This was followed by the addition of these spoke like fins. To both sidewalls of the tyre. This had the effect of reducing drag on the whole car.
by using a supercomputer, which can run simulations of different effects that adding fins to a tyre may have on a car’s drag; the less drag, the more fuel efficiency the car will have.
So, the giant Japanese tyre company has built this new design into a new tyre that will be on display at the Tokyo Motor Show.
I can’t wait to see what the tyre will look like. I am loving the times that we are in at the moment with all the new developments that are coming out of the top tyre companies, including this tyre from Yokohama .
Independent Online What to do with a scrap car battery Independent Online But last weekend, a friend and I were chatting over a recalcitrant carburettor in his garage when I noticed a number of (obviously second-hand) car batteries in one corner.
I wrote this short article about car battery care
Of course, that includes what to do with your old scrap battery. After doing a little research, I found that for some really strange reason, drivers in the UK keep the old scrap car battery in their garage? this is really strange? when I asked them why they do this, they all replied with a similar answer.
The answer is that they are saving the old battery
in case they need it in the future. When i asked them why they say that, you never know when you might need one,”
But i explain that their battery is dead and only scrap, then they don’t believe me and still precede to keep it.
Your old car battery is actually worth a few pounds!
As a battery retailer, we collect the old batteries and then take them to the waste collection centre.
All of the waste scrap car battery journeys are covered by the “transfer of waste” regulations here in the UK and waste collection centres can only accept the scrap battery delivery if they are officially registered with the government.
Powering Sustainability: Scrap car battery
The Lead Acid Battery Recycling Revolution
Hey, fellow environmentalists! Today, I’m ecstatic to share some good news from our beautiful town of Halifax. Consider this: a world in which our planet’s health is protected and every action we take contributes to a greener, more sustainable future. Hold on to your hats, because right here in the UK, we are at the forefront of the recycling movement, particularly when it comes to lead-acid batteries.
Now you may be wondering,
“Lead acid batteries? Isn’t it just those weighty stuff in cars?” Oh, dear friend, they are much more! Lead-acid batteries power everything from our reliable vehicles to critical backup systems, making them indispensable in our daily lives. But what happens when these batteries approach the end of their life? That is where the beauty of recycling comes into play, and Halifax is doing an excellent job!
First and foremost,
Let us discuss why recycling lead-acid batteries is a major change for the environment. These batteries contain important elements such as lead, plastic, and sulfuric acid, but if not treated appropriately, they can be hazardous to our ecosystems. Imagine harmful chemicals oozing into our land and waterways—it’s not a good picture, right? But don’t worry; Halifax has it covered.
Our specialist recycling facilities give lead-acid batteries a new lease on life. Instead of ending up in landfills, where they can harm the environment, these batteries are professionally disassembled and their components repurposed to produce new items. It’s a win-win situation: we get to save valuable resources while reducing pollution and waste.
But wait—there’s more!
Recycling lead-acid batteries not only helps the environment, but it also benefits our local economy. We promote local companies and create jobs by investing in recycling infrastructure right here in Halifax. It demonstrates our community’s commitment to sustainability and success.
Now, I know what you’re thinking: “That’s fine, but what can I do to help?” Fear not, dear reader, because you have the ability to make a difference right in your hands. Next time you find yourself with an old lead-acid battery, don’t throw it away; instead, bring it to one of our local recycling centres. You will not only be helping the environment, but you will also be supporting our local economy and paving the way for a better future in Halifax and beyond.
So there you have it, folks:
The Halifax lead-acid battery recycling revolution is in full swing, and we could not be more proud. Recycling these batteries benefits everyone concerned by conserving the environment and increasing the local economy. So let’s keep the momentum going and continue to lead the way towards a greener, more sustainable future. We can make a world of difference, one battery at a time.
The movement of waste battery products
in the UK is strictly regulated. if you are disposing of a single scrap car battery, then you can take it to your local council waste facility, where you can place it in a specially marked place. Please do not throw it away or in your household bin.
Toyo Tyres USA Corp. is continuing its long-time support of the National Auto Sport Association (NASA), signing a five-year renewal covering the 2016–2020 racing seasons. Toyo has been the official tyre of NASA since 2003.
Toyota tyres USA likes so many tyre companies these days.
So, look to motorsport for consumer recognition for their tyre products.
I have always had a sweet spot for Toyo tyres here in the UK. They were always a great tyre company to deal with. Toyo were always helpful when it came to credit terms and product awareness campaigns.
In fact, we very often bought their tyre in containers,
such was there popularity in Halifax, Yorkshire, UK. Although all this was over ten years ago, we still get some of our customers asking for Toyota and tyre products. Things came to an end, though, when Toyota decided to do what so many other tyre manufacturers do and distribute their tyres through wholesaling companies.
Toyo Tyre USA has been the long-time tyre supplier and supporter of the National Auto Sport Association (NASA) and is now signing a new contract from 2016 to the 2020 race season. Toyo Tyre USA is also supporting the prestigious 25-Hours of Thunder hill, the longest endurance road race in North America.
Research and development
Like many other tyre makers Toyo Tyre USA, use these races for the research and development of the tyre products that will eventually end up on normal standard road cars. The name Proxes was developed from a broad range of racing tyres.
NASA races are split into many car types and categories.
Toyo use the Toyo Proxes RR two-groove DOT competition tyre in many of these classes. These include the Honda Challenge, Spec E30 cars, Spec E46 cars and many more. Toyota has also recently added the Spec Z class for Nissan 350Zs to the list of spec classes.
To learn more about the Proxes line competition and UHP tyres, go to www.toyotires.com.
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