2012 TAFF TMoY Finalists Set

Pirelli won last year’s TAFF award for the best tire manufacturer; who will it be this time?

Since their introduction, the NTDA Tyre & Fast Fit (TAFF) Awards have become something of a tire industry institution and the competition is always keen. After all, who wouldn’t want the bragging rights of saying that you have been chosen as number one in your sector by your customers?

For those who don’t know, the awards are made in a number of categories, in which five finalists have been selected, following nominations from NTDA members. The tire industry then gets the chance to vote for a winner in each category, with voting forms published in the June, July and August issues of Tyres & Accessories, or you can cast your vote via the NTDA website.

As well as the usual five categories, for the second time there will be a Tire Center of the Year award, where members can nominate one of their centers, which will be “mystery shopped” and assessed by market research experts Encircle Marketing.

The final award is that of “Innovation” and companies are invited to put forward a product or process that they believe is truly innovative. These are whittled down to a shortlist and a panel of industry experts picks a winner.

The winners of all these awards will be announced during the NTDA Annual Dinner, which this year is being held at the Hilton Deansgate, Manchester, on Oct. 10. Incidentally, 2012 sees a new sponsor for the TAFF Awards; chemical company and synthetic rubber supplier Lanxess.

For the 2012 Tire Manufacturer of the Year, the five largest tire companies in the world go head-to-head, with Goodyear Dunlop replacing Hankook in the list of nominees. Bridgestone, Continental and Michelin have all won the award in the past, while the fifth nominee – Pirelli – was last year’s winner. (Tyres & Accessories)

The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company has named Ryan Waldron as president of the company's Americas business unit, reporting to Chief Executive Officer and President Mark Stewart. He succeeds Steven R. McClellan, who retired on April 1.

"At Goodyear, our customers are at the center of everything we do, and in Ryan Waldron, we have a customer-centric, execution-focused business leader with a deep understanding of both the marketplace and all aspects of our business, as well as a proven track record of delivering results," Stewart said. "I am thrilled to announce him as president of Goodyear's Americas business and have enormous confidence that under his leadership, both the company and our customers will reach even greater levels of success."