Michelin Wins 2 TAFF Awards

Michelin Tyre Plc won both the Tyre Manufacturer of the Year and Industry Advertising Awards. The success follows a strong showing at the 2007 awards when French-manufacturer received the Product Innovation and Industry Advertising awards. The 2008 TAFF awards also saw a return to winning ways for BITS who won Wholesaler of the Year for a record eighth time, including comparable prizes from before the TAFF awards began three years ago.

TAFF Winners:
Tyre Manufacturer of the Year and Industry Advertising Awards – Michelin
Wholesaler of the Year – BITS
Production Innovation Award – Goodyear (Eagle F1 Asymmetric)
Environment Award – Kingpin Tyres
Tyre & Aftermarket Equipment Supplier of the Year – Apaseal

This year’s Product Innovation gong was won by Goodyear for the company’s Eagle F1 Asymmetric tyre. Goodyear representatives will no-doubt be pleased with the tyre’s performance as the TAFF Award joins the list of silverware the new Eagle tyre has won. Soon after being launched the Eagle F1 Asymmetric was named the best tyre by Evo magazine and was lauded by the Autocar in both its front and rear wheel drive test categories.

The 2008 NTDA TAFF Environment Award was won by Kingpin Tyres. The award was collected on behalf of the company by John Campbell representing last year’s winner, Vellco. And finally, for the second consecutive year, the Tyre & Aftermarket Equipment Supplier of the Year award was presented to Apaseal.

The 79th NTDA Annual Dinner and Tyre And Fast Fit Awards were held concurrently at the Hilton Metropole, alongside the Commercial Vehicle Show in the NEC and featured after dinner entertainment from former world snooker champion, John Parrott.

At the end of the evening the NTDA raised around 6,000 pounds in a prize draw in aid of the automotive industry benevolent fund, BEN. Approximately 5,300 pounds was raised by the initial draw, with a further 650 pounds being added to the total following an impromptu auction after winner Mary Scanlon generously returned her two track-day tickets to the prize fund. (Tyres & Accessories/Staffordshire, U.K.)

Ascot Supply Corporation, based in Newnan, Georgia, has selected Mark Paquette for the newly created position of vice president. In this position, Ascot Supply said Paquette will oversee the growth of the company's products, corporate profitability, manage marketing and advertising and assume many other responsibilities.

He will work under the direction of current President David Kessler and officially begin his new role on June 3. Paquette joined the tire and automotive industry in the early 1980s at his father's tire shop, and his contributions to Mohawk Rubber Sales were instrumental in the company's growth and eventual sale to Myers Tire Supply in 2021, according to Ascot Supply. Paquette eventually was given a promotion to the role of director of operations at Myers Tire Supply.