2010 Top Shop Finalist: Community Tire & Auto Service
If there’s any shop that deserves the distinction of being the first two-time Tire Review Top Shop Award Finalist, it’s Community Tire & Auto Service Specialists. The Phoenix, Ariz.-based dealership has done just that, adding the title of 2010 Top Shop Award Finalist to its lengthy list of accolades, which already included the honor of
Goodyear Heads South – to Florida – for Winter Tire Rollout
It was a balmy 89 degrees in Fort Walton Beach, Fla., last month when Goodyear introduced its new Ultra Grip Ice WRT to a select group of dealers and media. No, that’s not a typo. The tiremaker used the McKinley Climatic Laboratory, housed at Eglin Air Force Base, as the site for the rollout of
Steering the Course at the Bridgestone Racing Academy
With the sun beating down and heat from nearby engines surrounding me, I thought to myself, “They definitely don’t prepare you for this in journalism school.” There I was, fully clad in a Nomex racing suit – plus shoes, Nomex socks, racing gloves, a helmet and a balaclava – squeezed into the cockpit of a
Follow All-Season UHP Trends for Added Profits
In these days of slow recovery from economic doldrums, what tire dealer wouldn’t want to know more about a segment in which steady growth is nearly guaranteed? Add to that a high profit margin and an ever-expanding customer base, and the all-season UHP segment seems like a no-brainer. While being a player in this segment
Hankook Dealers Get Behind the Wheel
Hankook Tire America Corp. brought its rolling classroom and driving experience to Akron in June, offering a unique opportunity for area media and the staff of one local tire dealer to learn more about the company’s products and put its popular Ventus V12 evo to the test. For two days, the tiremaker set up shop
Tariff Turmoil, Market Volatility Put Added Pressure on Private Brands
The private brand tire segment underwent a tumultuous 2009 as a result of the global economic downturn that affected all aspects of the tire industry, as well as the Obama Administration’s placement of heavy additional duties on passenger tires imported from China. Nearly 12 months after the three-year additional tariff on China-made tires kicked in
Michelin Employs New Technology For Luxury Performance Tire
19 feet shorter in wet conditions than a leading competitor, Michelin said. The tire also features 3-D variable thickness sipes, which interlock to preserve rigidity in the block for precision handling, and the tiremaker’s MaxTouch construction, which is a unique contact patch shape that evenly distributes the forces of acceleration, braking and cornering for long-lasting,
Lawn and Garden Segment Returning to Slow, Steady Growth
As was the trend with the majority of tire segments, the lawn and garden niche suffered during the economic slump of 2009. But tiremakers are optimistic, and a surge in sales of both residential and commercial landscaping equipment this spring has jump-started the segment’s recent growth. “The lawn and garden market has some correlation to
Trailer Tire Segment Begins to Pull Forward After Downturn
After a down year in 2009, the trailer tire segment is heading back to its usual pattern of slow, steady growth. In the last decade, sales of trailer tires had grown year-on-year until last year’s economic downturn, where it seems no segment was left unaffected. As with all discretionary purchases, sales of trailers themselves –
Nokian Tyres Launches New Hakka 7, Outlines Global Growth Strategy
In March, Nokian Tyres gave North American dealers a preview of its new winter tire, the Hakkapeliitta 7, by inviting select U.S. and Canadian dealers and media to Finland for an introduction. The tiremaker also used the trip as an opportunity to show off its headquarters and state-of-the-art manufacturing facility, as well as to share
Tempting Incentives Give Customers a Reason to Return
Telling a tire dealer he or she needs great customer service to make their business thrive is simply stating the obvious. Successful dealers already have systems put in place to ensure their staff treats customers well, and that’s great for any business. But in the quest to keep customers coming back again and again, sometimes
A Look at the Latest Nitrogen Inflation Innovations
The company also offers a variety of point-of-purchase materials to help tire dealers maximize their nitrogen profits. Some popular items include a countertop tri-fold display that explains the benefits of nitrogen and custom cap kits to distinguish a particular shop’s nitrogen offering. NitroFillAlready with many nitrogen equipment options to choose from, NitroFill (nitrofillnow.com) recently introduced