If LeBron Comes Back He’s Bringing a Tire Plant With Him
So yesterday the City of Cleveland, just a 30-minute drive from our headquarters, was selected to host the 2016 Republican National Convention. Regardless the political persuasion, everyone around here is fired up and sees it as a huge win for the city and region. And we’re all constantly refreshing our computer screens and smartphones trying
Meanwhile, Back at NHTSA, TPMS Problems Are Never Dealt With
We started publishing consumer letters regarding TPMS problems. They came in response to a recap of dealer complaints about certain makes/models of vehicles sporting unique TPMS issues, particularly corrosion. The letters just keep coming… “I previously commented on the number of failures I’ve encountered, 7 or 8 out of 12 tires, last one leaking and
Pirelli Introduces Cinturato P1 Plus at Auto Show
Pirelli Tire North America used the occasion of its significant presence at the recent New York International Auto Show to launch the new Cinturato P1 Plus, a replacement market summer UHP targeting “luxury, mid-, full-size and sport cars.” Cousin to the OE-oriented four-rib Cinturato P1, the new five-rib Cinturato P1 Plus has reduced rolling resistance
The Future is Here, Dealing With the Reedros
“In the very near future, though, computer chips embedded in tires might be able to report exact real-time inflation pressures and tire temperatures. Further down the road, technology may allow for live treadwear readings and mileage projections, temperature readings at specific positions within a tire, or even early detection of internal damage that could lead
New Faces, Fresh Strategy For Falken
The sounds of tire studs clattering over the brick downtown streets is disarming to those less familiar with the crunching gravel-like noise. But that’s a familiar reminder of spring for the residents of Reykjavik, the capital city of Iceland and largest town on the 40,000-square-mile volcanic island of 325,670 people – the most sparsely populated
The Ins and Outs of the New Tariff Petition
As we all know, on June 3 the United Steelworkers filed with the U.S. Commerce Department petitions seeking additional (and more permanent) antidumping and countervailing duties on China-produced consumer tires exported to the U.S. What we don’t know is if the USW has the legal standing to obtain – let alone seek – such government
Arming You for the Future
It’s a different business world that we inhabit, to be sure. And for independent tire dealers, the future is a scarier place than at any time in history. Tire dealers today have concerns beyond the basics of sales and profits. Their ability to compete is challenged by changing consumer attitudes, a still-strained economy, seemingly untethered
Conti Takes a New Tone to Its Gold Dealer Meeting
Over the nearly 10 years of its Gold Dealer Meetings, Continental Tire the Americas has alternately spent time apologizing for poor fill rates or addressing other shortfalls in product, production or pricing. Such is the lot for a company that has been both building and repairing itself over the last decade. This year’s gathering –
What Could Sen. Markey Want – and How Far Will He Go?
For an industry that claims an almost genetic aversion to government involvement, we sure seem to find ways to garner the attention of regulatory agencies and vote-seeking legislators. It’s almost as if we intentionally seek such intervention. While it would be easy to dismiss Sen. Ed Markey’s (D-MA) prodding of the Department of Transportation and
Goodyear Set to Build Plant
Goodyear this morning announced plans to build a new $500 million consumer tire plant somewhere in the Americas. It is believed that South Carolina will be the site for the new facility, which will have an initial capacity of some six million passenger and light truck tires per year. In recent days, there have been
What Did We Learn From ABC’s Investigation?
To be “successful” (re: get high ratings) in TV “news,” reporting requires of a “journalist” (re: pretty face) three important things – 1) establish your premise, 2) do absolutely no advanced research to know your subject and 3) never, ever, ever waver from that premise. Mostly it’s 1 and 3. No TV journo does a
Some Random Thoughts on Recent ‘News’
Over Mother’s Day weekend, WGME-TV in Portland, Maine, set about panic with its gripping “investigative report” about finding “unsafe, recalled tires still on the road in Maine.” Gasp! “A CBS 13 investigation discovered millions of recalled tires, considered unsafe, have never been recovered, and you could be riding on one right now,” the report by