Illegal Tire Problems Plague the U.K.; Was Jac’s Last Act a Bug?
It is often said that we Americans and our British cousins are more alike than we sometimes want to admit. So it is a bit worrisome to read reports in the London Telegraph that more than 2.2 million (that’s MILLION!!!) U.K. cars failed mandatory MoT (Ministry of Transportation) checks due to unsafe or illegal tires.
Restaurants and Amusement Parks, Tires are Everywhere
If you think business is hard today – where you have an established product, established customers, and an established need – try building a business with a little used product that is required by another little used product. This is how we got to the now world-renowned Michelin Star System for grading fine dining restaurants.
Tires Go Flat, Car Dealers Get a Boost, and Charitable Dealers Do Good
The headline alarmed me. “Local band Tires ends its journey.” Damn. My band was gone. For all time…or at least until they decide to reunite for a nostalgia tour. Most of that is a joke, but it is true that Des Moines-based indie band Tires has officially broken up “ending their three-year run of bringing
Truck Tire Marketshares and Language Issues
If you want to understand what the phrase “lingering effects” means when speaking about the Great Recession, one can look at the current state of the U.K. medium truck tire market. Earlier this month, Tyres & Accessories revealed its 2014 rundown of truck tire brand marketshares in the still-together U.K. and topping the list was
Of Shortcomings and Responsibility: The Public Service Edition
How must it feel to be publicly lashed for being the most disorganized, ineffective, irresponsible and unresponsive government agency in perhaps the history of all government agencies? Harsh, yes? But what if that criticism came from one of the most disorganized, ineffective, irresponsible and unresponsive government bodies ever in the history of government bodies? Probably
Will You Take $2 Billion for Those Stores? Oh, and Throw in That Swimsuit
Another quarter has closed and it’s more of the same for poor old Sears Holdings. Revenue fell 9.7% year-on-year, tumbling to $8 billion. Same-store sales dropped 0.8% YoY. Net profit was a net loss – of $573 million – during the fiscal quarter that ended Aug. 2. The company reportedly burned through $747 million in
Canadian Tire Caution, Goodyear-to-Akron Reconsidered
Dear Canadian Tire CEO Stephen Wetmore: Speaking as a part Canadian, I must ask you, beg you, plead with you to NOT offer up your wonderful company for acquisition by a U.S. firm. Any U.S. company. And wash your mouth out with soap for speaking such blasphemy. I’m not sure what you feel are the
Putin Searches for His Tires While Quebec Takes a Stance
A couple of palate cleansers before we hit the weekend…. Laughed my head off at a report in the Moscow Times (yes, that Moscow) that parties unknown made off with 215 tires from the Kremlin motor pool. The tires, valued at 1.2 million rubles or around $35,000, went missing from the automobile department warehouse last
The New Protectionism: Consumers Getting Rick-Rolled by The 0.0076%
I don’t get it. I don’t understand it. I don’t like it. And neither should anyone working in this industry. But in yet another tragic case of the tiny, stubby tail wagging the big dog, the USW – all 24,500 (or so) tire plant-working members – are dictating the terms and conditions under which millions
Decoding NHTSA’s Tire Aging Report
“At this time, the agency does not believe it is necessary for motor vehicle safety to add a tire aging requirement to its light vehicle tire standard due to the following reasons: First, FMVSS No. 139 has contributed to an increased robustness of oven-aged light vehicle tires. Our research has shown that oven-aged FMVSS No.
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
With Top 10 Goal, What’s Nexen’s Next Move?
Nexen Tire Corp. has made no secret of its primary goal – be in the global top 10 among tiremakers by 2017 – and now it appears its growth trajectory is keeping pace with its bold ambitions. Currently the world’s 23rd largest tire and rubber company with 2013 revenues of $1.58 billion, Nexen is a
