TPMS: Popular Questions for an Unpopular Topic
Let’s face reality. A paradox exists within tire pressure monitoring system discussions. On one hand, it’s not a popular topic of conversation in a social setting. In fact, TPMS usually is a conversation stopper. A recent 19th hole opinion exchange among friends included Gulf of Mexico oil drilling, Tea Party rallies and LeBron. Chatter
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
Return to Double Coin Plants Shows Progress, New OTR and AG Plans
meet with Double Coin executives to get a sense of where the company is headed. Hosted by China Manufacturers Alliance (CMA), the group included Rick and Ryan Benton of Black’s Tire Service in Whiteville, N.C.; Dan Jensen of Love’s Travel Stops in Oklahoma City, Okla.; Verdo Gregory of Commercial Tire in Fresno, Calif.; Art LeBlanc
Tire-Destroying Drifters Raise Tire Hungry Crowds – and Opportunities
Clutch drops. Trail braking. Line. Feint. Tansou (speed attack) and Tsuiso (chase attack). Oversteer. Oh, and tire smoke. Lots and lots of tire smoke. Drifters blend the entertainment of flash driving with the discipline needed to control a car at 11/10ths – just past the absolute limit of adhesion – and into a
From Plant to Store, Today’s Tires Must be in Balance
Round and black was once the acceptable way to describe a tire. Today, most are still black, but car owners demand that they must be a lot rounder. What the consumer really wants is a tire that not only is round or concentric, but also perfectly balanced with uniform distribution of mass. The evolving need
With Changing Technology, OE Focus, Do Old Winter Tire ‘Standards’ Need Updating?
at will give drivers the capability to get out of their snow-covered driveway, hit the packed snow roads and conveniently get to the expressway.” While that seems to be a pretty basic application picture, it gets fuzzier when you consider other factors. For instance, even with the current loose definition, not all winter tires are
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,
Digital Revolution Makes Information Available Anytime, Anywhere
About two years ago, I made the big leap into the 21st century new media by buying an iPod. At the time, I was driving about 1,000 miles per week – and I thought the novelty of listening to my album collection without having to lug a couple hundred CDs with me in the car
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
Maintain TPMS Components For Customer Safety and Profit
When it comes to TPMS, pieces and parts add up to safety and profit. “Safety is the primary motivation for tire dealers to keep their customers’ TPMS in original operating condition,” said Brian Rigney, general manager for Dill Air Controls. “But, handled correctly, it can lead to bigger business profits.” Rigney’s rule of thumb is
Advancing in N.A. Market Takes Products, Cooperation, Technology
As with most great adventures, the first steps are usually the hardest to take. CMA and Double Coin began marketing TBR products in North America in 1992, with container-delivered, price-driven programs. Dealers were able to use the products as profit building items to offer end-users cost alternatives. Distributors could use the products as profitable lines
Be Tire Smart and Drive Safely Into Summer
Correctly maintained tires are critical to the safety of all members of the family, not to mention the safety of everyone else on the road. Is your vehicle – and your customers’ vehicles – ready for the summer? Tire FactsDid you know that when your vehicle is moving down the highway, the amount of each