Tire Repair Materials Keep Improving
Tire repair products just keep getting better and better. Did you know that aramid-reinforced radial tire repair units for radial OTR tires are five times stronger than steel? That’s what one maker of such patches claims. These patches are manufactured with fewer plies, yield greater strength, a more simplified installation and improved performance under the
Software Accounting Programs a Must
It is nearly impossible to remember a time when we did business without the advantage of computers and tire dealer accounting software. Those days are gone forever, with good riddance. Everyone in the field of business accounting software is making the task of operating your stores so much easier and far more precise. Instead of
February 2009 Sales Intelligence
Covering Eugene, Ore.; Birmingham, Ala.; Grand Rapids, Mich.; Tucson,Ariz.; Omaha, Neb.; and Buffalo, N.Y. retail markets on Jan. 18, 2010. Tire Review and InteliChek present up-to-date tire and service price information from U.S. metropolitan areas. For this monthly feature, InteliChek directly contacts a selection of independent tire dealers, mass merchants and car dealers to obtain
‘Big Company’ Marketing Savvy Can be Great for Tire Dealers
In very basic terms, marketers consider two primary groups: Leaders and Followers. Because most consumer goods and services evolve over time, Leaders can become Followers and vice versa. So these targets are regularly sifted, sought and catered to. Leaders seek out the latest technology or design or performance, constantly seeking an edge in their lives.
Diverse Vehicle Makes and Models Create TPMS Challenges
Not all tire pressure monitoring systems are created equal. In fact, each new vehicle model year brings with it a variety of updated TPMS replacement, reset, activation and decoding procedures. Some measures necessitate using the latest tools; all require a thorough understanding of step-by-step maintenance and service procedures. Learning about a specific TPMS while the
Rolling Forward: Tiremakers Improve Fleets’ Fuel Efficiency Through Technology
Modern trucking fleets face difficult challenges on a day-to-day basis. Fuel efficiency is one of the most important concerns to the contemporary fleet owner. Volatile oil prices dramatically affect the cost of fleet operations and maintenance. Growing environmental concerns push the development of green technologies and shape consumer perceptions of businesses. New government regulations to
The Next Step: Define a Social Media Strategy to Grow Your Business
After writing about the high performance market for the last eight years, I am turning my attention on marketing and business development, with the focus being on providing you with insights and fresh new approaches to expanding your market, grabbing new customers and “selling” products to all of your tire customers. For the first quarterly
Detective Work: Forensic Accountants Track Down Clues to Save Your Business
The tedious number crunching involved with keeping a tire dealership on track is something most dealers don’t mind passing off to an accountant – in fact, the majority are glad to have their time freed up to manage other areas of the business. But if you assume the only times you need an accountant are
Uphill Climb: Road to Recovery is Steep for Medium Truck Segment
Although 2009 was a tough year across the entire industry, the medium truck tire segment was hit particularly hard. The economic tailspin saw consumers tightening their budgets, which in turn resulted in diminished orders and less shipping. Trucks and other types of freight haulers sat idle, and demand for new tires plummeted. Freight tonnage was
Planning Special Events
t=””/>As for obtaining permits, each municipality has its own regulations about when they’re needed and how they can be obtained. The Rubber City – Akron, Ohio – for example, requires permits for events that include games of chance, rides, petting zoo animals and, of course, alcohol, according to Glen Stalcup of the City of Akron’s
Cooling Down: Reducing Heat is Key to Improving OTR Tire Performance
While the tire market has been soft the last two years, tire development hasn’t slowed, especially in the giant radial OTR sector. We’ll look at the latest tire technologies and how they improve tire performance in the field. The OTR tire market may have experienced some slowing over the last couple of years but the
The Sounds of Silence, Truck Tire Style
Those of you who have been in the industry more than a few years can remember when trucks were loud. Sometimes this was intentional, similar to when we, as teenagers, spent hard earned money to put dual glasspack mufflers on our hot rods. At other times the trucks just came that way new. Objections to this noise