October 2010 Sales Intelligence
Covering Helena, Mont.; Lexington, Ky.; Macon, Ga.; Madison, Wis.; Oklahoma City, Okla.; and Trenton, N.J. retail tire markets during theperiod of Sept. 25-26, 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
Giti Tire Blazes New Trail With New Champiro HPY HP Line
Giti Tire USA certainly made a lasting impression with its very first product demonstration event in North America – blistering track speeds on a blistering hot day in Arizona. The company unveiled its new Champiro HPY ultra-high performance line at Firebird International Raceway, where air temperatures hovered around 106F and track asphalt temps were measured
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
Yokohama Plays to Strengths With Sports Marketing Push
Sports marketing has long been a part of the tire spectrum. But for most of the last 100 years, that “sports marketing” was tied primarily to motorsports. “Race on Sunday, Sell on Monday” was the mantra of every major brand involved in motorsports, hoping that on-track success would lead to in-store success. Times have changed,
Incoming TIA President Mike Berra Outlines His Plans
At this point, I think we have all become somewhat fatigued by the constant drumbeat of bad economic news. As I prepare for my term as president of the Tire Industry Association (TIA), I’m encouraged that I am taking leadership of an organization that continues to grow. Just two examples of this are the fact
New Chief, New Offices, New Sponsorship, Renewed Attitude at Pirelli
When he took over as chairman and CEO of Pirelli Tire North America, Mauro Pessi was certainly no stranger to the tiremaker or its parent, Pirelli Tyre. After a year as CEO of Italian brake component maker Brembo, Pessi, 43, returned to his roots when he became head of Pirelli’s North American operations. Pessi had
Strong People, Focused Strategy Has Cooper Moving, Says Armes
One could certainly see Roy Armes as the typical organizational man, given his long 31-year background with Whirlpool, where he held a number of domestic and overseas executive posts. But no doubt he is an operations man, and his turn as chairman, president and CEO of Cooper Tire & Rubber Co. bears this out. Armes
Know New Training and Products That Will Keep Your Shop Profitable
Recently, you’ve heard me say, “nothing is easy.” That’s my new slogan. It doesn’t matter how simple an action seems, it will get complicated quickly. For instance, I recently heard from a friend, Jared, who sold a set of wheels for a new 2010 Camaro. The wheels were the same size as OE. All he
Know Shocks, Struts Inside and Out to Improve Vehicle Handling
As a vehicle brakes, accelerates and corners, weight is transferred and the vehicle attitude changes. If done in a controlled manner, it can effectively transfer weight to the wheel that needs it the most. For the most part, the suspension handles the best when weight transfer is not sudden and the suspension is not compressed
10 Years in, TPMS Confusion Still Exists Among Consumers
Ever throw a party that took almost eight years to organize, but one-third of the invited guests never bothered to show up? Maybe it was the wording of the invitation. The cumbersome title “U.S. Transportation Recall Enhancement, Accountability and Documentation Act” probably didn’t help to capture the imagination of the general public when passed in
Balancing Rolling Resistance With Other Performance Characteristics
Tires play a vital role in a vehicle’s energy consumption. At normal driving speeds, passenger tires account for up to 20% of a car’s fuel consumption. In other words, in a passenger car, one out of every five tanks of fuel is used to overcome the tires’ rolling resistance. For a commercial truck, it can