Pulling Profits
Despite concerns about seasonality and geographical limitations, trailer tires offer independent tire dealers a unique value. In most cases, these products deliver high-margins, and since few dealers carry these tires, there is often little competition. And costs associated with carrying these products are low – a dealer can cover a lot of the market with
Real Game Changer or Bust?
I was never much of a football player, which is not easy to say being a 5-9 kid from Canton, the cradle of pro football and the heart of Ohio high school football. My football career (and I use the term loosely) never amounted to much, but there was a piece of advice my high
Giving Your Business a Face Lift
We at Tire Review hear time and time again from our readers that in today’s ultra-competitive market, every edge is necessary to beat the competition. Fine-tuning your dealership’s customer service and perfecting shop operations are the first – and most obvious – steps. Beyond that, successful dealers are working hard to deliver even more to
Vogue Tyre Celebrates 100 Colorful Years
Vogue Tyre & Rubber Co. began in 1914 when Harry Hower, a chauffeur in Chicago, developed the white wall tire. To say that the rest is history would be an oversimplification – less than 1% of companies even make it to 100 years, noted Vogue Tyre president Greg Hathcock at the company’s 100-year anniversary celebration
To Scotland With Style…and Some Substance
Dutch tiremaker Apollo Vredestein BV unveiled two new products – the Vredestein Quatrac 5 four-season tire and Vredestein Snowtrac 5 winter tire – at a mid-June media event in Edinburgh, Scotland. In attendance were more than 600 journalists and tire dealers from around the globe. Vredestein chief marketing officer Markus Korsten addressed guests at a
Sailun Sees Itself as a ‘Value Tier’ Brand
Non-stop rain negated any need for a water truck to wet the track during a recent ride and drive on Sailun tires. The standing water and slick conditions also made for a fun and informative test of the various tires’ abilities. New England-based Sullivan Tire & Auto Service, in collaboration with Sailun and TBC Corp.,
Two New Tires Get Their Own Road Trip
Toyo Tire USA Corp. used the imminent official launch of two important new tires to redefine its dealer education efforts and expand its consumer event presence. Coming to the market in September are a pair of all-new tires that Toyo feels will help dealers by filling two distinct, strong market segments. The Open Country R/T
Doing Your Due Diligence
Are you sure about this, Slim?” Digger Dan had to holler to be heard above the noise of his backhoe. He was preparing to dig a new drainage ditch behind my shop. “I think you’re fine,” I shouted back. “According to my calculations, that natural gas line should be 10 feet away. You’ve got plenty
Finally…A Colorful Picture
Thirty years ago when I joined this industry, it was quite enough to know that there were “dozens of tire companies” (when BFGoodrich and Firestone and many others were stand-alone companies) and “25,000 independent tire dealers” in the U.S. That was that and no one questioned what then passed for “market intelligence.” We had little
Wheel Cosmetics Primer
If you’ve spent more than a week in this business, you’ve probably been presented with some kind of problem related to wheel cosmetics. Whether it’s trying to identify and replace a wheel, figuring out how to repair cosmetic damage, or advising customers on how to care for their expensive chromies, knowing about wheel cosmetics will
Evaluating New Tire Options
It is important for tire dealers to understand that trucking fleets are in the business of hauling freight. Trucking fleets rely largely on their local tire dealer to assist in optimizing their tire program. It is not always easy to convince fleets to evaluate a new tire brand and model because of the complexities involved
Benchmarking 2014
Yardstick. Target. Scale. Level. Standard. These are all nice synonyms for the word “benchmark.” “Benchmark” itself is as simple word as the others, unadorned and uncomplicated. It is only when the word is applied does “benchmark” gain real meaning. In business terms, “benchmarking” is the act of determining a standard, a data-drive means of “measuring