Tire Pile Blog: Prices Up Across the Board
Maybe I am late to this party (and I probably am), but there is an epidemic of price increases hitting the market. This could not come at a worse time for end-users of tire products, and I am sure that dealers will not be happy to inform their customers of such bad news. Across the
Canadians Improve Tire Care, But Technology May be Crutch
The Rubber Association of Canada recently hosted a membership meeting featuring researcher Dennis Desrosiers, who reviewed the results from the RAC commissioned 2009 Consumer Tire Inflation and Attitudinal Study, and compared the results to the RAC’s 2003 benchmark survey. Some key findings from the survey, Desrosiers said, include: • The proportion of vehicles with at
F1 Teams Make Direct Pitch for Bridgestone to Stay
A group of Formula One teams has formally asked Bridgestone Corp. to revisit its decision to leave the series after this season. Faced with as many as six separate bids from other tiremakers to take over as a race tire supplier, a number of F1 teams opted to make the formal request. Following last weekend’s
Dealers Warned to Check Website Links
Used properly, the Internet can be a powerful and valuable marketing tool. Unfortunately, in the wrong hands, it can be used to adversely affect your business. It recently came to the attention of the National Tyre Dealers Association that a wholesaler of tires on the Internet had downloaded details of all NTDA members and customers
Karma and Tire Recalls: It WAS the Explorer, Stupid!
Fridays are usually clogged with piles of last minute work and dreams of peaceful weekends. Not usually a hot “news” day; even bad news has the good taste to leave us be until Monday. But every once in a while, the mighty news gods will shatter a quiet TGIF. As was the case last Friday
Tire Shop Fire Caused by Faulty Truck
An electrical fire in a service truck nearly destroyed a Maryland tire dealership in the early hours of May 6. Fire officials said the accidental fire at Smitty’s Tires in Shaft, Md., was started when the dealership’s 1994 Ford service truck caught fire after a short near the starter flared up. The truck, which was
Maxxis Hits Skid-Steer Market
Maxxis has two industrial tires that it says are “highly versatile” offerings, giving the company the ability to “make its name” in the market. The M9000 MT Loader and the M8000 Tuff-Guard skid-steer tires are designed to tackle a wide range of heavy-duty industrial applications, including construction, agriculture and dockside freight safely and efficiently, Maxxis
Toyo Receives OK for China Tire Plant
Toyo Tire & Rubber Co. has obtained local government authorization for its wholly owned subsidiary in Zhangjiagang City, China, to proceed with manufacturing passenger and light truck tires. The company announced its decision to establish Toyo Tires Zhangjiagang Co., Ltd., in January. Operations are expected to commence by the end of 2011. Initial production capacity
Report: Michelin Close to Getting F1 Deal
Urgent reports out of Europe say that Michelin is close to signing a formal tire supply deal with Formula One, even though other reports say that Pirelli plans a full-court press to get a deal at this weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix. German motorsport magazine Auto Motor und Sport claims Michelin is now the favorite after
Toyo Prices Going Up June 1
Toyo Tire USA Corp. said it would again increase prices on its Toyo brand passenger, light truck/SUV, medium truck and OTR tires. The June 1 increase will be up to 8%, with in-line adjustments. This is Toyo’s second price hike of the year, having taken increases of up to 7% bump on medium truck tires