Business Opportunities: Use ‘Em or Lose ‘Em
u. The quick fix is to get them to take a closer look at your people. In fact, fleet managers should be encouraged to spend time talking with your tire experts to see which ones can really help them. Ideally, a good fleet manager will strike up a long-term relationship with someone from your staff,
Spitting out Rubber
Have you ever watched an auto race and thought about what it would be like to become one with a machine? Pushing yourself and a car right to the edge of catastrophe, yet be in total control? If you’re like me, there’s only one answer: Heck, yeah! Across this nation, people of all ages and
Industry Report
Master contract talks between Bridgestone Americas Holding (BAH) and the United Steelworkers of America (USWA) shattered Nov. 13 after union negotiators walked out of a bargaining meeting claiming the company’s contract proposal was "so far off the mark" and setting the stage for a possible strike at BAH tire plants across North America.
Technology-Focused
Step-by-step, the Hankook brand has been quietly growing throughout the world’s replacement and OE markets. Now Hankook is letting the North American passenger, light truck/SUV and ultra-high performance markets know that it wants to be a player that should be considered.
Just a Little Bit…
We continue to hear from dealers about the growing problem regarding the shortage of tire technicians. This issue isn’t going away anytime in the near future and we’re not alone. Our colleague across the pond, Peter Gardner, with Tyres & Accessories magazine, wondered aloud recently if being a tyre fitter was "a job nobody wants?"
Handling an Issue
If you’re a car enthusiast, or at least spend some time reading the promotion- al material selling high performance passenger vehicles, it’s hard to miss the importance placed on tires and wheels in achieving outstanding cornering and crisp response. The tire contribution in what truly is a multi-faceted handling equation is further underscored weekly at
Industry Report
With a new three-year labor contract in hand, Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. turned its attention to other restructuring issues as it works to right its financial ship. The tiremaker formally announced the closing of its Huntsville, Ala., plant, then laid off about 200 employees from its Tyler, Texas, facility.
Rotational Education
Unraveling the mysteries of tire rotation takes a bit of doing. Just about all of us are nonchalant about rotating tires. We advertise free rotations for life if you buy tires from us. We unbolt ‘em, rotate ’em and rebolt ’em. From a marketing point-of-view, that’s a good idea. Just be certain you don’t sell
Industry Report
Fed Appeals Court Tosses NHTSA RegsThe U.S. Second Circuit Court of Appeals gave the tire industry a surprise gift Aug. 6 when it sided with three citizens groups and threw out NHTSA’s controversial tire pressure monitoring system regulations.
State of the Art
Technical centers are critical to the development of tires, and to the success of tiremakers. They are a necessary part of R&D, from creating the right design and the right compounds to testing those designs and going back to the drawing board, if need be. All in the effort of creating the best tire possible.