High-Stakes Niche: Industrial Tires Can Offer High Margins and Opportunity, But at a Cost
In the simplest of terms, if U.S. factories are working at or near capacity, warehouses should be busy and the market for forklift or towmotor tires should be strong. To that point, the National Association of Manufacturers reports that the manufacturing economy is generally expanding, and manufacturing employment is up by 12,000 jobs as of
Out of the Ordinary: Cooper’s Top Exec Discusses Recent Transformation, Global Ambitions
To get a sense of Cooper Tire & Rubber Co. and its chairman, president and CEO, you need look no further than Tom Dattilo’s corner office. Unlike the vistas other captains of industry enjoy from their lofty perches, Dattilo’s third-floor office overlooks Oler’s Drive Thru, a convenience store that stands as a stark reminder of
Complete Hiring/Firing Guide
What are the three most important factors in retailing success? Location, location, location? Nope – they are staff, staff, staff. Personnel experts contend that poor hiring decisions are the main causes of absenteeism and poor productivity, which ultimately result in employee turnover and profit loss. The smaller your business, the more important each person. Just
Spoils of Success
What if your next ad campaign was a huge success? What if you advertised in the local paper, and your sales suddenly skyrocketed? What if customers came into your dealership in droves because of a letter you mailed out? You’d be announcing your retirement, I bet. Not so fast. Before you quit your day job,
Staying Out of the Courtroom: Is Being Sued Inevitable? Maybe. Here’s What You Should Know If the Gavel Drops
“See You in Court.” Today, that’s just a fancy way of saying, “Goodbye.” Unfortunately, that’s often the harsh truth when your employees, your customers or government agencies utter that short but terrifying sentence. So, how can you stay out of court? And, how do you keep from panicking if and when someone says those ominous
Just the Facts: A No-Frills Web Site Can Still Draw New Business, Enhance Your Image
Just the Facts A No-Frills Web Site Can Still Draw New Business, Enhance Your Image "People buy lots of things online ®“ but not tires," I’ve heard some independent tire dealers say. But that doesn’t mean a Web site is of no use to a tire dealership. On the contrary, a well maintained, informative Web
Big Bang Theory
Experts say that if a football field-sized meteor hit our little planet, the resulting cataclysm would pretty much end all life as we know it. Giant dust storm blots out the sun, temperatures fall, nothing grows®ƒyou know the story. Did you ever wonder what would happen if an equally large unheavenly body unexpectedly crashed to
Leave Nothing to Chance
Buying a Business? Facts, Not Fortune, Will Keep You From Behind the 8-Ball Why do our brains work differently when we read the biz opps section of the paper? Why do we say things like: "I’m tired of selling tires, I think I’ll open a frozen custard stand?" If you already own a fast-food franchise
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.
Roadmap to Success: Business Plans that Work
Building a Business Plan is Critical to Reaching Your Goals Some business plans start as odd scribbles on the back of a napkin, circles and arrows and boxes and code words jotted furiously by a suddenly inspired entrepreneur. Others are highly detailed, a thorough point-by-point plan carefully reasoned and annotated after weeks, months or even