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May 16, 2012

Will new TPMS technology eliminate the tried and true tire gauge?

It looks like a giant step has been made in tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) technology.

Tags: Air pressure, New technology, President Obama, TPMS

Author: Bob Ulrich | Posted @ Wednesday, May 16, 2012 7:57 AM | » Comments(1)

May 13, 2012

The gold standard: determining the cost of your automotive tech

How many times over the years have you heard something described as "worth its weight in gold"? In today's market,that's close to $1,580 an ounce.

Tags: ASE, Survey, Technicians

Author: Bob Ulrich | Posted @ Sunday, May 13, 2012 11:31 AM | » Comments(4)

May 10, 2012

The most honest dealership in America may be in... Philadelphia

<p>Left to right: Ron and Kenny Hughes and Chalie Mirro share a laugh with customer Phyllis Brooks.</p>

Mayfair Tire in Philadelphia, Pa., may be the most respected tire dealership in the country. Honest.

Tags: Mayfair Tire, Ron Hughes

Author: Bob Ulrich | Posted @ Thursday, May 10, 2012 9:34 AM | » Comments(0)

April 29, 2012

GM implies its OE tires can't be replaced

"Look at that car," said my wife, Tris, on our way out to do some shopping recently. "I like the new Camaro. It has the same look as the old Camaro from the late '60s."

Tags: Continental ExtremeContact, OE tires, Performance Handbook, Plus-sizing, UHP tires

Author: Bob Ulrich | Posted @ Sunday, April 29, 2012 6:30 PM | » Comments(0)

April 24, 2012

Bridgestone builds world-class tech center in... Akron, Ohio

<p>Bridgestone's new technical center in Akron, Ohio, cost $100 million; that includes state funding.</p>

I'm from the Akron, Ohio, area, so I was happy for the city when Bridgestone Americas Inc. decided to build its new Americas Technical Center in Akron, close to the old tech center.

Tags: Dan MacDonald, Gary Garfield, Kuninori Matsuda, Rob Portman, Tech center

Author: Bob Ulrich | Posted @ Tuesday, April 24, 2012 7:19 AM | » Comments(0)

April 17, 2012

Walmart's size influences its customers, competitors and suppliers

<p>Kramer told shareholders that 2011 marks the second year in a row Goodyear has earned a supplier of the year award from the world's largest retailer.</p>

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is still the 800-pound gorilla in the showroom. I think the gorilla comparison is appropriate in another way, too: When the largest retailer in the world speaks, people listen.

Tags: Mass merchandisers, Private brand tires, Rich Kramer

Author: Bob Ulrich | Posted @ Tuesday, April 17, 2012 11:00 AM | » Comments(1)

April 15, 2012

War of words: Bridgestone and Michelin add spice to OTR tire production

Did you notice the beginning of a little trash talking going on between Bridgestone Corp. and Groupe Michelin recently? It all centers around their OTR tire production.

Tags: Jean-Dominique Senard, OTR tires, Pete Selleck, Plant capacity, Plants, Shoshi Arakawa

Author: Bob Ulrich | Posted @ Sunday, April 15, 2012 1:50 PM | » Comments(2)

April 9, 2012

Job shortages? Unemployment? Not in our industry

Good news on the job front: Unemployment is going down. Not by much, but it's going down.

Tags: Plants, Tire Industry Association, Unemployment

Author: Bob Ulrich | Posted @ Monday, April 9, 2012 6:26 AM | » Comments(1)

April 2, 2012

Walmart did it to mom-and-pop stores; will Amazon.com do it to Walmart?

In her hit song, "Ironic," singer Alanis Morissette clearly shows she doesn't know what the word means. Walmart, however, does.

Tags: Amazon.com, Consumer Tires, Mass merchandisers, Walmart

Author: Bob Ulrich | Posted @ Monday, April 2, 2012 7:43 AM | » Comments(0)

March 20, 2012

Pirelli supplies more than 30,000 tires to its annual F1 effort

<p>The Malaysian Grand Prix knows how to show Pirelli love.</p>

The race for the 2012 FIA (Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile) Formula One World Championship has begun (with a pun)!

Tags: Austin, Texas, Formula One, Motorsports, Pirelli P Zero

Author: Bob Ulrich | Posted @ Tuesday, March 20, 2012 10:22 AM | » Comments(1)

March 19, 2012

IMSA partnership with Yokohama was a no-brainer, says CEO

<p>"The performance characteristics of the tire (ENVR-2) have  improved,&rdquo;  said Scott Atherton at Sebring International Raceway in Florida on March  16, 2012.</p>

The greening of the International Motor Sports Association, or IMSA, has been going on for a long time. And it’s not just environmental friendliness for the sake of, well, environmental friendliness.

Tags: ALMS, Green, Scott Atherton, Yokohama Advan, Yokohama Avid

Author: Bob Ulrich | Posted @ Monday, March 19, 2012 11:32 AM | » Comments(0)

March 11, 2012

All-season UHP tires: The bandwagon is far from full

<p>Discount Tire Direct Vice President Mark MacGuinness (right, pictured with Marketing Manager Dan Meadows) attended the Motivo ride and drive in Phoenix, Ariz., in February.</p>

Everyone is jumping on the all-season ultra-high performance tire bandwagon, perhaps because one day, that segment will be known as broad line.

Tags: 'Consumer Reports', Continental ExtremeContact, Cooper Zeon, Discount Tire Direct, Goodyear Eagle, Mark MacGuinness, Michelin Pilot, Nitto Motivo, Pirelli P Zero, Sumitomo HTR, UHP tires, Yokohama Avid

Author: Bob Ulrich | Posted @ Sunday, March 11, 2012 8:15 AM | » Comments(2)

March 6, 2012

Mano a mano: Discount Tire Direct vs. Tire Rack

<p>As it says in its ad, Tire Rack sells more than just tires.</p>

In the March issue of "Car & Driver" magazine, Discount Tire Direct and The Tire Rack each have a major mail-order presence.

Tags: Custom wheels, Discount Tire, Discount Tire Direct, Tire prices, Tire Rack, Under-car service

Author: Bob Ulrich | Posted @ Tuesday, March 6, 2012 11:34 AM | » Comments(0)

February 27, 2012

Nitto shows off its 60,000-mile Motivo with Newt Gingrich nearby!

<p>The Motivo's asymmetric, non-directional tread pattern was designed for cross-rotation.</p>

What do "Car & Driver," Discount Tire Co. Inc. and Newt Gingrich have in common? They all came together in Phoenix, Ariz., to welcome the Nitto Motivo to the aftermarket.

Tags: 2011 SEMA Show, Alan Ngo, BFGoodrich g-Force, Continental ExtremeContact, Discount Tire, Mark MacGuinness, Nitto Motivo, UHP tires

Author: Bob Ulrich | Posted @ Monday, February 27, 2012 7:31 AM | » Comments(0)

February 15, 2012

Even beautiful spokesmodels have to buy tires

<p><span class="hasCaption">At K&amp;M Tire Inc.'s recent dealer trade show, Mary Ann Foreman poses with, from left to right: Doug Barnhart,  Pirelli's regional sales manager; Mark Hadley,  K&amp;M Tire's regional sales manager; and Troy Heitmeyer, K&amp;M's sales manager.</span></p>

Mary Ann Foreman is a spokesmodel with ties to the tire industry. She recently represented Pirelli Tire North America Inc. at the K&M Tire Inc. tire dealer trade show in Las Vegas, Nev.

Tags: Delta Esteem, K&M Tire

Author: Bob Ulrich | Posted @ Wednesday, February 15, 2012 9:34 AM | » Comments(0)

February 8, 2012

Bridgestone gets the silent treatment following its Super Bowl halftime show

<p>Bridgestone sponsored the Super Bowl halftime show, featuring Madonna.</p>

The Bridgestone Super Bowl XLVI halftime show is over. Or is it?

Tags: Madonna, NFL, Sports Marketing, Super Bowl, TV advertising

Author: Bob Ulrich | Posted @ Wednesday, February 8, 2012 10:41 AM | » Comments(1)

February 6, 2012

Cooper and the union choose negotiation over retaliation

Cooper Tire & Rubber Co. and United Steelworkers Local 207L in Findlay, Ohio, started up contract negotiations again Monday, Feb. 6, in order to end the tire plant lockout that began Nov. 28, 2011.

Tags: Findlay, Lockout, Plants, USW

Author: Bob Ulrich | Posted @ Monday, February 6, 2012 8:59 AM | » Comments(0)

February 3, 2012

The economy, OE tires and Sears: final notes from the Goodyear Dealer Conference

<p>The company has had fun with the Goodyear logo in its ads.</p>

Following what appears to be a record year, Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. held its 2012 Dealer Conference in Orlando, Fla., Jan. 29-31. I was on hand for all the new product announcements, plus some fleet HQ announcements.

Tags: Burt Brothers Tire, Dealer meeting, Fountain Tire, Goodyear Assurance, Jack Williams Tire, Nick Mitsos, OE tires, Ron Burt, Scott Rogers, Scott Williams, Sears, Tire Dealer of the Year, Wendel Burt

Author: Bob Ulrich | Posted @ Friday, February 3, 2012 8:46 AM | » Comments(0)

January 26, 2012

Tire tariffs did not equal jobs, despite what President Obama said

<p>President Barack Obama delivers the State of the Union address in the  House Chamber at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., Jan. 24, 2012.  (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)</p>

No president has talked about tires publicly more than Barack Obama. That is both good and bad.

Tags: Imports, Plant capacities, President Obama, Tire inflation, Tire tariffs, Wall Street Journal

Author: Bob Ulrich | Posted @ Thursday, January 26, 2012 5:48 AM | » Comments(13)

January 22, 2012

Just how important is the Internet to tire sales? K&M Tire knows

How much does the Internet really affect retail tire sales? K&M Tire Inc., a large regional wholesale distributor based in Delphos, Ohio, thinks it’s a lot.

Tags: ecommerce, Internet, Jeff Wallick, K&M Tire, Mr. Tire

Author: Bob Ulrich | Posted @ Sunday, January 22, 2012 5:46 PM | » Comments(1)

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