Trax JH Ltd. has been making lead-free adhesive wheel weights for four years. Only now are they available in the United States.
Trax steel adhesive weights made their debut at the 2008 SEMA (Specialty Equipment Market Association) Show in Las Vegas, Nev., this week.
"Because the American market is moving towards lead-free weights, and because we're already making lead-free weights, we wanted to explore business opportunities in America," said Managing Director John Halle.
He believes there is an immediate need for the lead-free weights, and that they can "compete with locally manufactured lead weights" despite the cost of exporting them from the United Kingdom.
The Trax 600 series weights are made of steel, a material denser and generally less expensive than another common wheel weight material, zinc. The strip weights feature a corrosion-resistant, shiny surface.
Trax also manufactures zinc clip-on weights, but is transitioning from zinc to steel. "We've developed equipment to manufacture the steel weights," said Halle.
Instead of manufacturing the steel clip-on weights on a global basis, however, Trax is looking to set up franchise turnkey operations outside of Europe. Exporting the weights out of Europe is cost-prohibitive versus adhesive weights for the following reasons:
* There are more SKUs associated with clip-on weights.
* More customer service is required. "It's hard to (provide) service from the U.K.," said Halle.
"We can't sell the product around the world. It's too difficult. But we can sell the equipment to make the product. We're selling technology."
For more information on Trax adhesive weights or the franchising opportunity offered by the company, visit www.traxjh.com.
