Tire Talk with Mike

Latest from Tire Talk with Mike

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Tire Talk with Mike

Industry Braces for Tariffs While a New 'Contender' Emerges

June 14, 2021
As the International Trade Commission wraps up its investigation of consumer tire imports from South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam, I thought it would be interesting to ...
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Tire Talk with Mike

Stay Tuned for MTD's Tire Dealer Survival Guide

May 13, 2021
Does it feel like you spend more time working “in” your business than “on” your business? MTD’s Tire Dealer Survival Guide is here to help.
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Tire Talk with Mike

Value of Program Groups is in 'Eye of the Beholder'

April 5, 2021
Program and dealer groups have been around for decades. But due to continued consolidation, changing consumer preferences and other factors, it could be argued that the need for...
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Tire Talk with Mike

Cooper Joined Forces with Pirelli 22 Years Ago

March 25, 2021
As the industry waits for the next steps in the Goodyear-Cooper deal to be revealed, it’s interesting to note that Cooper Tire & Rubber Co. joined forces ...
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Tire Talk with Mike

MTD History: Dealers Faced Tough Challenges 100 Years Ago

March 23, 2021
Some challenges that tire dealers face today aren't necessarily new. That became apparent as I was flipping through the March 1921 edition of Tires, which later became...

Latest From Tire Talk with Mike

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Tire Talk with Mike

West Coast Container Ship Pileup Continues

March 18, 2021
The transpacific container ship slowdown is expected to reverse course during the second quarter, but as of right now, the pileup of vessels on the West Coast continues - and ...

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Blogs

No Debate Here: Dealership Moves Ahead with Wage Hike

March 3, 2021
As arguments for and against boosting the minimum wage continue in Washington D.C., a tire dealership in Fort Wayne, Ind., decided that it didn't need to wait for...

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Tire Talk with Mike

Goodyear-Cooper Deal: Brands Well-Represented Among MTD 100 Dealerships

Feb. 24, 2021
Commenting on Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.’s pending acquisition of Cooper Tire & Rubber Co., Brad Hughes, Cooper's president and CEO, said that “when you look at the whole of it...

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Tire Talk with Mike

Fascinating Retreading Facts Paint Vibrant Picture

Feb. 16, 2021
The late Harvey Brodsky often proclaimed, “Retreading is recycling!” And he was right. Retreading was recycling long before recycling and “going green”...

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Tire Talk with Mike

How One Tire Manufacturer Is Preparing for Tariffs

Feb. 10, 2021
Let’s say you’re a tire manufacturer faced with the prospect of tariffs. How do you prepare? Hankook & Co.'s recently published full-year 2020 report&...

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Tire Talk with Mike

Feds, Private Sector Double Down on 'All-Electric' Future

Feb. 8, 2021
In the November issue of MTD, I wrote that “electric vehicles are here to stay.” This statement has been underscored by two recent announcements - one by the ...

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Tire Talk with Mike

Deja Vu! Tires From South Korea Were Under the Microscope 35 Years Ago

Jan. 21, 2021
You might be tempted to think that the current antidumping investigation of consumer tires made in South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam is an unprecedented development...

Tire Talk with Mike

Happy New Year From Everyone at MTD!

Dec. 30, 2020
In my editorial that ran in the December issue of MTD, I wrote that 2020 "has been the most unusual year in living memory." (Looking back, this was probably...

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Tire Talk with Mike

Ohio Tire Dealers Honor Ulrich With Bill Floyd Award

Dec. 29, 2020
As we approach the start of a new year, I would be remiss if I failed to mention a very special honor that was recently bestowed on a member of the extended MTD family.

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Tire Talk with Mike

Five Big Trends to Watch In the New Year

Dec. 14, 2020
As 2020 draws to a close, the big question seems to be, “What will the new year bring?” Curtis Brison, vice president of passenger and light truck tire sales,...

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Tire Talk with Mike

Ag Tire Manufacturers, Dealers Continue to Make Hay

Dec. 3, 2020
During normal times, few tiremakers - or tire dealers, for that matter - get excited about a "flat" year. But this hasn't been a normal year. And ag tire manufacturer...

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Tire Talk with Mike

What Should the Biden White House Know About Your Business?

Nov. 19, 2020
Earlier this month, the Tire Industry Association’s Roy Littlefield told me that he expects the incoming Biden Administration to tackle COVID-19, infrastructure funding...

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Tire Talk with Mike

Tire Discounters Hits On Winning Tech Recruitment Formula

Nov. 17, 2020
Tire dealerships partnering with technical schools to identify, develop and recruit young auto service technicians is not necessarily a new idea. But it isn’t always easy...

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Tire Talk with Mike

MTD History: Tiremaker Exec's Adventure Behind the Iron Curtain

Nov. 11, 2020
The recent passing of Sean Connery - the coolest James Bond - put me in a nostalgic mood for old spy movies and books. While combing through the MTD library, I came across...

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Tire Talk with Mike

Monro's Back on the Acquisition Trail. Who Will It Pick Up Next?

Oct. 28, 2020
Several months after putting additional tire dealership buy-outs on hold, Monro Inc. is back in the acquisition game, revealing on Oct. 28 that it has picked up Allen Tire...

Tire Talk with Mike

Are You In Compliance with Local Scrap Tire Laws?

Oct. 22, 2020
While waiting in line to pay for gas yesterday, I glanced at the newspaper rack and spotted an ominous-sounding headline on the front page of the Akron Beacon Journal: “...

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Blogs

Challenges Abound for Dealers: What Are You Up Against?

Oct. 6, 2020
With nearly 30 years at the helm of Tire Source, an independent tire dealership that has six locations throughout northeastern Ohio, Tom White has dealt with just about every ...

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Tire Talk with Mike

'Pride in Performance:' Schwab Book Still Inspires

Oct. 1, 2020
By now, most MTD readers are aware that Les Schwab Tire Centers, the fifth largest independent tire dealership in the U.S., has been acquired by  Meritage Group LP, an investment...