Italian team wins Gold in Fulda Challenge
Bridgestone Gain IMI Accreditation for Training Modules
Bandag Sales Up in Fourth Quarter
Michelin Sells Wheel Business to Mefro
Tyre Companies Urged to Tread Carefully
Hi-Q Manager to Compete in Peru Challenge for Charity
Continental Sell REG UK to Vellco
Yokohama Announce Third Quarter Results
Rise in Number of Defective Tyres in Derbyshire
New Jobs Drive Relocation for All Fleet Services

Italian Team Wins Gold in Fulda Challenge

The Italian team have triumphed in the 2005 Fulda Challenge, after battling for points on the final day of the event. At the incredible location of the Tombstone Mountain range (accessed by the seemingly endless Dempster Highway) the competitors faced a race against time as they fought for the last few points in this year's competition. Before the athletes commenced the 3km course, only one point separated the leading teams of Italy and Canada. Wearing snow shoes, the teams had to climb to the top of the snow-capped mountain, run across a ridge at the peak and then descend to the finish.

In the men's race, Werner Haller finished in first place and collected the final ten points for Italy. Dirk Ostertag of the German Autobild team followed him home. Canada's Tamara Goppel won maximum points in the women's competition, just ahead of runner-up Judith Lanthaler of Italy.

The day's results meant that the Italian two-person team finished the seven-day annual arctic adventure at the top of the leader board. They were presented with a prize of two Klondike gold nuggets (one each) at an awards evening in Dawson City - held at Diamond Tooth Gerthies (the northern-most casino in the world).

In the individual competition, Tamara Goppel had the most points of any female athlete and received 1,500 euros. Judith Lanthaler of Italy was second, winning 1,000 euros, and third place finisher Anita Krenn of Austria won 500 euros. A successful week for Werner Haller finished with the Italian having accumulated the most points overall in the men's competition. He walked away with 1,500 euros to add to his gold nugget; Thomas Tetz of Canada finished second and Pieter Groen of the Netherlands was third.

Following a car accident, earlier in the competition, the UK team was forced to withdraw from the 2005 challenge. Richard Jackson withdrew on medical advice. Emmie Gribble remains comfortable in hospital with a broken arm, broken rib and lacerated lung.

Bridgestone Gain IMI Accreditation for Training Modules

Bridgestone UK has been appointed an approved assessment centre of the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI), becoming the first tyre company to hold the prestigious status for all its training modules. The award follows a detailed audit by the IMI of Bridgestone UK's training resources and assessment procedures, and means that a technician qualifying through one of the company's training schemes will achieve recognition from the IMI via its Quality Assured Awards (QAA) initiative.

Course delegates can attain three levels of proficiency through the QAA initiative: tyre technician, senior tyre technician, and master tyre technician, each providing the individual with independent verification of their competence.

"This is a tremendous achievement for Bridgestone UK," said Steve Howat, technical training manager at Bridgestone Europe. "The IMI is the leading qualifications awarding body in the automotive sector, and any award that carries its name is recognised throughout the industry.

Bandag Sales Up in Fourth Quarter

Bandag Inc. has reported net sales for the fourth quarter of 2004 of US$232.8 million, an increase of 3% compared to the same period in 2003. However, the increase was due to the inclusion of US $16.9 million in sales from Speedco, which was acquired in the first quarter of 2004 and a $6.5 million gain on foreign currency transactions. Consolidated net earnings for the period were US $30.8 million, which compares to fourth quarter 2003 earnings of US $29.1 million. For the full year 2004, Bandag reported consolidated net earnings of US $66.9 million compared to US $60.2 million in 2003. Consolidated net sales for 2004 increased 5% to US $854.2 million from US $816.4 million.

In announcing the fourth quarter results, Bandag's CEO Martin Carver commented, "Bandag's fourth quarter tread shipments were down approximately ten percent, reflecting a combination of factors including the loss of the Roadway business, dealers in Europe and Brazil buying ahead of price increases announced in the third quarter and the reduction in the number of dealers in some markets. In addition, dealers in North America increased purchases in the fourth quarter 2003 to take advantage of a year-end incentive programme that was significantly modified in 2004. Purchases of new trucking equipment increased significantly in 2004. According to some analysts, large fleets have elected to replace rather than expand their capacity which may have adversely affected the sale of retreads. Typically, an increase in new equipment purchases precedes increased demand for new and retread replacement tyres by several months".

Noting several challenging market factors such as higher raw material costs and Bandag distribution reductions in Europe and elsewhere, Mr Carver said, "While fourth quarter tread volume was off approximately ten percent, full-year volume was off by less than one percent".

Michelin Sells Wheel Business to Mefro

It has been reported that Michelin is to sell its wheel business to the German based Mefro group. According to Michelin sources, Mefro are to retain the company's two manufacturing plants and their 1800 strong workforce will remain unaffected.

Tyre Companies Urged to Tread Carefully

One third of garages, tyre dealers, and tyre repairers have had old tyres illegally fly-tipped at their site according to a new survey published by the Environment Agency. The survey, which questioned 225 randomly selected garages and tyre firms about their knowledge and experience of tyre disposal, found that a third of all questioned companies had experienced fly-tipping of tyres at their site. Around one in ten said that it happened on a regular basis.

The fly-tipping of tyres is estimated to cost the industry, local authorities, the Environment Agency and landowners around £2.5 million a year. It is usually carried out by cheap, unregistered companies that are operating illegally. The UK discards around 50 million used tyres a year, approximately 134,000 worn tyres every day. Under the duty of care requirements, anyone disposing of tyres needs to make sure that they take all reasonable steps to ensure their safe storage and disposal and that they should only be transported by a waste carrier that has registered with the Environment Agency.

Ralph Crouch, Construction & Tyres Programme Manager at the Environment Agency said: "Fly-tipping of tyres causes no end of problems for the environment, misery for local communities and costs the taxpayer and landowners a lot of money. On top of that, this survey confirms what we have thought for some time, that legitimate tyre disposal companies are paying to get rid of tyres dumped on them by unscrupulous fly-tippers.

"That's why its very important that people, garages or companies looking to dispose of tyres makes sure that anyone they contract to do it for them is registered to do so. Not least because anyone failing to do so is breaching the duty of care requirements and could find themselves on the receiving end of a hefty fine.

" Anyone can check whether a company is a registered waste carrier by calling the Environment Agency on 08708 506 506.

Hi-Q Manager to Compete in Peru Challenge for Charity

A fast-fit store manager from Telford is set to embark on the biggest journey of his life. Mark Lee, Hi-Q's Store Manager in Telford, will set off on 27 May 2005 with 60 other people to trek The Inca Trail as part of MacMillan's Peru Hiking Challenge. The 10-day challenge will take Mark and his fellow trekkers through cloud forest to a 4200m Andean peak, trekking along the high mountain passes to Machu Picchu, Peru's famous lost city of the Incas.

When Andy was young his father died of cancer which is why he is completing the walk and trying to raise as much money as possible for the MacMillan Cancer Relief Fund.

"To say this walk is demanding would be an understatement - it promises to be an extremely testing physical challenge as we will be trekking and camping in remote and dramatic conditions," says Mark. "The event, and the months of preparation will be tough but I am doing this in order to raise as much money as I can for the Macmillan Cancer Relief."

Continental Sell REG UK to Vellco

Continental has announced that it has sold its UK based tyre recycling operation REG UK to Vellco Ltd with effect from February 1st, 2005. Continental justified its decision by saying that it felt that its customers needs could best be served by working in partnership with the Tyre Recovery Association (TRA) under the TIC Responsible Recycler's Scheme, rather than by continuing to operate its own recycling company. Vellco Ltd, whose Head Office is based in Yorkshire in the UK, was founded in 1950 and offers a full range of automotive collection and recycling services.

The company specialises in waste tyre collection, and manages nationwide casing collection for the retreading of truck tyres. Vellco Ltd. is a founder member of the Tyre Recovery Association as well as being a member of the RMA. Continental are in the process of consultation with the staff employed by REG.

John Campbell, the current MD of REG UK, will transfer to Vellco Ltd. and Continental will make every effort to assist in finding alternative employment for the remaining staff.

Yokohama Announce Third Quarter Results

The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd., has finalized its results for the first three quarters (April 1 to December 31, 2004) of fiscal 2005. Net sales increased 3.0% from the previous corresponding period, to ¥305.9 billion. This reflected strong tyre sales, particularly overseas, which offset the impact of a high yen. Operating income dropped 2.2%, to ¥17.5 billion, owing to higher prices of raw materials and a rise in selling, general and administrative costs. Ordinary income gained 4.6%, to ¥16.0 billion, as a result of reductions in interest expense and in foreign exchange losses. Net income was down 6.9%, to ¥8.1 billion, because of inventory losses and a loss on devaluation of investment securities.

yre sales were solid overseas, especially in North America, Asia, and Europe, while sales of replacement tyres grew in Japan. Sales of the Tires Group therefore increased 4.3%, to ¥226.0 billion, with operating income jumping 16.8%, to ¥17.1 billion. Nokian Report Record Figures Finnish tyre manufacturer Nokian has announced an increase in turnover during 2004 from 528.7 million in the previous year euros to 602.2 million. Operating profit increased from 79.1 million euros to 108.1 million euros.

Rise in Number of Defective Tyres in Derbyshire

A series of roadside tyre checks arranged by Derbyshire Constabulary supported by the Tyre Industry Council has revealed a 4% rise to 14% in the number of vehicles with defective tyres on the roads of Derbyshire. In similar checks in 2003 a slightly below average of 10% of vehicles checked had at least one tyre at or below the 1.6mm legal requirement - in 2004 the figure rose to just over 14% - the national average is 12%.

The number of vehicles with badly worn tyres also rose dramatically from 8.7% in 2003 to 15.8%. According to the TIC this means that almost 30% of cars and vans on Derbyshire's roads have at least one tyre that should be replaced for safety reasons. D

erbyshire Constabulary's traffic management officer, David Skinner said: "These results are most disturbing and it is very disappointing to note that the proportion of vehicles with defective tyres has increased since last year. I must stress, however, that the vehicles targeted during these checks were NOT a random sample and were not therefore representative of all vehicles. For obvious reasons, when selecting candidates for roadside checks, our officers will single out those vehicles whose overall appearance would tend to suggest that there may be defects that require attending to. The inescapable fact, however, is that the problem has worsened since last year. Worn tyres can cost lives and we shall be conducting further roadside checks this year with support from the TIC."

New Jobs Drive Relocation for All Fleet Services

Fast-growing Gloucester business All Fleet Services (AFS) has created more than a dozen new jobs following its move to offices on the Green Farm Business Park in Quedgeley. The company is a leading supplier of call centre services to drivers of leasing and contract hire vehicles, looking after issues such as the servicing, repair and accident management of more than 180,000 cars and vans across the UK.

Established just 18 months ago by directors Geoff Leake and David Scobie, the company has successfully won contracts from major companies such as LeasePlan, Hitachi Capital and Toomey Eurolease. With each new client requiring additional staff, All Fleet Services outgrew its former offices in Dursley, prompting the relocation to new 3,600 sq ft premises in Quedgeley, three miles south of Gloucester city centre.