Modern Tire Dealer articles from June 1997

Modern Tire Dealer archives from June 1997

There's glimmer of hope for firming wholesale tire prices.
June 1, 1997... There is some glimmer of hope for a firming of wholesale tire prices beginning this month. Several special discounts on low-priced tires have been rolled back. The demand is good and inventories are back to normal. On the other hand, the...

Building blocks for tire repairs: patches make perfect - almost.
June 1, 1997... Patches are the foundation of a proper truck tire repair. They not only help seal the liner, but also provide proper reinforcement. And there are plenty of them. At least six companies manufacture and market patches in the United States....

New and improved: Michelin OTR technology takes a giant step. (Michelin North America Inc.)
June 1, 1997... Michelin North America Inc. is high on its new low-profile OTR haul truck tires. The giant off-the-road tires with 80-series aspect ratios will be manufactured in 57- and 63-inch sizes. They may even be built in larger sizes based on future...

Top 10 commercial dealers. (commercial tire dealers)
June 1, 1997... Ratings based on all-around service Who really is the top commercial tire dealer in the country? There are many ways to determine number one: number of outlets, total sales, perhaps even number of retread plants. Modern Tire Dealer...

Don't hold your breath: truck tire chips remain in marketing limbo.
June 1, 1997... When last we left them, truck tire chips were in the experimental stage and not ready for prime time (see Modern Tire Dealer, October 1996). Guess what? There is still no timetable for mass producing them. The idea for a "smart" chip that...

It pays to 'shop' around. (auto service equipment)
June 1, 1997... Proper equipment can generate service income We all know that it's fun to shop for and purchase new shop "toys," but the equipment purchased must justify itself as a worthwhile investment. A wide array of equipment is available in today's...

Auto mall concept hangs on: but only strongest have survived.
June 1, 1997... Rumors about the death of car care malls have been greatly exaggerated. Only half of them are dead. The others are not only alive, but well after surviving a national financial scandal, more than a few shady operators, and a tendency of some...

Pennzoil announces new technology: refining process changes face of motor oil. (Pennzoil Products Co.)
June 1, 1997... A new refining process developed by Pennzoil virtually eliminates the contaminants found in crude oil. The resulting base oil is clear, not yellowish. Jim Newsom, motor oil product manager for Pennzoil Products Co., says the performance of a...

Acceptance at last! (asphalt rubber)
June 1, 1997... Asphalt rubber use is growing rapidly A panel at the recent World Tire Conference and Exhibition (WTCE) in Louisville took yet another look at the strange and frustrating history of asphalt rubber use in North America. Their conclusions...

Grizz claims a breakthrough: Titan shapes up tire/wheel design. (Titan Wheel International)
June 1, 1997... There's only one Morry Taylor, a man with strong opinions on almost everything. In a rambling two-and-a-half-hour press conference, the president and CEO of Titan Wheel International discussed topics ranging from his attempts to turn around...

Taylor-made opinions: Morry-eye views of business, politics. (Titan Wheel International Pres./CEO Morry Taylor)(Interview)
June 1, 1997... Morry Taylor, Titan Wheel International president and CEO, also has strong opinions on a number of other topics. Here are some of the subjects he covered during a two-and-a-half-hour interview: The Fidelity Tire takeover On May 14,...

The end of an era in Ohio. (Ohio Tire Dealers and Retreaders Association Executive Director Bill Floyd)
June 1, 1997... Executive Director Bill Floyd leaves his mark Sometimes good guys do finish first. Bill Floyd, the only executive director the Ohio Tire Dealers and Retreaders Association (OTDRA) has ever known, retires this month after 30 years of service....

New tire, legendary name: Parnelli Jones gives it another try.
June 1, 1997... Parnelli Jones hopes the new tire line that bears his name is more successful the second time around. The retired racing champion lent his name to a private brand tire made by Firestone in the 1960s. Jones sold the brand in his tire store...

Dunlop's new tire's top of the line. (Dunlop Tire Corp.)
June 1, 1997... Z-rated SP Sport 9000 will compete with the best Dunlop Tire Corp. is integrating its SP Sport 9000 Z-rated tire into its already full line of performance products, saying this new tire is "not simply raising the bar on performance, but...

NTDRA changes name, begins HQ move. (National Tire Dealers and Retreaders Association)
June 1, 1997... The National Tire Dealers and Retreaders Association (NTDRA) is now the Tire Association of North America (TANA). And the association has begun what will be a gradual move to smaller and less expensive office space in the Reston (Va.) Town...

Continental General Tire rebounds; sets strategy of growth.(Company Profile)
June 1, 1997... It hasn't been easy, but Continental General Tire has established itself as a viable and profitable supplier in the North American tire market. It now has the strong leadership team and the practical long-range strategy to remain a stable...

Dickson's leading a new sales and marketing approach. (Continental General Tire VP Chris Dickson)(Company Profile)
June 1, 1997... A key figure in turning around the fortunes of Continental General Tire, personable, experienced Chris Dickson was personally chosen by President and CEO Bernd Frangenberg to the position of Vice President of Passenger and Light Truck...

Resurgence of dealer relations is major goal for DeLeonard. (Continental General Tire Director of Marketing Dennis DeLeonard)(Company Profile)
June 1, 1997... An outsider with considerable experience in tire marketing has been called in by Continental General Tire to further enhance its positive relationship with dealers. The man with this formidable assignment is Dennis DeLeonard, who joined the...

Associate dealer program is designed to help dealers. (Continental General Tire Inc.)(Company Profile)
June 1, 1997... In the North American tire market it's getting harder and harder for the small independent retailer to survive. So the need for marketing communications becomes more critical. Determining what sizes to stock is an increasingly difficult...

Company's web site leadership is a big plus for dealers. (Continental General Tire Inc.)(Company Profile)
June 1, 1997... Continental General Tire is well on its way to becoming the tire industry's computer age leader in global communications. By summer's end the company will have opened an Intranet site to be used for direct communications with its dealers....

I-MAP gives retail dealers detailed customer demographics. (Continental General Tire Inc.)(Company Profile)
June 1, 1997... Continental General Tire is continuing and accelerating the marketing support program for its dealers that the company launched successfully last year. Its targeted approach to teaming up with key dealers and key markets compares favorably...

World class technology directly helps dealers make higher profits. (Continental General Tire Inc.)(Company Profile)
June 1, 1997... Jim Rippy has the rare combination of technical expertise and great rapport with people. He also has 27 years experience with General Tire and later with Continental General Tire. As Senior Vice President of Manufacturing, he is responsible...

Timely delivery of quality tires backed by strong sales "partners." (Continental General Tire Inc.)(Company Profile)
June 1, 1997... "We are a manufacturing company and a marketing company, and it is our job not just to say it, but to prove it." That was the enthusiastic response of Sonny Litz, Director of Operations, when he was asked about the "new" Continental General...

Dealers benefit as company increases its product planning. (Continental General Tire Inc.)(Company Profile)
June 1, 1997... John Zeola is an important addition to the Continental General Tire marketing team headed by Dennis DeLeonard. He is putting to use his past experience as a manager of passenger and light truck planning in an assignment to take full advantage...

Dealers pleased with company's quality and service levels. (Continental General Tire Inc.)(Company Profile)
June 1, 1997... What a difference a few years can make! Dealers doing business with Continental General Tire today say the company has a whole new policy of dealer relations - one that makes doing business easy and gives them every opportunity to make a...

Continental brand tops outstanding product mix at OE. (Continental General Tire Inc.)(Company Profile)
June 1, 1997... Since Continental brand tires have earned original equipment fitment on prestige cars such as Mercedes, BMW, Audi and Porsche, there's no reason they can't also take their place as an essential part of the ride and suspension systems on...

Comprehensive tire lines provide dealers profitable sales options. (Continental General Tire Inc.)(Company Profile)
June 1, 1997... The Continental General Tire "team" of tire brands is as comprehensive as any in North America, providing independent retail tire dealers with the "tools" to compete in any segment of the market. It starts with General Tire, one of the...