Modern Tire Dealer - December 2019 by EndeavorBusinessMedia-VehicleRepairGroup

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tires

Bill Ziegler, the Modern Tire Dealer Tire Dealer of the Year in 2009, reflects on Ziegler Tire’s success on its 100th anniversary in 2019.

The Industry’s Leading Publication December 2019, Volume 100, Number 12

F E AT U R E S 42

Big issues, big impact

DEPARTMENTS

New tires, new technologies, new tools — and a new tire show?

2 Editorial Then there were three: As I get ready to leave, Lori, Greg and Karen remain

SEMA/AAPEX shows delivered the goods

4 moderntiredealer.com News and navigation tools for MTD’s website

6 Industry News The power of consistency: J.D. Power survey ranks top retailers for tire replacement

16 Numbers that Count Relevant statistics from an industry in constant motion

It all starts with the cover

Past, Present, Future: Ziegler Tire

18 Your Marketplace The average customer continues to look more toward quality than value

65 Business Insights

Halo effect: How to capture a bigger piece of the auto service pie

67 European Notebook Good help is hard to find in Europe, too: New apprenticeship programs targets tire techs

Focus on Industry 68 U.S. plant is a Nokian milestone: New products will help fuel North American growth

70 Shaking up the LT lineup: Xplora R/T is the latest piece of a unique puzzle

Ag tire sales in 2020

AG Tire Talk: Load speed index low-down

Kenda introduces the Klever A/T2 in Las Vegas

w w w . M o d e r n T i r e D e a l e r. c o m

Coming in 2020: General brand bias OTR tires

Plus a sneak peek at new Continental radial products

Plowing ahead

Commercially Viable

ON THE COVER: PHOTO BY MIKE MANGES.

Modern Tire Dealer is a proud member of:

Continental introduces ‘intelligent’ construction tire line Factory-installed sensors capture data to help extend tire life

New Road Venture MT71 blends aggressive performance and styling

77 Products 78 Ad index 79 Classified

Manufacturers are cautiously optimistic

How to pick the right index for your application

72 Kumho targets mud-terrain market:

Honda Odyssey, 2011-2019

Commercial Tire DealerTM

CFI Tire Service helps growers get the most out of their IF/VF tires

71 ‘Tier 1 quality, Tier 3 price’:

73 TPMS

We whittle down more than 1,200 covers to the 10 best as our 100th anniversary celebration comes to an end

Task vampires and emotional vampires: How to slay these productivity-draining monsters

66 Mergers and Acquisitions

TIA discusses issues impacting tire dealers

Farm tire manufacturers roll out new products at Agritechnica

Editorial

Then there were three

AS I GET READY TO LEAVE, LORI, GREG AND KAREN REMAIN By

Bob Ulrich

ey, Bobby, there’s a job opening over here at Modern Tire Dealer. You should apply.” With that phone call in March of 1985, former MTD Senior Editor Jim Smith changed my life. I did apply for the job of assistant editor, got it, and began working before the month was over. Never mind that Jim, a good friend of mine, received a $100 finder’s fee for the hiring. The editor was Dave Burkhart, who, along with Greg Smith, hired me. In addition to other corporate responsibilities, Greg helped oversee the magazine as special projects editor. Lori Wiese was our managing editor, and Mike Mavrigian the group technical director. Karen Runion was the production manager. Virginia Caswell was the circulation director. John Millar was vice president of sales. There were others on staff who worked from either their homes or the New York office, where our owner, Bill Communications Inc., was based. But I saw these eight people every day when I first started at MTD. Three of them, Jim, Dave and John, have since died. Virginia has retired. Mavrigian went out on his own to form Birchwood Automotive Group. He is the editor of our sister publication, Auto Service Professional. Amazingly, as I prepare to retire after more than 34 years at the magazine, three of the people who were here before me remain: Lori, Greg and Karen. You may be more familiar with Lori as Lori Mavrigian. She married Mike in October 1985. I met Lori eight days before my career at MTD began. Jim had invited us to lunch following my interview, and was hoping she and I would get along. He really wanted that finder’s fee, and was hoping Lori would put in a good word for me. I guess she did. We bonded over our mutual dislike of Disney World’s “It’s a Small World” ride. It was Lori who taught me the ropes, and helped me navigate office politics. As managing editor, she is more facilitator than journalist, but she has won numerous writing awards in her 40-year career. No one is more responsible for my long career than Greg, who started at MTD about six months before Lori did and is now the publisher. Although I didn’t work directly under him until I became editor — he was promoted one month before I was hired — he guided me from assistant editor to senior editor to executive editor to editor. Sometimes he was subtle. Sometimes he was blunt. Heck, often he was blunt. But I learned about the industry and independent

As part of a promotional photo, Karen Runion, seated, checks out the July 1977 issue of Modern Tire Dealer flanked by, from left to right, Cindy Ott, Patty Zettler and Donna Lake.

tire dealers from him. He was/is my mentor. We remained a satellite office even after being purchased by California-based Bobit Business Media Inc. There is no telling how many times Greg shielded my mistakes from the parent company. And I made my share. Now to Karen, who was here even before Lori and Greg joined MTD. She has helped produce nearly 600 issues of the magazine since September 1974, when she was hired as assistant production manager. That’s 45 years, longer than any employee in the magazine’s 100-year history. Let me repeat that. She has been with MTD longer than any person ever. There are many people who think of Karen when they think of MTD. She has survived through six of MTD’s nine editors. When Executive Editor Mike Manges takes over on Jan. 16, 2020, she will have worked with seven out of 10. She also happens to be younger than either Lori or Greg. So she was the first person in and may be the last person out. Lori, Greg and Karen have a combined 125 years in the tire industry, which means I am leaving the magazine in great hands. For all the three of you have done for me in the last 34 years, I sincerely, and emotionally, thank you. ■ If you have any questions or comments, please email me at bob.ulrich@bobit.com.

MTD December 2019

ModernTireDealer.com DIGITAL RESOURCES FOR THE INDEPENDENT TIRE DEALER

MTD digital edition You can view the digital version of Modern Tire Dealer’s monthly magazine, plus archived issues, at http://mtd.epubxp.com/t/22225

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HOME OFFICE 3515 Massillon Rd., Suite 350 Uniontown, OH 44685 (330) 899-2200, fax (330) 899-2209 Website: www.moderntiredealer.com

PUBLISHER Greg Smith, ext. 2212 Greg.Smith@bobit.com

EDITORIAL Editor: Robert J. Ulrich, ext. 2211 Bob.Ulrich@bobit.com Executive Editor: Mike Manges, ext. 2213 Mike.Manges@bobit.com Managing Editor: Lori L. Mavrigian, ext. 2216 Lori.Mavrigian@bobit.com

Senior Editor & Digital Projects Editor: Joy Kopcha, ext. 2215

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Joy.Kopcha@bobit.com Senior Editor: Ann Neal, ext. 2218 Ann.Neal@bobit.com

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PRODUCTION

www.twitter.com/MTDMagazine @MTDMagazine

Las Vegas was the site for all things automotive during the 2019 SEMA Show.

Art Director: Vince Taroc, (310) 533-2547 Vincent.Taroc@bobit.com Graphic Designer: Jeff Polman, (310) 533-2460 Jeff.Polman@bobit.com Production Manager: Karen Runion, ext. 2210 Karen.Runion@bobit.com

SALES South and Texas: Greg Smith

What happens in Las Vegas… It’s not surprising some of the news items on www.moderntiredealer.com that garnered the most attention last month came from the recently held Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show and the Tire Industry Association’s Global Tire Expo. Those events were held in Las Vegas as part of Automotive Aftermarket Industry Week, which also included the Automotive Aftermarket Parts Expo (AAPEX). See our show wrap-up starting on page 26. Here are our top 10 most-read industry news items. 1. Falken, Dunlop and Goodyear tires included in recall 2. Toyo continues to build distribution network 3. Hankook introduces AI for tire compound development 4. Bob’s Blog: Consumer Reports tested 102 tires, and the winners are… 5. BKT provides tire for record-breaking tractor 6. Hunter is the SEMA Manufacturer of the Year 7. The best new tires at 2019 SEMA Show all belong to Yokohama 8. J.D. Power survey shows consistency matters to aftermarket consumers 9. ATD names new Tire Pros president 10. TIA addresses infrastructure funding, tire registration

Greg.Smith@bobit.com (330) 899-2200, ext. 2212 Midwest: Bob Marinez Bob.Marinez@bobit.com (330) 899-2200, ext. 2217 West Coast: Marianne Dyal /The Dyal Company Marianne.Dyal@bobit.com (706) 344-1388, mobile (619) 990-5536 Automotive Aftermarket: Dan Thornton djtinc@gmail.com (734) 676-9135, mobile (313) 410-0945 Classified Sales: Bob Marinez Bob.Marinez@bobit.com (330) 899-2200, ext. 2217 Reprint Sales: Karen Runion Karen.Runion@bobit.com (330) 899-2200, ext. 2210

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MODERN TIRE DEALER (ISSN 00268496) (CDN IPM #40013413) (USPS #369-170) is published monthly by Bobit Business Media, 3520 Challenger St., Torrance, California 90503-1640. Periodicals postage paid at Torrance, CA 90503-9998 and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to MODERN TIRE DEALER, P.O. Box 3312, Northbrook, IL 60065-3312. Please allow 6 to 8 weeks for address changes to take effect. Subscriptions in the U.S. and its possessions, $65; Canadian, $99; Int’l surface mail, $99; Int’l airmail, $198. Single copies, $10, except the January Facts Issue, $30. Address all subscription correspondence to MODERN TIRE DEALER, P.O. Box 3312, Northbrook, IL 60065-3312. Please allow 6 to 8 weeks to receive your first issue. Please address Editorial and Advertising correspondence to MODERN TIRE DEALER, 3515 Massillon Road, Suite 350, Uniontown, OH 44685-6217. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced either in whole or in part without consent of Bobit Business Media. All statements made, although based on information believed to be reliable and accurate, cannot be guaranteed and no fault or liability can be accepted for error or omission. For your information: We sometimes make our subscriber information (i.e. fax, e-mail or mailing address) available to carefully screened organizations whose products and services may be of interest to you. If you prefer not to have your information made available, please write MODERN TIRE DEALER, P.O. Box 3312, Northbrook, IL 60065-3312.

MTD December 2019

Industry News

The power of consistency

J.D. POWER SURVEY RANKS TOP RETAILERS FOR TIRE REPLACEMENT

n its first measurement of customer satisfaction scores in the automotive aftermarket, J.D. Power and Associates says the highest satisfaction scores are connected to consistent service processes. One thing consumers appreciate: the vehicle walkaround. The inaugural J.D. Power 2019 U.S. Aftermarket Service Index Study — which was done in conjunction with SurveyMonkey Audience — not only shows what’s most important to consumers when they’re either having general maintenance done, or tires replaced, but also includes a ranking of the top-performers in the U.S. aftermarket. The study splits general maintenance and tire replacement into two categories. And in each category, the scores are weighed by six different measures: fairness of charges, service quality, service advisor, service facility, vehicle pick up and service initiation (this relates to how a customer sets up service, whether it’s scheduled on the phone, online or via text, or just shows up without an appointment). In tire replacement, service initiation was the most important to consumers. Overall, J.D. Power says customers are most satisfied with their service quality (755 points on a 1,000-point scale). “Owners are holding onto their vehicles past when factory scheduled maintenance packages and warranties expire, meaning they’ll be responsible for footing the full repair bill when their vehicles need service,” says Chris Sutton, vice president of the U.S. Automotive Retail Practice at J.D. Power. “Depending on the work needed, this can be a pretty significant expense, so owners want to be assured their vehicle is in capable hands and that they’re getting what they pay for. “Aftermarket service providers need to ensure a great experience so customers will want to return for future service, and might even recommend the facility to family members and friends. A lot of times, simple things like following up with a customer after a service experience can make the difference between a good and great experience.”

TWO INDICATORS OF SUCCESS

The survey shows vehicle walkarounds are

the second-most influential Key Performance Indicator (KPI) for general maintenance and tire replacement. But they’re not consistently done — 72% of the time for general maintenance and 75% for tire replacement. When a vehicle walkaround is performed, satisfaction scores improve 49 points for general maintenance and 47 points for tire replacement. What was the most influential KPI? Getting the work done right the first time. This applies to both general maintenance and tire replacement. Another key takeaway relies on the telephone. Follow-up calls are only made approximately 33% of the time for general

Retailer rankings

Two of the largest independent tire dealers in the U.S. earned the highest customer satisfaction scores; but the survey shows there’s plenty of competition nipping at their heels. Based on a 1,000-point scale, here’s how the retailers ranked in the tire replacement customer satisfaction index ranking. Tire retailer

Score

Les Schwab Tire Centers

824

Discount Tire

793

Costco

780

Goodyear Tire & Auto Service

771

Sam’s Club

763

Tire Kingdom

759

Firestone Complete Auto Care

757

Big O Tires

756

Tires Plus

738

Pep Boys

728

NTB

726

Mavis Discount Tire

707

Walmart

675

Average Score

751

Tire dealers also made the list in the general maintenance category. Find those rankings on www.moderntiredealer.com.

maintenance and 38% for tire replacement, but such calls can account for satisfaction scores that are 28 points higher for general maintenance service and 21 points higher for tire replacement service. Combine those two things — a vehicle walkaround and follow-up phone call — and customer satisfaction jumps 77 points for general maintenance and 68 points for tire replacement.

KEY FINDINGS

Fix it right the first time: This is the most important activity for increased customer satisfaction, and it’s achieved in a vast majority of instances (93% for general maintenance and 94% for tire replacement). Prior experience vs. recommendations: Among all age groups, the most common reason why customers select their service provider is prior experience, stressing the importance of providing a highly satisfying experience to retain customers. More than half (56%) of Baby Boomers (born 1946-1964) choose service providers based on prior experience with the facility, compared with 34% of Generation Z (born 1995-2004) service customers who have less prior experience. Generation Z customers are most likely to choose a service facility based on recommendations from others. Would you recommend this business? Net Promoter Score (NPS) measures customers’ likelihood of recommending their service facility on a 0-10 scale. Customers who are highly satisfied with their service are most likely to promote the business to others. Opportunities rise as vehicles age: The study finds that, among customers who had aftermarket service, 33% of owners within the first year of ownership also had service at a new-vehicle dealership in the past year. This percentage steadily declines as vehicles age, down to 21% for owners of five-year-old vehicles, and 16% for nine-year old vehicles. It drops to 8% for owners of vehicles 10-plus years old. The 2019 U.S. Aftermarket Service Index Study is based on responses from 12,554 vehicle owners and was conducted in August-September 2019. — Joy Kopcha MTD December 2019

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Industry News

Nexen celebrates its ‘outpost in North America for R&D’

Bites Michelin hikes prices Michelin North America Inc. raised prices on all Michelin and BFGoodrich brand medium truck tires and Michelin and Oliver brand retread products on Dec. 1. The increase of up to 4.9% was effective for all North American fleet account customers in the U.S. and Canada.

Continental plant opens A new Continental Tire the Americas LLC plant near Clinton, Miss., will start manufacturing truck and bus tires for the United States market in 2020. The plant represents a $1.4 billion investment and will employ 2,500 people when it reaches full capacity in the next decade.

Toyo promotes Graber Michael Graber will become Toyo Tire U.S.A. Corp.’s vice president of sales on Jan. 1, 2020, when Toyo Senior Vice President Randy Gaetz retires after 41-plus years in the industry. Dave Johnston will replace Graber as director of commercial tire sales.

Monro rebranding continues During the most recent quarter Monro Inc. says it “substantially completed” the re-imaging of about 120 stores. Pilot stores in the rebranding program have generated double-digit increases in comparable store sales.

Consultant recognized Richard “Dick” Morgan, president of Morgan Marketing Solutions Inc. and a longtime contributor to Modern Tire Dealer, recently received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Institute of Management Consultants USA. He is only the 13th recipient of the award in the group’s 50-year history.

Hybrid Shop expands Phoenix, Ariz.-based Community Tire Pros and Auto Repair has joined The Hybrid Shop network. The tire dealership is owned by Howard Fleischmann and Kim Sigman.

GT Radial goes drifting The GT Radial brand from Giti Tire (USA) Ltd. will return to Formula Drift in 2020 after a four-year absence. GT Radial will compete with a new extreme performance tire which will be manufactured at the company’s facility in Richburg, S.C.

exen Tire Corp. capped off a year of expansion projects around the globe with the grand opening of a $5 million tire technology center in northeast Ohio on Nov. 13. The 33,540-square-foot building in Richfield, a community near Akron, is Nexen’s third facility dedicated to tire technology to open in 2019. Earlier this year Nexen opened a tech center in Germany, as well as a 613,000-square-foot global headquarters for research and development in Seoul, South Korea, called Nexen UniverCity. The company also began production at a new factory in the Czech Republic in April. Very few, if any, companies are moving this aggressively, Nexen Vice Chairman and Global CEO Travis Kang told guests during the grand opening ceremony for the new technology center. “North America is one of the three major markets in the global economy, along with Europe and China,” he said. “And North America, in particular, has been and will continue to be a key market for Nexen’s growth.” Nexen supplied its first original equipment tire to a North American automobile factory in 2013. Since then the company has supplied more than six million tires to OE manufacturers in North America, making Nexen one of the fastest-growing tire companies in the world, according to Kang. “Nexen is fully committed to the U.S. market,” says Kang. “We are 100% dedicated to our OE customers, our replacement dealers, and, ultimately, our end users who drive on our tires every day.” Aaron Neumann, prod- “Nexen is fully committed to the U.S. market,” says uct development manager, Vice Chairman and Global CEO Travis Kang, pictured in the company’s new tire technology center in Ohio, described the tech center as next to a Jeep fitted with Roadian MTX tires. Nexen’s “outpost in North America for R&D.” The facility and its team of engineers develops and designs all of Nexen’s OE tires for U.S. vehicle manufacturers for the North American market. The tech center also designs light truck and sport utility vehicle replacement tires for North America. OE tire design represents 50% of the center’s output, with 25% devoted to developing replacement tires. The remaining 25% of the facility’s work is related to future tire technology. “The tires we develop are class-leading performers,” said Neumann, who highlighted Nexen’s OE relationship with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles LLC. (The Nexen Roadian HTX tire developed by the tech center for the Dodge Ram 1500 helped that vehicle win 2019 Motor Trend Truck of the Year honors.) The tech center also developed Nexen’s first mud-terrain and off-road replacement tire, the Roadian MTX, which is earning rave reviews from enthusiasts, according to Neumann. In addition, the tech center’s engineers are developing tires and sensor technologies for electric vehicles and autonomous vehicles. A recent project involves the Canoo, a subscription-only electric vehicle introduced by a California start-up company in September 2019. The Canoo model is scheduled to be available in 2021 and will be fitted with Nexen tires. “Nexen’s not the biggest tire company, in fact, we’re the 20th-largest tire company. We’re not a budget brand; we’re not the cheapest tire out there. We’re a high-quality tire producer,” said Neumann — Ann Neal MTD December 2019

Industry News

Bites

Tire Discounters supports Wounded Warrior Project

Accu-turn gains network McCourt Consulting Group is establishing a distribution network for Base USA Corp.’s Accu-turn tire and wheel service products in the U.S. The line includes tire changers, wheel balancers, lifts, wheel alignment systems and other products.

Recall spans 3 brands The use of an incorrect rubber compound at a Sumitomo Rubber Industries Ltd. plant resulted in the recall of tires from three brands: the Falken Ziex CT50 A/S, Dunlop SP Sport 5000 and Goodyear Eagle LS2. More than half of the 2,286 tires were sold to an original equipment manufacturer.

Pep Boys expands Pep Boys — Manny, Moe & Jack has relocated its Lodi, N.J., store to a larger location with six renovated service bays, and recently opened stores in Astoria, N.Y.; LaGrange, Ga.; and Rocklin and Lawndale, Calif. The chain is nearing 1,000 locations.

Export achiever Mickey Thompson Tires & Wheels earned an Export Achievement Certificate from the U.S. Department of Commerce for its efforts to increase sales and strengthen business relationships in China and the Middle East.

Cosmo warranty improves Tire Group International LLC says Cosmo Tires has added a mileage warranty to its passenger and light truck lineup, and also is offering a retread and casing warranty on all its truck and bus tires as part of the new “Cosmo Tires Warranty Suite.”

Virginia Tire opens store Virginia Tire & Auto LLC has added to its footprint with a location in Herndon, Va. The 11-bay store is the company’s 16th location.

Hankook uses AI Hankook Tire Co. Ltd. is utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) and the Virtual Compound Design system to find the best rubber compound for tires. The company expects to cut compound development time in half.

New track in India Apollo Tyres has collaborated with the Global Automotive Research Centre to establish a test track in India. The facility will be used for testing the wet grip of tires.

During a week-long event, Tire Discounters Inc. locations in three states didn’t charge customers labor on tires or oil changes, and instead collected donations for the Wounded Warrior Project. The first-time event raised more than $20,000. The company hosted its “Labor on Us” event Oct. 24-31 in Tennessee, Georgia and Alabama. Customers donated $9,140 that week, and Tire Discounters added a $1 donation for every social media share, phone call and appointment booked during the event. Altogether, the event raised $20,631. “The Labor Is on Us event was our way of saying thank you to all the men and women who keep us

Tire Discounters’ employees set up patriotic displays to honor their coworkers, family members, friends and neighbors who have served in the military.

safe,” says Jamie Ward, the dealership’s president. The money raised will help the Wounded Warrior Project provide programs and services including access to mental and physical health care, employment assistance

and education services. “We employ many veterans,” says Charles Curlee, a Marine Corps veteran and vice president of retail sales. “Giving back to the Wounded Warrior Project was a cause close to many of our hearts.”

Burt Brothers opens store No. 12

even months after nearly all of the Firestone Complete Auto Care stores in Salt Lake City, Utah, closed, Burt Brothers Tire & Service Inc. has acquired and reopened one of those locations, which gives Burt Brothers 12 retail stores. The family-owned tire dealership, a major Bridgestone and Firestone dealer, moved quickly after Bridgestone Retail Operations LLC closed 13 of its 14 Firestone outlets in the region. Jeremy Burt, an owner of the company, told Modern Tire Dealer at the time that Burt Brothers wanted to capture left-behind consumers, as well as employees. Burt Brothers acquired the former Firestone store in Draper, Utah. It has 12 bays and a lube center for quick oil changes. A new, sleek showroom is in the works. It’s scheduled to be complete in spring 2020; the store is open during construction. The showroom will display Burt Brothers’ lineup of Firestone tires, as well other key brands, including Bridgestone, Kelly, Pirelli, Dunlop, Michelin, Toyo, Continental, Hankook and Goodyear. “We are told that other Firestone stores around the state are being torn down and replaced with other types of businesses, but we are very excited about acquiring this store and continuing to provide top quality tires and service for all the loyal Firestone customers and Draper residents,” says Jeremy Burt. The Draper location will offer Burt Brothers’ standard extras for consumers, including free Wi-Fi and bottled water, plus “immaculate” restrooms. The store is served by ASE-certified technicians and is AAA-accredited. Burt says the location fills a void for the company in the south end of the Salt Lake area. “Our goal is to make our services accessible to everyone in the northern Utah area, but this was a bit of a dead spot for us,” he notes. “We are now able to serve the people of Draper with all of their automotive needs.” MTD December 2019

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Road oriented Steel belts Excellent self-cleaning features Fuel Economy High speed

Industry News

Bites

Sullivan Tire honors 35 emerging leaders

CA dealers to meet Tire Industry Association Vice President Dan Nothdurft will speak at the California Tire Dealers Association (CTDA) New Year Luncheon on Jan. 29, 2020, in Santa Fe Springs.

Tuffy Tire adds store Tuffy Tire & Auto Service, which has more than 170 Tuffy Tire & Auto Service Centers in 14 states, has added another location in Pelham, Ala. The outlet offers tires and complete automotive service.

Dealers meet in PA Allen Rubber Co. Inc. recently hosted 450 of its associate dealers in East Norriton, Pa. Members of the wholesale distributor’s Xcelerate dealer program attended the family style block party and open house.

Cooper buys out partner Cooper Tire & Rubber Co. is taking full ownership of its joint venture passenger and light truck tire manufacturing facility near Guadalajara, Mexico. Cooper previously owned 58% of the joint venture and is purchasing the remaining portion from Trabajadores Democraticos de Occidente S.C. de R.L. de C.V.

McCarthy tech is OTR certified Marty Opinsky from McCarthy Tire Service Co. Inc. has earned his Level 400 Earthmover Tire Service (ETS) Instructor certification from the Tire Industry Association (TIA). The TIA program represents the highest level of training in the off-the-road tire industry.

Thirty-five employees of Sullivan Tire Co. Inc. completed the company’s 2019 Leadership Development Program (LDP), which is designed to expand and enhance the skills of emerging leaders in the tire dealership. On Oct. 16, graduates were treated to a catered lunch in Randolph, Mass., Thirty-five employees recently completed Sullivan Tire’s Leadplus encouraging ership Development Program, which is designed for employmessages from com- ees identified as emerging leaders. pany leaders, includpants attend classes over tunities available through ing Mike Reilly, director of human resources; the span of several months Sullivan Tire University. Joe Zaccheo, chief oper- and are tested on their new Those efforts, including ating officer; and Bob Sul- skills with projects and the company’s promise to cover the cost of technical livan, company president. other assignments. “Our employees are our certification exams, is a The program’s recent graduates include Payroll most valued asset,” says key driver for employee retention, the company Manager Cortney Bark- Zaccheo. “The LDP program helps says. More than 25% of doll, Customer Experience Manager Tiffany Sheehan, them further the leadership Sullivan Tire’s employees and Waltham Retail Man- skills they need in order have been with the comto exceed in an extremely pany for at least 10 years. ager Dan Henning. Sullivan Tire has more The course expands and competitive industry.” The program is among than 1,200 employees enhances the skillsets of emerging leaders in the the dealership’s online and working in five New Engcompany. Selected partici- classroom training oppor- land states.

Castrol and Take 5 partner Castrol, the lubricants brand of BP, and Take 5 Oil Change have entered into a longterm strategic partnership. The two brands will integrate training, service and marketing efforts to ensure continued growth for both the company and franchise Take 5 Oil Change locations.

TechForce and Trust unite The TechForce Foundation and America’s Automotive Trust have merged with the goal to better serve their respective constituents. TechForce CEO and Executive Director Jennifer Maher is leading the new alliance as CEO.

Hankook truck tires available at Love’s

ankook commercial truck tires are now available at more than 350 Love’s Truck Tire Care locations throughout the United States. The Love’s Truck Tire Care network includes on-site and stand-alone Love’s Truck Tire Care and Speedco locations, all of which will carry Hankook Tire America Corp.’s SmartWay-approved e3 Max AL21, e3 Max DL21 and e3 Max TL21 tires. “We are thrilled to be part of Love’s strong network to further help professional truck drivers stay safe on the road,” says Rob Williams, senior director of TBR sales at Hankook. “We continually strive to provide customers with the best options to fit their needs,” says Dan Jensen, Love’s director of tire sales and services. “Hankook is recognized as one of the premier tire brands so we’re excited to add them to our world-class set of offerings.” “This partnership represents a fundamental step in growing the Hankook brand and continuing to serve fleets across the country,” say Hankook officials. MTD December 2019

Industry News

Dates 2020 January 10-12 Mid-America Tire Dealers Association Convention, Sporting K, Kansas City, KS (785) 286-1110 www.matda.org

January 18-25 Ontario Tire Dealers Association Winter Conference, Royalton Luxury Resort, Antigua, West Indies (289) 887-4046 www.otda.com

January 27-30 Heavy Duty Aftermarket Week, Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center, Grapevine, TX (904) 937-2900 www.hdaw.org

January 30-31 North Central Tire Dealers & Suppliers Association Mid-Winter Conference & Trade Show, (location TBA) (952) 544-6805 www.northcentraltiredealers.com

February 19-21 Tire Industry Association’s Off-the-Road Tire Conference, Renaissance Indian Wells Resort & Spa, Palm Springs, CA (800) 876-8372 www.tireindustry.org

February 19-22 Mobile Air Conditioning Society Training Event & Trade Show, Gaylord Opryland Resort, Nashville, TN (215) 631-7020 www.macsw.org

February 24-26 Automechanika Riyadh, Al Faisaliah Hotel, Prince Sultan Grand Hall, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia +971 4 389 4500 www.automechanikariyadh.com

February 24-27 American Trucking Associations’ Technology & Maintenance Council Annual Meeting, Georgia World Congress Center, Atlanta, GA (703) 838-1763 https://tmcconnect.trucking.org

ATD names new Tire Pros president

merican Tire Distributors Inc. (ATD) has named Greg Bell president of its Tire Pros program. A 20-year sales and operations veteran, Bell joined ATD in 2007 as senior director of operations. Prior to his new appointment, he served as ATD’s vice president, inside sales and call center. Bell’s leadership “will be pivotal in our commitment to help drive traffic to our franchisees’ stores, help them be more profitable and enhance their operations,” says an ATD spokesperson. He replaces Ron Sinclair, who recently retired from ATD after more than 15 years in various leadership roles. “Greg brings deep company and industry knowledge to continue driving our Tire Pros franchise and growth strategies.”

Bauer Built expands in the Twin Cities Bauer Built Inc. has opened a third location to serve the Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn., market. The new location, at 1066 Gemini Road in Eagan, a Minneapolis suburb, features six bays capable of accommodating 11 tractors or five tractor trailers, or a combination of both. The store, which will offer tires and tirerelated services, will also provide mechanical services for fleets, along with mobile service for the Twin Cities metro area. Tad Bauer, president of the company, which is based in Durand, Wis., says the addition “is the result of continuing efforts by Bauer Built to expand

This store in Eagan, Minn., is Bauer Built’s 38th location.

our existing operation as part of our overall growth strategy.” Bauer Built will sell its full line of truck tires from the new location, including these brands: Michelin, BFGoodrich, Uniroyal, Continental, General and Galaxy, plus Michelin-brand retreads. In addition to operating 38 tire and service centers, Bauer Built has two distribution centers, seven Michelin retread plants, and

three wheel-refinishing operations in 10 midwestern states. The company also operates a bulk petroleum business. Bauer Built is No. 7 on Modern Tire Dealer’s list of the largest commercial tire dealers in the country, and No. 9 on MTD’s list of the largest retreaders in the U.S. Bauer Built also is the 30th largest independent tire dealer in the country, according to the 2019 Modern Tire Dealer 100.

GB Auto Service has deals ‘in the works’

B Auto Service Inc. is planning to continue its growth streak. The umbrella for a number of automotive service chains, GB Auto Service is a division of Greenbriar Equity Group LP. In less than two years, the private equity firm has acquired more than 100 outlets, including: Evans Tire & Service Centers Inc., (18 stores); Tire Works Total Car Care, (15 stores); Ramona Tire Inc., (17 stores); Brakemax Car Care Centers of Arizona, dba Brake Max Tire & Service Centers, (15 stores); Driver’s Edge Complete Auto Care, (18 stores); and Lamb’s Tire & Automotive Centers, (18 stores). The purchase of Lamb’s gave the company 84 independent tire outlets in the southwestern U.S. We asked Chris Wyborny, former vice president of Ramona Tire and now GB Auto’s regional vice president, if there was any news to report on the expansion front. He said the company has “a number of deals in the works west of the Mississippi.” ■ MTD December 2019

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86%

Percent of consumers who believe vehicles owners should have direct access to their vehicle data.

©GETTYIMAGES.COM/OLIVIER LE MOAL

WHO SHOULD HAVE DIRECT ACCESS TO VEHICLE DATA?

44%

believe the vehicle manufacturer should have access.

36%

23%

believe the auto repair shop should access.

say the dealership should have access.

SOURCE: AUTO CARE ASSOCIATION RESEARCH, WWW.YOURCARYOURDATA.ORG

87%

Percent of new vehicles in the U.S. that will be equipped with telematics by 2022. SOURCE: HIS MARKET

©GETTYIMAGES.COM/KAMONCHAI MATTAKULPHON

©GETTYIMAGES.COM/ZTARO

NUMBER OF WAREHOUSE CLUBS IN THE U.S. IN 2018

597

Sam’s Club

533

Costco Wholesale Corp.

223

BJ’s Warehouse Club Inc. SOURCE: MODERN TIRE DEALER’S FACTS ISSUE.

NUMBER OF COMPANY-OWNED RETAIL STORES IN THE U.S. IN 2018

1913

The year the Ford Model T became the first mass-produced automobile. Three years later, 55% of all cars in the world were Model Ts. SOURCE: FRANKENMUTH INSURANCE, WWW.FMINS.COM

©GETTYIMAGES.COM/THAWORNNURAK

©GETTYIMAGES.COM/CWEIMER4

NumbersThatCount

Relevant statistics from an industry in constant motion

2,500

Bridgestone

600

Goodyear

Nokian/Vianor SOURCE: MODERN TIRE DEALER’S FACTS ISSUE.

MTD December 2019

Yo u r M a r k e t p l a c e

John Healy

The average customer continues to look more toward quality than value

eedback from dealers leaves us with a view that retail sell-out trends showed strength in October with a notable pickup in momentum from September. From a volume standpoint, surveyed dealers reported they saw unit sales improve roughly 1% to 2% compared to the prior year’s period and came in as the third highest observed growth rate in our tire demand index for the year. As Mother Nature can single-handedly dictate the ebb and flow of sellout trends in the tire industry, climate conditions were a noteworthy topic in October as temperatures across the country were largely below the levels seen in October 2018 and experienced extremes on both ends when compared to 20th century averages. We point out that the comparisons from the prior year’s period come off an average October, while the preceding months were typically much hotter than observed averages. More specifically, October 2018 only saw five states report a month that was in the top 10% warmest Octobers on record with two states reporting the month was in the top 10% coldest Octobers on record. Fast forward to October 2019 and our data indicates that 11 states experienced an October that was in the top 10% warmest Octobers on record with temperatures markedly elevated in the southern part of the United States. Such hot temperatures can place a notable strain on vehicles which could cause any number of problems that will lead consumers to bring their vehicles into repair shops which could reveal additional problems and allow dealers to upsell customers on other items like tires. It should also be noted that these relatively warm areas of the country were offset nationally by colder than usual temperatures in the Midwest and Western part of the United States, with 14 states in these regions experiencing their top 10 coldest Octobers on record. Additionally, while temperatures were slightly below last year’s levels, precipitation was notably elevated, particularly in the South and Midwest where 13 states had their top 10% wettest Octobers ever while Mississippi experienced their wettest October on record. Looking closer at the recent trajectory of raw material costs, the basket of raw materials to make a common replacement vehicle tire fell 8.2% on a year-over-year basis in October while decreasing 0.8% from September.

Average tire tier rankings Tier

Aug ’18

Sep ’18

Oct ’18

Aug ’19

Sep ’19

Oct ’19

Tier 1

Tier 2

Tier 3

SOURCE: NORTHCOAST RESEARCH ESTIMATES

Although tire industry profit levels are often dictated by raw material cost inflation, weather patterns, and competitive dynamics (supply/demand, capacity additions, etc.), we reinforce our view that the market continues to strengthen and that the outlook remains healthy for dealers and wholesalers.

MONTHLY SURVEY

A number of independent tire dealers were surveyed concerning current business trends. The results of the October 2019 survey are compared with those of October 2018. See the report on www. moderntiredealer.com.

REPLACEMENT TIRE SALES: SELLOUT LEVELS CONTINUE TO REMAIN FAVORABLE

Dealer commentary suggests consumer demand for PLT replacement tires rose in October compared to the prior year’s period. The net number of respondents indicating they saw an increase in demand year-over-year was 30% of contacts compared to October 2018’s 7.3% of contacts experiencing growth. We note that our tire demand index was up 21.1% year-over-year (up 12.7% from September) and we continue to hold a perspective that volumes are becoming more closely aligned with the current level of GDP growth as our dealer contacts have seen 16 straight months of positive volume growth.

A LOOK AT MIX TRENDS IN THE MARKET

It is clear that a strong shift has occurred in the consumer’s mindset when it comes to thinking about Tier 1 tires. While for a time they were the worst performer in the majority of 2018 and start of 2019, the segment is now consistently ranked in-between Tier 2 and Tier 3 brands, which we believe was brought on by the megatrend of the market shifting to HVA shipments. What makes this even more impressive, is that this shift has been occurring while many Tier 1 brands have been instituting price increases (Michelin, BFGoodrich, Bridgestone), showing that customers are still willing to pay a premium for higher quality tires. It should be noted that there has been progress in tariff/trade talks in the past few months, which might move some of the tire business back to international producers, who typically have cost advantages in comparison to their domestic counterparts. Overall, we believe the average customer has continued to look more toward quality rather than value, essentially placing themselves in-between buying Tier 1 or Tier 2 type tires. ■ John Healy is a managing director and research analyst with Northcoast Research Holdings LLC based in Cleveland, Ohio. Healy covers a variety of subsectors of the automotive industry.

MTD December 2019

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Legislative Update

BIG ISSUES, TIA DISCUSSES TAX CREDITS, TRADE WAR AND OTHER LEGISLATIVE ISSUES IMPACTING TIRE DEALERS

Ann Neal

hile major bills such as health care and tax reform garner the most attention, lawmakers are discussing, debating and voting upon numerous proposals that affect businesses, including independent tire dealerships. The Tire Industry Association (TIA) is advocating for the political interests of its members at both the federal and state levels. Here’s a rundown of some key proposals on the association’s radar, provided by Roy Littlefield IV, director of government affairs for TIA.

TAXING ONLINE SALES

Online retailers have traditionally avoided collecting sales tax for items shipped outside of their home states. TIA is advocating for an even playing field where virtual sellers and brick-and-mortar stores pay the same taxes, according to Littlefield. In June 2018, the U.S. Supreme Court

TIA plans Federal Lobby Day, international dealer summit The Tire Industry Association (TIA) is planning a Federal Lobby Day in 2020. The event will bring TIA members from across to the nation to Washington, D.C., to meet and speak directly with members of Congress about important issues that are impacting the tire industry. TIA hosted its first Federal Lobby Day in 2015. TIA also is planning its first-ever international dealer summit for 2020. The event will coincide with the association’s 100th anniversary and will be held at the 2020 Global Tire Expo in Las Vegas, Nev., next November.

ruled that states have broad authority to require online retailers to collect sales taxes, even if the merchant doesn’t have a physical presence in their state. To make it easier for multi-state retailers to collect and remit sales taxes, Congress is considering legislation called the Marketplace Fairness Act. Supporters say the proposed federal legislation would improve compliance with all local sales tax collection laws. “We support the Marketplace Fairness Act,” says Littlefield. “A lot of online retailers are avoiding the sales tax when they sell in different states because there’s no system set up for collecting those taxes.” TIA’s lobbying efforts involve letting members of Congress know the importance of a uniform system for taxing online purchases. “This legislation is necessary to clear up confusion and make it fair for the brickand-mortar stores that are paying taxes and supporting local communities,” he says. “We want an even playing field where everyone’s paying the same taxes on products, and no one online is avoiding those taxes.” The Online Sales Simplicity and Small Business Relief Act of 2019 also was recently introduced. TIA is gathering feedback from members before taking a position on the bill.

bill. The additional revenue would come from the General Fund. Littlefield says President Donald Trump has proposed a major infrastructure/jobs bill to the level of $1.5 trillion to $2.5 trillion, with money raised from the highway community via raising existing taxes, increased tolling, and large scale privatization of federal highways. “So far, all funding proposals for the wide-ranging infrastructure proposal focus on the highway users community,” says Littlefield. “Only a small percentage of these new funds would go to highways.” The proposals range from putting the federal excise tax back on tread rubber and on passenger tires to a weight-distance tax on motor carriers. “Some of those proposals would be hard on our industry. We’re lobbying Congress to let them know the negative impact,” says Littlefield. TIA is supporting the America Transportation Act as it is moving through Congress. “We support the goals of the president’s infrastructure proposal,” says Littlefield,

FUNDING INFRASTRUCTURE

The current highway funding bill expires in September 2020. Congress has several legislative options to fund the nation’s surface transportation programs. More than 40 proposals are under consideration. One of these is the bipartisan America’s Transportation Infrastructure Act of 2019 (ATIA). The ATIA bill authorizes $287 billion in surface transportation spending over five years, up 27% over current funding levels. No taxes have been raised under this

Roy Littlefield IV discussed the latest legislative issues affecting the tire industry at the 2019 SEMA Show.

MTD December 2019

BIG IMPACT “but we oppose raising all industry taxes, raising significantly the federal motor fuel taxes, and privatizing the majority of the federal highways.”

EXTENDING WORK TAX CREDITS

Among the tax credits available to businesses, one of the most important to independent tire dealerships is the Work Opportunity Tax Credit, or WOTC, for short. The WOTC, which is set to expire at the end of 2019, provides business owners with a tax credit for hiring veterans or disabled people. “The WOTC has helped employ veterans who have had trouble finding a job. We have many tire dealers who have hired veterans and have taken advantage of this tax credit,” says Littlefield. TIA is hopeful an agreement to extend the program will be reached in December.

ONGOING TRADE WAR

International trade tensions, especially the U.S. retaliatory tariffs on Chinese imports, are affecting all TIA members, according to Littlefield. “It seems like every day there are changes,” he says. “It’s up and down (on) what’s being tariffed and what’s not. It makes it very hard for a business owner to plan for the future.” TIA has arranged for members to give testimony on the impact of tire tariffs to the International Trade Commission and the Federal Trade Commission. The association has also brought members to give testimony at all tire tariff hearings. “We hear from members on both sides and the struggles they’re having. We want to assist and provide whatever resources and advice we can. But as an association, we haven’t been able to come out with a position on the tariffs.” Tariffs levied on auto parts may be the exception, he notes. “I think we are going to look at some of these auto part tariffs. There seems to be a lot of consensus that auto part tariffs are driving up prices across the board, and everyone’s pretty much suffering with that.” ■ w w w . M o d e r n T i r e D e a l e r. c o m

Legislative Update

BUSINESS UPTICK

TRIB’S STEVENS DISCUSSES THE IMPACT OF TARIFFS ON U.S. RETREADERS By

Mike Manges

he imposition of aggressive antidumping and countervailing duties on Chinese-made medium truck tires arguably has been the most significant development to hit the domestic retreading industry in many years, and the impact of those actions is something that the Tire Retread & Repair Information Bureau (TRIB) is monitoring closely. “TRIB has worked with and testified at the United States International Trade Commission on proposed anti-dumping and countervailing duties, as well as additional proposed tariffs put forward by the Trump administration,” says TRIB Managing Director David Stevens. With duties in place, “we hope that the retread industry in the U.S. will continue to thrive and deliver the environmental and economic benefits that are so important to (trucking) fleets, governments and the public.” In this interview, Stevens discusses how tariffs have helped domestic retreaders. He also details how retreaders can assist with TRIB’s legislative efforts. MTD: Earlier this year, many retreaders told us they were optimistic that tariffs imposed on Chinese-made truck tires would create an increase in demand for their products. From TRIB’s perspective, are the tariffs producing the lift in business that was generally expected? Stevens: I think many of our member companies hoped for a much faster uptick in business, but there was a lot of commercial truck tire inventory in the pipeline, especially since many companies expected that some sort of tariff might be put into place and acted accordingly. We’ve seen the positive impacts that anti-dumping and anti-subsidy measures have had on retreading businesses in Europe, and we expect the market in the US to follow a similar pattern. We are starting to hear from more of TRIB’s member companies that their retreading business is picking up, and many

people I’ve spoken to are on track to have record years. MTD: How will tariff increases, such as the one enacted this past summer, impact the domestic retread industry? Stevens: Combined with the anti-dumping and countervailing duties already in place, the additional tariffs have provided added incentive for those commercial trucking customers and fleets that may have shifted to low-cost, low-quality, “one-time-use” tires, and encouraged them to come back to retreading, where an initial investment in a quality tire that can be retreaded multiple

“I’ve spoken to more individuals and companies this past year who are looking to invest in the retread industry or are looking to build new retreading plants than I have in several years,” says David Stevens.

times delivers the best return on investment and lowest total cost of ownership. MTD: What are other significant legislative issues that are impacting the domestic retreading industry? Stevens: For years, the most significant threat the retread industry has faced in the U.S. has been proposed legislation banning or reducing the use of retreaded tires. This has almost always been at the state level and has always been based on inaccurate information about the safety and reliability of retreaded tires. We’ve been successful in preventing

legislation like this, as we’re armed with the facts about the safety and reliability of retreading, including multiple state and federal studies that have researched this issue time and again. MTD: Are there any ongoing or imminent retread industry-related issues at the state level that independent retreaders should be aware of? Stevens: TRIB and our members need to remain vigilant regarding any legislation seeking to ban retreaded tires. At the same time, we need to be mindful of any unsafe used tire legislation that might go beyond industry recommended practices when dealing with the safe repair of tires. This is especially important in the commercial truck sector as we don’t want to unnecessarily eliminate casings for retreading that have been properly repaired by certified technicians and meet the standards set by retreaders and their customers. One example of this issue is Ohio Senate Bill 223, which recently became law. It limits the ability to repair and retread certain light truck tires that have been used successfully by UPS, the U.S. Postal Service, and others for years. MTD: How can retreaders contribute to TRIB’s legislative efforts? Stevens: It’s challenging for TRIB to help on an issue if we’re somehow unaware of it. It’s always easier to get in front of a legislative issue than to try and modify a law or regulation after the fact. The same is true for negative press articles about retreading. Getting a newspaper to print a correction or retraction is so much more difficult than getting them the facts about retreading and having a balanced article presented to their readers in the first place. “We always ask TRIB members to make us aware if they hear or see anything that’s potentially negative for the retread industry,” he says. “That could be a negative press story, a law firm looking to stir up negative views about retreading, or local and state regulations that could impact our members.” ■ MTD December 2019

Legislative Update

ACCESS DENIED? DEALERS COULD LOSE PIPELINE TO VEHICLE REPAIR DATA By

Mike Manges

ithin the next two years, 87% of new cars in the United States will have the ability to transmit diagnostic and repair data via telematics, according to the Auto Care Association. Making sure that tire dealerships and other independent auto service providers have access to that information is essential, says Aaron Lowe, senior vice president, regulatory and government affairs, for the Auto Care Association. Access to vehicle data is “probably the most significant issue facing our industry,” Lowe told attendees of the 2019 Auto Care Association Legislative Summit this past September. In this interview, he discusses why open access to data is important to independent tire dealers. And he provides an update on legislative efforts that would help ensure accessibility. MTD: This past September, during the Auto Care Association’s 2019 Legislative Summit, you told attendees that “on-board diagnostic systems are already being locked down” by original equipment vehicle manufacturers. How far along are vehicle manufacturers in this process? Is vehicle data access still an “open field?”

Vehicle data access: TIA’s perspective Advances in automotive technology are further separating consumers from their driving data. Telematics technology is transmitting vehicle diagnostic data wirelessly in real time to car manufacturers, which are sharing the information exclusively with authorized car dealerships. The Tire Industry Association (TIA) is seizing “every opportunity” to educate lawmakers about the importance of vehicle data access, according to Roy Littlefield IV, TIA’s director of government affairs.

Lowe: While in most cases, technicians can still access to the data direct from the (vehicle’s) on-board diagnostic (OBD) port, the situation is changing quickly. Manufacturers are increasing their use of wireless communications to obtain critical vehicle data, as well as locking down the OBD port in the name of cyber security. The combination of full control of wireless data and restricting access to the OBD system is rapidly making the manufacturer the gatekeeper for the vehicle, whether it is the data needed to diagnose and repair a vehicle or the ability of a fleet owner to monitor and optimize the operations of their vehicles. MTD: If OEMs succeed in limiting or denying access to vehicle-generated data, how will this impact independent automotive repair facilities, including tire dealerships that offer auto repair service? Lowe: Shops will need to go to the vehicle manufacturer’s cloud in order to obtain access to repair and diagnostic information that they currently obtain directly from the (vehicle’s) OBD system. Manufacturers will determine the terms and amount of data available to the independent car owners and their designated repair shop, despite the fact the consumer paid for the car. MTD: A draft of a bill that would give vehicle owners and independent repair facilities access to vehicle data is circulating on Capitol Hill. Can you provide an update on this effort? Lowe: We are working on sponsors for both the House and Senate. There is a lot interest, but it is unclear whether we will try to be part of a bigger bill or attempt to have it introduced as a stand-alone piece of legislation. A lot will depend on what issues (the current) Congress attempts to address. MTD: What’s happening at the state level? Lowe: Legislation has been introduced in Massachusetts that would require car companies to give vehicle owners the ability to control the repair information that is generated by their vehicle. The bill further requires increased transparency to vehicles

“Who’s going to control vehicle data in the future: the auto manufacturer or the owner of the car?” Aaron Lowe asked at the 2019 Auto Care Association Legislative Summit.

owners regarding the data that is transmitted and would prohibit the manufacturers from restricting access to the OBD system on their vehicles unless it is done in a standardized way and access to the system is controlled by an entity outside of the manufacturer’s control. MTD: How likely are other states to take up the data access banner if legislation in Massachusetts is successful? Lowe: Our polling indicates that the measure in Massachusetts has a great deal of public support. Assuming we are successful, I believe other states will consider following the Massachusetts lead. However, a state-by-state effort will be costly and could result in a patchwork of requirements. If the Massachusetts bill is enacted, I would hope that Congress would take action to enact a national requirement, or alternatively, we would reach an agreement with the vehicle manufacturers for a nationwide rollout. Due to the extensive profits that the manufacturers are looking to obtain from the data collected from vehicles, we can expect a strong fight both in Massachusetts and in Congress against car owner control of data. “It is important for independent tire dealers to make sure their legislators are aware of the data access issue and how it might impact competition in the repair industry,” he says. “Not only will it impact the tire dealers’ business, but it also stands to make auto repair more expensive and inconvenient for consumers.” ■ MTD December 2019

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2019 SEMA Show/AAPEX

NEW TIRES, NEW TECHNOLOGIES, NEW TOOLS – AND A NEW TIRE SHOW? SEMA/AAPEX SHOWS DELIVERED THE GOODS. BUT WHAT’S ON TAP FOR NEXT YEAR? By

MTD staff

he 2019 edition of Automotive Aftermarket Industry Week, which includes both the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show and Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo (AAPEX), is in the books. And while attendance figures were not available as of press time, the tire industry was once again well-represented as manufacturers, marketers and equipment providers leveraged the Global Tire Expo section of the SEMA Show to introduce new products, technologies and tools. And some provided updates on their plans for next year. Perhaps the most significant news of the week pertained to AAPEX itself. On Nov. 6, the show’s owners, the Auto Care Association and the Automotive Aftermarket Suppliers Association, revealed

that the 2020 edition of AAPEX will feature a tire industry component within a newly created space inside the show called Repair Shop HQ. Potential participants will include “a combination of tire companies and tire service-related companies,” according to Mark Bogdansky, vice president of meetings and events for the Auto Care Association. “We already have 80 to 90 tire accessory companies that are already at AAPEX,” he says. “We also have found that there are a lot of companies — both tire manufacturers and tire service suppliers — that are already doing business at AAPEX. We now have the opportunity to bring them in.” Bill Hanvey, CEO and president of the Auto Care Association, says AAPEX’s owners “are having conversations with (companies) that have walked away from the SEMA Show. We’ve been approached for a

number of years by tire and tire accessory companies that have wanted to be part of AAPEX.” He and Bogdansky both declined to name specific tire industry participants. The event is renewing its focus on automotive repair shop owners and automotive service technicians, he notes. “We understand the majority of car repairs are first seen as a result of tire work. We understand the value that tires and tire work bring to our industry.” When asked if he believes that adding tires to AAPEX will create a competitive situation with the SEMA Show, Hanvey replied that the inclusion of tires at AAPEX “will be complementary to what SEMA is doing on the tire side. We do have companies that exhibit at both (events) already.” Here’s more news from both the SEMA Show and AAPEX:

TIRES BKT WILL INTRODUCE A 57-INCH TIRE

Balkrishna Industries Ltd. (BKT), which boasted one of the largest tire manufacturer booths inside the Global Tire Expo, is planning to add a 57-inch OTR tire in 2020, Arvind Poddar, BKT chairman and managing director, told MTD. “We’ve seen good pick-up” in demand for BKT’s OTR tires, says Rajiv Poddar, the company’s joint managing director, leading to a 60% climb in the Mumbai, India-based firm’s OTR tire sales this year. BKT also is working with Caterpillar on possible original equipment positioning.

A new, 57-inch OTR tire is in development, says BKT’s Arvind Poddar.

In addition, the tire manufacturer is “positive about growth” in the farm tire segment, despite a difficult planting season caused by adverse weather in many parts

of the United States. BKT increased its farm tire revenue during 2019, and “we still have a lot of room to grow,” according to the elder Poddar. The company also provided an update on its United States tire plant. BKT officials announced this past August that the factory was on hold due to the “challenging economic and business environment.” BKT has enough capacity options to meet present levels of demand within its current footprint. The company’s board will revisit the planned U.S. plant within the next two years. MTD December 2019

COOPER LAUNCHES TIRE, AD CAMPAIGN

Cooper Tire & Rubber Co. used the Global Tire Expo to highlight a new ad campaign, featuring the tagline “Go with the Coopers,” and a new tire, the Discoverer EnduraMax. The campaign “is a significant effort for us,” according to Jessica Edgerton, the company’s director of brand development. The SEMA Show was “the first place where we’ve been able to talk to a lot of people about it.” The campaign includes TV spots, as well as print and digital ads, and features a newly created company “spokesman” named “Uncle Cooper,” who is described as “a no-nonsense relative who is an expert in all things automotive.”

MORE SIZES FOR DURO’S MT TIRE

The new Cooper Discoverer EnduraMax will be available next summer in 30 popular sizes.

Duro Tire and Wheel Corp. introduced the Frontier MT tire in a limited number of sizes at last year’s SEMA Show. This year, the company featured more fitments for the tire. Five are available now for a wide range of rim sizes and more are being developed, More fitments are being deaccording to Chris veloped for the Duro Frontier Clinton, sales and MT tire, says Chris Clinton. marketing manager. Duro also featured its new Frontier powersports tire for modified golf carts. Clinton says golf carts are being used for recreational and community use, as well as on golf courses. w w w . M o d e r n T i r e D e a l e r. c o m

“’Go with the Coopers’ is about helping consumers get the answers they need,” says Edgerton. “We’re trying to make it easy on them with all of the branding we’re doing,” including in-store point-of-sale materials for Cooper tire dealers. Cooper also introduced its new Discoverer EnduraMax, which “leverages advanced technology from Cooper’s ultra-durable off-road tires into all-season tires,” according to Cooper officials. Made for small and mid-size SUVs, the tire contains Cooper’s Durable-Tread Technology, which helps extend tire tread life; the company’s Armor Belt Technology for added strength and improved handling; and other technologies. It will be available next summer.

KANATI ARMOR HOG ATX HAS ALLSTEEL CASING

Greenball Corp. announced it is releasing the Kanati Armor Hog ATX in 28 sizes for 17- to 20-inch rims in the first quarter of 2020. With The Kanati Armor Hog ATX’s all-steel construction is the first of its kind for the light truck category, an all-steel cas- says Randy Tsai. It will hit the market in 2020. ing, the 12-ply tire, which is made in Indonesia, is a hybrid between an all-terrain and a rugged terrain tire. “The all-steel construction is the first of its kind for this category,” says Randy Tsai, Greenball’s senior vice president. “All-steel has been used mostly for commercial products, and we are bringing that strength and capability to consumers.”

2019 SEMA Show/AAPEX MAXXIS ROLLS OUT ALL-TERRAIN TIRE

Maxxis International – USA introduced its new, flagship all-terrain tire, the Razr AT, which “was engineered with the knowledge gained from Maxxis’ involvement in offroad racing,” according to Maxxis officials. The tire features a new off-road compound “with advanced chemical fillers” for

enhanced tear resistance and tread life, plus an aggressive armor sidewall design for increased traction and puncture resistance. It also contains the firm’s new, dual-cord casing technology, which “dramatically improves casing strength for superior durability and toughness.” In addition, the Razr AT boasts a tread pattern containing 3D tread blocks and

bridge reinforcements to reduce road noise and irregular wear.

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MICKEY THOMPSON GETS ‘BACK TO THE BASICS’

Cooper’s Mickey Thompson Performance Tires & Wheels subsidiary is “trying to re-establish (itself) at the premium end of the performance aftermarket,” says Todd Pickens, Mickey Thompson’s vice president of sales. “We spent a few years chasing volume plays and that’s just not Mickey Thompson,” he notes. New products — including Mickey Thompson’s largest light truck tire, the Baja Pro XS — will be central to the brand’s “back to the basics” strategy. (The tire will be available in 10 sizes, ranging from 35 inches to 58 inches, in 2020.) Mickey Thompson also is adding 15 key sizes to its Baja Boss extreme mud terrain tire next year. The tire premiered at the 2018 SEMA Show and has been well-received by its target audience.

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2019 SEMA Show/AAPEX DOUBLE-DIGIT GROWTH (AND A NEW TIRE) FOR NEXEN

TIRECO IS BULLISH ON MILESTAR

“Our growth this year is over double digits for the second year in a row,” John Hagan, sales executive vice president for Nexen Tire America Inc., The CUV and SUV segments told MTD. “are showing consistent, Hagan attributes Nexen’s year-over-year growth,” says growth to several factors, Nexen’s John Hagan. including standardization of the company’s sales and marketing programs, a process that started last year, as well as continued utilization of its Next Level associate dealer program. “We also have been more active with our customer base,” including participating in Nexen dealer-sponsored events, such as open houses. And a distribution arrangement with Mopar, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles’ parts and service organization, is paying big dividends for Nexen. Through the deal, Mopar network members can now source Nexen brand tires from Nexen tire distributors and dealers. Heading into 2020, Nexen will continue to promote its Next Level program while strengthening its dealer network. The new Roadian GTX all-season touring SUV/CUV tire will play a major role in Nexen’s 2020 strategy, as well. The tire, which covers more than 90% of small CUV to mid-size SUV fitments, comes with a 70,000-mile tread wear warranty.

Tireco Inc. is evaluating “a lot of feature and benefit add-ons” for its flagship Milestar passenger and light truck tire brand, says Andrew Hoit, the company’s vice president of sales and Tireco’s customer base “is much marketing. And a Milestar stronger” than it was three years associate dealer program is ago, according to Andrew Hoit. in the works. “Right now, a lot of our focus on the Milestar side is in the light truck area,” he says. “If you look at the mud terrain category, demand for our products has been incredible. We’ve been on back order with the top four mud terrain sizes.” Tireco is developing a large-diameter Milestar brand sport light truck tire for SUV applications. And the company is investing resources in its other brands, Westlake and Nankang. It recently announced the addition of the Conqueror M/T-1 to the Nankang NK sport light truck tire line. And the firm has attached a limited mileage warranty to its Westlake passenger and light truck tires in North America. “We’ll expand into new categories during the second half of 2020,” said Hoit. “You’ll see us introduce a ‘max ultra-high performance’ tire in the Milestar and Westlake lines.” The Milestar, Westlake and Nankang product lines each cover 95% of the U.S. replacement tire market, he adds.

TIA celebrates the best of the tire industry Brent Hesje, CEO of Fountain Tire Ltd., may have coined the ultimate definition of the tire industry. “I think it’s a bunch of characters full of good character,” Hesje said after he was inducted into the Tire Industry Association (TIA) Hall of Fame on Nov. 4. Many of those characters gathered for TIA’s 2019 Tire Industry Honors night in Las Vegas. The TIA celebration serves as the unofficial opening ceremony for tire dealers at the annual Specialty Equipment Market Association Show. The late Frank Holeman, who served as director of the Tire Industry Safety Council from 1969 to 1987, also was inducted into the Hall of Fame. Edward Burleson Sr., president of Central Marketing Inc., received the Ed Wagner Leadership Award.

Hesje has spent 27 years at Fountain Tire, including the last 14 as CEO. He’s led the Canadian tire dealership through incredible growth, nearly tripling its stores, all while managing an admittedly unique ownership structure. (Fountain Tire is 49% owned by Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., he said.) In his remarks, Hesje thanked TIA as another valuable partner, saying, “Our company is safer because of you.” Holeman died in 1996. His family was unable to attend the ceremony to receive the award on his behalf. But they sent their appreciation in a letter, describing Holeman as a humble man who “became almost as passionate about rubber as he was about journalism.” Holeman had been the Washington bureau chief for the New York Daily News and past presi-

dent of the National Press Club when he decided it was time to get a better-paying job to support his wife and four children. He joined the Tire Industry Safety Council as director in 1969 and was the go-to source for information about safe practices in tire manufacturing, tire retailing, tire care and maintenance. Burleson said receiving the Ed Wagner Leadership Award was “truly a highlight in my life.” He started changing tires as a senior in high school and has been a part of the tire industry ever since. He worked in retail and wholesale, and also as a retreader. In 1986, when he started Central Marketing, he focused solely on selling rubber and casings to retreaders. He sought out innovators in technology across the globe and worked to bring automation to retreading in North America.

TIA named Fountain Tire CEO Brent Hesje (left) to the 2019 Hall of Fame and presented the 2019 Ed Wagner Leadership Award to Edward Burleson Sr., president of Central Marketing Inc.

“This business has been a big part of my life,” said Burleson. “I feel like the industry has a great future.” The award is named after tire industry legend and longtime Modern Tire Dealer contributor Ed Wagner. MTD December 2019

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2019 SEMA Show/AAPEX TOYO CONTINUES TO EXERT INFLUENCE

Toyo Tire U.S.A. Corp. was highly visible during the SEMA Show, with fitments on more than 30 vehicles, and as the sponsor of its well-traveled Treadpass conduit between the Toyo Tire U.S.A. Corp.’s Treadcentral and south halls of the pass area targeted automoLas Vegas Convention Center. tive enthusiasts, who are core “We’re heavily invested in the promoters of the Toyo brand. (automotive) enthusiast market and will probably invest even more next year,” says Tim Chaney, Toyo’s vice president of marketing. “But our influencers aren’t just enthusiasts. They’re our dealer partners, as well. We’re creating new programs to work directly with our key dealer partners… co-branding programs, marketing programs, promotions. We’re going to leverage our dealer network to promote Toyo.” The company has invested “a significant amount of money” in the Pacific Northwest, where Les Schwab Tire Centers Inc. had exclusive access to Toyo brand passenger and light truck tires until Jan. 1, 2019. Michael Graber, Toyo’s new vice president of sales as of Jan. 1, 2020, says that while Toyo’s relationship with Les Schwab “is very strong,” Toyo consumer tires are no longer exclusive to one distributor or dealer in the northwestern U.S.

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YOKOHAMA PUMPS UP ADVAN LINE

Yokohama Tire Corp.’s exhibit outside the South Hall of the convention center celebrated the company’s motorsports heritage and its Advan product line. Four out of the nine new Yokohama will invest in its tires that Yokohama introduced Advan brand with more sizes. in 2019 were Advan products, says Fardad Niknam, Yokohama’s senior director of product marketing and planning. These include, among others, the Advan Sport A/S+, an ultra-high performance tire, and the Avid Ascend LX, a premium touring tire that is available in nearly 40 sizes. As part of Yokohama’s Advan strategy, Niknam says the tire maker will accelerate new product development, bringing tires to market much faster than in the past. “We will have a very young product portfolio.” Yokohama also will aggressively expand the Advan family’s overall size lineup next year. To promote the Advan line, Yokohama will host customer and product showcase events, including ride-and-drives, in different regions of the United States throughout 2020. “Participation in motorsports (also) is important to Yokohama,” he says. Weeks before the SEMA Show, Yokohama announced it will be the title partner for three Porsche-centric race series in 2020; the Advan A005 race slick will be the spec tire for all events.

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2019 SEMA Show/AAPEX TECHNOLOGY, TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT ASA OFFERS HELP WITH CUSTOMER ACQUISITION

ASA Automotive Systems Inc. is creating an entirely new digital division to direct consumers to tire dealers and help dealers retain those consumers. The unit is staffed by ASA’s own inhouse team of industry experts who will provide services and products that integrate everything from digital marketing and mobile-optimized websites to social media and digital advertising. Tire dealers can utilize ASA’s new

digital team even if they’re not existing customers or users of the ASA pointof-sale system. The system provides services designed for tire dealerships that offer mobile tire service. It also offers solutions for online appointment scheduling and texts to remind consumers of upcoming appointments and to alert them when vehicles are ready. There’s also a platform designed for the service department, and a dealer’s fleet customers also can log in and check the status of their accounts.

BH SENS: A NEW NAME IN TPMS

Two companies that have supplied more than 100 million tire pressure monitoring sensors (TPMS) on vehicles announced the formation of a joint venture that they say will help them become the third largest TPMS supplier in the world. Huf Hulsbeck & Furst, a German company, and Shanghai Baolong Automotive Group have created BH SENS for the North American market. The new venture will provide direct fit replacement parts, as well as the IntelliSens Universal TPMS sensor program, which covers more than 150 million vehicles in operation throughout North America. “Not all sensors are created equal,” says Tony Davenport, global vice president of aftermarket for the new firm. “We have a premium quality, innovative and extensive product range that is continuously being tweaked based on the ever-changing market changes. We want to make everything about TPMS easier and safer for service providers, wholesalers and all of our customers.”

ASA is working to draw online shoppers into a dealer’s store, says Dave Vogel.

BOSCH UPDATES SCAN TOOL SOFTWARE

Bosch unveiled its 4.0 software update, which provides faster scanning capabilities, expands European vehicle coverage and allows access to FCA Secure Gateway (SGW) vehicles for all ADS and OTC diagnostic tools. “We are now scanning vehicles on average less than 60 seconds; that’s the entire vehicle and all systems,” says Danijela Haskin, product manager for Bosch Automotive Service Solutions LLC. In addition, “very competi- Bosch’s 4.0 software update enables all ADS tive” coverage of European and OTC diagnostic tools to unlock secure Chrysler vehicles, says Danijela Haskin. vehicles has been merged into the scan tool platform. The upgrade also includes secure access to the SWG module found in most 2018 and newer Fiat Chrysler Automobiles vehicles. “Starting in 2018 model year, Chrysler implemented a secure gateway on vehicles and only approved scan tool manufacturers have access to those vehicles,” says Haskin. “With this 4.0 update, any Bosch diagnostic tools will be able to access secure Chrysler vehicles.”

CONTINENTAL UPDATES VDO REDI-SENSOR

Tony Davenport, left, global vice president of the aftermarket, and Miller Feng, CEO, talk about the joint venture between TPMS manufacturers.

Continental Commercial Vehicles & Aftermarket introduced a VDO REDI-Sensor that provides coverage to more than 120 million vehicles in operation, across a dozen brands. It will be available during the first quarter of 2020. The TPMS sensor applies to vehicles model year 2014 or newer, including Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Dodge, Fiat, GMC, Hyundai, Jeep, Nissan, Ram and Subaru. Shops also will be able to replace over 280 original equipment sensors, according to Continental officials. The REDI-Sensor SE10005 is compatible with all major scan tools and is ready to install right out of the box, with no need for programming or cloning. MTD December 2019

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2019 SEMA Show/AAPEX DELPHI BRINGS NEW FUEL PARTS TO MARKET

Delphi Product and Service Solutions announced it has 300 new part numbers coming by the end of 2019, and another 400 new parts in 2020. Delphi says more than 70 will be first-to-market offerings. “We are committed to finding complete solutions to support our customers’ businesses,” says Chad Smith, vice president of Delphi’s aftermarket business in North America. “This means taking care of their parts, testing, and training needs, all in one program. And this is particularly true for fuel handling.” The company offers more than 2,000 parts numbers in fuel handling. In 2019, those offerings increased by 10%. Delphi will double that in 2020. GDi represents one of the fastest areas of vehicle service, says Smith.

EPICOR ENHANCES MECHANICNET

Five months after acquiring MechanicNet, Epicor Software Corp. has added to the tools available in its customer relationship management system to help tire dealers communicate with customers. Users can now manage their online reviews from multiple social media platforms in a single location. From the dashboard, an owner or manager can review and respond to reviews and monitor his or her business’ overall reputation score. In addition, the system helps remind consumers of service appointments via text. Epicor also has added a folded greeting card option within the software. Users can segment their customer list by dollar amount spent and send tailored postcards to them.

HUNTER UPDATES PUSH REPORTS

Hunter Engineering Co. used every part of its 7,000-square-foot to display undercar service and inspection equipment. The company demonstrated most of its product line, including nine new products. Hunter also previewed a new version of its reporting tool for tracking inspection machine productivity. Hunter has updated its Push Reports to provide a week-long, rather than daily, view of performance. This will help tire dealers “perform well over time and maximize every opportunity that comes into the shop,” says Alan Hagerty, Hunter product manager. Hunter was named the 2019 SEMA Manufacturer of the Year for outstanding contributions to the automotive industry during the past 12 months.

E-CUBE OUTFITS A VEHICLE FOR MOBILE TIRE SERVICE

Featured products in Gaither Tool Co. Inc.’s booth included the E-Cube compact mobile tire servicing unit, the Bead Bazooka tire bead seater and the new Moore Safe bottle jack. The E-Cube is an all-in-one system that includes a tire changer, Gaither Tool set up the E-Cube mobile tire servicing wheel balancer, silent air unit in a van to demonstrate its size and capabilities. compressor and lithium ion battery bank. It can service low-profile and run-flat tires and accommodate wheel diameters up to 38 inches. Because of the E-Cube’s small footprint, mobile techs can bring more inventory, as well as other revenue generating equipment, such as oil changes or car washes, with them, according to William Brahler, operation manager. “That’s important because to make the concept of mobile service viable, you have to have enough equipment and inventory to offer enough services to make it a profitable exchange for the investment in the vehicles,” says Brahler.

DENSO HAS APP FOR INSPECTING VEHICLES

Denso Corp. unveiled Vehicle MRI, a mobile app inspection tool designed to help identify underperforming parts and save time by automating numerous tasks. Vehicle MRI recommends parts and services that may have otherwise been missed and makes predictive maintenance recommendations based on the possibility of future parts failures. The app automates tasks such as checking for out-of-date software, open recalls and technical service bulletins related to the vehicle, as well as performing battery checks. MRI works on all OBD II makes and models since 1996. The Vehicle MRI app is designed to be a supplement to a visual inspection, according to Frank Choi, business and product development manager for Denso Connected Services.

The new Vehicle MRI app allows technicians to see what’s happening in a vehicle “from the inside out,” says Denso’s Frank Choi.

TECH HAS SOLUTIONS FOR TIRE RECYCLING AND TPMS

Solutions for end-of-life tires and TPMS were highlighted in Tech International’s booth. Tech is bringing the Salvadori brand of recycling equipment — which can turn all types of tires, from passenger to OTR, into crumb rubber — to the U.S. market. “A retreader can sell their crumb (rubber) to somebody who wants to manufacture end products,” says Cody Lawless, key account manager for Tech. The company also featured its TPMS sensor and tools at the show. The company offers a true one-sensor program, according to Lawless. “Our sensors are configurable and programmable.” ■ MTD December 2019

M T D ’s 1 0 0 t h A n n i v e r s a r y

L L A IT S T R STA HE T H WIT ER COV

ne hundred years. More than 1,200 covers, including convention extras and product catalogs. With all those choices, how do you choose the best 10 Modern Tire Dealer covers? Certainly such a task is highly subjective. But after a lot of discussion (and some haggling!) the MTD staff picked the Top 10 Best Covers anyway. Here’s how it went down.

NO ADS!

From our first publication in August 1919 through September 1954, MTD covers featured advertising, a common practice at the time. Only three times during that run did the magazine have its own cover. In February and March of 1934, we had type covers focusing on a blockbuster issue: a Federal Trade Commission complaint against Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.’s pricing and trade practices as they related to Sears, Roebuck & Co. For its time, this was a great cover. The second cover highlighted what Tires, the magazine’s name at the time, was all about: “What the tire dealer thinks of the mail order business as expressed in the Goodyear-Sears hearing.” We also ran a type cover in November 1934 about tire pricing. Since then, we have only used type covers when the subject matter was important enough to do so. One that sticks out appeared in our February 1965 issue. The stark front cover clearly showed the industry was under trial by the federal (“Federal Trade Commission holds hearings on tire marketing practices) and state (“Vehicle Equipment Safety Commission airs proposed tire standards”) governments. However, there were plenty of non-type covers that also addressed important issues. As a result, we eliminated all type covers from our best covers list. As for the ad covers, since we didn’t create the ads, we chose not to consider them, either. w w w . M o d e r n T i r e D e a l e r. c o m

WE WHITTLE DOWN MORE THAN 1,200 COVERS TO THE 10 BEST AS OUR 100TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION COMES TO AN END By

Bob Ulrich

IN LIVING COLOR!

Under the tutelage of our first editor, Jerry Shaw, an ad almost always graced the cover, and the same shade of blue was used to outline the ad and our logo. The magazine even billed itself as “The Blue Book of the Business” until Shaw died in 1954 and the magazine changed its cover format and distinctive coloring. Not until October 1962 did the magazine, under the name Modern Tire Dealer, run a four-color photo on the cover, and that didn’t become standard practice until 1970. You will note that three of the Top 10 Best Covers featured two colors. With that in mind, here are our Top 10 Best Covers in chronological order, in glorious four (or two) colors! July 1966: V-1 Tire Standards May 1968: Growing Industry Dilemma: What to Do With Scrap Tires? May 1971: Parnelli Jones, Well-Known Race Driver Turned Independent California Dealer April 1976: When fire strikes your dealership! Mid-April 1986: Modern Products for Modern Times April 2006: Play Ball! Sports marketing and the tire industry May 2007: Katrina Aftermath May 2010: Is the glass half full or half empty? August 2013: Is this the tire of the future? September 2016: One man. One superstore Here is a look at each of our Top 10 Best Covers. July 1966, backstory: Maryland and New Jersey became the first states to pass Vehicle Equipment Safety Commission tire

JULY 1966

MAY 1968

M T D ’s 1 0 0 t h A n n i v e r s a r y

MAY 1971

APRIL 1976

standards. Tires manufactured after July 1 could not be sold in the states without the V-1 stamp of approval. Both states required a “cut growth test,” which was designed to determine whether or not a cut made in a tire would grow enough to become a safety hazard. Kansas and Kentucky were considering following suit. The cover illustration was one of many drawn for Modern Tire Dealer by George Booth, the famous New Yorker cartoonist and one-time MTD art director. May 1968, backstory: The cover itself showed just how bad the scrap tire problem was becoming. The question posed by the cover copy focused on the real issue: What to do with scrap tires? As the story inside noted, “You can’t sell, burn or dump ’em.” One dealer worked closely with a rubber reclaimer. Another kept the location of the landfill where he dumped his tires a secret: “Although we have some close friends in the tire business here in D.C., if they were to discover the location of our landfill, they’d want to dump their tires there, too.” May 1971, backstory: Famous race car driver Parnelli Jones, then 37, was a relatively new independent tire dealer getting ready to open his third store in California. Although the new outlet served all tire buyers, it emphasized high performance tires and services. “Basically we’re tire people,” he said. “We’re in it all the way and for keeps… and hope to open several new retail stores in the years ahead. We may even develop a national chain.” By 1988, he owned 43 Parnelli Jones Firestone outlets and was ranked 15th on MTD’s list of the top 25 retail outlets in North America. April 1976, backstory: Originally a black-and-white photo, the cover was designed using Pantone Red to make it more dramatic. Two dealers were profiled; the first, Clarence Wisdom, owner of Wisdom Tire Service in Jonesville, La., wrote the first-person opening story. When he heard one of his six stores — the one 100 miles from home — was on fire, he quickly packed an overnight bag and hit the road. “As you drive, a flood of questions hits: How did it start? How bad will it be? Are my records safe? Am I covered? And why didn’t I increase my policy as my auditor advised in April?” The photo was provided courtesy of the Beaver County Times.

APRIL 1986

APRIL 2006

Mid-April 1986, backstory: Our Mid-April Products Catalog was first published in 1975. The special issues were supposed to highlight the latest products available to tire dealers, from tires and wheels to shop/office equipment and supplies: in essence, “modern” products. I remembered the famous 1936 Charlie Chaplin film about working at a state-of-the-art factory, and thought “Modern Products for Modern Times” would be a great tagline if I could get permission to use a photo from the film. The Charlie Chaplin Estate and Curtis Licensing Corp. obliged. The sepia tone effect used on the black-and-white photo combined with the movie/film font for the headline make this, even 23 years later, my favorite cover. April 2006, backstory: In order to support our series on sports marketing, we asked manufacturers and marketers to supply us with golf balls sporting their respective logos. I already had collected a number of them from various golf outings, three featuring tire dealer logos (Gem City Tire, Tire Source and S&S Tire). We couldn’t display all the balls, of course, and based on some feedback, gave the suppliers another chance to send some in. I followed up with a Parting Shot on the topic, and displayed nine more golf balls, including a Belle Tire ball. May 2007, backstory: We covered the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina’s attack on the Gulf Coast by sending Managing Editor Lori Mavrigian to Louisiana and Mississippi with representatives from Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations LLC. They were checking out the progress of six of their dealers in the wake of one of the worst natural disasters in our country’s history. The dealers proved to be more than survivors; they answered the call when their communities needed them the most. As one dealer told Lori, “Tire dealers were very critical during the crisis.” May 2010, backstory: This may be our most professionallooking cover, and we shot it ourselves! “Is the glass half full or half empty?” referred to the effect 35% tariffs on consumer tire imports from China were having on private brand tire companies six months after they had been implemented. The cover not only received a gold medal for editorial excellence from the International Automotive Media Competition (IAMC), MTD December 2019

M T D ’s 1 0 0 t h A n n i v e r s a r y

MAY 2007

MAY 2010

AUGUST 2013

SEPTEMBER 2016

but also finished first in the “Best of Graphics” division of the competition. And we have a crystal trophy to prove it.

layout of the cover served to enhance your timely article on performance tires.” Our response? “That has proved to be a very popular cover, August 2013, backstory: Tall, thin tires on hybrid and electric and issue.” concept vehicles were getting some press. DeltaWing Project You might be surprised to know I have appeared on more 56 LLC even was considering the design for race cars. The tires MTD covers than anyone — five. You probably wouldn’t be offered extreme fuel economy. Volkswagen Group of America surprised to learn none of them were even considered a Top claimed its XL1, with size 115/80R15 Michelin Energy tires on 10 Best Cover. the front and size 145/55R16 tires on the rear, was capable of In the past, MTD employees often were used as cover models getting 262 miles per gallon. Bridgestone Corp. said its skinny before they were known in the industry. I first appeared on the 155/55R19 Ecopia ologic tires on the cover were in produccover before I had written one word in the magazine. Within tion. Six years later, tall, thin tires have yet to be married to the next few years, my silhouette, hand and arm became cover vehicle design. fodder. The back of me, in a suit, was pictured in a business meeting. September 2016, backstory: A number of our Tire Dealer of Mike Mavrigian, editor of our company’s Auto Service Profesthe Year covers were in the running to make sional magazine, has, to the best of my knowledge, our Top 10 Best Covers list, but there was only appeared on four MTD covers. something about this photo of 2016 winner We don’t pretend that all our covers have hit the Alpio Barbara that gave it the edge. With his mark. One of those in particular comes to mind. Redwood General Tire Service Co. store in the In November 1986, we ran a photo of a man background, Alpio was photographed in front missing a front tooth standing behind a tire. It was of his Harley-Davidson motorcycle at dawn. If centered on the cover, with the tagline, “Inside: you know Alpio, you know this photo perfectly Dealing with success.” captures his personality. And the cover type said There was a short reference to the man in the it all: One man. One superstore. photo in very small type: “The Refrigerator plugs a tire.” Sports fans at the time may have recognized NOT GOOD ENOUGH football player William “Refrigerator” Perry, a A number of covers almost made the cut, includmember of the Super Bowl champion Chicago ing one of my favorites, our February 1986 Bears, but the type sure didn’t leverage his celebrity. performance tire issue featuring Don Johnson The gap-toothed NFL star had been hired and Philip Michael Thomas from Miami Vice. as a spokesperson for Tire America. The item NOVEMBER 1986 The photograph, courtesy of NBC Television, represented a small part of our Dealing with was teamed with the headline “Performance… Success profiles on innovative tire dealers. not just Miami’s Vice.” We also used the TV show’s trademark Without enough explanation, the photo was odd. Simply, the pastel colors to complement the cover design. cover copy did little to draw dealers into the magazine. “Congratulations are in order for the fine job you did in Maybe it’s just me, but more than 20 years later, I still dislike creating such an attractive cover for the February 1986 issue this cover. of Modern Tire Dealer,” wrote Tim Mills, service manager for If you have saved or remember a cover you thought was special, Barones Auto Center in Middletown, N.Y. “The contemporary email me at bob.ulrich@bobit.com and let me know why. ■

MTD December 2019

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Past, Present, Future: Ziegler Tire & Supply Co.

Ziegler Tire:

A thriving business for 100 years

LEADERS DISCUSS HOW COMPANY HAS STOOD THE TEST OF TIME By

Ann Neal

MTD: What is your financial philosophy? How do you get through the hard times? John: We’ve always stayed conservative, even from the growth side. It’s made sense for us and for people who we are working with. For example, our last venture in West Virginia, a commercial center and a retail center in Parkersburg, was a win-win. It worked out well for the previous owner and for us. One of the best things Nate did was take financial information and translate it to what we need to do, whether this is increase our inventory turns or reduce our receivable days because the cash flow side is just so critical. Profits are one thing and cash flow is another, but they go hand in hand. Bill: We’ve always been conservative. When (company founder Oliver Ziegler) went through the Great Depression, expansion stopped. We didn’t start expanding again until the 1970s. Oliver was just trying to hold on. The Great Depression had a negative effect on him. When he started in 1919,

PHOTO: ZIEGLER TIRE

o understand what it takes to reach a centenary in the modern business world, look no further than Ziegler Tire & Supply Co. The Massillon, Ohio-based dealership celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2019, so it’s safe to say Ziegler Tire knows how to stay in business for the long haul. Modern Tire Dealer asked three members of the company’s leadership team — Bill Ziegler, John Ziegler Jr. and Nate Clements — how the company stands the test of time. Bill is president, John is vice president, and Nate, who joined the company in 2005, is chief operating officer. Four traits emerged from their reflections: conservative financial practices, a strong sense of corporate identity, a laser-sharp focus on customers, and long-lived relationships with customers, suppliers, employees and the community.

To raise the public’s awareness of its 100th anniversary, Ziegler Tire wrapped one of its trucks in graphics with images from its past. The truck is pictured at the site of the company’s anniversary celebration, the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.

he expanded quickly into four stores, then the Great Depression came, and he really backed off expansion. (Editor’s note: The Great Depression, which lasted from 1929-1939, forever changed Oliver Ziegler. Bill, who was Modern Tire Dealer’s Tire Dealer of the Year in 2009, explained Oliver’s experience with banks to MTD. “The Depression had a huge effect on us. We had a loan with our bank and part of the collateral was our receivables. The bank sold our receivables to another bank without notifying us! In the meantime, our bank went out of business. The new bank wanted their money. The brothers found a way to pay it, but we were very close to going out of business.”

Harold Jr. (left) is a second-generation Ziegler who joined the company in 1957. Theresa Green, corporate office accounts receivables manager, marked 50 years of service in January 2019. She says Harold “still signs all the checks and opens the mail.”

As a result, Oliver held banks in contempt for the rest of his life. Ziegler Tire didn’t develop a credit line with a bank until the 1970s.) MTD: How do you keep a focus on your customers? Nate: There’s a lot of challenges out there. We have to stay focused on what we’re good at: tires and service. We can’t get too wrapped up in other things, like manufacturers selling direct to customers. John: I think dealing with people is our competitive advantage in the market right now on the commercial side. We’ve got commercial guys whose job is to keep fleets’ expenses as low as they can with the products and services we offer. That’s where we earn their trust and that’s where the partnership grows. Bill: Thank goodness we’re large enough that we can have competitive pricing. If you start chasing too many prices, it’s a rabbit hole you’re never going to get out of. That’s the biggest issue right now. Even though customers are loyal and we have built up relationships, if we slip on our service or get our prices too far out of whack, we’re going to have difficulties. MTD: Why is identity important to your longevity? Bill: Our identity is our brand. We have to do what’s best for Ziegler Tire. As long as MTD December 2019

Ziegler Tire at a glance

Innovations, growth help dealership make history “We are not in the tire business, selling to people,” John Ziegler Jr., vice president of his family’s tire business, told customers and suppliers at the company’s 100th anniversary celebration. “We are in the people business, selling tires.” Today, Ziegler Tire & Supply Co. has seven retail locations, 16 commercial centers, two retread plants and three warehouses, and employs more than 380 people. It is tied for 49th on the Modern Tire Dealer 100 list of the nation’s largest independent tire dealers, and is 18th on MTD’s Top 25 Independent Commercial Tire Dealers list. On MTD’s list of the nation’s largest retreaders, Ziegler Tire holds the 25th spot. Here’s a decade-by-decade look at some highlights of the company’s first 100 years. The first Ziegler Tire store was opened in 1919 by Oliver and Harold Ziegler. Oliver ne-

gotiated the first road service contract with the new American Automobile Association (AAA), and Harold completed the first recorded road call for the AAA in 1920. In 1925, Herbert joined the company as a bookkeeper by night and tire changer by day. (In 1926, Herb collaborated with the National Cash Register Company to develop the first register able to include the item or service purchased on the receipt.) In 1927, the brothers opened their second Ziegler Tire location in Canton, Ohio. It was the first drive-through service station in the country, the first to have a compressor-equipped service truck, the first center with overhead doors, and the first to have a ladies’ lounge separate from the waiting room. The youngest Ziegler brother, Norm, joined in 1929. The company had four stores. In 1938, the company began

we keep that philosophy and not chase every manufacturer’s dream for us, I think we’re in better shape. It comes down to taking care of customers. That’s what creates your identity and that’s why it’s so important. John: How many other companies have been taking care of people for a hundred years, whether it’s a retail customer or a commercial fleet? You can’t go into business and invent the fact you are a hundred years old. You’ve got to earn that. That’s what makes me work harder every day. Nate: When I started in 2005, most people thought Ziegler Tire was four stores (in the Canton, Ohio, area.) They didn’t know 70% to 80% of the business was commercial and spread out at that point in two states, Pennsylvania and Ohio. Since then, we’ve expanded into Kentucky and West Virginia. MTD: How do you build long-term relationships with employees, customers, vendors and the community? Nate: The Zieglers — the company and the family — are very loyal. That’s something they should be very proud of. w w w . M o d e r n T i r e D e a l e r. c o m

retreading passenger tires. In the 1950s, Harold Sr.’s sons, John and Harold Jr., joined the company. Herb’s son, Bill, joined in 1975. Over the next four years, the company opened new tire locations in Canton, Massillon and Dover, Ohio, as well as a truck stop near Canton. The third generation joined the company in the 1980s. John Jr. came on board in 1983, the same year another location in Canton opened. In 1987, Bill acquired the franchise for Bandag retreading. Bill’s son, Patrick, began working in commercial sales in 1987. Between 1988 and 1994, locations were added in the Ohio cities of Cleveland, Akron, Toledo, Columbus and Lorain. In 1995, the company entered the wholesale business with the establishment of Mighty Tire Wholesale.

And that’s something that a lot of our long term-employees recognize. John: That extends to our suppliers. We are loyal to our suppliers, as long as it’s a good partnership, and loyal to our customers. Nate: It’s loyalty to customers and being up front and honest with them. You can make promises, but you are going to make mistakes. We are always going to stand behind what we do and make it right. And that’s one of the ways you survive 100 years. Most of the success that Ziegler Tire has had over the years is based off of our employees — the people out there in the field doing emergency road service calls at two in the morning when its minus-five degrees. We hold them to a high standard. Customers hold them to a high standard. Bill: It’s extremely difficult to find employees. We treat them very well, we pay them very well, and they really want more training. The Ziegler family has a very strong work ethic, which rubs off on people. They see us working hard. I was always told don’t ask someone to do something you can’t do yourself.

In 1999, Ziegler Tire switched to the new Michelin Retread process and consolidated four Bandag facilities into one plant. Ground was broken in spring 1999 on a 110,000-square-foot complex to house the company headquarters, retread plant and new truck tire distribution. In the 2000s, Ziegler opened a location in western Pennsylvania, followed by expansion into Kentucky with locations in Independence and Lexington. In 2005, a retread plant opened in Monroe, Ohio. In 2007, a fourth generation joined. John Ziegler III is now a regional commercial supervisor. The North Canton, Ohio, location was moved to a new facility in 2014. Three locations were added in 2018. Two are retail stores in Green, Ohio, and Parkersburg, W.V. The third is a commercial location, also in Parkersburg.

Ziegler Tire’s leadership team (from left): John Ziegler Jr., vice president; Bill Ziegler, president; and Nate Clements, chief operating officer.

John: We’ve done it all at some point. I remember pumping gas, I remember changing tires. I remember mounting snow tire retreads. I remember coming home for winter breaks and changing truck tires. I remember tarring the roof on the warehouse in the middle of summer. Bill: No matter what we have or how big we are, it comes down to people. If we have good people, we’ll do very well. That’s our biggest emphasis: developing, maintaining and hiring good people. ■

Commercial Tire Dealer™

CFI TIRE SERVICE HELPS GROWERS GET THE MOST OUT OF THEIR IF/VF TIRES MAKING SURE CUSTOMERS UNDERSTAND THE BENEFITS IS KEY

Ann Neal

Also in CTD Farm tire market share ................... 50 AG Tire Talk: Load speed index ..... 52 Construction tires: ‘Intelligent’ tire line comes with sensors ................. 58 OTR tires: New bias brand ............. 60 Agritechnica: Latest tires featured at European trade fair .......................... 62 Commercially Viable ........................ 64

and his three uncles: Tim, Steve and Jeremy. Dan works in sales in the wholesale division, which serves tire dealers across Iowa and northern Missouri. Steve provides inside sales and technical support for the company’s equipment dealer division, Jeremy heads up service locations in Des Moines and Ottumwa, and Tim is the company’s administrative officer. Each store’s service area covers an 80-mile radius. The company operates a fleet of seven service trucks – five in Des Moines and two in Ottumwa – that provide 24/7 on-site tire repair and service. The ag tire brands carried are Alliance, Firestone, Goodyear, Michelin, and Titan. The company offers tires and tracks for tractors, sprayers, combines, grain carts and all implements, with a specialization in tires for high-horsepower large machinery. Sales and service of ag tires represent 80% of CFI Tire Service’s business. The remainder is made up mainly of construction, commercial, forklift and OTR tires, with a small amount of ATV, lawn and garden tires. The company also retreads commercial truck and small OTR tires and operates a wheel remanufacturing shop.

EDUCATION BUILDS TRUST

Berardi devotes much effort to educating growers about the benefits of IF and VF technology, especially for reducing compaction and boosting yields. His goal is to help customers get the most out of their tires. “Equipment keeps getting bigger and keeps going faster,” he says. “It’s almost to the point where IF/VF technology is going to become standard tires on equipment. IF/ VF tires will be needed to handle the weight

PHOTO: ALLIANCE TIRE AMERICAS

hen Clint Berardi asks growers if they understand increased flexion (IF) and very high flexion (VF) tire technology, the response is usually, “No.” Berardi, who is a regional sales manager for his family’s dealership, CFI Tire Service Inc., is determined to change their response to, “Yes.” “It is astounding to me because they are paying a lot more money for these tires, and the equipment is getting heavier,” he says. “That’s what really made it clear to me that there’s a lot more work to be done to educate these guys. The equipment is so expensive nowadays, and they need to take full advantage of everything they can get with commodity prices being so low.” Berardi has worked in his family’s business since he was 14 years old. He’s now 30, with experience in the dealership’s service, sales and equipment dealer sales departments, where he works today. CFI Tire Service serves the central Iowa agricultural community, as well as ag equipment dealers across the nation. The owners of the dealership are Berardi’s father, Dan,

“An IF or VF tire is not always the cheapest option; it’s just a better solution,” says Clint Berardi of CFI Tire Service. He is pictured at the Agribusiness Association of Iowa Showcase and Conference in January 2019.

of the new equipment right from the factory. We are already seeing that with the sprayers and combines out there now. They’re getting so big and so heavy that they’ve got to have these tires to handle the weight and speed.” An IF tire is designed to carry the same load as a standard tire at 20% lower air pressure or carry 20% higher loads at the same air pressure. A VF tire can carry the same load at 40% lower air pressure or can carry 40% more load at identical pressure. Lower air pressure is important as farm machinery gets bigger. Larger and heavier MTD December 2019

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For what drives you.

IF/VF Tires equipment helps growers boost efficiency and productivity. The drawback with old radial technology and bias tires is an increased risk of soil compaction, which can significantly impact crop growth and yield performance, according to Berardi. Helping growers understand what they can achieve in their fields with IF/VF tires builds their trust in CFI Tire Service, he notes. In one instance, a customer contacted Berardi because the growth of some rows of corn in his field was stunted, while rows outside of his wheel tracks were not. The grower was using a four-wheel-drive tractor fitted with two sets of triple tires, a 120-foot-wide planter and a 120-foot-wide sprayer to farm approximately 6,000 acres. “He’s got six tires and wheels wide going through the field, and the tractor is pulling the planter,” says Berardi. “Once the crop came up, he would go through with his sprayer on those same wheel tracks. Those six rows in the middle were getting all kinds of tire traffic, and it was compacting the soil. He wasn’t getting full root growth and that was leading to

stunted crops and smaller size ears of corn and shorter stalks. He could drive along the road and see a dip in the height of the corn where those wheel tracks were.”

A BETTER SOLUTION

The customer was aware of IF/VF technology and reached out to Berardi, who devised a solution. “We converted the tractor tires to IF tires and put a new tire and wheel package on his planter,” he says. “The planter went from a super single truck tire to an Alliance flotation radial tire. The Alliance tire carries about half the air pressure of the truck tires he was using before.” While this grower farms 6,000 acres, Berardi notes that smaller operations benefit from IF and VF tires, too. “The technology is there for smaller equipment,” he says. “When it comes time to replace tires or to order new equipment, growers can ask dealers what aftermarket tires will have a better footprint.” For example, a new tractor may be set up to plant 30-inch rows for a corn crop, but the buyer wants to use it for sugar beets, a crop

that requires a tire and wheel combination that plants 12-inch or 15-inch rows. In this situation, the buyer will trade the new tires on his just-purchased equipment for a changeover package that fits his application. Livestock farmers need unique tire and wheel solutions, too. “A certain type of tractor is used for clearing manure from poultry barns,” says Berardi. If a tractor from the factory is too tall for the poultry barns, “the farmer will ask us to come up with a tire and wheel package that will lower the tractor a few inches.” CFI Tire Service sales reps always offer growers an IF or VF solution because the tires can carry more weight, run on less air pressure, resist stubble damage and increase fuel efficiency. “An IF or VF tire is not always the cheapest option; it’s just a better solution,” says Berardi. “The tire’s going to last longer, it’s going to do less damage to the fields over time, and it’s going to ride better down the road because a radial technology tire is going to flex a lot better than a bias tire.” Most growers are open to IF and VF

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MTD December 2019

IF/VF Tires PHOTO: CFI TIRE SERVICE

technology for their primary equipment, such as tractors, combines and planters, he says. CFI Tire Service encourages them to use IF/VF tires for their implement equipment, too. “About all the major manufacturers are offering IF /VF technology for implement tires,” says Berardi.

A FAMILY SUCCESS STORY

CFI Tire Service dates back to 1927, when Leonard Holt bought a Sinclair Oil gas station in Des Moines. He began selling tires for passenger cars in the early 1930s. At that time, tractor tires had steel wheels. In the late 1940s, Harvey Firestone, founder of Firestone Tire & Rubber Co., had an idea to equip tractors with pneumatic rubber tires. Holt “worked with farmers and Firestone to convert tractors from those old steel plate traction wedges to air-filled, rubber tires,” he says. During World War II, one of Holt’s sons was stationed in Italy. He married an Italian woman and brought her to Des Moines after the war. “My grandpa (Ben) needed a job,” says Berardi. “His part of Italy had been bombed and there wasn’t any work. The Holts sponsored my grandpa to come over and work in their family tire business.” The family’s business was growing rapidly. In addition to auto service and repair, the company offered passenger, commercial, industrial and ag tire sales and service. Ben married a woman from Des Moines named Ruth and raised seven children.

The CFI Tire Service warehouse in Des Moines, Iowa, occupies 230,000-square-feet and 13 acres. The dealership runs five service trucks out of the Des Moines location, offering 24/7 roadside service in an 80-mile radius around the city.

Four of the boys and Ben worked for the Holt family until 1994. In 1994, the Holt and Berardi families divided the business. Ben Berardi and his sons — Dan, Tim, Steve and Jeremy — purchased the ag tire and wheel part of the business and moved to a new location. The Holt family kept the automotive side of the business and eventually renamed it Hilltop Tire Service. They operate three stores in Des Moines that provide automotive and passenger tire sales and service today. CFI Tire Service began operating in 1995, with a focus on serving the commercial, agricultural and industrial segments of the tire market in central Iowa. The company started in a 14,500-square-foot facility and added new buildings in Des Moines as it grew. These were a 4,000-square-foot facility to house the dealership’s industrial division and truck suspension shop (added in

1997), a 34,000-square-foot building for its agricultural business (opened in 2004) and a 230,000-square-foot storage facility (opened in 2010). The company also added wheel remanufacturing services and began retreading medium truck and OTR tires. In 2010, CFI Tire Service merged with MaconWorth Ltd., a tire company owned by Leonard Holt’s grandchildren. The merger provided access to turf, ATV and trailer tires and established a new CFI Tire Service distribution and sales location in Hayward, Calif. In 2011, the dealership opened a full-service tire center in Ottumwa. Ben is retired but “still checks in with us from time to time to make sure we are still keeping the lights on,” says Clint. Clint’s brother, Kyle, works for CFI Tire, as do nine cousins and a brother-in-law. The dealership employs about 80 people. ■

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MTD December 2019

Market Analysis

AG TIRE SALES IN 2020 MANUFACTURERS ARE CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC

Bob Ulrich

f one hasn’t the necessary knowledge and ambition to succeed in farming, there is no disgrace in moving to town to study law or medicine.” Farm & Ranch, 1912 Early indications are the upcoming winter weather for much of the U.S. will be harsh. And the Farmers’ Almanac agrees. “Our extended forecast is calling for yet another freezing, frigid and frosty winter for twothirds of the country,” said Peter Geiger, editor of the Farmers’ Almanac. More specifically, the 201-year-old publication predicts the worst “of the bitterly cold winter conditions will affect areas east of the Rockies all the way to the Appalachians.” When asked what the replacement farm tire market would be like in 2020, ag tire manufacturers and marketers contacted by Modern Tire Dealer cited a number of factors that could affect demand. “It depends on the weather,” says Doug Kershaw, vice president of BKT USA Inc. “If we have what Farmers’ Almanac and other sources predict – a harsh winter – then planting will be slow. So it could be a tough year. A lot of the farm equipment is still in inventory, so there will be creative financing.” Minoo Mehta, president of BKT USA, says government policies will be the biggest factor affecting the ag tire market. “Why? Because China is the biggest customer of the U.S. market. When there are trade wars, the ag market gets hit the hardest.” “We feel the replacement market will be strong in 2020,” says Scooter Kramer, demand planning manager, commercial ag, for Bridgestone Americas Inc.

“2019 was adversely affected by trade but, we believe, more so by the weather in the Midwest. “While we don’t feel any trade deal will be finalized before the election, we feel, barring any weather effects, 2020 will be strong compared to 2019.” Continental Tire the Americas LLC also is cautiously optimistic. “Based on our market research, we estimate that the rear radial/bias market could grow by roughly 2%,” says Dana Berger, Continental’s OE commercial specialty tire sales and ag business development manager for the U.S. and Canada. “The small farm tire replacement sales may see a higher growth rate, around 4%. “If we take year-to-date tractor sales into consideration, the U.S. market is above the five-year average for all segments. Therefore, assuming we have a better planting season than we did in 2019, the replacement market is likely going to either remain flat or see a single digit percentage growth.” “I see the farm market rebounding in 2020 after a few tough years weather wise etc.,” says Jack Fenner, marketing manager for Specialty Tires of America Inc. “There should be some pent up demand.” Despite 2019 net farm income trending slightly upward, most farm tire brands will be flat or slightly down in 2019 “due to unfortunate weather conditions and diminishing export sales,” says Bill Dashiell, senior vice president of the Commercial Tire Division for TBC Brands LLC. “We have noticed American farmers favor brands which can perform at a more affordable price point, such as (our) Harvest King.” ■

2019 U.S. OE AND REPLACEMENT FARM/AG TIRE MARKET SHARES RADIAL REAR OE 2019 shipments: 200,000 Firestone ..................... 37.5% Goodyear .................... 30.5% Michelin ...................... 15.5% BKT ................................ 5.0% Titan ............................... 4.5% Alliance ......................... 3.0% Trelleborg ..................... 2.0% Mitas ............................. 1.0% Others............................ 1.0% Total:.......................... 100.0% BIAS REAR OE 2019 shipments: 320,000 Titan ............................. 34.0% Firestone ..................... 28.5% Goodyear .................... 24.5% Alliance ......................... 7.0% BKT ................................ 3.0% Trelleborg ..................... 1.0% Others............................ 2.0% Total:.......................... 100.0% SMALL FARM OE 2019 shipments: 311,000 Goodyear .................... 26.0% Titan ............................. 19.0% Firestone ..................... 16.0% BKT .............................. 13.0% Carlisle ........................ 10.5% Alliance ......................... 9.5% American Farmer ........ 2.0% Trelleborg ..................... 1.5% Others............................ 2.5% Total:.......................... 100.0%

FARM/AG TIRE BRANDS HAVE TO HAVE AT LEAST 1% MARKET SHARE TO BE LISTED.

RADIAL REAR REPLACEMENT 2019 shipments: 295,750 BKT .............................. 26.0% Firestone ..................... 25.0% Michelin ...................... 16.0% Goodyear .................... 13.5% Alliance ......................... 8.0% Titan ............................... 5.0% Trelleborg ..................... 1.5% CEAT .............................. 1.0% Harvest King................. 1.0% Mitas ............................. 1.0% Others............................ 2.0% Total.............................. 100% BIAS REAR REPLACEMENT 2019 shipments: 390,000 BKT .............................. 38.0% Firestone ..................... 23.0% Alliance ....................... 12.0% Goodyear ...................... 7.0% Harvest King................. 7.0% Titan ............................... 5.0% Carlisle .......................... 2.0% American Farmer ........ 1.5% Trelleborg ..................... 1.5% CEAT .............................. 1.0% Others............................ 2.0% Total:.......................... 100.0% SMALL FARM REPLACEMENT 2019 shipments: 1.25 million Firestone ..................... 22.5% BKT .............................. 17.5% Goodyear .................... 15.5% Titan ............................. 14.5% Carlisle ........................ 10.0% Harvest King............... 10.0% Alliance ......................... 4.0% Trelleborg ..................... 2.0% American Farmer ........ 1.5% Deestone ...................... 1.0% Others............................ 1.5% Total:.......................... 100.0% SOURCE: MODERN TIRE DEALER ESTIMATES

MTD December 2019

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A G T i r e Ta l k

LOAD SPEED INDEX LOW-DOWN HOW TO PICK THE RIGHT INDEX FOR YOUR APPLICATION, PLUS THE IMPACT OF IF/VF TECHNOLOGY

James Tuschner

Modern Tire Dealer has partnered with AG Tire Talk to provide answers to the insightful questions farm tire dealers have about farm tire technology. This is the 11th in a series, which is designed to help agricultural tire dealers better connect with their customers. A trending question followed by an abridged version of the answers will appear in our Commercial Tire Dealer section every other month; for the complete answers, check out www.agtiretalk.com!

ncertainty about ag tire load speed index continues to abound. In this edition of AG Tire Talk, farm tire manufacturer and equipment supplier representatives tackle this issue by answering the following questions: QUESTION: How do you choose the best load speed index, what is the impact of increased flexion (IF) and very high flexion (VF) technologies, and how does changing from transport speed to in-field operation impact air pressure requirements? HARM-HENDRIK LANGE, agricultural tires field engineer, Continental Tire the Americas: Start with the simplest component: the speed symbol, which is the maximum speed the tire is designed for. It correlates with load index, as a standard tire can carry even more if the speed is lower. For agricultural tires, the most common speed symbols are A8/25 mph, B/31 mph and D/40 mph. If your tractor runs faster than 25 mph, you will need the B or D rating. If your tractor is 25 mph or lower, A8 is fine. A little more complicated is the load index, which is always related to a certain speed and to the inflation pressure. Here’s a

practical example for a size 710/70R42 tire: the tire is rated with 173 D, so it can carry 14,330 pounds at 40 mph. If you have a tractor with a maximum speed of 25 mph, the load can be increased by going down three speed symbols. This allows you to increase the load index three steps, meaning the 173 D tire becomes a 176 A8 tire, and can now carry 15,652 pounds at 25 mph. The third influence is inflation pressure. Higher inflation pressure means higher load capacity. Therefore, the maximum load index and speed symbol are always given at the maximum allowed inflation pressure at maximum speed, called “nominal pressure.” A farmer should choose a tire by its ability to be operated with low inflation pressure in the field, instead of looking at the maximum load index and speed symbol for road conditions. To run a standard tire at maximum speed with a high load on the road requires a significantly higher inflation pressure. KEN BRODBECK, vice president of technology, Precision Inflation LLC: First, be sure to have a speed rating that meets or exceeds the maximum speed of your machine. Most radial tires are at least A8 (25 mph) or B (31 mph.) Newer-technology tires are D (40 mph.) Next, be sure to have

a load index that meets or exceeds the maximum weight requirements of your machine, configured with the implement you have chosen. Tire dealers and tire manufacturers list these values in their data books and online. Inflation system technology improves the performance of IF and VF tires. In fact, every radial tire works better with a central tire inflation system to optimize the performance of farm equipment. DAVE GRADEN, operational market manager, agriculture, Michelin North America Inc.: On the sidewall, you will find a load speed index – for example, 167 B. The first three numbers are the load indices, or weight, a tire can carry. A8, B or D, indicates the speed rating of the tire. Both weight carrying capacity and speed requirements must be assessed in order to choose the proper load speed index. Physics enables a standard tire to carry load with significantly less air pressure at slower speeds. This is very important if you are concerned with reducing soil compaction. For example, a size 800/70R38 tire carrying a maximum load of 14,330 pounds at 23 psi at 40 mph (transport) can carry the same weight at 6 mph with 15 psi (field.) Reducing pressure by eight MTD December 2019

Let your customers experience growth in motion. All our Ag radial tires sold in North America are backed with our confidence-building 7-year warranty and offer a triple advantage â€“ Low Compaction, High Traction and High Roadability.

For more information, visit www.ceatspecialty.com/US Distributed in USA by Tyres International Inc. For further inquiries, Tel: +1 (704) 331-3928

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A G T i r e Ta l k psi over 5,000 acres equates to a significant improvement in the grower’s bottom line. How do you change air pressure from road transport to field quickly during crunch time? By using a central tire inflation system. Do you want to take air pressure savings to another level? IF/VF tires can do that even more. In sum, determine the required weight carrying capacity, determine in-field and road transport speeds and then invest in a central tire inflation system. And to really maximize yield, go VF.

Some tractor manufacturers take into account that at slower speeds, conventional tires are allowed a load bonus, or a “plusup,” to 20 mph (+7%), 15 mph (+11%) and 10 mph (+34%). See table below:

In this case, a 154 load index rated at 8,250 pounds at 23 psi is capable of carrying 11,055 pounds under 10 mph. When converting to IF or VF, there is no load bonus for slower, non-cyclical applications. An IF or VF tire can carry the same load at 40 mph as it does at step with the load/speed index and optimal tire performance, a central tire inflation system is the ultimate tool. This technology is surprisingly affordable and allows you to increase pressure to run safely on the road and decrease it for better performance and lower soil compaction in the field. SCOTT SLOAN, ag product manager/ global LSW, Titan International Inc.: I think it would be beneficial to review tire technologies and what they offer. Conventional tires are just that. They have been around since the dawn of the pneumatic tire. IF tires are designed to carry the same load at 20% less inflation pressure than a conventional tire of the same size. VF tires are designed to carry the same load at 40% less inflation pressure than a conventional tire of the same size. The theory behind IF and VF technology is that as the tire deflects more, the footprint becomes larger and the larger footprint means less ground-bearing pressure and ultimately less compaction. Tractor manufacturers do a god job of offering the appropriate load and speed index tires on tractors coming out of the factory, If a grower is in need of a replacement tires, my quick answer is to replaced it with a similar-rated tire. Things get a bit more complicated if the grower is attempting to make a tire technology change.

10 mph, but is not allowed a load bonus or plus-ups. That means you will need to select a load index that will cover at least as much of the load of the standard tire to meet the load requirements of the tire that is being removed. See table below:

In this case, the tractor would need to be converted to 165 load index and that tire would need to be inflated to 32 psi in order to carry the same load. It is important to select a tire with a load index that is high enough to handle those times when a tractor is experiencing extreme load conditions or you will risk damage to the tire and possibly the tractor. For instance, if the grower is looking at converting a mechanical front wheel drive tractor from conventional to IF/ VF technology, not only will they need to replace all of the tires on the tractor but they also will need to choose a load index that suits the tractor at its heaviest. (See sidebar for more information.) At the end of the day, the grower needs to decide what is best for their operation. Converting to new technology on an existing tractor is not cheap. They need to weigh the benefits versus the cost. If they do decide, it’s best they understand the technologies, and what gets them the biggest bang for their buck. In addition, doing the research and understanding loads and applications will give them the best chance of being successful with the conversion. DAVE PAULK, manager of field technical services, BKT USA Inc.: Speed and load ratings have become more important with the influx of tractors and equipment coming into the U.S. from Europe. When choosing a tire, the weight carrying capacity for the weight of the tractor, the intended load and transportation speed should all be considered. The load and index speed of a tire follow the size on the sidewall of the tire. Charts are available to show the maximum load capacity of MTD December 2019

SOURCE: TITAN INTERNATIONAL INC.

JAMES CROUCH, national product manager, agriculture, Alliance Tire Americas Inc.: Load and speed index represent vital information. If you buy a tire with too low of a load/speed index to cover your needs, you could overload the tire. This can lead to premature wear, accidents and spills. You need to match the load and speed index of your tires to the machinery they will be running on. Be sure to calculate your need for load and speed based on the real-world weight of each axle. You have to look beyond the machine’s shipping weight to also account for the weight of fuel, spray solution, ballast and load on the drawbar. If it has a bucket on the front, add the weight of a full load of dirt. Be real about what you’re going to be doing with that machine and you will end up with an accurate load index. The same goes for speed. If you’re going to operate at a higher speed, check your inflation tables to match the load, speed and optimum inflation pressure. If your pressure is too low for your load and speed, your sidewalls will flex too much and build up extra heat, which can result in excessive stress on the tire carcass and ultimately could destroy the tire. That’s where IF and VF technology come in. The special design and materials in IF and VF sidewalls allow us to operate these high-tech tires at lower inflation pressure without giving up load and speed. In fact, the load rating of an IF tire at a particular inflation pressure is 20% higher than the load rating of a standard radial at the same pressure. With VF tires, the bonus load capacity is 40%. To get the full benefit of IF and VF technology, check the inflation tables and make sure you run at the proper pressure for the load and speed that reflect your operating conditions. And to really stay in

Does your customer qualify for a ‘plus-up?’

a radial tire at the maximum speed. A tire may have a 154 D/157 A8 load and speed index rating. This means the tire will carry 8,250 pounds (154 load index) at 40 mph (D speed rating) at 35 psi. This same tire will carry 9,090 pounds (157 load index) at 25 mph (A8 speed rating) at 35 psi. The higher the speed, the less weight a tire can handle. Radial farm tires are designed to run at lower air pressures in the field at field speeds (five to 10 mph.) Tires may need more air pressure to transport equipment on the highway than they do in the fields. Sidewall damage and sidewall separations can occur when tires are run overloaded and under-inflated. Realizing that time is precious during planting and harvest, money can be saved by running the correct air pressures for the application and usage during these periods. Air inflation systems are now being offered as aftermarket items, but manufacturers are looking at them as original equipment options to minimize tire damage and premature failure. IF and VF technology enable a trac-

Facebook: Vipal Rubber Corp w w w . M o d e r n T i r e D e a l e r. c o m

tor to carry more weight without having to widen the tire to the point where it canâ€™t be transported on the highway. This technology also can be used to reduce air pressure to minimize soil compaction in areas where no-till and minimum-till are used. If an IF or VF tire is being used, air pressure can be reduced to carry the same weight as a standard tire. This decreases ground bearing pressure and thus reduces soil compaction. On the opposite side of the spectrum, sometimes a higher weight carrying capacity is needed. An example is radial implements on planters and cultivators where a biasply implement tire will not carry heavier weights. A VF-rated tire also is good for sprayers, as they run at higher speeds and can handle weight capacities. There are still a huge number of biasply farm tires running in the U.S. market. Bias-ply tires, unlike radial farm tires, are not made to run at low pressures. If biasply tires are being used, the load carrying capacity should be checked to make sure they are not being overloaded.

BRADLEY HARRIS, manager, global agricultural field engineering, Firestone Ag Division, Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations LLC: The load speed index is the identification system that replaces the tire ply rating and the star rating. Utilizing the best load speed index will lead to a better purchase when choosing the right tire for your operation. The specific load index value is equivalent to the rated load for any tire sizes. The speed rating of the tire follows the load index. It is always important to match the maximum speed of the tire to the maximum speed rating of the tractor. In North America, B-speed rated tires will be acceptable for most tractors. With IF and VF technology, the load index value increases when comparing same-size tires. When setting inflation pressures, axle loads and operating speeds are critical. Without having a central tire inflation system on your tractor, the inflation pressure needed is based on the fastest travel speed and the maximum axle load. If the tractor is only being used to haul equipment, like a disc or field cultivator,

www.vipal-usa.com

A G T i r e Ta l k there is not a weight difference between field applications and road transport. Once the pressure is set, there is no need to adjust applications. Understanding load index and speed ratings will allow you to make an educated decision when choosing your next set of tires.

can carry the maximum weight expected, while providing the least amount of soil compaction. The yield of crops produced is Here’s a quick look at ag tire speed ratings: directly impacted by the amount of ground pressure caused by the A8 = 25 mph D = 40 mph weight of machinery due to topical B = 31 mph E = 43 mph soil pressure or soil compaction C = 37 mph F = 50 mph caused by equipment working Larger equipment is being introduced to the market, which in the field. is causing a load index increase. GREG GILLAND, business To maximize the utilization development and ag segment of IF and VF technology tires, manager, Maxam Tire International: Each agricultural operation growers should consider adjusting the air pressure of their tires requires equipment designed to maximize the harvest of that as they modify the weight being pulled or the load being carried. chosen crop. In the case of tractor applications, the choice of Higher transport speeds will demand higher air pressure to sustain machine size and horsepower selected will dictate the size of tires the weight and/or corresponding speed to move ag equipment that will be employed. Agricultural tires are designed — based from the barn to field, or from field to field. Newer tractors and ag on their size geometry, materials and air chamber — to carry equipment are utilizing on-board inflation equipment to quickly a certain amount of weight at a given ground speed and to fit a adjust IF or VF tires up or down in air pressure to the optimal certain wheel base. footprint needed. The right air pressure for the right load is the All radial ag tires employ the tire carcass to carry 20% of the answer to improved ag profits. tire’s load, with the compressed air in the tire chamber carrying 80% of the remaining weight. Ag tires are therefore rated by a NORBERTO HERBENER, OE applications engineer, Trelleborg common index to identify their load capability at a given speed. Wheel Systems Americas Inc.: Each tire has a specific load index The key objective of any given machine utilizing tires in a and speed symbol, and both together are referred to as load speed farming operation is to choose the optimized air pressure that index. The load index represents the load capacity at the nominal inflation pressure of the tire. There is a direct correlation between load capacity and inflation pressure: the higher the pressure, the higher the load capacity. These values depend on the tire size (width, ratio and rim diameter) and are all normalized by the Tire & Rim Association in the United States. The speed symbol represents the speed which the load index HEXCHEX® refers to. A large combine flotation tire will normally have TIRE MULTI-SIZE LOOSE a speed symbol of A8 that represents 25 mph. On a sprayer IRONS WHEEL NUT tire, the speed symbol will be a D, representing 40 mph. On INDICATORS TUBELESS TRUCK conventional tires, the reduction of working speed allows TIRE MOUNT/ higher load capacities. This can be explained by the fact that DEMOUNT IRONS at higher loads, the tire’s temperature increases — and the temperature increases also when the speed is increased. So when we reduce speed, we compensate for the temperature increase by increasing the load. When looking at a tire manufacturer’s manual, you will see that for each conventional (or non-IF and VF) tire sizes, there is a specific data matrix with inflation pressures and speed. Each combination will specify the maximum load capacity of that tire. So when a farmer wants to know what inflation pressure he needs, first he must know the load each tire will carry and the speed he TIRE will use for that load. With these two values, he can determine INFLATION the correct inflation pressure. CAGES When talking about newer and higher tire technologies, we PILOT KEN-TOOL OFFERS must talk about IF and VF tires. Both technologies allow higher SIZES AND SLEEVE™ load capacities — 20% higher for IF and 40% higher for VF — at DESIGNS FOR POLYAMIDE WHEEL the same inflation pressures for the same size compared to ALL YOUR NEEDS. CENTERING SLEEVES conventional tires. ■ 768 E. North Street, P.O. Box 9320 Akron, Ohio 44305 | Fax: 800-872-4929 Tel: 330-535-7177 | Fax: 330-535-1345 E-mail: sales@kentool.com

Ag tire speed ratings at a glance

1-888-536-8665

www.KENTOOL.com

James Tuschner has spent 25 years in the tire industry, primarily focused on the agricultural and specialty tire markets. His experience includes time spent at Alliance Tire Americas Inc. and Denman Tire Corp. He started www.agtiretalk.com in 2016.

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MTD December 2019 11/18/19 1:21 PM

Construction Tires

Continental

introduces ‘intelligent’ construction tire line FACTORY-INSTALLED SENSORS CAPTURE DATA TO HELP EXTEND TIRE LIFE By

Ann Neal

ontinental Tire the Americas LLC has released its first full line of construction tires with factory-embedded sensors for monitoring pressure and temperature to the North American market. The new “intelligent” tires are the Conti HSC 3 steer/all-position tire with a matching retread, the Conti HDC 3 drive tire with a matching retread, and Conti HAC 3 all-position tire. The numeral “3” refers to Continental’s third-generation tire technology, which the company says is responsible for significant improvements in mileage, stone retention, cut and chip compounding, and casing durability versus earlier tire models. The new line replaces Continental HSC1 and HDC1 tires. Continental’s Generation 3 tires are designed to deliver high performance in mileage, durability, traction, and retreadability, which are key aspects for lowest overall driving cost in the on/off-road segment. The line targets the construction, cement, utility, emergency vehicle, forestry and logging applications.

CONTI HSC 3

Conti HSC 3, a steer/all-position construction tire, delivers significant benefits over its predecessor, HSC1, including an estimated 11% mileage improvement, according to Continental officials. Built on Continental’s 3G casing for reduced heat build-up and improved retreadability, the tire also features a wider tread platform to increase mileage. Its off-road belt package provides improved penetration resistance. And Continental says the tire’s new

Marco Rabe says sensors embedded in the company’s newest generation of construction tires for mixed service applications enable Continental to help customers optimize their operations and realize every benefit the tires offer. The steer, drive and all-position tires are covered by a 6-year, 3-year retread warranty.

cap/base tread compounds delivered a 100% improvement in belt cut reduction during cut-and-chip testing, as well as reduced heat build-up. The Conti HSC 3 has a 24/32-inch tread depth and is currently available in the following sizes: 11R22.5 LRH, 11R24.5 LRH, and 315/80R22.5 LRL. A matching retread, ContiTread HSC 3 – in 210 mm, 220 mm, 230 mm, and 240 mm widths – also is available. The Conti HSC 3 competes with the Michelin X Works Z, Bridgestone M853, and Goodyear G751 MSA tires.

CONTI HDC 3

Continental says the Conti HDC 3, a driveaxle construction tire, provides an estimated

15% improvement in life expectancy over its predecessor, the HDC1. The tire’s new tread pattern delivers excellent lateral traction throughout its life and features a self-cleaning design to prevent stone drilling. A broad, even-pressure footprint provides improved wear, traction, and cut resistance, according to Continental. The Conti HDC 3 is built on Continental’s 3G casing with a 250 mm-wide tread platform, which the company says is wider than the Michelin X Works XDY, Bridgestone M799 and Continental HDC1 tires. A wide tread platform delivers increased mileage and longer tread life, according to Continental officials. The tire also features an aggressive open shoulder design and MTD December 2019

lug design for maximum traction, excellent retreadability, and a strong, thick sidewall. The Conti HDC 3 has a 30/32-inch tread depth and is currently available in sizes 11R22.5 LRH and 11R24.5 LRH. It is also available in a matching retread, ContiTread HDC 3, in 210 mm, 220 mm, 230 mm, 240 mm, and 250 mm widths. The Conti HDC 3 competes against the Michelin X Works XDY, Bridgestone M799, and Goodyear G282 MSD tires.

CONTI HAC 3

Features of the new Conti HAC 3, an allposition tire for construction applications, include new cap/base tread compounds for improved mileage and traction versus its predecessor, HTC1. With a casing designed to resist irregular wear, a self-cleaning tread pattern, and a four-belt package to resist impacts, bruises, and penetrations, the Conti HAC 3 delivers maximum hours of service, according to Continental officials. Its increased sidewall gauge adds road hazard protection. The Conti HAC 3 is currently available in the following sizes: 385/65R22.5 LRL at 22/32-inch tread depth, and 425/65R22.5 LRL at 24/32-inch tread depth. Continental officials say the Conti HAC 3 is intended to compete against the Michelin XZY 3, Bridgestone M854, and Goodyear G296 MSA tires.

SENSORS ARE A ‘GAME CHANGER’

The new construction tire line’s sensor technology enables Continental, tire dealers and end users to track metrics that are critical to a tire’s performance and longevity: temperature and inflation pressure. Monitoring this data ultimately lowers overall operating costs, according to Marco Rabe, director of truck tire technology. “It doesn’t help if you just save a bit of money in the cost of the tire, or you look only at retreading,” he says. “In the end, it’s about everything working together to optimize the performance of the tire, to optimize the performance of the vehicle and to optimize the customer’s operating cost so that he keeps coming back and we form a partnership because we’re in this for the long haul.” Rabe says Continental believes the sensor technology is a game changer, and customers will grow to understand the value that it brings to their operations. “We’re convinced these partnerships we are building are long w w w . M o d e r n T i r e D e a l e r. c o m

Continental’s new construction tires feature a tread pattern with better self-cleaning properties for traction in off-road situations and four belts for casing durability, according to Bridney Jordan, product manager.

term, and it’s a partnership that works between us, the dealer and the customer.” Continental officials say fleets can use the inflation pressure and temperature data captured by the sensors to reduce downtime, improve safety and fuel efficiency, and minimize labor and maintenance costs associated with tire inspections. “Every little bit of protection you can give that tire up front pays toward the end,” says Rabe.

SYSTEMS TO READ TIRE DATA

Continental has multiple receiver systems to read the data captured by its tire sensors. The systems can be combined to generate reports and analyses that help fleets optimize their routes and vehicles. The ContiConnect system is designed for highway commercial operations. Continental officials say ContiConnect is ideal for fleets whose trucks or buses return to their terminals daily. The system’s yard reader station, which is mounted in the fleet yard, collects data from all tire sensors within a 65-foot radius. “ContiConnect is an accessible solution for domiciled fleets, such as those used in construction and regional hauling,” says Michelle Reinhart, Continental’s head of digital solutions for commercial vehicle tires in the Americas region. “We don’t charge by vehicle. The yard reader picks up all the tire sensors within range and delivers the data to the web portal. The portal sends text and email alerts if low pressure or high temperature thresholds are breached, and trigger levels can be set by each fleet. This allows the maintenance manager to confirm proper tire pressure before vehicles leave the fleet yard, and as soon as they return.”

While ContiConnect is designed for domiciled fleets, the ContiPressureCheck system is for fleets whose trucks or buses are away from the terminal for long periods of time, plus owner-operators. ContiPressureCheck monitors a single vehicle in real-time, alerting the driver to tire pressure and temperature issues via an in-cab display. In addition, the ContiPressureCheck system can be connected to any of Continental’s telematics partners for remote data viewing. The company’s current partners include Zonar, PeopleNet, and Geotab for truck and bus telematics, and Road Ready for trailer telematics. “With Continental’s ContiPressureCheck system, the driver can monitor the tire pressure situation in real-time and determine whether they need to immediately pull off the road or whether they can safely make it to the next service station,” says Reinhart. “By adding a telematics integration, a fleet manager or dispatcher could help with this analysis in real-time as well.” Continental also offers a service called ContiLogger Live for off-the-road operations. ContiLogger Live uses a telematic device with integrated sensors to measure speed, distance, location, lateral forces, road grade, production activity, tire pressure and tire temperature. The system issues warnings for critical conditions like long idling time, high ton miles per hour (TMPH), low-efficiency cycle pattern, low inflation pressure and high tire temperature. ContiLogger Live is designed to operate independently and to monitor thousands of vehicles in off-the road mining and quarry environments. Field engineers can customize recommendations to address significant tire challenges, with suggestions aimed at optimizing tire, equipment life and operational processes. Rabe says the ContiLogger system opens up a new world in terms of connecting the tire digitally to the vehicle. “With ContiLogger you can track exactly how the vehicle is used in the quarry or the construction site,” he notes. “We can go back to our customers and save them 30% of their driving time and their operational time just by optimizing what they are doing every day and what truck may be more efficient than another.” For trailers, Continental offers a standalone tire pressure monitoring system called ContiPressureCheck Solo. ■

OTR Tires

Coming in 2020:

General brand bias OTR tires PLUS A SNEAK PEEK AT NEW CONTINENTAL RADIAL PRODUCTS By

Ann Neal

ontinental Tire the Americas LLC plans to launch a bias line of General brand OTR tires in 2020. The extension will include an L5 series line, an E3 series line, and an E4 series line. Shawn Rasey, director of global business development, earthmover tires, Continental, previewed the upcoming bias products during the launch of the company’s Generation 3 intelligent construction tires at its Uvalde Proving Grounds in Texas. He told attendees that while most of Continental’s focus has been on radial tire development, there is still a fairly large volume of bias construction tires sold in the U.S., across the Americas and around the world. The L5 series will be used primarily on loaders, and at mine sites, quarries and construction sites. A range of sizes, starting at 20.5-25 and ranging up to 35/65-33, is planned. The E3 line will have a number of sizes. Rasey highlighted one of the most popular scraper sizes in the world: 37.25-35. “It’s one of the products we’ve had tremendous success with in the past and so now we are bringing it to the Americas with the General brand,” he said. The new E4 line will likewise encompass a range of sizes. Rasey said end users are especially looking forward to a bias-ply quarry tire in size 24.00-35. He noted that while the vast majority of rock quarries and users of this size have migrated to a radial tire due to the need to dissipate heat in severe conditions, there’s still a need for a bias option. The new bias line will include a grader tire. “With the addition of the G2, we’ll have the four most popular sizes around the world, which are a 13.00-24 and 14.00-24, as well as a 15.5-25 and 17.5-25,” said Rasey. “That’s probably about 85% of the grader market on

Shawn Rasey says the large volume of bias construction tires in use prompted Continental to bring a bias product line under the General brand to the market.

the smaller sizes, so it will put us in a good position to be able to fulfill requirements.” The first sizes of the new L5, E3, and E4 tires will be available in January 2020. More bias products are on the horizon as Continental plans to round out its construction line with skid steer and backhoe tires.

PREVIEW OF RADIAL OTR TIRES

Rasey also previewed radial products planned for the company’s factory in Lousado, Portugal, which he said gives Continental the “newest, most modern OTR tire capacity in the world.” The company recently completed a $110 million investment project, which added three earthmover tire product lines, at the plant. Rasey said production is ramping up in E3/L3 designs in sizes 20.5R25, 23.5R25, 26.5R25 and 29.5R25. Several other radial products are now in development. Rasey said two key sizes, 775/65R29 and 875/65R29 in the E3/L3 tread class, will be produced at the Lousado factory.

“Around the world and particularly in the United States, typically our customers fall into one of two categories,” he said. “They are either in a market where it is super-heated for those sizes and they don’t have enough supplier availability. Or they are in a market where they really haven’t seen these products much yet. What we do know – based on our relationships and following the trends with the original equipment manufacturers – is these tires are coming and they are going to be everywhere.” The 775/65R29 size will ultimately replace the 26.5R25 and the 875/65R29 will replace the 29.5R25 size, according to Rasey. Two L5 radial lines are also in Continental’s new product pipeline. The Lousado plant will make the following sizes in both rock and traction tread patterns: 20.5R25, 23.5R25, 26.5R25, 29.5R25 and 35/65R33. Also planned is a bias-ply L5 slick tire that will be built at Continental’s Malaysia factory. The L5 will be available in sizes 26.5-25, 29.5-25, 29.5-29 and 35/65-33. ■ MTD December 2019

Agritechnica

Plowing ahead

FARM TIRE MANUFACTURERS ROLL OUT NEW PRODUCTS IN EUROPE By

Mike Manges

everal farm tire manufacturers introduced new products — and in one company’s case, a new farm tire performance monitoring system — at last month’s Agritechnica event. The show, which took place in Hanover, Germany, billed itself as “the world’s leading trade fair for agricultural machinery” and featured exhibitors from more than 50 countries. Alliance Tire Group displayed its Alliance 398 Multipurpose Tire (MPT), which is rated up to 62 miles per hour on the road and provides low-compaction, high-traction performance in the field. “The J-rated Alliance 398 MPT is designed to enhance the performance of heavy trucks and trailers that are used both in the field and on the road, including manure tanks, feed trucks and trucks used to haul grain,” say Alliance officials. The tire won a silver medal in the Agritechnica Innovation Award program. Balkrishna Industries Ltd. (BKT) displayed the V-Flexa, its latest-generation flotation tire that has been specifically designed for agricultural trailers. The tire,

BKT displayed its latest-generation flotation tire, the V-Flexa, at Agritechnica.

which features very high flexion technology, “enables the transport of heavy loads with an inflation pressure that is 30% less than that of a standard tire of the same size,” say BKT officials. It also contains steel belts for enhanced resistance against punctures and impacts and features an all-steel casing to support

Coming soon: CTIS+ from Trelleborg and Dana Central tire inflation systems (CTIS) are becoming increasingly common in agricultural applications. (This month’s edition of AG Tire Talk, starting on page 52, contains more information.) Trelleborg Wheel Systems and Dana Inc. have entered the field with a new product, CTIS+, that they unveiled during last month’s Agritechnica event in Hanover, Germany. CTIS+ will let farmers increase or decrease tire

pressure levels from their tractors’ cabins. “According to our latest customer surveys, the adoption rate of CTIS will accelerate over the next three to five years,” says Paolo Pompei, president of Trelleborg Wheel Systems. “By 2025, CTIS solutions will equip one out of three tractors with over 120 horsepower in Europe and North America.” Trelleborg and Dana say they are working with tractor manufacturers to make CTIS+ available on original

heavy loads at low pressure levels. The V-Flexa’s extra-large contact area provides optimal weight distribution and helps reduce soil compaction. Continental AG also spotlighted its very high flexion technology during Agritechnica by displaying its TractorMaster and CombineMaster products. “These tires with (very high flexion) specifications have highly flexible sidewalls, which maintain the tires’ durability and directional stability at a high level in the event of reduced air pressure or high load,” say Continental

CTIS+ is intended for OE and the aftermarket, according to Trelleborg.

equipment tractors by the end of 2020. “The solution also will be available for aftermarket as a retrofit system.”

Designed for heavy-duty trailers, GRI’s Green CLR F77 boasts a wide tread width to minimize soil compaction.

MTD December 2019

Alliance displayed its new 398 Multipurpose tire, which is rated up to 62 mph on the road. The tire won a medal at Agritechnica.

officials. “This is made possible through an optimized belt and bead geometry.” Global Rubber Industries (Pvt) Ltd. (GRI) showcased its Green XLR F77 and Green XLR 65 Series tires. Designed for heavy-duty trailers, the Green CLR F77 boasts a wide tread width to help minimize soil compaction, while its “premium tread delivers high productivity,” according to GRI officials. The Green XLR 65 Series, which is designed for tractors, features an optimized lug angle for high levels of traction, an increased number of lugs and a strong casing for extra durability. The tire’s new tie bar design protects against base cracks. Nokian Tyres plc displayed its new Ground King tire, which company officials believe “brings new opportunities for tractor and machine contracting by combining on-road endurance, traction and grip on soft terrain,” as well as a high load-carrying capacity. “The most distinguishing feature of the new Nokian Ground King is a whole new type of tread pattern, Hybrilug Technology, that provides strong grip on all terrain, including soft surfaces.” Nokian also introduced its digital Intuiti farm tire management system, which combines sensor-equipped smart tires with a mobile application that records tire-generated air pressure and temperature data in real time.” The system will be available next year. Titan International Inc. displayed its new Goodyear R14 farm tire, which is designed for compact tractors and is suitable “for any job around the farm,” according to Titan officials. The tire’s w w w . M o d e r n T i r e D e a l e r. c o m

The new Nokian Ground King tire features Nokian’s Hybrilug Technology, which provides enhanced grip.

unique tread pattern is a hybrid of agricultural, industrial and turf designs, which means that compact tractor owners “will no longer need to compromise or choose between three tire designs or change tires for different applications.” In addition, Titan rolled out a new

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Commercially Viable Cooper adds sizes to Roadmaster line Cooper Tire & Rubber Co.’s new Roadmaster RM832 EM steer tire is SmartWay-verified and features 18/32nds of tread depth for optimal fuel efficiency and long miles to removal. The tire also features a wide footprint for better weight distribution; a newly designed decoupling groove to enhance even wear; an advanced rubber compound; and an improved tread design. And it contains Cooper’s second-generation Energy Max compounding for low rolling resistance. The Roadmaster RM832 EM is available in the following sizes: 295/75R22.5, 11R22.5, 11R24.5 in Load Range G or H, and 285/75R24.5 (Load Range H.) COOPER TIRE & RUBBER CO. www.roadmastertires.com

Alliance rounds out backhoe tire lineup Alliance Tire Americas Inc. says its new radial Alliance 585 multi-surface backhoe/loader tire rounds out its performance-boosting line-up. The tire employs a unique, block lug hybrid design and steel-belted construction to deliver higher performance and longer service life than bias-ply tires. Its radial construction ensures a long, rectangular footprint that puts more of the tire’s unique block lug pattern - and more horsepower - in direct contact with the ground for enhanced traction and ride quality, plus less slip, lower heat build-up and improved fuel efficiency. ALLIANCE TIRE AMERICAS INC. www.atgtire.com

Bridgestone launches Firestone ag tire The new Firestone Maxi Traction from Bridgestone Americas Inc. features a tread pattern that is designed for improved wear rate and longer tire life; R-1W tread depth and a dual-angle tread pattern for increased contact with soil and enhanced traction; and Bridgestone’s AD2 Technology “to help farmers carry heavier loads at the same pressure as standard agricultural tires, or the same loads at reduced inflation pressure, reducing fuel consumption and minimizing soil compaction,” according to Bridgestone officials. BRIDGESTONE AMERICAS INC. www.bridgestoneamericas.com

Michelin unveils its most fuel-efficient drive tire Michelin North America Inc.’s new Michelin X Line Energy D+ is the company’s most fuelefficient drive tire for long-haul applications. Available throughout the United States and Canada in size 275/80R22.5, the SmartWayverified tire is Greenhouse Gas Phase 2-compliant and features a tread compound designed for enhanced fuel efficiency. It also contains Michelin’s InfiniCoil Technology, which wraps 1/8-mile of steel cable around its casing to eliminate casing growth and ensure a consistent footprint and even wear; high-tensile steel belts capable of supporting multiple retreads; interlocking, edge-biting sipes; and regenerative tread grooves for excellent grip throughout the tire’s life. MICHELIN NORTH AMERICA INC. www.michelintruck.com

TBC rolls out a new Akuret implement tire TBC Brands LLC has introduced a new implement tire, the Akuret Implement I-1. Designed to carry heavy loads and prevent compaction issues, the tire features a multi-rib design and wide footprint for easy tracking, steering and flotation. The Akuret Implement I-1 offers even tire wear for longer service life. TBC BRANDS LLC www.tbcbrands.com

Hercules adds to Strong Guard line Hercules Tire & Rubber Co. has expanded its Strong Guard truck tire family with the addition of the new Strong Guard HDO regional drive tire, which features an exclusive tread and sidewall design, a curb guard for high-scrub applications and specially angled grooves on its should lugs to help repel stones. The tire also contains Hercules’ Gen-H tread compound for enhanced mileage; an open shoulder tread design to promote self-cleaning; 3D sipes for increased control; interlocking tread blocks to reduce deformation; and more. HERCULES TIRE & RUBBER CO. www.herculestire.com

MTD December 2019

Business Insights

Task vampires and emotional vampires

HOW TO SLAY THESE PRODUCTIVITY-DRAINING MONSTERS By

Dennis McCarron

ou start your day off coming into work early, like you usually do. This is a critical time, as you are often by yourself and you can think in peace and quiet about your day, your week, and maybe your month. Any book on leadership or managerial qualities will emphasize the importance of quiet solitude in the morning. If you feel your day never starts off right, you should increase your store arrival time by an additional 15 minutes until you feel your days are under better control. “Crazy” days are most often those days when we didn’t have enough time to think and plan in the morning. There is another thief of your productivity. I call them time vampires. They pop up out of the shadows and steal minutes off the clock. At the end of the day, after dealing with time vampires, you are nowhere near finished. So how to do you stop these modern-day “Draculas” and start getting things done? First, we need to identify what time vampires really are. There are two kinds: task vampires and emotional vampires. Both are powerful. And the extent of how they affect the small business owner or manager can vary, depending on each individual situation. For this to be helpful, you must be honest with yourself — and not defensive — about identifying where time vampires bite you.

TASK VAMPIRES

These bloodsuckers usually show up in the form of a crisis, a phone call, or “pop in” visitors. While there are others, these three are usually the top offenders. • Crisis vampires: This is usually a scenario where there is an urgent need for a hero, and who better than the founder of the company? You can swoop in, save the day, and feel good about yourself because you helped the company avoid a crisis of epic proportions. The reality is, it wasn’t a crisis. It was presented as such but sadly, turned out to be a false flag. Maybe there’s some urgency. Maybe there’s some importance. Maybe there’s both, and therefore someone of stature within your company needs to act. Do you really need to involve yourself in handling every customer complaint? When situations that do not involve physical harm to employees, which would constitute a real crisis, arrives, ask the informant, “What do you think should happen?” and “What solutions have you tried so far?” • Time vampires come to you in a panic because you are the easy answer. Teach them to follow through on their decisions. “Probing” the crisis in order to arrive at a simple solution instead of automatically jumping into your superhero costume might w w w . M o d e r n T i r e D e a l e r. c o m

take a little time in the beginning, but it will pay dividends in a few short months. • Phone/emails/text vampires: You are the quarterback of your team. Whether you operate from inside the store every day or you own multiple locations and work from an office, a quarterback needs to be protected, especially when dropping back to pass and scanning the field for opportunities and ideas. Start getting comfortable telling employees today is not a day you can take calls. You need to make sure you tackle your priorities on your schedule. For emails and texts, start teaching your employees how to send you messages when there is a problem. Emails/texts should contain a brief summary of the problem, steps taken so far (often this is the part left out because the only step taken was to email you), other people that may be able to help, and why it is being sent to you. Of course, legally charged situations should be dealt with face-to-face, initially. What we are addressing here are time vampires, not every type of contact you have with employees, vendors and customers. • Drop-in vampires: This is usually a customer or vendor. These people know there’s a chance you might not be there, but usually they have studied you for quite some time and they calculate the odds. They show up unannounced, and you are forced to spend your time solving their problem. This solution will take some time to implement, but the payoff is large so it’s worth the effort. I call it “the buddy system.” Every time there is a drop-in, grab onto your number two or number three person or whoever makes sense for the situation. Tell your drop-in, “Hang on a second. If you need work on your car, let me grab Bill.” When Bill shows up, look at the drop-in and say, “OK, what was the issue?” then look at Bill. Check to see if the drop-in is still looking at you or talking with Bill. If looking at you, make eye contact and slowly turn your head toward Bill. Encourage the direct communication by asking Bill, “What do you think they should do?” This shows the drop-in that you trust Bill, and the drop-in should trust him, too. When Bill gives his solution to the problem, agree with Bill, which will also show the drop-in that Bill thinks just like you do. You may need to coach Bill a few times on some things, but I promise you after a few months, you will be glad you killed another vampire. ■ Dennis McCarron is a partner at Cardinal Brokers, the leading brokers in the tire and automotive industry (www.cardinalbrokers.com). To contact McCarron, email him at dennis@cardinalbrokers.com.

Mergers and Acquisitions

Halo effect

HOW TO CAPTURE A BIGGER PIECE OF THE AUTO SERVICE PIE By

Michael McGregor

uring last month’s Specialty Equipment Market Association and Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo shows, I learned of a new buzzword going around. It’s called “mobility management.” And here’s why it’s important. As millions of connected vehicles are added to the road and all kinds of vehicle systems data is captured and analyzed, it’s going to lead to a “holy grail:” prognostic and predictive vehicle maintenance solutions. A version of this holy grail was available 20 years ago when the venture capital-backed company that I founded at the time, AutoPact, was promoting the managed car care concept. Managed car care was intended to resolve the problem of “overselling,” while offering better car care at substantially reduced costs. By paying a monthly fee, members received all their car care from one facility, or through a network of connected service facilities, that focused on providing preventive maintenance and planned parts replacement to catch breakdowns before they happened. The benefits we sought to provide were: • Increased convenience, including one-stop, full-service car care, scheduled appointments and a streamlined repair process, makes getting in and out faster. Monthly automatic payment saved time at checkout. • Improved quality provided by service facilities via a streamlined repair process, where the focus was on preventative maintenance and anticipating problems before they occur. Customers communicated their concerns directly with Automotive Service Excellence-certified staff members, instead of filtering through salespeople. • Peace-of-mind, which meant no more worrying about being sold unnecessary repairs. Preventive maintenance bent the cost curve so major breakdowns were avoided (but covered) and parts replacement could be planned better. • Value in the form of one, affordable monthly fee that covered everything. AutoPact had two basic membership plans. ValuePact was offered on vehicles up to 180,000 miles and covered only preventive maintenance items like oil changes, filters, brakes, and state inspection services, plus replacement of wear items — except tires — and all of the manufacturer’s recommended service. This was a very profitable program if priced right because when something broke, the member almost always let you repair it. To encourage this, we offered discounts on uncovered repairs. We wanted about 75% of our customers to be ValuePact members. We also offered a product called MaxPact, which provided a halo effect for everything else that we did. MaxPact was offered on vehicles up to 100,000 miles and included all the preventive and

scheduled maintenance services covered by ValuePact. However, it also covered mechanical breakdown repairs for the enrolled vehicle, such as engine, transmission and electrical system repairs. Providing MaxPact introduced us to state insurance laws and the concept of adverse selection. (People who owned cars that needed a lot of work really want to sign up for it.) We wanted about 25% of our customers to be MaxPact members. None of the plans covered any body work. Tires were excluded from the plans but sold separately. Because members trusted us, we sold a lot of tires. That was all plus business. To become members, consumer vehicles were inspected upfront and brought up to snuff. Any needed repairs or delayed maintenance was completed by our technicians at market rates. Then, vehicle owners were eligible to become members. Members paid an up-front membership fee, which would now be $99 to $149 for a two-year ValuePact plan and $199 to $249 for a three-year MaxPact. The first month’s payment was made in advance. The monthly fee was kept steady for the life of the plan. We confirmed that setting prices at a level that both meets consumers’ perceived value expectations and provides enough revenue to offset the expense is critical to overall profitability — a concept that still applies today. We also observed trends in consumer behavior. You know what happens when people pay for car service monthly? They come in every month. (You’d think they’d have better things to do!) In addition, we learned that a managed car care provider, among other things, must: a) manage member visit frequency; b) monitor initial vehicle inspections; c) re-evaluate eligible vehicles; d) continually update actuarial data; e) develop comprehensive member tracking and billing systems, and; f) continually test membership fee elasticity by adjusting prices. Armed with that information, ask 100 people if they’d consider joining a managed car care program and I bet that over 40% will say, “Yes.” But here’s the rub: As the service provider, you don’t want all of those people as members. Consumers whose vehicles are in line for impending breakdowns due to neglect would fit into this category. Ultimately, we figured out that the right way to offer managed car care is to be a fee for service provider, like you already are today, and then overlay managed car care on top. We also found that if we signed up only one vehicle in a household for a member, they brought all their other household cars to us. Why? Because they trusted us. That’s the halo effect, and that’s how you can capture a greater share of the household wallet for tires and service as the transportation industry continues to evolve. ■ Michael McGregor is a partner at Focus Investment Banking LLC (focusbankers.com/tireand-service). For more information, contact him at michael.mcgregor@focusbankers.com.

MTD December 2019

European Notebook

Good help is hard to find in Europe, too

NEW APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM TARGETS TIRE TECHS By

John Stone

PHOTO: NTDA

ocating qualified service technicians is an ongoing concern in a professional training schedule for tire technicians has been Europe, just as it is in North America. I am aware of many of introduced.” the apprenticeship programs that are currently on offer in the The new apprenticeship program, which includes a safety United States and Canada. However, I am reliably informed component, will run for a 15-month period. Each apprentice that these programs are not being embraced by technician will be with Remit for five weeks during workers as much as expected. this time and will be periodically assessed during the In the United Kingdom and Europe, the situation remainder of the period. is somewhat different. Over the last couple of years, Apprentices will be trained to carry out both scheduled apprenticeships, which were popular in previous tire maintenance and emergency response work in a decades, have been started up again and they continue wide variety of locations, including tire stores, public to gain renewed momentum. highways, construction sites, shipping docks, military While I attended the recent, U.K.-based National facilities and airports. Tyre Distributors Association (NTDA) Conference, it Upon satisfactory conclusion of their apprenticewas interesting to hear that an official, NTDA-endorsed ship, students will receive a nationally recognized Specialist Tyre Operative apprenticeship program is Dave Walker of Remit qualification. “So far, 24 apprentices have signed up Group discusses the now in place. (The initial training sessions started in new apprenticeship for the (program),” says Walker, “and we are currently mid-November.) in discussion with a number of other companies for concept in the U.K. The sessions are being managed by U.K.-based the future.” Remit Group, which for the past two decades has worked closely Remit Group is the first training provider to introduce this new with many industrial authority sectors. Specialist Tyre Operative apprenticeship standard in partnership Dave Walker, project manager, automotive, at Remit Group with leading employers in the industry and the NTDA, with the was a speaker at the NTDA Conference. He explained that “over determined objective of “filling a significant training gap” and the past 10 to 20 years in Europe, the tire market has witnessed improving safety standards for depot-based and mobile tire the greatest ever technology improvement momentum within technicians. the market.” Apprentices will be expertly trained to carry out both scheduled He added that historically, tire technicians have been viewed tire maintenance and emergency response work in a wide variety as being at the same level as technicians in various other business of locations, including tire centers, public highways, motorways, industries, “when in fact, nothing could be further from the truth, construction sites, shipping docks, military facilities and airports. as replacing and fitting tires can be an extremely dangerous job The training program incorporates an extensive focus on safety and involves a very technical procedure, especially now that tire of the successful technicians while working. pressure monitoring systems are involved. Walker’s presentation was well received by NTDA delegates. “It is now generally accepted in Europe that changing tires is Since the conference, I have spoken with a number of contacts no longer a job for an ordinary garage mechanic and this is why in the market. Everyone whom I have contacted firmly believes this new tire apprenticeship program is a very positive move forward. In particular, it is believed that training technicians will particularly benefit mobile tire installers, who have to replace tires in very demanding and sometimes risky places on the side of the road. In my opinion, having diploma-qualified tire technicians available throughout Europe will only further enhance the trust that drivers have in their local tire dealers. I will keep a close watch on the program’s development and intend to remain in touch with Remit Group and the NTDA to monitor its success. ■ PHOTO: REMIT GROUP

Here is the Specialist Tyre Operative program at work.

w w w . M o d e r n T i r e D e a l e r. c o m

John Stone has been working within the global tire industry for the last 28 years. In 2004 he launched his own consulting company, Sapphire Media Service, which caters to business media clients around the globe.

Focus On Industry

U.S. plant is a Nokian milestone NEW PRODUCTS WILL HELP FUEL NORTH AMERICAN GROWTH By

Joy Kopcha

okian Tyres plc has taken a big step forward in fulfilling its goal of doubling sales in North America with the opening of its consumer tire plant in Dayton, Tenn. The plant is in the final months of test production, with full-scale tire production expected to begin in early 2020. But the company didn’t wait to celebrate its first tire factory in North America, hosting tire dealers and dignitaries at a grand opening event Oct. 2. At full capacity, the plant will produce four million passenger and light truck tires a year. And as production expands, it will fuel Nokian’s stated goal of doubling sales in North America by 2023. Hille Korhonen, CEO of Nokian, told Modern Tire Dealer, “We are already selling more than two million tires to the North American market. The growth is supported by this factory, but also by adding new products that have been designed for this market.” Korhonen said there are more new products “already in the pipeline” for next year and 2021. And while work will continue to expand the company’s winter and all-weather tire lineups, for North America the all-season tire is key. “We are focusing on light trucks and SUVs,” she said. The opening was capped off with a brief ceremony and celebration inside the factory. The Rhea County High Hille Korhonen, CEO of Nokian Tyres, School band played the “Star Spangled said the opening of the North American Banner.” Many of the plant’s 100-plus factory is “the most important milestone in our growth journey.” She’s employees were on hand to greet visitors pictured with Mark Earl, senior vice and lead tours. “This place represents president of North America.

Nokian’s tire building machines assemble multiple components simultaneously. The left side, pictured, builds the tread and belt package, while the right side of the machine combines the bead into the sidewall. The tread and sidewall are then married to each other to form a green tire in about 35 to 45 seconds.

sustainable relationships,” said Peter Chia, operations director and plant manager. Local leaders celebrated those relationships, too. Current Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee and former Gov. Bill Haslam both welcomed the company and thanked it for the $360 million investment. Even though Nokian’s tire production facility is complete, there’s still more construction on tap for the site. A solar-powered administration building will be built next door in 2020. A pond and green

A White House welcome In an unexpected twist, President Donald Trump hosted Finland President Sauli Niinistö at the White House the same day Nokian opened its plant in Tennessee. The company got a shout out from Trump during a press conference featuring both leaders. The plant is creating “hundreds of brand

new, beautiful jobs” in “a great state — Tennessee,” said Trump. “We love Tennessee.” Trump added that the tire maker made a wise choice in choosing the state. “You never lose when you go to Tennessee. “I encourage other Finnish companies to increase their investments in the United

States,” Trump said. “There has simply never been a better time to do business in America. We want Finnish companies to join in America’s extraordinary economic revival. So many countries are coming in. It’s the hot place. We have the hottest economy in the world.” MTD December 2019

The One light truck tire To coincide with the plant opening, Nokian unveiled a new product for the North American market. The Nokian One HT tire is a premium, all-season tire for light trucks and sport utility vehicles. The light truck world is a space where Nokian is committing to compete. And the marketing message that surrounds its newest tire works for both consumers and dealers, said Steve Bourassa, manager of passenger and light truck products for Nokian. The tire is designed with the North American market in mind and replaces the Rotiiva HT tire. “It’s the one for safety. It’s the one for toughness. It’s the one for you.” The product features: • Grip claws between the tread blocks that improve the tire’s grip on snow and ice, especially when braking and accelerating. Step supports give the middle rib steering precision. Channel sipes enhance the tire’s braking grip. • Expanded use of aramid fibers beyond the sidewall and for the first time, extension of aramid technology under the tire’s tread — in the light truck sizes. (Nokian calls it “aramid armor.”) This improves the tire’s durability against punctures, as well as impact resistance. The company said the tire is designed with the light truck driver in mind. It’s been tested around the globe, from the com-

The One HT tire is the first Nokian tire to feature aramid fibers underneath the tread and in the sidewall. In the tire’s LT sizes the fibers in the tread make the product stronger and more resistant to punctures and damage from potholes.

pany’s winter test track in Finland to the roads of South Africa. In the United States, tests included diverse landscapes, environments and seasons in Texas, Utah and California. The tire also highlights Nokian’s focus

on sustainability. It’s made with a lowrolling-resistance compound, aiding fuel efficiency, and the compound is free of any carcinogenic elements. The Nokian One HT will be manufactured at the company’s new plant in Dayton, Tenn., and will be available in January 2020 to consumers in 36 sizes for wheels ranging from 16 to 22 inches. LT sizes are available in R and S speed ratings; the P-metric sizes are T- and H-rated. The P-metric sizes come with a 70,000-mile limited tread wear warranty. The warranty for LT sizes is 55,000 miles. “Long tread life is key for pickup drivers,” said Bourassa. “We can offer our mileage warranty and know with good confidence we’ll meet it.” Alongside its introduction of more all-season products for the North American market, Hans Dyhrman, director of marketing, said the tire maker invested in marketing the Nokian brand with its largest advertising campaign ever in North America this past fall. It includes both print and digital campaigns. One element is Google search ads that target consumers and steer them to local Nokian tire dealers. “Our investments are paying off.” The launch of the Nokian One HT will follow that same plan, Dyhrman said, with increased print and online advertising, plus new videos, in-store materials, social content and event sponsorships.

space will be added to the front of the property. Earl, senior vice president of North America A warehouse with the capacity for 600,000 tires for Nokian, said the company has done a little will also be built. bit of work in that area — but only a little. Inside the factory, Caleb Webb oversees the And that’s deliberate. 265,000-square-foot mixing department, which “Our primary focus is on supporting the includes two, five-story mixers in operation. dealers that we have. Most of the dealers who A third mixer, which will double the factory’s sell our products are very dedicated. They’ve output, will be commissioned in August 2020. been asking for more tires, different kinds The first two mixers give the plant the capacity of tires and better availability, and so this to build 3,000 to 6,000 tires during a single shift. Tire dealers from all over the U.S. factory is there for them. Automated tire building machines produce a and Canada attended the Nokian “I think by word of mouth we’re going to green tire every 35 to 45 seconds, said Supervisor opening, including the father-son duo continue to grow across the country.” of Mark (right) and Sam Rhodes from Cedric Spivey. The time varies based on the size Plaza Tire Service Inc. in Missouri. Earl also expects growth to come as Nokian and number of plies in the tire. continues to expand its product lineup. The RFID chip-enabled tires move on overhead “We’re adding products all the time that conveyor belts to the curing department, and then enter one of the are more and more appropriate for other parts of the country. 48 currently operational presses. (There will be 64 presses eventually.) Our focus up until now has been primarily the northern parts A typical passenger tire takes about 12 minutes to cure. of the country, the colder climates. “We’re beginning to diversify our product line, so we have FOCUSING ON DEALERS more product lines that are more appropriate for other parts Asked about Nokian’s work to expand its dealer network, Mark of the country.” ■ w w w . M o d e r n T i r e D e a l e r. c o m

Focus On Industry

Shaking up the LT lineup XPLORA R/T IS THE LATEST PIECE OF A UNIQUE PUZZLE By

Bob Ulrich

amie Ma, chairman and CEO of Federal Tire North America LLC, has shaken up his light truck tire lineup. The results are something a little... different. He is in the process of replacing the entire Couragia LT line with next generation tires under a new name, Xplora. The company also recently introduced its first rugged terrain tire, the Xplora R/T, to its U.S. and Canadian distributors in Big Bear, Calif. The latest member of Federal’s light truck tire family fits between the traditional all-terrain tire (some off-road limitations) and the mudterrain tire (less on-road comfort), said Ma. The Xplora R/T is available in five 10-ply, Q-rated sizes: 35x12.50R17LT 125Q; 37x12.50R17LT 129Q; 35x12.50R18LT 123Q; 33x12.50R20LT 114Q; and 35x12.50R20LT 121Q. The Xplora R/T will soon “In a year, we are going to have be available in an additional 10 sizes, ranging 22-inch sizes in the Xplora R/T line,” from 15 to 20 inches. said Ma. “If our competitors are doing it, we will move on it as well.” That includes possible 3-Peak Mountain Snowflake certification. Vehicle applications include the Chevrolet Silverado/Colorado Series; Ford F-Series; GMC Canyon/Sierra Series; Jeep Cherokee/ Grand Cherokee/Wrangler; Nissan Frontier/Titan; Ram Pickup; and Toyota Tacoma/Tundra.

Federal’s Jamie Ma, right, pictured with Rick Benton II, vice president of sales and marketing at Black’s Tire Service Inc., has partnered with BTS Tire & Wheel Distributors for 19 years.

MORE FOR XPLORA

Ma said Federal will introduce another light truck tire, the Xplora A/T, in 12 months. That will give the company an eight-tire lineup — without a highway terrain, or H/T, tire. “In this lineup, we don’t need it because we have an Xplora XUV cross-utility and SUV tire. The Xplora FX is basically our high performance truck tire, and then the MTS is our ultra-high performance truck tire.” MTS is an unconventional mud-terrain sport tire, although Ma also refers to MTS as “motor truck sport.” Federal invented both terms, he said. Federal also has more conventional Xplora M/T and X/T (extreme mud-terrain) tires. That leaves the all-purpose terrain Xplora A/P, “a mix between the A/T and a highway terrain.” ■

Vacay in Big Bear

Dealers found it hard to consider this ride-and-drive work Federal tire dealers were given the chance to drive on the new Xplora R/T tire in Big Bear, Calif., near Big Bear Lake. The company said the on- and off-road features of the tire’s tread design include the following: • Technologically advanced computer modeling for optimized tread pitch variation; perfectly placed tread sipes; and tread block alignment that greatly reduces noise, providing a more “civilized,” comfortable, smooth, and quiet ride.

• Stone ejectors and an enhanced fatigue resistant compound that protect the tire from chips/cuts/ rocks/other debris, “ensuring long life of the tire by preventing early failure due to off-road use.” • Open shoulder grooves engineered “to keep the tire selfcleaning, evacuating water/mud/ dirt/off-road debris.” They also provide “confident traction in any condition.” • Linear center tread blocks that enhance on-road straight line stability for “more predictable handling with easy ride comfort.”

In addition, Federal says the tire’s aggressive sidewall design “provides superior off-road traction.” “The looks of a sidewall on an R/T tire are important to people,” said Tom Fisher, a salesman for North Gateway Tire Co. Inc., a wholesale tire dealership based in Seville, Ohio. “So is performance, but not all the time. Not too many of the customers of the dealers we sell to go off-road.” This was Fisher’s first ride-anddrive.

“How the Xplora R/T rides on the road is also important,” said North Gateway Tire’s Tom Fisher. “You’ve got to have a smooth ride, which it does. I drove on it.”

MTD December 2019

Focus On Industry

‘Tier 1 quality, Tier 3 price’ KENDA INTRODUCES THE KLEVER A/T2 IN LAS VEGAS By

Bob Ulrich

enda USA introduced its latest light truck tire during Automotive Aftermarket Industry Week in Las Vegas in November. The Klever A/T2 KR628 features “Tier 1 quality at a top Tier 3 price,” said Jimmy Yang, president of American Kenda Rubber Ind. Co. Ltd. Yang is also chairman of Kenda’s parent company in Taiwan. The Klever A/T2 was developed at Kenda’s technical center in Green, Ohio. Tom Williams, vice president of the technical center and the tech group, says the engineers performed computer modeling on every size — not just one prototype — to make sure every size met the needs of both consumers and Kenda dealers. The tire will be available early next summer in 40 passenger and LT sizes (see sidebar below). Brandon Stotsenburg, Kenda USA’s vice president of automotive sales, said the all-terrain segment has expanded. “When we introduced the Klever R/T tire a couple of years ago, we felt the market was showing a real need for an extreme A/T product with an aggressive off-road look, a tire that could really perform as an M/T tire traditionally would, but also ride relatively smooth and quiet on-road. “We learned from some of the aesthetic cues of the R/T, and (incorporated) them into the A/T2 tread pattern, which is why there are a lot of similarities when you look at the two treads. We also synched up their size lineups. Together, the A/T2 and the R/T have a very complete size lineup that will match what the market is looking for, relative to the performance in those areas.” For off-road enthusiasts, the Klever A/ T2 is engineered with an aggressive upper sidewall that protects against cuts, tears and abrasion. In addition, a large number of biting edges offer aggressive performance on all types of terrains. For winter driving conditions, the tire features an all-weather compound and a high-sipe density for biting edges on snow and ice. It also has 3-Peak Mountain Snowflake certification. w w w . M o d e r n T i r e D e a l e r. c o m

The Klever A/T2 R628 features 2-ply construction.

Brian Decker, left, category manager at U.S. AutoForce, gets buckled in with the help of Patrick Carson, a Lone Star Drift series driver sponsored by Kenda, at the SpeedVegas track.

Kenda is backing the tire, which will be produced in Kenda’s new consumer tire plant in Vietnam, with a 50,000-mile limited tread wear warranty for LT sizes and 60,000-mile warranty for P-metric and metric fitments. Yang said the Vietnam plant will be able to produce 6 million tires annually by the end of 2020. Kenda also has a tire plant in Taiwan (annual capacity of 1.5 million) and two

in China (annual capacity of 7 million). Because of U.S. tariffs on Chinese tire imports, tires manufactured in China are targeted for other parts of the world. After the Vietnam plants reaches its annual capacity of 6 million tires, Yang said planning for the next phase of expansion will begin. Kenda still has room to add capacity, maybe even TBR production, at the facility. “Growth is always the ultimate goal for Kenda.” ■

Sizing up the Klever A/T2 The new Kenda Klever A/T2 KR628 initially will be launched in 40 sizes next summer. The lineup consists of 22 P-metric/metric sizes, 17 LT Load Range E sizes and one flotation LRC size, 33x12.50R15. 15-inch (2): 235/75R15 109T XL, 33x12.50R15 LRC. 16-inch (11): 235/70R16 109T XL, 245/70R16 107T, 245/75R16 111T XL, 255/70R16 115T XL, 265/70R16 112T, 265/75R16 116T, LT225/75R16, LT235/85R16, LT245/75R16, LT265/75R16, LT285/75R16. 17-inch (13): 235/75R17 109T, 245/65R17 111T XL, 245/70R17 114T XL, 255/70R17 112T, 255/75R17 115T, 265/65R17 116T XL, 265/70R17 115T, P285/70R17 117T, LT235/80R17, LT245/70R17, LT265/70R17, LT285/70R17, LT315/70R17. 18-inch (9): 255/70R18 113T, 265/60R18 114T XL, 265/65R18 114T, 265/70R18 116T, 275/65R18 116T, LT265/70R18, LT275/65R18, LT275/70R18, LT285/65R18. 20-inch (5): 275/55R20 117T XL, 275/60R20 115T, LT265/60R20, LT275/60R20, LT275/65R20. Brandon Stotsenburg, vice president of automotive sales for Kenda USA, says the Klever A/T2 will replace the Klever A/T, introduced in 2012, in almost all sizes. The A/T will remain available “in a few older sizes.”

Focus On Industry

Kumho targets mud-terrain market NEW ROAD VENTURE MT71 BLENDS AGGRESSIVE PERFORMANCE AND STYLING By

Mike Manges

umho Tire USA Inc. is taking aim at the growing mudterrain light truck tire segment with its new Road Venture MT71. The company introduced the tire to its dealers last month during a ride-and-drive event near Moab, Utah. “The Road Venture MT71 will be a cornerstone product for us,” says Shawn Denlein, Kumho’s executive vice president of sales and marketing. Kumho officials believe the tire will provide “Tier 1 performance at a great price.” The Road Venture MT71 will hit the market in January 2020. It has been in development for nearly two years, according to Ali Aljibouri, founder of Volk Wolf Dynamics, a tire testing services provider that helped evaluate the Road Venture MT71 before its introduction. The tire will be available in 27 sizes that combined will cover 83% of the mud-terrain segment. It was designed “using multiple sizes and multiple specs on multiple platforms across the world,” says Aljibouri. “Most tire companies pick one size and one type of vehicle” when formulating new products. Kumho says the Road Venture MT71 features an aggressive tread design for enhanced climbing performance and off-road traction, enhanced durability with extra cut and chip resistance, and “exceptional off-road performance with excellent highway safety and stability.” Specifically, the Road Venture MT71 contains seven integrated steel and fabric layers; three-ply, high-strength construction; two steel cord layers “as used in commercial tire applications”; and two nylon protection plies that together “add up to one of the most robust mud-terrain tires out there.” During pre-launch testing, the product scored well in slick rock traction, forward traction, front path stability, “side-bite” ability, side slope traction and a wide range of additional performance dynamics, demonstrating “severe off-road capability,” says Aljibouri. “The Road Venture MT71’s footprint is pretty unique. Managing that contact patch with the stiffness of the rubber is a fine art.”

Shawn Denlein, executive vice president of sales and marketing for Kumho Tire USA, says the Road Venture MT71 will be “a cornerstone product” for the tire manufacturer.

Sako Batanian, who owns El Monte, Calif.-based King’s Tire & Wheel, says his customers will like the Road Venture MT71’s aggressive sidewall appearance.

Kumho dealers evaluated the new Road Venture MT71 during an off-road event near Moab, Utah, last month.

Kumho also focused on aesthetics when designing the tire. Aljibouri says the Road Venture MT71’s aggressive sidewall styling is intended to appeal to light truck owners who place a premium on appearance.

PICKING UP MOMENTUM

Most mud-terrain tire customers “are less focused on mileage and more focused on looks,” confirms Sako Batanian, one of several Kumho dealers and distributors who put the Road Venture MT71 through the paces during an off-road excursion outside of Moab. Batanian, who owns King’s Tire & Wheel, a two-location dealership based in El Monte, Calif., calls mud-terrain “the new all-terrain.” The segment had been picking up momentum in his market “and began to explode in 2015 and 2016,” he says. “It’s become a whole different animal. The more mud-terrain tires I stock, the more I sell.” He predicts the Road Venture MT71 will be a big mover for his dealership. “With this product, consumers will get a well-rounded tire at a price point that is a happy medium.” Kym Fletcher, sales manager for Hesselbein Tire in San Antonio, Texas, also says the mud-terrain segment has taken off in recent years, especially in his home state. He sells “an unusually high amount of mud-terrain tires,” both to off-road enthusiasts and what he calls “mall-crawlers” who never go off-road and “are only concerned with a tire’s looks. That’s where the Road Venture MT71’s appearance will come into play.” Fletcher believes the tire should be positioned in the “high Tier 2 range. If you position it too low, dealers and customers won’t see the value.” ■ MTD December 2019

TPMS

Honda Odyssey, 2011-2019

SUBJECT VEHICLES: Honda Odyssey 2011-2019. SPECIAL TOOLS NEEDED? The Honda Diagnostic System (HDS) or an OBD II compatible scan tool, and an ATEQ VT55 tool (recommended), or the TPMS sensor tool AKS0620006 must be used to program information into new TPMS control unit with both reset procedures. The TPMS Sensor Tool (AKS0620006) has been superseded by the ATEQ VT55 tool, and is recommended for use on all Honda vehicles.

henever a 2011â€“2019 Honda Odysseyâ€™s speed exceeds 28 mph, the tire pressure monitor ing system (TPMS) control unit monitors all four tires and the system. If it detects less w w w . M o d e r n T i r e D e a l e r. c o m

than 28 psi (190 kPa) it alerts the driver by turning on the low pressure indicator and setting a diagnostic trouble code (DTC) in the control unit. When the tire pressure is increased to more than 30 psi (210 kPa), and the vehicle is driven above 28 mph, the control unit will turn off the indicators and store the DTC(s). If a problem is detected in the system, the TPMS indicator will come on. If low tire pressure and a problem in the system are detected, only the TPMS indicator comes on. When the system detects a problem, the TPMS control unit sets a code, but shifts to fail-safe mode, and does not alert the driver to low tire pressures. If the TPMS control unit loses power or fails, the TPMS indicator will come on, but no DTC will be set. Each sensor is an integrated unit made up of the tire valve stem, a pressure sensor, and a transmitter.

The unit is attached to the inside of the wheel, around the valve stem. Each low pressure sensor has its own ID to prevent jamming by similar systems on other vehicles. After memorizing all of the sensor IDs, the control unit receives only those specific signals. Sensor memorization after normal tire rotation is not necessary.

TPMS WARNING INDICATORS

NOTE: Tire pressures will increase slightly as the temperature in the tires rises during driving at highway speeds. Pressures also will increase or decrease slightly with changes in outside air temperature. A temperature change of about 18 degrees Fahrenheit (10 degrees Celsius) will change tire pressure by about 1.5 psi (10 kPa). If the temperature drops and then rises, tire pressure could decrease just enough

TPMS

TPMS RESET PROCEDURES

.ALL ART COURTESY OF AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO. INC.

to turn on the low pressure and tire(s) indicators, but later increase enough to turn them off. To resolve a complaint of such intermittent indications, confirm and clear the stored DTC(s) and check the tire pressures. Then explain to the customer how temperature changes can affect the system, especially when tire pressures are near the low end of the TPMS normal range — 24-32 psi (168-220 kPa). NOTE: If the outside temperature is at or below -40°F (-40°C), the system may not function properly. If low tire pressure indicator is lit continuously, due to low pressure in one or more tires, adjust tire inflation to proper pressure as indicated on the tire and loading information placard. The light will remain on until tire pressure is properly set. If warning light is still lit, or the TPMS indicator is lit continuously, there is a problem in the TPMS. See appropriate manufacturer service information. If a problem is detected in the system, the TPMS indicator will come on. If low tire pressure and a problem in the system are detected, only the TPMS indicator comes on. When the system detects a problem, the TPMS control unit sets a code, but shifts to fail-safe mode, and does not alert the driver to low tire pressures. If the TPMS control unit loses power or fails, the TPMS indicator will come on, but no DTC will be set.

TIRE PRESSURE SENSOR REGISTRATION Figure 1: Removing the tire from the wheel (1 of 2).

Figure 2: Removing the tire from the wheel (2 of 2).

be located by the reaction sensor number (see “Sensor location”). NOTE: If a flat tire is replaced with the spare tire, the TPMS indicator will come on, and DTC(s) will be set, because the system is no longer receiving the signal from the flat tire’s transmitter. This does not indicate a problem with the spare tire. NOTE: The Honda Diagnostic System (HDS) or an OBD II compatible scan tool and an ATEQ VT55 tool (recommended), or the TPMS sensor tool AKS0620006 must be used to program information into new TPMS control unit with both reset procedures. The TPMS Sensor Tool (AKS0620006)

NOTE: When a tire pressure sensor or control unit is replaced, or a known-good wheel is substituted, the ID(s) of all four tires’ sensors must be memorized by the TPMS control unit (see “Memorizing sensor ID”). After memorizing the sensor ID(s) or doing a tire rotation, the mounting location of sensors 1, 2, 3 and 4 must be determined. When the “activate sensor” signal is sent to each wheel using the ATEQ VT55 tool (recommended), or the TPMS sensor tool AKS0620006, in sequence, the tire pressure sensors can Figure 3: Identifying the valve stem components.

has been superseded by the ATEQ VT55 tool, and is recommended for use on all Honda vehicles. If low tire pressure indicator is lit continuously, due to low pressure in one or more tires, adjust tire inflation to proper pressure as indicated on the tire and loading information placard. The light will go out once the tire pressure is properly set, and the vehicle is driven above 28 mph.

N O T E : T h e T P M S S e n s o r To o l (AKS0620006) has been superseded by the ATEQ VT55 tool, and is recommended for use on all Honda vehicles. NOTE: To ensure the control unit memorizes the correct ID, the vehicle with the new sensor must be at least 3 m (10 feet) from any other TPMS pressure sensor not installed on that vehicle. Memorizing sensors automatically (2018 models and later): After rotating the tires or replacing a tire pressure sensor, drive the vehicle for at least 40 seconds at a speed of 15 mph (24 km/h) or more, and all of the sensor IDs are memorized automatically. NOTE: After the sensor IDs are memorized, reduce the pressure in all four tires to less than the specified tire pressure lower limit, and check to see that the four tire indicators come on. Memorizing sensors with the HDS: NOTE: The TPMS Sensor Tool (AKS0620006) has been superseded by the ATEQ VT55 tool, and is recommended for use on all Honda vehicles. 1) With the ignition switch in OFF position, connect the HDS to the 16-pin Data Link Connector (DLC) located under the left side of the dashboard. 2) Turn the ignition switch to ON position, and verify that HDS is communicating with the TPMS control unit. NOTE: If “Not Defined” displays on the HDS, turn the ATEQ VT55 OFF, rotate the tire 1/4 turn, turn ON the initializer, and try to initialize again. Repeat procedure until a response is shown. NOTE: If the vehicle’s ignition switch is turned OFF before all sensors are memorized, the memorizing ID is canceled. 3) Hold the ATEQ VT55 tool (recommended), or the TPMS sensor tool AKS0620006 near one wheel, and memorize the pressure sensor ID by following the MTD December 2019

AUTOMOTIVE INTELLIGENCE

screen prompts on the HDS. If TPMS control unit is still having trouble learning ID(s), refer to appropriate service information. 4) Repeat the last step for each wheel until all four sensor ID(s) are memorized. When all are memorized, the low tire pressure indicator will blink. 5) Turn ignition OFF. 6) Test drive the vehicle at 28 mph or more for at least one minute. Monitor the low pressure indicator to be certain it does not blink. NOTE: If it has been more than five minutes since the end of the last test drive, the tire pressure sensors will need to be reactivated with the ATEQ VT55. 7) Turn the ignition switch OFF, reduce the pressure in one tire until it is below 28 psi then turn ignition switch ON. 8) Test drive the vehicle at 28 mph or more for at least one minute. Verify that the low pressure indicator turns on. 9) Verify that the low pressure indicator turns on, and then re-inflate the tire. 10) Repeat steps 7 through 9 for all other tires. Clear any DTC(s) with the HDS.

SENSOR LOCATION

1) With the ignition OFF, connect the HDS to the 16-pin Data Link Connector (DLC) located under the left side of the dashboard. 2) Turn the ignition switch ON, and verify that HDS is communicating with the TPMS control unit.

Figure 4: Identifying the various parts of a pressure sensor grommet.

w w w . M o d e r n T i r e D e a l e r. c o m

3) Follow the prompts on the HDS to activate the tire pressure sensors using the ATEQ VT55 tool (recommended), or the TPMS sensor tool AKS0620006. Start with the left-front (LF) wheel. Initialize the wheels in the following order - left front (LF), left-rear (LR), right-rear (RR), right front (RF). 4) Check the HDS screen, and note the active sensor reception order of tire pressure sensors 1, 2, 3 and 4. 5) Note the sensor location for future reference. 6) Turn the ignition switch OFF.

TPMS KITS Ask Your Autel Distributor for Details

DEMOUNTING/MOUNTING PROCEDURES

CAUTION: The tire should be demounted from the wheel using the tire changer manufacturer’s instructions. Use the following information to avoid damage during the dismounting/mounting procedures. NOTE: When a tire pressure sensor is replaced, the sensor ID must be memorized by the TPMS control unit (see “Reset procedures). NOTE: Vehicles equipped with TPMS must use wheels made for the system, or the system will not work. On all models, a “TPMS” mark is visible on the wheel, and a counterweight is cast into the opposite side of the spoke to balance the weight of the sensor.

TS508/TS508WF PLUS

TIRE PRESSURE SENSOR

CAUTION: Fluid sealant used to repair a punctured tire can damage the tire pressure sensor mounted on each wheel. It can prevent the system from detecting the correct tire pressure and set a DTC even though the system is normal. Removal 1) Raise the vehicle, and support it with safety stands in the proper locations. 2) Remove the wheel with the faulty sensor. 3) Remove the tire valve cap and valve core, and let the tire deflate. 4) Remove any balance weights, and then remove the tire from the wheel with a commercially available tire changer. Note these items to avoid damaging the tire pressure sensor: • Do the outside of the wheel first. Position the wheel as shown so the valve stem is 90 degrees from the bead breaker (see Figure 1).

COMPLETE

SOLUTION

Phone: (855) 288-3587 • USSUPPORT@AUTEL.COM AUTEL.COM • MAXITPMS.COM • MAXISYSADAS.COM

TPMS Torque specifications

Figure 5: Installing the tire pressure sensor.

• DO NOT position bead breaker of tire changer too close to the rim. Position the wheel so the tire machine and tire iron are next to the valve stem, and will move away from it when the machine starts. Then remove the tire from the wheel (see Figure 2). 5) Remove and discard valve stem nut, then remove the tire pressure sensor and valve stem from the wheel. If valve stem nut

Component Wheel nut

Ft.-lbs. 94

(N.m) (127)

Tire pressure sensor nut

In.-lbs. 135

(N.m) (4)

cannot be removed by hand, spray valve stem with rust penetrant, then CAREFULLY remove the nut with pliers. NOTE: The valve stem grommet might stay in the wheel; make sure to remove it. 6) Remove the valve stem nut (A) and the washer (B), and then remove the tire pressure sensor with valve stem (C) from the wheel (see Figure 3). Installation NOTE: Always use a new valve stem grommet whenever the tire pressure sensor has been removed from the wheel. 1) Before installing tire pressure sensor, clean the mating surfaces on the sensor and the wheel. 2) Install the tire pressure sensor (A) and the washer (B) to the wheel (C), and tighten the valve stem nut (D) finger tight. Make sure the pressure sensor is resting on the wheel (see Figure 5). CAUTION: Do not use air or electric impact tools to tighten a valve stem nut. 3) Tighten valve nut to 35 in.-lbs. (4 N.m) while holding the tire pressure sensor toward the wheel and taking the following precautions. 4) Lube the tire bead, and position the wheel so the tire machine and tire iron are next to the valve stem and will move away from it when the machine starts. Then install the tire onto the wheel (see Figure 2). NOTE: Make sure the tire bead is seated on both sides of the rim uniformly. 5) Inflate the tire to 44 psi (300 kPa) to seat the tire bead to the rim, then adjust the tire pressure to specification as indicated on the tire and loading information placard, and install the valve stem cap. 6) Check and adjust the wheel balance, then install the wheels to the vehicle. 7) Remove the safety stands, and lower the vehicle. 8) Memorize the pressure sensor ID(s). See “Reset procedures. Do not reuse any nuts that have been tightened (even one time) to the specified torque, as they are deformed inside. 1 Do not use air tools or electric impact tools to tighten a valve stem nut. Tightening the nut beyond the specified torque can damage the nut. You may hear a snap or pop as you tighten the nut (this is normal). Make sure that there is no space between the sensor and the wheel. ■

sales@1800everyrim.com ᛫ 1-800-383-7974 76

Information for this column comes from the tire pressure monitoring systems data in ProDemand®, Mitchell 1’s auto repair information software for domestic and import vehicles. Headquartered in Poway, Calif., Mitchell 1 has provided quality repair information solutions to the automotive industry since 1918. For more information, visit www. mitchell1.com. To read archived TPMS articles, visit www.moderntiredealer.com.

MTD December 2019

Products Ingersoll Rand has a new compact impact wrench The new W5133 IQ V20 Series 3/8-inch compact impact wrench from Ingersoll Rand plc has four forward power modes that always operate at max reverse torque. The W5133 IQ V20 is 7 inches long and has a tapered front end for greater access in tight spaces. It delivers 550 foot-pounds of nut-busting torque and 365 foot-pounds of max torque. A variable-speed switch and electronic brake increase control while using the tool. The company says the W5133 withstands repeated drops and exposure to harsh fluids. INGERSOLL RAND PLC www.ingersollrandproducts.com

Nucap expands NRS galvanized brake pad line Martins Industries updates Tire Rider Tuff Cart The newest version of the Tire Rider Tuff tire cart from Martins Industries Inc. has been redesigned to carry more weight, handle better and operate with a steel spring mechanism instead of a gas cylinder. Improvements to the Tire Rider Tuff tire cart include a steel spring mechanism, instead of a gas cylinder, for opening and closing the clamps to pick up the tires. Other improvements include an increased carrying capacity, which has grown from 400 pounds (109 kilograms) to 550 pounds (250 kilograms), and better handling due to the cart’s lighter weight. MARTINS INDUSTRIES INC. www.martinsindustries.com

Continental introduces ClearContact wiper blades The new full line of ClearContact premium beam windshield wiper blades enables shops to carry just 14 part numbers to cover more than 94% of cars and light trucks. Continental Commercial Vehicles and Aftermarket says ClearContact wiper blades do not require any adapters and come fitted with the right connection needed for the vehicle. The front blades are available in 14 part numbers covering lengths from 15 to 28 inches. The rear wipers are offered with 19 part numbers in lengths from 10 to 16 inches. CONTINENTAL COMMERCIAL VEHICLES AND AFTERMARKET www.continental-aftermarket.com w w w . M o d e r n T i r e D e a l e r. c o m

Nucap Industries has added 57 SKUs to its North American-made NRS galvanized brake pad lineup to provide coverage for an additional 1,600 vehicle applications. The offering covers Honda, BMW, Ford, GMC Trucks, Nissan and more. NRS Brakes’ galvanized brake pads feature mechanically attached friction on a galvanized steel backing plate. The company says its galvanized brake pads provide OE specifications and design characteristics at an aftermarket price. NRS BRAKES www.nrsbrakes.com

New Arctic Claw Winter WXI is studdable The new Arctic Claw Winter WXI is available in 91 metric and LT sizes with rims ranging from 14 inches to 20 inches. Designed to accept optional metal studs, the Arctic Claw Winter WXI meets the severe snow service requirements for the three-peak mountain snowflake symbol in the U.S. and Canada. TBC Brands LLC says the WXI provides additional grip and support in freezing rain, sleet and wet ice for drivers of coupes, sedans, CUVs, SUVs and light-duty pickup trucks. TBC BRANDS LLC www.tbcbrands.com

New Rein oil pan kit simplifies service CRP Automotive says the new Rein Automotive Oil Pan Kit (P/N ESK0172) simplifies service on European vehicles by allowing one order to be placed for all the parts needed for a complete oil pan replacement. The kit comes with oil pan, gasket, drain plug, and aluminum torque-toyield bolts, along with the torque specs. The kit covers applications on many BMW engines from 2007-2013 as well as Audi/VW, Mercedes-Benz/Smart, Mini, Saab, and Volvo. CRP Automotive is part of CRP Industries Inc. CRP AUTOMOTIVE www.crpautomotive.com

Ad Index WHEN YOU CONTACT ONE OF OUR ADVERTISERS PLEASE BE SURE TO MENTION YOU SAW THEIR AD IN MODERN TIRE DEALER

ADVERTISER

PAGE

WEBSITE

1-800EveryRimâ€”OEM Wheels

www.everyrim.com/MTD

31 Incorporated

www.31inc.com

Alliance Tire Group

www.atgtire.com

American Omni Trading

www.american-omni.com

American Omni Trading

www.thunderertireusa.com

Apollo Vredestein Tires Inc.

www.vredestein.com

AUTEL

25, 63, 75

www.autel.com

BendPak Inc. Ranger Products

www.bendpak.com/touchless

BKT USA Inc.

www.bkt-tires.com

Blackburn OEM Wheel Solutions

www.blackburnwheelfinder.com

CEAT Specialty Tires Inc.

www.ceatspecialty.com/us

ClearContact

www.continental-clearcontact.com

Continental Tire

www.continentaltire.com

Falken Tires

www.falkentire.com

Gaither Tool Company Inc.

www.gaithertool.com

GRI Tires

www.gritires.com

GT Radial

www.gtradial.com

Hankook Tire

www.laufenn.com

K & M Tire Inc.

www.kmtire.com

Ken-Tool

www.kentool.com

Kenda Tires USA

IBC

www.kendatraction.com

Kumho Tire USA Inc.

www.kumhotireusa.com

Marangoni Tread N.A.

www.na.marangoni.com

Maxam Tire North America Inc.

www.maxamtire.com

Maxxis Tires

www.maxxisaccelerate.com

Motorcraft

www.motorcraft.com

Nexen Tire America Inc.

IFC

www.nexentireusa.com

Nitto Tire U.S.A. Inc.

OBC

www.nittotire.com

Sailun Tire Americas

www.gosailun.com

Sentury Tire

www.delintetires.com

Sumitomo Tire

www.sumitomotrucktires.com

Tire Industry Association (TIA)

www.tireindustry.org

Travelstar Tires

www.travelstartires.com

Vipal Rubber Corporation

www.vipal-usa.com

MTD December 2019

Advertising information (330) 899-2200 ext. 2217

MTD Classifieds USED TIRES FOR SALE

HELP WANTED Established wholesale company in northern Arizona has an opening for an experienced warehouse manager. Please send complete work resume to: MODERN TIRE DEALER, Dept. C 3515 Massillon Road, Suite 350 Uniontown, OH 44685 (All resumes will be kept confidential)

ADVERTISE IN MTD CLASSIFIEDS BECAUSE GETTING NOTICED LEADS TO INCREASED SALES

Established wholesale company in northern Arizona has an opening for an experienced warehouse manager. Please send complete work resume to: MODERN TIRE DEALER, Dept. C 3515 Massillon Road, Suite 350 Uniontown, OH 44685 (All resumes will be kept confidential)

DO YOU HAVE ENOUGH USED TIRES? WE HAVE TRUCKLOADS OF USED TIRES READY TO GO!! PASSENGER, LT, TRUCK AND OTR TIRES AVAILABLE

Established wholesale company Phone: 330-899-2200, in northern Arizona has an opening Ext. for an2217 experienced Fax: 330-899-2209 warehouse manager. E-mail: Please send complete work resume to: Bob.Marinez@bobit.com MODERN TIRE DEALER, Dept. C 3515 Massillon Road, Suite 350 Uniontown, OH 44685

(All resumes will be kept confidential)

SOFTWARE

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w w w . M o d e r n T i r e D e a l e r. c o m

Advertising information (330) 899-2200 ext. 2217

MTD Classifieds TOOLS & EQUIPMENT

2020

FREE SHIPPING www.ezliftconveyors.com

Air Hydraulic Jacks 22T, 35T and 50T

Truck Tire Dunker with Lift

Model EZ-110D

ADVERTISING DEADLINES February Issue closes January 13th

March Issue closes February 14th

April Issue closes March 16th

May Issue

MTP, INC. Floor to Floor tire storage made safe, fast, and reliable with this conveyor! E-ZLIFT has been serving major tire retailers for over 30 years! Length selection guide and prices: Floor to Floor Distance

Conveyor One Length Req. Start/Stop at 55Ëš Incline Control

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Call Toll Free For More Details! 1-800-821-9966

Phone: 1-800-645-1123 Supplying-Suppliers Since 1975 www.movittire.com Email: sales@movittire.com

closes April 15th

June Issue closes May 15th

July Issue closes June 15th

Rim Straightening Machine State of the art rim straightening machine. 1 year old. A very good addition to a tire or auto repair shop. Please call 410-713-1953.

August Issue closes July 15th

September Issue closes August 17th

October Issue closes September 9th

Local: 303-733-5533 Fax: 303-733-5642

Denver, CO USA

November Issue closes September 25th

December Issue closes November 13th

MTD December 2019

Earn monetary rewards quarterly on a Kenda Traction Black Card.

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Gain co-op rewards that you can use for in-store advertising or promotional giveaways via the online Kenda Store.

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Global Brand with Local Support

New products are being designed for North America in our state-of-theart technical center located in Akron, OH. We also have a full team of experienced support staff to help you with any product questions at Kenda USA headquarters in Columbus, OH.

In-Demand Products

Our passenger and light truck tires are designed to give your customers solid performance at a great price. Associate Dealers also have access to branded specialty products with many O.E. fitments such as trailer tires, ATV, golf, and lawn and garden tires.

NEW! Klever A/T2 KR628. Available Q2 2020 in 40 initial sizes.

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