• Plugged in, ready to roll

    By: William Schertz, Tire Business staff   •   May 24, 2013

    GAINSVILLE, Va.— Curry's Auto Service Inc., a growing tire and auto service dealership in Virginia and Maryland, has partnered with Automotive Research & Design L.L.C. of Port Angeles, Wash., to form The Hybrid Shop, a joint venture “fractional franchise” that aims to give auto service dealers the ability to specialize in servicing hybrid vehicles. The program is designed to provide participating dealers with multiple new revenue streams, THS said, including hybrid battery conditioning and rebuilding; motor-generator testing, diagnosis and replacement; power inverter and control system testing; DC-DC converter testing; and other hybrid vehicle-specific maintenance services.

  • Expert sees 'relative' stability in SBR prices

    By: Ed Noga, Crain News Service   •   May 22, 2013

    SAN FRANCISCO — Good news — sort of — for tire makers and, ultimately, tire buyers. Prices of styrene-butadiene rubber, the core raw material in most consumer tires, should be relatively stable this year and next, according to market research expert Bill Hyde, senior director of olefins and elastomers at IHS Inc., chemicals unit. There's a caveat, however, in the good news for SBR customers. “We're talking about relative stability at high historical prices...

  • Vehicle ownership cost up 2% in past year — AAA

    By: Tire Business staff  •   May 21, 2013

    ORLANDO, Fla. — The cost to own and operate a sedan in the U.S. went up nearly 2 percent in the past year, according to AAA Inc.'s annual “Your Driving Costs” study, although the cost of tires did not change. According to the motorist club's report — its 63rd annual vehicle cost study — vehicle operating costs rose 1.17 cents to 60.8 cents per mile, or $9,122 per year, based on 15,000 miles of annual driving. “Many factors go into the cost calculation of owning and operating a vehicle,” said John Nielsen, AAA director of automotive engineering and repair. “This year, changes in maintenance, fuel and insurance costs resulted in the increase...

  • May 20 Tire Business NewsPoint

    May 20, 2013

    New England tire dealers are facing a lot of pressure lately, especially with the growing number of competitors in their market. Tire Business editor Dave Zielasko recently spoke with Spencer Carruthers, owner of Kenwood Tire in Massachusetts, about his strategies for overcoming these challenges.

  • Tire Intelligence: A one-stop shop for tire pricing, competitive analysis

    By: Jennifer Karpus, Tire Business staff   •   May 17, 2013

    CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Despite its name, it's not a secret spy agency or a clandestine CIA operation. Charlotte-based Tire Intelligence L.L.C. uses the tagline, “Your Trusted Source for Tire Information” to go to market — and that's exactly what the firm has been working to become since its founding in November 2011. The company compiles an online database of information on 300,000 tires and 90 brands...

Latest News

More Headlines »

In Print

  • Post-tariffs surge in Chinese tires

    By: Bruce Davis May 13, 2013

    AKRON — The expiration last September of the three-year run of elevated tariffs on Chinese passenger and light truck tires triggered an immediate resurgence in shipments of consumer tires to the U.S. from China and has spawned a bevy of new brands ...

    Read more »

  • Dysfunctional legislators: TIA exec says they're hurting industry

    By: Miles Moore May 13, 2013

    HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C.—It's quite the tarnished scorecard, if you can believe the statistics. Thirty-six have been accused of spousal abuse. Nineteen have been accused of writing bad checks. Three have been imprisoned for assault, seven arrested for fraud, 14 for drugs, eight for...

    Read more »
More In Print Stories »

Awards

Videos

Events

Wholesale Tire Directory

Locate tire suppliers by company name, by state, by tire brand or by tire type. click here to view the directory.

Data

Commentary/Blogs