sa treads dec 2010

Vol 1

6 •

Dec

embe

r 201

0

The Pirelli 2011 Calendar!

Foc

us

on

APo

LLo

TYR

Es

Conversations with Indian tyre mogul Onkar S. Kanwar

Apollo set to become a global player

TDAFA honours 2010 top achievers

ContiPartner ‘Win an Audi Competition’ a big hit

Customer Service – more than skin deep?

10027 Bandag AS SA Treads.indd 1 10/7/10 12:25:26 PM

Editor LianaShaw

Technical consultant WrayShaw

Reproduction DianevanNoort

Printing TYPO

–ColourPrintingSpecialists

Distribution PrestigeBulkMailers

Advertising LianaShaw

Contentsone-on-oneConversationswithIndiantyremogulOnkarS.Kanwar........................ 3

Focus on Apollo TyresToday,theyareamultinational,multimillionUSdollarcompanythatisnotafraidoftakingbigrisksontheroadtobecomingaglobalforcetobereckonedwith............................................................................... 9

competition WINThe2011PirelliCalendar!............................................................ 17

Industry newsTDAFAhonourstopachieversfor2010............................................... 19SA’sBestSupplierofTyresServicesAnnounced.................................. 21Algorax–JointWinnerofResponsibleCareAward............................... 21LeaderRubberCompanyConsumableDepartmentUpgrade............... 21BotobrandOTRRadialsexceedperformanceexpectations.................. 23TandemTyresexhibitsatElectraMiningExhibition................................ 25

Manufacturing SATyremanufacturerscomeunderfire................................................ 29DunlopvotedSouthAfrica’sMostIconicTyreBrand............................ 29GrabberATislaunchedinEurope......................................................... 30Goodyear’suniqueofferingturnspublicwasteintocommunityvalue.. 32Tyresafetysurveyshowssafertyres..................................................... 34

conti cornerTheContiPartner“WinanAudi”Competitionabighit!......................... 36

Dealer Profile SupaQuickgetssupacreative............................................................... 39

Goodyear newsSpiritofAfricarollsonGoodyearWranglers......................................... 42FantasticfirstretailstoreforNairobi...................................................... 43

Talking TyresCustomerService–Morethanskindeep............................................. 47

World newsPirelliconfirmedasexclusiveF1supplierfrom2011............................ 50Contigivesemployeesacash‘thankyou’............................................. 50HankookannouncessixthglobalmanufacturingplantinChina............ 50GoodyearandNASAhonouredforinnovative‘spring’tyre.................. 50

competition, subscription, Website ........................................ 52

A note from

the editor2010 is drawing to a close and as

we begin winding down for the

festive season, it’s time to reflect on

some of the year’s most prominent

events.

The recession is far from over

yet we’re beginning to see small

signs of recovery in the vehicle

manufacturing sector (always a

good indication that consumer

confidence is on its way up). For

the tyre industryhowever, it’sbeen

a tumultuousyear,whatwith labouractionandwagedisputes tomore

recentallegationsof tyreprice fixingwhichareabout tobebrought in

frontoftheCompetitionsCommissionTribunal.Withallfourofthelocal

tyre makers implicated, there could be some hefty penalties in store.

Only time will tell what the findings will decide, but we will keep you

updatedonthisandotherstoriesastheyhappen.

Further afield, Indian-based tyre manufacturer, Apollo Tyres, shows

itsmettlewith long-termstrategies inplace that thecompanybelieves

will not only raise its position in the world tyre rankings, but more

importantlyperhaps,propelittowardsbecomingaseriousglobalplayer.

We bring you an in-depth account of the company’s manufacturing

and operational activities, which suffice to say, did not fail to impress

ona recent visit to India. For the full story, togetherwithanexclusive

Interviewwithcompanyfounder,OnkarSinghKanwar,turntopage3.

Also in this issue, we cover the recent TDAFA awards, take you to

GermanyforthelaunchofthenewGrabberATbyGeneralTire,andoffer

youtheopportunitytowinacopyofthecoveted2011PirelliCalendar

viaourquarterlycompetition.Allthisandmuchmore!

Happyholidaysandsafemotoringuntilwemeetagainin2011.

I n t r o d u c t i o n • 1

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Website: www.satreads.co.za

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C M Y CM MY CY CMY K

O n e - o n - O n e • 3

conversations with Indian tyre mogul onkar s. Kanwar

Curiositycombinedwithahealthydoseof

scepticism,wouldbestdescribemymood

asIboardanEmiratesflightandtravelhalf

wayaroundtheworldtotheIndiancapital

NewDelhi,tomeetupwithIndia’sleading

tyremaker,ApolloTyres. InSouthAfrica,

very little is known about Apollo Tyres

prior to its acquisition of Dunlop Tyres

in 2006, (incidentally, one of only two

Dunlopaffiliatesintheworldtobeexempt

from the Goodyear-Dunlop acquisition),

therebypossiblygivingrisetoamisleading

impressionofacompanythatsurprisingly,

notonlyhasanimpressivetrackrecordon

homesoil,butiswellonitswaytobecoming

aglobalplayerineverysenseoftheword.

Atleast…that’swhatI’mabouttodiscover.

4 • O n e - o n - O n e

At Apollo’s Head Office in Gurgaon (Delhi’s burgeoning business

hub) – a remarkably striking building that has gained international

recognition for its architectural design and environmentally-friendly

features–ImeetfounderandChairmanOnkarS.Kanwar.I’minstantly

struckbythewarmthandhumilitythatemanatesfromthemanwho’s

notonlyresponsibleforthesuccessofApolloTyres,butalsohappens

to be a prominent world figure that frequently rubs shoulders with

internationalpoliticians,dignitariesandbusinessiconsalike.Heinvites

meintohisspaciousofficeforabriefinterview.

ThankyouformeetingwithmeMrKanwar.Afteragrandtourofthe

ApolloHeadOfficepremisesthismorning,I’mextremelyimpressedby

whatI’veseen.Asidefromtheaestheticandarchitecturalintegrityof

thespace,yourheadquartersboastamyriadofwelcomefacilitiessuch

asastaffcanteen,awellequippedgym,exquisitelymanicuredgardens

andtheservicesofadoctorwhoisavailabletoyourstaffonaweekly

basis.Impressive,tosaytheleast!

Thankyou.ApolloTyreshasaproudheritageandwillalwaysstriveto

excel,bothinproductqualityaswellasinthecareandupliftmentof

itsvaluedstaffandthecommunityatlarge.Providingaspacethatis

environmentallyfriendlyaswellascomfortableforourApollofamily

wasattheforefrontofmymindintheoriginalplanningphaseofour

headquarters.

Personnel who are healthy and well looked after is something I’m

particularlypassionateabout.

Tell me, how did it all start?

Bydefault,myfatherenteredthetyrebusinessin1977bybuildingand

commissioningasmall tyreplant in thesouth IndianstateofKerala.

Back then India was a controlled economy so when this business

opportunity arose, complete with a valid manufacturing licence (no

easyfeatatthetime),myfatherfeltitwastoogoodtopassup.

Buthe lived inNewDelhiandhadnoknowledgeor real interest in

tyre production, not to mention that his core business interests lay

insteelpipeandtubetrading,anentrepreneurialventurewhichkept

himverybusy.

Given that he was not all that interested in what was happening in

faraway Kerala, management and other problems soon emerged,

culminating inahalt inproduction. Itwas then that Isuggested that

heallowmetheopportunitytotakeoverthetyrebusiness.Thankfully,

heagreed.

WhenIfirstarrivedinKeralaasayoungman,itwasnottoanenthusiastic

receptionbuttoanti-managementslogans.Tyreswerebeingreturned��

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4 • O n e - o n - O n e

fasterthantheywerebeingproducedandtotallossesaccumulatedtoRs

300million(US$6.5million)!Worsestill,Ihadnoknowledgewhatsoeverof

theindustrythatIhadjustentered.

How did you find the strength to press on in the face of such adversity?

Asdauntingastheprospectwas,Iwasdeterminedtofindawaytomakeit

work.Sufficeittosaythatyouthanddeterminationwereonmyside.

Firstwasthechallengingprocessofidentifyingandcommunicatingwitha

despondentstaff force. Idecidedthathonestyandtransparencywasthe

bestwayforwardsoIlaidoutthefactsbeforethem:wecouldeitherclose

ourdoorsthereandthenorworktogethertobuildApolloTyresintoaRs1

billion(US$22millionapprox)companyintheverynearfuture?

Notsurprisingly,manywereincredulousatmydeclaration.ButIwasnot

deterred.Disbelieverswereinvitedtoleavewithnohardfeelings.Manydid

leave,butthosewhostayedwereexcitedaboutanewbeginningandwere

preparedtoexercisetheirtalentsandtyreknowledgeinhelpingmetosteer

thecompanytowardssuccess.

AndsoIfoundmyselfwithayoungteamthatwaswillingtostretchitself.

Nextcamethearduous taskofsecuring thenecessaryfinance torestart

thebusiness,somethingthatwasultimatelyachievedviaaseriesofvisitsto

banksandfinancialinstitutions.

What other initiatives were implemented?

Backattheplantwetookthedecisiontoonlyfocusonthebigticketitems

-particularsizesoftruckandagriculturaltyresthatwerethehighestsellers

- which meant that with immediate effect, we would stop producing the

vastvarietyoftyresweweremanufacturingforthecarandtrucksegments.

Focusingonnichemarketsissomethingwestilllivebytoday.Thepassenger

cartyremarketinIndiaremainssmall(onlyabout50000cars)whereasthe

commercial sector ismassivedue tomore than80%of all Indiancargo

havingtobetransportedbyroad.

CognisanceofthisledustobecomethefirsttyrecompanyinIndiatoadopt

asegmentationpolicy,adecisionthathaspaidoff.Wewerethefirsttopunt

theeffectsofloadonmileageandthefirsttointroducetyrepackaging.We

werealsothefirsttorunacustomerloyaltyprogramme,thefirsttocarefor

customerhealth,familyandsafetyandthefirsttoinvestinmultipleproduct

innovations.

Inaddition,wetookthedecisiontogrowclosertoourdistributionbasevia

exclusivedealershipsthatwerebranded‘ApolloRadialWorld’and‘Apollo

TyreWorld’.Therearesome10000retailoutlets,5000ofwhichactively

sellourbrand.It’severmoreimportanttoremaininclosecontactwiththem

todayaswedidinthepast-theyoperateinatoughbusinessenvironment.

Do you foresee greater growth for the passenger car market in India?

Astheroadinfrastructureimproves,I’msurewe’llseeagrowingnumberof

passengercarsontheroads.Thatsaiddevelopingtheinfrastructureisnot

asstraightforwardasitsounds.Indiaisademocraticcountryandassuch,

developersareobligedtoobtainthenecessaryclearancesbeforemapping

outnewroutes.Theprocesscanbelengthy,particularlywhensmallland

owners are expecting compensation in return for their cooperation in

relocatingtomakeprovisionforanewroad.

Thegoodnewsisthatanemergingmarketpresentsscoresofopportunities

for the private sector and this is especially relevant for a country such

as India where the public sector is being brought into the market. Total

denationalisationiswhattheIndiangovernmentisultimatelystrivingfor!

How refreshing! But to go back….how long did it take for you to reach

the Rs1 billion figure?

The journey was not easy – every day we encountered a new problem

andeverydaywehadtocomeupwithafreshsolution,buteventually,in

October1986(sevenyearsafterwesetoursightsonit),wehittheRs1

billionmark.CollectivelywewereabletosaveApolloTyresfromcatastrophe

whilstalsocreatingasuccessfulnewentityintheIndianbusinessscene.

You must feel a great sense of reward with this achievement?

Itisrewarding,butwestillhaveawaytogo.Wedon’tprofesstoknowit

all.TheonlythingofwhichI’mcertainisthatchangeisconstant…..what

isgoodenoughtodaymaynotnecessarilyworktomorrow,sowemustbe

readytoembracechangeaswellasbeabletoworktoprescribedtimelines

inordertogrow.

From where did you source your technology?

WhenmyfatherfirstacquiredtheKeralaplant,thetechnologywascoming

O n e - o n - O n e • 5

Apollo Tyres Headquarters by night

6 • O n e - o n - O n e

fromtheAmericancompanyGeneralTires.Ourassociationwiththisbrand

and later with Continental, continued for some time, but alongside this,

ApolloTyreshasastrongR&Ddepartmentofitsown.

Bearinmindthatmostofthetechnologysourcedexternallywasinradialtyre

constructionwhich the Indianmarketwasnotyet ready for.Evennowonly

12%ofthecountry’scommercialtransportcompaniesarerunningonradial,

butastheroadinfrastructureimprovesweestimatethatinthenext3-4years,

radialtyreuseshouldreachthe25%mark.

OfcourseApolloTyresisnowproducingradialtrucktyresaswellasbias

ply.WeviewourselvesasaglobalcompanythatisbasedinIndiaandas

such,willcontinuetostriveproducingproductsthatarecomparablewith

thebestavailableglobally.ThenewfaceofApolloisacosmopolitanone

with numerous business associates on board stemming from developed

nations.Theybringawealthofknowledgeandtechnicalexpertisetothe

table as they work alongside local university graduates, engineers and

scientists.

From a manufacturing standpoint, globalisation dictates that you have the

right products and quality, or you will not survive. We are now competing

withglobaltyremanufacturinggiantsfromtheWestwhohaveallestablished

manufacturingplantshere–andthey’reheretostay.

Qualityandconsistency insupply isalsokey ifweare toenter theOriginal

Equipmentmarket,anewgoalwhichwe’reactivelypursuing.

With which vehicle manufacturers have you made headway?

In India alone our OE journey has already begun with OE approval being

grantedbythelikesofFord,VW,Suzuki,Tata,Mahindra,GM,Hyundai,and

Fiattonameafew.NegotiationsarecurrentlyunderwaywithBMW,Mercedes-

Benz,Audi,Nissan,Renault,HondaandToyota.

And further afield? Are you pursuing OE involvement outside of India?

ThefinancialreturnsmaybeslightbuttheOEmarketisanimportantone,one

whichserioustyremanufacturerscannotaffordto ignore.OErecognition is

vitalforbrandbuilding,itcreatesrepeatdemands,increasesmarketpresence,

enhancesinternalcapabilities,evensoutseasonalityinsalesanddemandsthat

manufacturerskeepupwiththelatesttyretechnologyiftheyaretocompete

effectively.

Which foreign OE markets are you looking to penetrate?

In the European market discussions are taking place with VW, Audi, Fiat

and Mercedes-Benz in conjunction with our newly-acquired European

brand Vredestein. Similarly, in South Africa, via the Dunlop brand, vehicle

manufacturerssuchasVW,GM,Nissan,FordandFiatareinthepipeline.

It would appear that Apollo Tyres is continuing with its ambitious plans for

the future. What would you say have been the key lessons learnt along the

way?

Ibelievesettingandstrivingtowardsboldgoalsisthemostimportantlesson

thatI’velearned.Whenbankruptcythreatenedtocloseusdownwesetagoal

tobeaRs1billioncompany.Whenwewerenobodies,wewantedtobethe

mosttrustedtyrebrandinIndia.Whenwelackedthecapabilitytomanufacture

passengercartyres,wepledgedtobecomethebestinthiscategorytoo.When

ourrevenuesreachedUS$500million,wesetoursightsonbecomingaUS$2

billioncompany.AndwhenIndiawastheonlymarketweknew,andknewus,

wesetthegoaltobecomeaglobalplayerinthenextfiveyears!

In my view goals need to be simple and clear and must translate to every

employee, irrespective of their function. But goals in themselves are not

sufficient.Dreamsmaterializeonlywhenweworktorealisethembyputting

thenecessaryprocesses inplace. Inacrisissituation, it’salso important for

youtoremaindetachedsothatyoucanmakeunpopulardecisions.AndasI

mentionedearlier,transparencyiskey,particularlyindifficulttimes.

Mostimportantly,focusonyourpeople–theyaretheonesresponsiblefor

implementingyourcompany’sgoals.Howemployeesaretreated,thereward

andrecognitionprocessandwhethertheyfeeltheyareavaluedpartofthe

company, areall important factors to success.Myadvice is toput inplace

initiativesthatmakeyourstafffeeltheyareapartofalargerwholebeforea

crisisisexperienced.

What is your vision for the next five years?

Onabusinessfrontweplantoexpandourglobalfootprintandtobecomethe

mostdesiredbrandintheeyesofthecustomerwiththetechnologyedgeto

meettheirneeds.Asfarasourpeopleareconcernedwewanttobeseenasthe

‘MostDesiredEmployer’aswellasaCreatorofleadersandanorganisationthat

promoteslearning.Lastbutbynomeansleast,wewillcontinuetocontribute

tothecommunityandsocietyatlargeviaourbusinessandsocialresponsibility

activities.

Was it your vision from the start to become a leading market player?

Yes, from the beginning my aspirations were extremely ambitious. But

accomplishing all that I set out to do is evidence that with hard work and

determinationanythingcanbeachievedifyousetyourmindtoit.

onkar s. Kanwar is living proof of this. Together with his son neeraj, Vice chairman and Managing Director of Apollo Tyres, they have steered the company in becoming India’s leading automotive tyre manufacturer, with operations on three continents. onkar has been active in Indian government think tanks and headed India’s largest industry association FIccI, and other industry bodies. He recently established a state-of-the-art research and health care facility called Artemis Health Institute, thereby now also moving into the health services industry.Researchsource:LeadertoLeader.

n TEL: (011) 334-1680 n FAX: (011) 334-1694n [email protected] n TOLL FREE: 086 000 2010

NATIONWIDE GARAGE EQUIPMENT SALES & SERVICESAuthorised Distributor of HUNTER ENGINEERING COMPANY (U.S.A.) in Sub-Saharan Africa and the Indian Ocean Islands

www.leaderquip.co.za

8 • O n e - o n - O n e

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8 • O n e - o n - O n e

Inspired by my brief visit with Onkar S. Kanwar, I now meet with fellow

seniormanagementtofindoutmoreaboutthejourneythathasledtothe

undisputablesuccessofApolloTyres.

ViceChairmanandManagingDirector,NeerajKanwarexplainsthatduring

whattheyrefertoasthe‘WonderYears’(2005-2010),anoff-siteworkshop

with a cross-functional group, facilitated by a management consultant,

identifiesareastofocusuponandfinancialtargetstoaimfor.Thisinitiatesa

journeycalled‘PassioninMotion’tobeaUS$2billioncompanybytheyear

2010basedonthethreepillarsofPeople,QualityandTechnologyusing

therigouroftheSixSigmaprocess.

TheacquisitionofDunlopSouthAfrica in2006 is thefirst step towards

becomingaglobalplayer. This is followed in2009by the acquisitionof

the Vredestein brand, which is viewed as a way of entering the mature

Europeanmarketandfurtherenhancingitsrecognitionasaglobalplayer.

Apollo’sapproachtotheEuropeanmarketisbold:arriveatasingleprice

for all of Europe with transparent and non-negotiable prices and focus

exclusivelyon retail,notwholesale.This is complementedbyanequally

ambitious long-termstrategy topotentially tripleApollosales in thenext

Apollo fixes eyes firmly

on the WorldOnceuponatimetheywereasmall,unknowntyre

plantinsouthernIndia,battlingtoproduceanyproducts

worthselling.Today,theyareamultinational,multi-

millionUSdollarcompanythatisnotafraidoftaking

bigrisksontheroadtobecomingaglobalforcetobe

reckonedwith.

Vice Chairman and Managing Director,

Neeraj Kanwar.

F o c u s o n A p o l l o T y r e s • 9

threeyearsbymeansofmultipleretailstoresandhighselloutprices.

Consensus is reached that the combined R&D knowledge of the two

companiescoupledwitharangeenlargement,growingOE

contactsinWesternEuropeaswellaspositivetyretestsin

Winter2010,shouldcomfortablyachievetheseaims.

Itisobvioustomethatbothparties(ApolloandVredestein)

are extremely excited over the merge. It’s no secret that

Vredesteinhasbeenonthelookoutforacrediblepartnerfor

sometimeandfinally,accordingtoRobOudshoornHeadof

EuropeanOperations,theyhavefoundtherightfit.

A visit to Limda

Asnomediavisitwouldbecompletewithoutacloserlookatthecompany’s

veryheartoftheoperation,IalongsidemembersoftheEuropeanpresswho

arethereforthesamereason–tocatchaglimpseintothisgrowingforcethat

isslowlybutsteadilycommandingtheworldtyrestage–boardaflighttothe

ApolloLimdaplantlocatedinVadodara,inthewesternIndianstateofGujarat.

Firstestablishedin1991,Limdaisanenergyefficientplant,yetdespitethe

notableenergyreductioninitsoperations,biasproductionoutofthisplant

continuestorise.Moreover,anewAuto-ChemicalMixingsystemfurther

enhancestheplant’senvironmentally-friendlystatuswhilstalsomakingfor

1 0 • F o c u s o n A p o l l o T y r e s

Apollo’s Corporate Headquarters.

Off-the-Road Tyre Building in progress. Limda Plant Display Area.

MADE IN

CHINA

F o c u s o n A p o l l o T y r e s • 1 1

greateraccuracybyvirtueofitsabilitytoeliminatealldirecthumancontact.

Withacapacityofupto500tonsaday,theLimdaplantisthesinglelargest

manufacturingfacilityinIndiatoday.Measuring525000squaremetresinsize,

thisplantmanufacturespassengervehicle, truck-busand farmradials,apart

fromlightandheavycommercialvehicle,farmandoff-the-roadcrossplytyres.

Speakingofoff-the-roadtyres,itsOTRfacility,whichbeganproductionin

2009,isastate-of-the-artfacilitythatproducesmostoftheultralargeOTR

tyresrequiredfortheIndianmarket.Here,materialhandlingequipmentis

developed in-house to effectively handle semi-finished components and

greentyresofthisvolumeandsize.Notably,morethan1000OTRtyres

areproducedinthefirstyearwithnofieldfailuresreportedtodate.

WeareallequallyimpressedtoseethatLimdaplant’sResearch&Technology

wing(theR&Ddeptwilleventuallymovetothenewly-establishedplantin

Chennai)isfullyequippedwithmodernandsophisticatedtechnologies–

including simulationmachines andhigh-endcomputingdevices–which

areleveragedbyatalentpoolfromIndia’smostpremiermanagementand

engineeringinstitutions.

Moreimpressivestill,theaverageageofthecompany’sR&Dprofessionals

is 25, with all staff members in possession of engineering diplomas

or science degrees. In addition, they undergo a structured training/


Limda Plant Exterior.

The European press, Liana Shaw, editor of SA Treads and key Apollo personnel. India dancers native to Gujarat entertain at the Limda plant.

1 2 • F o c u s o n A p o l l o T y r e s F o c u s o n A p o l l o T y r e s • 1 3

certificationprogrammeaswellasbeingexposedtocross-functional

responsibilitiessoastoensurecompleteownershipoftheirrespective

workstations.

We’retoldthattheirproductdevelopmentcyclecantakeanything

from9monthsup to18months, dependingon the application,

and that no less than five years are spent on preparation and

baseworkaheadofApolloenteringtheEuropeanmarket.Apollo

officially launched in the European market at this year’s Reifen

EssenShowinJuneofthisyear.

Interestingly, Apollo also partners with various established universities,

OEMsandleadingsuppliersacrosstheworldoncollaborative

researchinitiatives.

Whenitcomestoplantequipment,noexpensehasbeen

sparedhere. In evidence is the verybest theworldhas

to offer from countries as far flung as Finland, Canada,

USA,CzechRepublic,ChinaandItaly.Andasfarastheir

radialtyreproductionisconcerned,SatishAgarwal,Chief

ofManufacturing,tellsustheyaspiretonolessthanthe

manufacturing standards benchmarked by tyre pioneers

suchasMichelin.Assuch,onlyhigh-precisionmachinery

isemployedintheplanttoensureconsistencyanduniformity.Hesays

thatwhensourcingnewmachinerytheyalwayslookforequipmentthat

can deliver the highest precision levels, assure consistent in-process

componentquality,achievethebestuniformitylevelsandofferthemost

competitivecycletime.

Heclaimssimilarstandardsareaspiredtointheirchoiceofenvironmentally

friendlymaterialswhicharesourcedfromrenownedandgloballyapproved

sources. The company is now also capable of processing all reinforcing

materialsin-houseaswellassilicacompoundsinlinewithglobalrequirements.

Whatismore,asidefromanexhaustiveindoortestingcapabilityandfacility,

theorganisationworkswithsomeofthebesttestingfacilitiesintheworld

suchasIDIADASpain,ATPGermanyandNTCItaly.

World-class tyre plant establishes in chennai

Next,wejetofftoChennailocatedintheheartofIndia’s‘Detroit’inthe

southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu to visit Apollo’s third Greenfield

The Chennai plant is proclaimed to be the most advanced tyre manufacturing facility in the Asia region.

Tyre making at Chennai.

1 2 • F o c u s o n A p o l l o T y r e s F o c u s o n A p o l l o T y r e s • 1 3

2nd China (Guangrao) International Rubber Tire & Auto Accessory Exhibition

15, 16 & 17 May 2011Guangrao International Expo Center,

Shandong, China

2011

Organizer: China Council for the Promotion of Int’l TradePeople's Government of Shandong Province

Exhibition Organizing CommitteeTel: +86(0)546-7797255, 7797455, 7797755, 7797855Fax: +86(0)546-7799111, 7799333Email: [email protected]: www.chinagr.gov.cn

project,whichalsoratesasitninthmanufacturingfacilitygloballyand

itsfourthinIndia.

More important,withafewsectionsoftheplantstillunderconstruction,

once complete, this state-of-the-art radial truck, bus and passenger

manufacturingunitisproclaimedtobetechnologically,themostadvanced

tyremanufacturingfacilityintheAsianregion.

Forthisproject,whichwillinvolveatotalof128.56acresofconstruction,

Apollohaspooledconsultantsandpeoplewithknow-howfromevery

singlemajortyremanufacturerintheworld.Thenew210000sqmplant

(now almost 90% complete) which began construction in December

2008,isalreadyproducing5500passengertyreunitsandupto1100

trucktyresaday.

By 2013/2014, volumes are expected to increase to 16 000 PCR

and6000 truck tyresadaywith theplantoperating365daysof the

year. And capacity is such that it could eventually accommodate the

productionofupto30000passengertyresand9000trucktyresaday.

Grand entrance to the Chennai plant.


Peter Becker, Chief of Research & Technology and

formerlywithDunlop-Goodyear,explainsthatagoodmix

ofthelatesttechnology,worldclassequipmentfromthe

USandEurope togetherwithApollo’sability toproduce

itsownmachineryforspecificapplications,givesthenew

Chennaiplantaleadingedge.

This zero-emissions manufacturing concern features

three key differentiators: ergonomics (for enhanced

staff comfort and productivity); safety (the aim being

to constantly be aspiring to an accident-free zone) and

automation inorder to improvecostefficiencyvia throughput.Mixers

areallautomatedasisthetyrehandlingsystem,whilethetyrebuilding

machinesimportedfromHolland,delivera35secondcycle-time.

Together with its high level of automation, the Chennai plant is further

definedbyitsuniquerecruitmentandskillsetrequirement,anon-unionised

cultureanditsbenchmarkingofprocessesandefficiency.

Itisobviousthattheplantoperatesonthemostmodernhighproductive

machinesfromEuropewithqualifiedengineersatallworkstations.Equally

noteworthyisitsfullfledgedtyretestingcapabilityandclimatecontrolled

environmentforcriticalprocesses.

Tyre mixing department.

Tyre building Steel Cords being processed.

F o c u s o n A p o l l o T y r e s • 1 5

Investment in theChennai plant thus far amounts toUS$330million,

withtotalexpenditureexpectedtoexceedUS$550million,amovethat

signifiestotalcommitmentonthepartoftopmanagementtoreinvestin

thebusiness.Whatmakesthisevenmoreremarkableisthatinvestment

ofthisnatureisseldomseeninfamily-ownedconcernsthatarealltoo

oftenseducedbytheonsetofsuddenwealth.

The tourover, I askPeterBeckerwhether theChennaiplant features

anycutting-edgeequipmentuniquetothisoperation.Herespondsthat

atthisstage,Apolloisafollower,notaleader.Theaimthusfarhasbeen

toadopttheverybesttechnologyandmanufacturingpracticesavailable

fromdevelopedcountriessoastobeabletoproduceproductsthatare

comparablewiththebestintheworld.

I thank him for his frank reply and acknowledge the humility which

appears to be infectious in this company to which he adds: “For the

moment we are satisfied with the technological developments and

productqualityweareproducing.Thenextstepistobecomeamarket

leaderviainnovationandtechnologicaladvancements.We’renotthere

yet…butwe’llgetthere.”

Of this Ihavenodoubt.Oneof thereasonsChennaiwaschosenas the

locationforthisworld-classplant–asidefromthecommercialnatureofthe

region-isitsproximitytothecountry’stopeducationalinstitutionswhich

arechurningoutIndia’snextgenerationofscientistsandengineers.There

areno‘bluecollar’workersatthisplant,onlyprofessionals.Throughtheir

knowledgeandtalentsandtheeffortsofApollo’sgrowingnumberofglobal

colleagues,Icanforeseeevengreaterthingsforthisdynamiccompanyin

thefuture,particularlyoncetheyachievetheirOEaspirations.Currently,at

number14ontheglobalrankings,Apollo’snextgoalistobreakintothe

topten.

Laterthateveningataninformaldinner,ImanagetocornerNeerajtoask

himwhetherhe’splanninganymoreacquisitions in thenear future.The

mischievouslookinhiseyesasIposethequestionisadeadgive-away.He

says:“I’myoung,I’mdeterminedandIhaveapassionforthisbusiness…..

watchthisspace!”

To date, Apollo Tyres has firmly cemented its presence on three

continents…onlyfourmoretogo!

Steel wire

Tyre making

The new Cinturato P7TM tyre, compared to the previous model, offers the following advantages:

C o m p e t i t i o n • 1 7

Inkeepingwith theexcitementand intrigue

that is the Cal, the 2011 Pirelli Calendar,

now in its 38th edition, promises not

to disappoint. It was presented to the

world’s press as well as to other guests

and collectors from around the world, on

30 November in Moscow, Russia, at the

prestigious Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-

Danchenko theatre, which has, over the

courseofmorethan90years,beenthesite

of operas and ballets that have become a

partofthenation’sartisticheritage.

After Patrick Demarchelier immortalised

Chinainthe2008edition,PeterBearddrew

a portrait of Botstwana in 2009 and Terry

Richardson covered Brazil in 2010, ‘The

Cal2011’featuresthecreativegeniusofthe

multi-faceted artist, Karl Lagerfeld, whose

sense for art and aesthetics is renowned

throughouttheworld.

From his Paris studio, Lagerfeld created

‘Mythology’, a calendar that reflects one

of his deepest passions, that of Greek and

Roman mythology, tales of the origins of

humanity told through the adventures of

godsandgoddesses,heroesandheroines.

The 36 photos that make up the 2011 Cal

show 24 different subjects, including gods,

heroes and myths. With his keen eye,

Lagerfeld has ‘sculpted’ these photos both

intermsoftheiraestheticrigourandforthe

recurring references to the art of sculpture

anditsclassicaltenets.Allofthephotosare

inblackandwhite,whichlendscharacterto

the images,exalts thebeautyof the figures

representedinsharpchromaticcontrast,and

gives them a certain three-dimensionality

throughthecarefuluseoflight.

According to Lagerfeld, actresses and

models bring these new heroes to life and

depictanewconceptofthebeautiful.

AmericanactressJulianneMooreisfeatured

along with models such as Bianca Balti

(Italy), Isabeli Fontana (Brazil), Abbey Lee

Kershaw (Australia), Natasha Poly (Russia),

and Daria Werbowy (Canada). The Cal also

includes participation from 5 male models

fromdifferentpartsoftheworld.

ToWINacopyofthe2011PirelliCalendar,

visit our website: www.satreads.co.za and

answerthesimplequestionbelow:

Q: name the photographer responsible for

the 2011 Pirelli calendar.

Alternatively,faxyourentriesto

Fax:011658-0010.

EntriescloseJanuary31st2011.

Only one entry per person!

WINTHE2011PIRELLICALENDAR!

The Pirelli Calendar has not

only developed a cult following

over the years, it is now widely

regardedasaprizedworkofart.

1 8 •

35010 TDAFA ThankYou_DSK.fh11 11/30/10 4:45 PM Page 1

Composite


I n d u s t r y N e w s • 1 9

On October 22, I was one of 280 guests who attended the annual

TDAFA Awards function at the Bryanston Country Club. The turnout

surpassedtheorganisers’expectations,makingtheeveningasoneof

thebestattendedawardsfunctionintheassociation’shistory.

Theindustryawardsencompassfivecategoriesspanningthebroadtyre

and fitmentsectorwitheachcategory featuring twonomineesandan

outright awardwinner. TDAFA’sNationalDirectorVishal Premlall says

that, as in previous awards, the categories endeavour to recognise

companiesthathaveexcelledinallsubsectorsoftheindustrybesides

justrubberproductsandsuppliers.

Nominees for the Supplier of the Year Award included Leaderquip,

Snap-On and Automotive Equipment (AEI). The award was won by

Snap-On.TheawardforTyreimporteroftheYearfeaturedSATyre,CFP

TyresandMichelinasnominees,withCFPwinningthecategory.

NomineesintheTyreManufactureroftheYearcategoryincludedDunlop,

GoodyearandContinental,withDunlopwinningtheoverallspot.

TheTyreManufacturerawardisbasedonasurveycompletedthreetimes

a year by Association members who nominate manufacturers based

on fivekeycriteria:productquality;customerservice;stockrotation;

availability and warranties. The process is adjudicated by a panel of

judges comprising an independent auditor, representatives from the

fivemajorfranchises,amotoringmediarepresentative,thechairperson

of the motoring guild a representative of the Consumer Council and

threemembersoftheTDAFANationalExecutiveCommittee.

Luis Ceneviz, CEO for Dunlop comments on the award: “We are

honouredtoacceptthisaward.Weseeitasafantasticrewardforthe

effortwehaveputintobringingtheDrivenbyPrecisionpositioningof

ourDunloptyrebrandtolife.We’restrivingforacultureofexcellence

ineveryaspectofouroperations,frommanufactureanddistributionto

the service customers receive from our sales offices and consultants

andthisawardindicatesthatwe’regettingitright.”

As for the Tyre Dealer of the Year award, this is viewed as the premier

category by the industry. This year, nominees hailed from all over the

country.Hi-QRiversideinNelspruit,RichardsBayTyresandMalasRetailin

Pretoriaviedforthetopaward.And,notsurprisingly,itwasthespectacular

PretoriaretailfacilityofMalasthatscoopedthepremieraward.

“Ithinkthewinnersinthefiveawardscategoriesreflectthededicationand

enthusiasm these companies feel for their industry and their products,”

saidVishalPremlallaftertheevent.“Theyhaveputanincredibleamountof

workandeffortintotheiroperations,deliveringqualityproducts,excellent

service and optimal customer satisfaction. They fully deserve these

prestigious awards.” He added that next year’s event will include a new

category“TyreRetreaderoftheYear”.

IndustryiconMervynJevonalsofeaturedintheevening’sproceedingsby

wayofaspecialtributeforhisloyalsupportoftheTDAformorethan50

years. Jevon opened his first Jevon’s Tyres dealership in East London in

1960andhasbeenanactivememberoftheassociationeversince.

Theformalitiesover,theguestswereentertainedbyaduoofcomics,the

inimitableMarcLotteringandJoeyRasdienwhoalsoledthroughtheawards

proceedings.

TDAFAhonourstopachieversfor2010

Hermann Erdmann (National Chairman for the TDAFA), Mervyn Jevon – 50 years loyal service to the Tyre Dealers Association, Vishal Premlall (National Director for the TDAFA)

2010 TDAFA Industry Awards were presented to each of the five category winners, Andrew Wilson of Snap On for Supplier of the Year, Debbie Martin of Dunlop for Tyre Manufacturer of the Year, Yusuf Tayob of Malas Retail for Tyre dealer of the Year, Charles Pitout of CFP Tyres for Tyre Importer of the Year and Nic De Waal of Bosal for Non Rubber Supplier of the Year.

2 0 • I n d u s t r y N e w s

MX_514160_Solutions Corp Ad_280x210_SA treads_P.indd 1 8/23/10 11:00:40 AM


SA’s Best Supplier of Tyres Services AnnouncedTrentyrewasnamedSouthAfrica’sBestSupplierofTyreServicesinthefifth

annualFocusonExcellenceAwardsataprestigiouseventinJohannesburg

last week. The event recognises and honours superiority in the South

Africantransportindustry.

TheFocusonExcellenceAwardprogrammeisbasedonextensiveresearch

conducted by independent research analysts Scott Byers. Thousands of

seniorplayersinthetransportoperatorindustrywereselectedatrandom

for telephonic interviewsduring thesecondquarterof2010.Theywere

questionedaboutwhichproductsorsuppliercompaniestheyconsidered

bestandwhy.ThefinalnominationsaretheresultofScottByersComparative

CustomerSatisfactionindependentperformancemeasurement.LeaderRubberCompanyConsumableDepartmentUpgradeLeader Tread has revamped its consumable department. Along

withFrikkieNiewenhuizentakingoverthissection,thecompany

hasalsoemployedDannyKirsten,whobetweenthem,haveover

80yearsexperienceinthisindustry.

LeaderTreadnowcarriesacomprehensiverangeofconsumables

for both retreading and repair shops which includes rasps,

buffing blades, couplers, airline equipment, curing envelopes,

curingtubes,polyprop,aswellasitsnewrangeofLeaderRubber

CompanyChemicalCurepatchesandenvelopes.Allegedly,these

LRC patches and envelopes are doing exceptionally well in the

market,withonlypositivefeedbackfromcustomers.Forfurther

info–[email protected]

Andthat’snotall!Anothernewaddition is itsveryfirst“Mobile

Warehouse”which is stockedwith a full range of consumables

inordertoassistcustomerswiththeirimmediaterequirements.

Algorax (Pty) Ltd has been

named a joint winner of the

South African Chemical and

Allied Industries’ Associations

Responsible Care Award for

2010.Theawardwaspresented

toMrAlanShone,AlgoraxSite

Manager, at the Chemical and

Allied Industries’ Association

(CAIA)AnnualGeneralMeeting

heldinJohannesburgattheendofOctober.

The Award recognises Responsible Care signatory companies in the

chemical industry that have made the most significant improvements in

theirsafety,healthandenvironmental(SHE)performancefortheyear.

Joint winners, Idwala Sales and Distribution and Algorax were noted for

their strong performance on criteria including community interaction,

management commitment, SHE improvement programmes, Responsible

Careawareness,socialresponsibilityprogrammesandproductstewardship.

Algorax Award

Theawardisparticularlymomentous,giventhatAlgoraxcelebratesits50th

Anniversaryandthecompletionofitsplantimprovementprojectthisyear.

Project2010, theplant improvementproject isan investmentofaround

one hundred million Rand and has resulted in significant structural and

environmental improvements to the Algorax plant. Algorax will continue

tostriveforcontinuousmanufacturingandenvironmentalimprovements,

which will have a positive impact on the plant and its surrounding

environmentandcommunity.

Algorax–JointWinnerofResponsibleCareAward

OTR RADIALS

FOR ORDERS & INFORMATIONContact: Ken Martin or Marlin Pillay

Tel: 031 764 5058 | Ken: 083 387 8403 | Marlin: 071 880 9247 | Fax: 086 558 8382 Email: [email protected] or [email protected]

Exclusive Distributor for RSA, Lesotho, Swaziland and Botswana

OnLy AvAILABLE fROm

Transafrica Tyre & Wheel

l Suitable for all OTR Machines

l Full size range in 25” to 35”

‘E’ and ‘L’ type Radials

l Robust Steel Belted Radial

construction

l Abrasion resistant tread

compound

l Steelbelt reinforced tread area

l Modern tread patterns

l Global quality standard

l Manufacturer Warranty

= Low Cost Per Hour

TESTED & PROVEN


TransafricaTyre&Wheel,thesoleandexclusiveDistributorforBOTObrand

OTRradials, reports that theBOTObrandedproduct isnotonlymeeting

performanceexpectations,butexceedingtheminmanyinstances.

KenMartin,whoheadsupTransafricaBOTO,hasindicatedthatanumber

of leadingplantoperatorshavebeenevaluatingtyresforuptotwoyears

versuscompetition,andarenowfullysatisfiedthatBOTOistheirbrandof

choice.

MartinhighlightedthatOTRtyresareoneofthelargestcostsforanyplant

operator,andthatthisproductsegmentishighlyspecializedandtechnical.

He added that it takes time to generate reliable and meaningful results,

whichbecome the foundation for significant futurecost savings forfleet

operators.

Some fleets which have tested BOTO successfully include Scribante

Construction, Oosthuizen Safika, and Diacor Diamonds, who have all

evaluatedtheBOTOproductoveratwoyearperiod.

ScribanteConstructionrunalargefleetofArticulatedDumpTrucksinthe

WitbankandRustenburgregions,andnowspecifyBOTOaftertestingthe

productversusnumerousotherimportedbrands.

MrMikeMauriceofScribanteaddedthatBOTOisprovidingtroublefree

performance,withthelowestcostperhourbasedontheirtesting.

Healsoindicatedthatthereinforcedbuttress/shoulderareafeatureofthe

BOTOtyreprotectedthesidewallfromdamage,whichisimportantintheir

demandingoperatingconditions.

AnothersatisfiedcustomerisMrHennievanWykofDiacorDiamondsin

theNorthernCape,whohastestedtheBOTOproductextensivelyonhis

Boto brand OTR Radials exceed performance expectations

Scribante use BOTO brand OTR on their Articulated Dump Trucks at Witbank.

BOTO radial fitted to dumper at Oosthuizen Safika Mpumalanga.

Diacor Northern Cape specifies only BOTO brand OTR for its fleet of ADT machines.

35Tarticulateddump trucks,where26.5R25BOTOGCA3**E3 tyresare

achieving a lower cost per hour compared with the Original Equipment

brandsuppliedonthenewCaterpillarmachines(seephotograph).

Mr Tertius Naude of Oosthuizen Safika, a leading transporter and plant

operatorinMpumalanga,indicatedthatBOTOOTRE3twostartyreswere

firstplacedfortestingonBottomDumperslatein2008.

These tyreshave provided cost effective, trouble free performance, and

OosthuizenSafikaarenowalsousingBOTOL5productssuccessfullyon

theirFrontEndLoaderfleet.

Martinaddedthatthecommonmessagefromtheseleadingplantoperators

isthatBOTObrandOTRradialsisthewaytogoforgreatvalueformoney,

reducedcosts,andminimumdowntime.FormoreinformationcontactKen

[email protected]

2 4 • I n d u s t r y N e w s

ELECTRA MINING SHOW 2010

OTR SPECIALISTS AFRICA

NRCS (SABS) APPROVED AND ITAC CERTIFIED All our products carry a manufacturers’ guarantee which is

supported by Tandem Tyres in Southern Africa

Contact us:

Tel: +27 31 765 2650

Fax: + 27 31 765 2695

Website: www.tandemtyres.co.za

RINGTREAD is the preferred tyre solution for the largest fleets in the world because of

its unbeatable strength. The innovative ring-shaped tread converts a quality casing into

a high performance RETREAD without any weak points. Choosing RINGTREAD means

highest reliability - more grip - more mileage and considerable fuel saving.

One step ahead in Reliability, Grip & Saving.

www.ringtread.com

PERFORMANCE IS A MATTER OF SHAPE

Ringtread Accredited Dealers: Auto & Truck Tyres, Barden Tyre Services, Dynamic Tyre Solutions, Tyre MagicMarc Stock - [email protected] • Cell no: 083 252 0073

Showing its mettle, Tandem Tyres exhibited at

this year’s Electra Mining Exhibition, a decision

which the company claims has strengthened the

company’sreputation,notonlyinSouthAfricabut

inthesub-Sahararegionaswell.

With 65 years combined of tyre knowledge and

From left to right – Nico Wolmarans, Mike Nel (director), Shelley Main, Alyssa Khan, Riette Jerrard, Roger Mohanlal and Altus Cock.

experience,togetherwithagrowingproduct linethat includes lighttruck

bias, truck bias, truck/bus radial, OTR bias, OTR radial tyres and a tyre

pressuremonitoringsystemthat isworkingtogoodeffectatmanysites,

thecompanysaysitiswellpositionedtoservicethegrowingneedsofthe

localmarket.

TANDEMTYRESEXHIBITSATELECTRAMINING


2 8 • M a n u f a c t u r i n g

upmarket and professional tyre fitment experience that

ensures the customer’s needs are satisfied.

The research was carried out by TGI South Africa, which

is part of an international network of marketing and

media research surveys present in over 60 countries

around the world. In the 3rd national brand survey

measuring the usage of more than 8 000 brands

in 19 different product categories by South African

consumers, TGI conducted more than 15 000 face-to-

face interviews with South Africans living in communities

with a population size greater than 8 000, to discover which brands came

out tops in the country. The research was not based on awareness or liking,

but on which brands consumers are committed to in the very real sense of

putting their hard-earned cash towards.

The research results were published on the 8th of August, reaching a

readership of over 3.5 million people with a combined buying power of

R26 billion per month.

Apollo Tyres South Africa would like to thank South African consumers for

recognising the iconic status of the Dunlop brand.

M a n u f a c t u r i n g • 2 9

On 6 September Bridgestone SA released a statement that it had been

granted conditional leniency for its past involvement in contraventions

of the Competition Act, which conduct is now the subject of a complaint

against other tyre manufacturers.

According to industry sources, the Competition Commission has referred

a complaint of collusive tendering, price-fixing, information exchange

and market allocation against four tyre manufacturers and suppliers,

including Apollo Tyres, Goodyear, Continental and Bridgestone as well

as industry body, the SA Tyre Manufacturers Conference (SATMC).

The commission’s investigation was prompted by a complaint alleging

that the tyre manufacturers simultaneously adjusted their prices around

the same time and within the same parameters.

As a result of the complaint, on April 2 2008, the commission conducted

a search and seizure operation at the premises of Bridgestone, Apollo

and SATMC.

In its application for leniency, Bridgestone allegedly admitted that it held

telephonic discussions and met with its competitors during the period

1999 to 2007 to agree in principle that they should cooperate to ensure

stability in the market.

The meetings, which were attended by the manufacturers’ sales and

In recent independent research commissioned by

Rapport and City Press newspapers on South Africa’s

Icon Brands, Dunlop was voted number 1 in the

category of Tyre Manufacturers – exciting news for a

premium brand that has focussed on reinventing its

image and positioning to make a bold impression on the

hearts and minds of South Africa consumers.

Iconic brands are those brands that through customers,

loyalty and usage become not only symbols of the users’

status and personalities, but also brands that come to

epitomise the country in which they are created. Dunlop was the first tyre

manufacturing company in South Africa and with over 100 years of heritage

in the country’s motoring industry has entrenched itself as a household

name. In addition, Dunlop has consistently sought to increase their offering

with advanced products and value adding service. Recent highlights for

the Dunlop brand have been the successful introduction of the ‘Driven by

Precision’ positioning and the rollout of the dynamic Dunlop Zone store

concept that brings the Dunlop commitment to precision into the retail

environment. These touch-points for the Dunlop brand best illustrate

the reason for consumer loyalty – the brand’s dedication to providing an

SA TYRE MANUFACTURERS COME UNDER FIREmarketing representatives, coordinated the timing and the average

price increase of tyres, agreed on the discount structure to given to

tyre dealers and messages to be given to the market explaining the

increases.

The main customers of the participants to the cartel are tyre dealers

who purchase tyres for resale to consumers, vehicle manufacturers

who purchase tyres for new vehicle models and the government which

procures tyres for state owned vehicles and fleets through a tender

process managed by the State Tender Board.

It is alleged the commission’s investigation found that the SATMC was

used as a platform for what has been termed ‘coffee table discussions’

to determine price increases and general coordination in the market

among the tyre manufacturers.

The commission has requested the tribunal to impose an administrative

penalty amounting to 10% of the total turnover of each of SATMC,

Apollo, Goodyear and Continental.

We will continue to follow this case and report on the findings of the

tribunal in later issues.

*The investigation also found that importers of Yokohama and Michelin

were not involved in the cartel conduct.

DUNlOP vOTED SOUTh AFRICA’S MOST ICONIC TYRE BRAND


That global tyre makers are constantly challenging themselves to come up

with new innovations and technologies was borne out recently by my recent

trip to Dusseldorf, Germany, where I, along with members of the European

press, put the new Grabber AT to the test.

The launch of General Tire’s successor to the AT2 model, which was

designed specifically to offer high grip and good handling on off the road,

took place at the land Rover Experience Centre in Essen. According to

company representatives, the new tyre performed around 3% better than its

predecessor, whilst driving characteristics in the wet improved by up to 10%.

luckily, the launch took place on a typical Autumn day with rain dominating

the proceedings, thereby enabling us to put these claims to the test.

Allegedly, offset rows of angled tread lugs of different sizes provide

good grip when driving off-road, interlocking well with the ground, both

longitudinally and laterally. Further, the tyre’s circumferential tread lugs are

still in their design to ensure that the forces needed when starting off and

braking are transmitted directly to the ground. Together with the v-shaped

tread grooves, the tyre shoulder, which is open in alignment with the

traction grooves between the tread lugs, makes for fast self-cleaning and

optimum grip on slippery ground when ‘mudbaths’ loom, as they surely

did on the day.

GRABBER AT IS LAUNCHED IN EUROPE

M a n u f a c t u r i n g • 3 1

What is more, angled, central tread lugs, separated by channels of different

widths, provide extra grip during off-road driving, as we well discovered when

navigating our Defenders and land Rovers along the Centre’s well-mapped

out 4x4 course, characterised by a number of obstacles and various off-road

conditions.

And that’s not all! With its even pressure distribution the tyre’s large ground

contact patch ensures optimum driving performance in sand and slush

and on wet grass. This feature is particularly evident in slush, courtesy of

the additional traction ridges in the base of the flowing tread grooves, which

interlock with the ground thereby ensuring high grip.

To enhance its resistance to damage, tyre developer Eckhard Quentin made

sure that the lugs were sufficiently stiff yet supple.

Surprisingly, the new Grabber AT also showed its mettle on the road when

we took the Range Rovers for a quick spin on the Autobahn. Apparently, this

is due to the compound which was developed to provide a healthy balance

between the demands made by off-road driving on the one hand and use on

the road on the other. Therefore, the tyre is rugged enough to resist gashes

and scuffing and yet at the same time, provides safe grip for the transmission

of braking and steering forces on both wet and dry roads.

The tyre is also said to deliver a particularly high mileage as well as reduced

noise levels – something I can personally attest to.

look out for this impressive new tyre which will be available through

Continental Tyre SA, and is scheduled to hit the 4x4 market in the first quarter

of 2011.


Goodyear has uniquely extended its award-winning environmental and

community care policies to its employees and the general public with the

provision of streamed waste collection bins that facilitate recycling and

generate funds that are ploughed directly back into needy community

projects.

The innovative tyre company is currently the only manufacturer to provide

an offering of this kind anywhere in the Eastern Cape. Goodyear is also the

only manufacturer across all industries in South Africa that can boast a true

zero waste policy. Globally, the company aims for ‘zero waste to landfill’

and ‘zero harmful emissions’ in its tyre manufacturing processes.

Goodyear Risk Control Manager René van der Merwe said that, as

environmental awareness grows, many people would like to contribute to

the health of the planet by recycling their rubbish, but don’t know what to

do with it.

“There are currently not a sufficient number of bins available publicly for

streamed waste. Goodyear has been recycling its factory and office waste

for some time already, so it made sense for us to extend the collection

system to the greater community. These extra bins cost us next to nothing,

but hopefully they will make it easier for people to adopt good recycling

habits,” she said.

Collection points have been set up in the parking areas of the Uitenhage

GOODYEAR’S UNIQUE OFFERING TURNS PUBlIC WASTE INTO COMMUNITY vAlUE

RECYCLING MAKES TREASURE OUT OF TRASH – Goodyear tyre builder Lindisile Mange, pictured here with Goodyear Risk Control Manager Rene van der Merwe, fills recycling bins at the Uitenhage plant with tons of tins. The enviro-friendly company has specially made the bins available to the public for streamed waste which is collected, sold and recycled. Funds generated are ploughed back into needy community projects.

Truth about trash• South Africa produces approximately 540

million tons of waste per year.

• About 95% of this waste can be recycled but

it mostly ends up on dumps and landfills.

• Nearly all of landfill gas is comprised of

methane and carbon dioxide, both of which

are greenhouse gases damaging the ozone

layer.

• The direct and indirect impacts that waste has

on the environment and society is generally

spurred on by a lack of planning, poor

service delivery, human indifference and lack

of environmental consciousness by industry.

manufacturing facility as well as Goodyear’s offices in Walmer, Port

Elizabeth, in a unique joint venture with the Waste Trade Company. Cans,

plastic and paper can be dumped in specially provided streamed waste

collection bins.

The waste is collected,

transported and sold

by the Waste Trade

Company to recyclers

– true to Goodyear’s

‘zero waste to landfill’

philosophy. Transport

costs are deducted from

the revenue and the

balance is used to invest

in selected worthy charities

and community projects.

We can all make a difference

• We can all make a difference

• Recycling, on the other hand, saves energy,

saves resources, saves money, reduces our

environmental impact and creates jobs.

• By separating waste for recycling, everyone

can become more energy efficient and play a

small part in cleaning up the planet.

• As an example, one recycled can is the

equivalent of powering a television for three

hours and a single glass bottle could keep a

100 watt light bulb burning for four hours!

E v e n t s • 3 3M a n u f a c t u r i n g • 3 3

O n e - o n - O n e • 3 5

Bridgestone Public Relations

Manager, Mandy lovell, said

that 7% of the tyres sampled

fell into the “extremely

dangerous” category, with

another 7% in the “dangerous” bracket.

“This means that 86% of the tyres sampled were in good condition and

correctly inflated, which is a slight improvement over the 2009 survey which

found that 85% of the tyres sampled were in good condition,” she added.

In the tread depth test, 4% of tyres sampled had less than 1.6mm of tread

remaining, a considerable drop from the 2009 figure of 10%.

Regular tyre checks were one of the easiest ways motorists could improve

their safety on the roads. It is recommended that motorists check tyre

pressures at least once every two weeks and inspect the tyres for wear and

damage at the same time. Incorrect inflation and tyre damage can result

in increased running costs and even a tyre blowout, which could be fatal.

Regular tyre pressure and condition checks should be part of every driver’s

car care habits.


RELIABILITY... SAFETY... QUALITY...

DURABILITY...

important ingredients that keep us ahead of the pack!

w w w . l e a d e r t r e a d . c o . z a

ISO 9002

T +27 11 473 8200F +27 11 474 8659E [email protected]

LT half pg 210x145.indd 1 6/3/10 11:57:05 AM

Tyre maker Bridgestone South Africa has published data obtained during

its Tyre Safety Survey for 2010 which shows that standards of tyre

maintenance in South Africa have improved since 2009.

Retailer Pick n Pay assisted Bridgestone by permitting the annual survey to

be conducted in the parking lots of its stores. Armed with a pressure gauge,

tread depth meter and a tyre data collection sheet, Bridgestone tyre experts

sampled parked cars at random and recorded the results.

In 2010, a total of 3318 tyres fitted to 829 vehicles were surveyed. Any

tyre worn to under 1.6mm was flagged as being unsafe, as were tyres

which were outside the target pressure range of 1.8 to 2.9 kPa. A tyre at

a pressure of more than 2.9 kPa is dangerously over-inflated and causes

reduced roadholding, as well as being less able to resist penetration by

sharp objects lying on the road surface.

A tyre at a pressure of below 1.8 kPa is under-inflated, meaning reduced

roadholding and faster tyre wear. As with tyres over 2.9 kPa, tyres under

1.5 kPa were recorded as being extremely dangerous. At this low pressure,

the tyre builds up excessive heat during driving and may disintegrate,

resulting in a blowout.

7%7%

86%

3318 TYRES

Dangerous

Extremelydangerous

Fine

Tyre Safety Results 2010

Assessment CriteriaTyres were divided into three categories depending on inflation pressures:

Fine: 1.8 Bar – 2.9 BarDangerous: 1.7 Bar – 1.5 Bar

Extremely dangerous: below 1.5 Bar or above 2.9 Bar

Tyre Safety Results 2010Assessment Criteria. Tyres were divided into three categories depending on inflation pressures:Fine: 1.8 Bar - 2.9 BarDangerous: 1.7 Bar - 1.5 BarExtremely dangerous: below 1.5 Bar or Above 2.9 Bar

TYRE SAFETY SURvEY ShOWS SAFER TYRES

O n e - o n - O n e • 3 5

TERMS & CONDITIONS APPLY

WIN 1 OF 5 AUDI A3 SPORTBACKS

Buy a set of 4 new Continental tyres and you could soon drive off in your

very own Audi A3 Sportback 1.4T FSI® worth R264 500

*Terms and Conditions apply, see in-store for details.Competition begins 26 July 2010 and ends 31 December 2010.

Find your nearest ContiPartner dealership at www.contipartner.co.za

Ebon

y +

Ivor

y 15

040

EI 15040 Continental SA Treads (Single).indd 1 11/30/10 11:06:46 AM

Regards,

Russel Stewart | Marketing ManagerContinental Tyres, South Africa

Volume 4 | April 2010

So you see, July is truly a month of great excitement! And with the World Cup reaching its end, I for one, am glad I have this great promotion to look forward to, to keep the end-of-soccer-blues away and continue the Continental brand exposure created through the biggest sporting event South Africa has seen!

Finally I would like to take this opportunity to thank all our valued partners for joining Continental Tyre at the FIFA World Cup matches and truly hope that Continental was able to provide a unique experience to be part of this special and once in a lifetime event.

Now, here’s where you come in:

The top dealer with the top sales figures (for Continental Tyres only) per month from any 10 stores across the country, will each receive R3000 charged on a Visa Card Voucher per month for 5 months!

PLUS!

The top sales person with the top sales figures (for Continental Tyres only) per month from each of the 150 stores countrywide will each receive R500 charged on a Visa Card Voucher per month for 5 months. All dealers will be contacted on the first working day of each month to nominate the top Continental sales person per month.

We’re giving everyone an equal opportunity to get as much out of this promotion as possible, so point-of-sale displays will be sent to you from 14 July 2010 until 20 July 2010.

But if you want to really give your competition a run for their money, and to ensure your dealership’s the winner, remind your customers to include your dealer code along with their invoice number to 32300. If your customers do not include your dealer number, we’ll have no way of knowing how to keep track of the sales figures. So, get them to SMS in-store, and get your staff to remind them to include your dealer number as well – there’s R500 in it for them if you win.

TM

From Continental’s Desk

Dear Valued Partners,

It seems that July 2010 is the month of great excitement! ContiPartner is about to become the best – loved and most talked about brand in South Africa, because we’re giving away 5 new Audi A3 Sportbacks! But, here’s where it gets even better: We’re running a cool Dealer campaign to up the stakes even more!

I know you are curious as to how this Dealer campaign will affect you or the daily running of your fitment centre. Don’t worry, it’s not difficult or as involved as you may think.

To recap on our main competition, which starts on 26 July 2010 and ends on 31 December 2010, your customer has to buy 4 new Continental tyres to qualify. Once they have paid for their tyres, you will issue them a standard invoice. The customer then SMS’s their name, your dealer number and their invoice number to 32300 to enter. It’s as easy as that! We mentioned in our June issue that we were creating a really awesome TV ad with the competition in mind, and I know you’re eager to see it. If you’re lucky, you can catch it on the 26th of July 2010 when it first flights. Just in case you miss it, CLICK HERE for a media schedule highlighting the channel and the time the ad will flight again.

great offer deserves a great TV ad, and that’s exactly what ContiPartner, together with their advertising agency, Ebony+Ivory, have done. “For too long, tyre retail ads were just that – retail ads all about the offer. It was all about the hard sell, the offer and a give-away to entice consumers to buy a brand of tyres in exchange for a gift. The challenge was to differentiate ContiPartner by building the brand while promoting an offer of premium quality and status, values that go hand in hand with the Continental brand. We believe this has been achieved!” exclaims Dieter Horni, Managing Director of Continental Tyre SA.

“At long last, tyre retail ads are becoming concept driven, and a measure of class and sophistication is being injected into the brand, and we are glad to be leading the fi eld in this regard,” added Russel Stewart, Marketing Manager for Continental Tyre SA.

So, what was the big idea? Buy a set of four Continental tyres, and stand a chance to win one of fi ve Audi A3 Sportbacks! An offer not yet seen in the South African tyre industry. The competition mechanics were very simple. Once the tyres were bought, the participant simply SMS-ed their invoice number to a short code. A random computer draw selected an invoice number and matching cell number and that person, upon producing the original invoice won the Audi A3 Sportback.

Making the Ad The ad was shot on location in Boksburg, Gauteng. Call time on set was at 6:00am in the freezing Jo’burg cold, but things soon started to heat up as the action got under way. The Audi used for the shoot was fi tted with ContiSportContact 3, allowing the ad to also demonstrate the performance abilities of Continental tyres. From the dusty interior of a warehouse, to the wet, over a ramp and over concrete bumps, the tyres demonstrated their ability to handle the toughest conditions, experienced daily on SA’s roads.

So, after an exhausting day shooting a TV ad, announcing a great offer, showing the performance abilities of a great tyre brand, what was the outcome? We are pleased to say that as of October 2010, we have 3 very happy winners, here’s how they discovered their good fortune and the reactions each had!

The ContiPartner “Win an Audi” Competition

A BIG HIT!

Not a very nice thing to say to anyone, let alone your dad, especially after he’s won the fi rst Audi A3 Sportback in our Win a Audi Competition. The impassioned cry came from our winner – Professor Richard Pienaar’s son, on hearing his dad had won his dream car. But jealousy won’t get you one, buying 4 new Continental tyres could! So, will dad let him at least drive it? “Only if he asks nicely!”

It all happened one day, before heading down to Scottburgh, when the time fi nally came for the tyres on Professor Pienaar’s Toyota to roll into that great big scrapheap in the sky. And, after enquiring about all the replacement possibilities, he selected the brand he knew and trusted best – Continental tyres at Jody’s Tyres in Constantiakloof.

Once the choice had been made, and the 4 new tyres selected, the sales rep pointed out the fact that he now qualifi ed to enter the Win an Audi competition. Not being interested in competitions (except the odd Lotto ticket and raffl es for a good cause), he SMS-ed his invoice number and promptly forgot all about it. Until he got a call from Taryn Hatchuel , Client Service Director at Ebony+Ivory, telling him he’d won!“You know,” he muses, “I’ve always driven Toyotas, because my brother owned the Bryanston Toyota dealership years ago. And, I have always told my family that if I ever did decide to get a ‘nice’ car, it would defi nitely be an Audi.”

Third Audi A3 Sport Given Away to Disbelieving Winner

Shu’Aib Ismail didn’t want to enter the ContiPartner Win an Audi competition – he didn’t think he had a chance of winning the prize. So dealer Bashir Parker had to virtually force him to SMS his details for the competition.

The lesson is, even when you think you don’t stand a snowball’s hope in hell, just try...you never know. Because the unthinkable happened. Shu’Aib’s name came up as the winner of the third A3 give-away. “I can’t believe it!“ said Shu’Aib when told of his good fortune. When he came to collect his prize he added: “I can’t believe it...I still can’t believe it!“ As he climbed into his brand-spanking-new car at the ContiPartner dealership, he remarked: “You know, I just can’t believe it!“

But we think he fi nally started believing as he drove away because it was then that he started hooting like crazy, as only a proud new-car owner can.

Continental Tyre SA would like to thank all the ContiPartners who have supported this campaign and assisted to make it a success, without the dealers who sell the tyres a promotion of this scale would not have been possible.From everyone at Continental Tyre SA, happy holidays and drive safely!

WINNER 3: SHU’AIB ISMAIL CAPE TOWN

WINNER 2: DR.MOHAMMEDISMAIL DURBAN

WINNER 1: PROF. RICHARD PIENAARJOHANNESBURG

In giving his family’s vehicle a new lease on life by replacing its tyres, Dr. Ismail has found himself behind the steering wheel of a brand spanking new Audi A3 Sportback.

The good doctor, while sitting in front of his TV was reminded to change his tyres when he saw the ContiPartner TV ad. Since he’s always fi tted Continental tyres to his cars, Dr. Ismail visited Edge Tyres ContiPartner in Mt. Edgecombe the very next day, and bought his set of four Continental tyres, ably assisted by Andrea, the owner’s daughter. This of course qualifi ed him to enter the competition, but since the doctor had never won anything before he was a bit skeptical.

But, Andrea wasn’t letting him off that easy - she had a strong feeling that the next winner was going to come from Edge Tyres ContiPartner. She persuaded Dr. Ismail to SMS, which he reluctantly did, and the rest, as they say is history!

Being a doctor, nothing quite fazes Dr. Ismail, except winning an Audi! When we asked Dr. Ismail what was the best part of winning the car was, he replied, “That new car smell, of course!”

AOUR WINNERS!

The prognosis? We need new tyres, STAT!

“I hate you, I hate you, I hate you!”

EI 15040 SA Trends Advertorial D4.indd 1 11/30/10 3:50:53 PM

Regards,

Russel Stewart | Marketing ManagerContinental Tyres, South Africa

Volume 4 | April 2010

So you see, July is truly a month of great excitement! And with the World Cup reaching its end, I for one, am glad I have this great promotion to look forward to, to keep the end-of-soccer-blues away and continue the Continental brand exposure created through the biggest sporting event South Africa has seen!

Finally I would like to take this opportunity to thank all our valued partners for joining Continental Tyre at the FIFA World Cup matches and truly hope that Continental was able to provide a unique experience to be part of this special and once in a lifetime event.

Now, here’s where you come in:

The top dealer with the top sales figures (for Continental Tyres only) per month from any 10 stores across the country, will each receive R3000 charged on a Visa Card Voucher per month for 5 months!

PLUS!

The top sales person with the top sales figures (for Continental Tyres only) per month from each of the 150 stores countrywide will each receive R500 charged on a Visa Card Voucher per month for 5 months. All dealers will be contacted on the first working day of each month to nominate the top Continental sales person per month.

We’re giving everyone an equal opportunity to get as much out of this promotion as possible, so point-of-sale displays will be sent to you from 14 July 2010 until 20 July 2010.

But if you want to really give your competition a run for their money, and to ensure your dealership’s the winner, remind your customers to include your dealer code along with their invoice number to 32300. If your customers do not include your dealer number, we’ll have no way of knowing how to keep track of the sales figures. So, get them to SMS in-store, and get your staff to remind them to include your dealer number as well – there’s R500 in it for them if you win.

TM

From Continental’s Desk

Dear Valued Partners,

It seems that July 2010 is the month of great excitement! ContiPartner is about to become the best – loved and most talked about brand in South Africa, because we’re giving away 5 new Audi A3 Sportbacks! But, here’s where it gets even better: We’re running a cool Dealer campaign to up the stakes even more!

I know you are curious as to how this Dealer campaign will affect you or the daily running of your fitment centre. Don’t worry, it’s not difficult or as involved as you may think.

To recap on our main competition, which starts on 26 July 2010 and ends on 31 December 2010, your customer has to buy 4 new Continental tyres to qualify. Once they have paid for their tyres, you will issue them a standard invoice. The customer then SMS’s their name, your dealer number and their invoice number to 32300 to enter. It’s as easy as that! We mentioned in our June issue that we were creating a really awesome TV ad with the competition in mind, and I know you’re eager to see it. If you’re lucky, you can catch it on the 26th of July 2010 when it first flights. Just in case you miss it, CLICK HERE for a media schedule highlighting the channel and the time the ad will flight again.

great offer deserves a great TV ad, and that’s exactly what ContiPartner, together with their advertising agency, Ebony+Ivory, have done. “For too long, tyre retail ads were just that – retail ads all about the offer. It was all about the hard sell, the offer and a give-away to entice consumers to buy a brand of tyres in exchange for a gift. The challenge was to differentiate ContiPartner by building the brand while promoting an offer of premium quality and status, values that go hand in hand with the Continental brand. We believe this has been achieved!” exclaims Dieter Horni, Managing Director of Continental Tyre SA.

“At long last, tyre retail ads are becoming concept driven, and a measure of class and sophistication is being injected into the brand, and we are glad to be leading the fi eld in this regard,” added Russel Stewart, Marketing Manager for Continental Tyre SA.

So, what was the big idea? Buy a set of four Continental tyres, and stand a chance to win one of fi ve Audi A3 Sportbacks! An offer not yet seen in the South African tyre industry. The competition mechanics were very simple. Once the tyres were bought, the participant simply SMS-ed their invoice number to a short code. A random computer draw selected an invoice number and matching cell number and that person, upon producing the original invoice won the Audi A3 Sportback.

Making the Ad The ad was shot on location in Boksburg, Gauteng. Call time on set was at 6:00am in the freezing Jo’burg cold, but things soon started to heat up as the action got under way. The Audi used for the shoot was fi tted with ContiSportContact 3, allowing the ad to also demonstrate the performance abilities of Continental tyres. From the dusty interior of a warehouse, to the wet, over a ramp and over concrete bumps, the tyres demonstrated their ability to handle the toughest conditions, experienced daily on SA’s roads.

So, after an exhausting day shooting a TV ad, announcing a great offer, showing the performance abilities of a great tyre brand, what was the outcome? We are pleased to say that as of October 2010, we have 3 very happy winners, here’s how they discovered their good fortune and the reactions each had!

The ContiPartner “Win an Audi” Competition

A BIG HIT!

Not a very nice thing to say to anyone, let alone your dad, especially after he’s won the fi rst Audi A3 Sportback in our Win a Audi Competition. The impassioned cry came from our winner – Professor Richard Pienaar’s son, on hearing his dad had won his dream car. But jealousy won’t get you one, buying 4 new Continental tyres could! So, will dad let him at least drive it? “Only if he asks nicely!”

It all happened one day, before heading down to Scottburgh, when the time fi nally came for the tyres on Professor Pienaar’s Toyota to roll into that great big scrapheap in the sky. And, after enquiring about all the replacement possibilities, he selected the brand he knew and trusted best – Continental tyres at Jody’s Tyres in Constantiakloof.

Once the choice had been made, and the 4 new tyres selected, the sales rep pointed out the fact that he now qualifi ed to enter the Win an Audi competition. Not being interested in competitions (except the odd Lotto ticket and raffl es for a good cause), he SMS-ed his invoice number and promptly forgot all about it. Until he got a call from Taryn Hatchuel , Client Service Director at Ebony+Ivory, telling him he’d won!“You know,” he muses, “I’ve always driven Toyotas, because my brother owned the Bryanston Toyota dealership years ago. And, I have always told my family that if I ever did decide to get a ‘nice’ car, it would defi nitely be an Audi.”

Third Audi A3 Sport Given Away to Disbelieving Winner

Shu’Aib Ismail didn’t want to enter the ContiPartner Win an Audi competition – he didn’t think he had a chance of winning the prize. So dealer Bashir Parker had to virtually force him to SMS his details for the competition.

The lesson is, even when you think you don’t stand a snowball’s hope in hell, just try...you never know. Because the unthinkable happened. Shu’Aib’s name came up as the winner of the third A3 give-away. “I can’t believe it!“ said Shu’Aib when told of his good fortune. When he came to collect his prize he added: “I can’t believe it...I still can’t believe it!“ As he climbed into his brand-spanking-new car at the ContiPartner dealership, he remarked: “You know, I just can’t believe it!“

But we think he fi nally started believing as he drove away because it was then that he started hooting like crazy, as only a proud new-car owner can.

Continental Tyre SA would like to thank all the ContiPartners who have supported this campaign and assisted to make it a success, without the dealers who sell the tyres a promotion of this scale would not have been possible.From everyone at Continental Tyre SA, happy holidays and drive safely!

WINNER 3: SHU’AIB ISMAIL CAPE TOWN

WINNER 2: DR.MOHAMMEDISMAIL DURBAN

WINNER 1: PROF. RICHARD PIENAARJOHANNESBURG

In giving his family’s vehicle a new lease on life by replacing its tyres, Dr. Ismail has found himself behind the steering wheel of a brand spanking new Audi A3 Sportback.

The good doctor, while sitting in front of his TV was reminded to change his tyres when he saw the ContiPartner TV ad. Since he’s always fi tted Continental tyres to his cars, Dr. Ismail visited Edge Tyres ContiPartner in Mt. Edgecombe the very next day, and bought his set of four Continental tyres, ably assisted by Andrea, the owner’s daughter. This of course qualifi ed him to enter the competition, but since the doctor had never won anything before he was a bit skeptical.

But, Andrea wasn’t letting him off that easy - she had a strong feeling that the next winner was going to come from Edge Tyres ContiPartner. She persuaded Dr. Ismail to SMS, which he reluctantly did, and the rest, as they say is history!

Being a doctor, nothing quite fazes Dr. Ismail, except winning an Audi! When we asked Dr. Ismail what was the best part of winning the car was, he replied, “That new car smell, of course!”

AOUR WINNERS!

The prognosis? We need new tyres, STAT!

“I hate you, I hate you, I hate you!”

EI 15040 SA Trends Advertorial D4.indd 1 11/30/10 3:50:53 PM

C o n t i C o r n e r • 3 7

PROMOTION

We focus on excellence in every single tyre.In everything we do, we focus on providing superior quality and safety, on constant

innovations, environmentally friendly concepts and performance under the most

demanding conditions. But above all, we always focus on putting all our knowledge

and all our effort into every single tyre.

www.bridgestone.co.za

For your nearest Bridgestone Authorised Dealer, visit our website atBridgestone South Africa

DW

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S/5

1311

9

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CM

MY

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CMY

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BS_513119_Focus_SA_Treands_210x280.pdf 6/4/10 11:26:08 AM

What makes some shops stand the test

of time, despite tougher trading times and

growing competition from other entities in the

vicinity? With this question in mind, I head for

Brentwood Park Benoni where I’m about to

meet a family-owned retail store that’s been

in existence for more than 20 years.

D e a l e r P r o f i l e • 3 9

SUPA QUICK GETS SUPA CREATIVE

The Crouwkamps – Dolf, Elna, Chris

4 0 • D e a l e r P r o f i l e

Run by the Crouwkamp siblings, Dolf, Chris and Elna, the store – formerly

a Fastfit outlet – switched alliances 14 years ago as a means of securing

better buying power, and hasn’t looked back since. And this in spite of the

recent closure of some five opposition store in its surrounds.

Dolf says they owe their longevity mainly to the Supa Quick brand as well as

to their primary tyre supplier, Bridgestone-Firestone. Astoundingly, close

on 99 percent of total sales in this outfit are either Bridgestone or Firestone

as the Crouwkamps pretty much refuse to stock anything else.

I ask how he manages to remain competitive in today’s multi-brand

environment to which he responds: “I really don’t have the capacity to

carry stock of every singe tyre brand in every single size. Thankfully, we are

aligned to two premium well recognised brands in the market and as such,

we don’t encounter much resistance from customers. Of course, should

a customer come in to replace, say, one tyre, and wishes to match what’s

currently on the vehicle, we will make a plan.”

Dolf further explains that the trading climate is such that they really can’t

afford to turn away even a single sale.

he claims: “Gone are the boom years of the 80s and 90s. Consumers are

currently very strapped for cash, particularly as the recession is far from

over. Price is everything now, and you have to be able to accommodate

this dynamic without compromising on brand integrity or margins….not

an easy task!”

To counteract the margin erosion on tyre sales, Dolf and his team branched

out into a full fledged vehicle servicing some years ago, a move that has

proved extremely fruitful. On inspection, I was pleased to see that the

workshop was full to capacity and that every available lift was occupied. This

was also the case with the alignment bays. And much like the rest of the

franchise group, Dolf and his team also offer the full range of underbody

services including exhausts, brakes, batteries, shocks and Cv joints.

Adds Dolf: “Were it not for all these affiliated services which

enable us to sell up, I don’t know if we would still be in business.”

Of course the fact that the Crouwkamp family has been living

in the Benoni district for years and are active members of the

community, probably also has a lot to do with their ongoing

success….after all, people buy from people.

“It’s true,” claims Dolf. “We know everyone in the area and

everyone knows us. But it’s more than that. To us, the customer

is King… or Queen. We go out of our way to ensure that each

and every person visiting our store, irrespective of gender, age

or race, is treated in a courteous, friendly and respectful manner.

Customers are unlikely to support you in the future if their first

shopping experience is an unpleasant one, even if they know you.”

Dolf further claims that it’s critically important in this business for

store owners to regularly update their wheel alignment and wheel

balancing machines. “No dealership today can afford a come-

back of this nature. I always make sure that our machinery is in

tip-top shape and that all the machines are properly calibrated

and so far, I’m happy to say we have had very few come-backs.”

Interestingly, Supa Quick Benoni is one of few tyre fitment centres

to still offer on-vehicle wheel balancing, something which Dolf

also believes to be an important service.

When I ask him to name his biggest challenge to his business,

he reiterates that growing competition from rival brands remains

at the forefront of his concerns. That said, he’s obviously doing

something right……..well done on your achievements thus far

Crouwkamp family and here’s to the next 21 years!

A motivated staff force ensures each customer is greeted with a smile.

legendary racing driver Sarel van

der Merwe – founder and host of the

exhilarating annual event – was adamant

in his choice of tough new Wrangler AT/

SA tyres to carry the Spirit of Africa 2010

volkswagen Amarok vehicles.

van der Merwe lays out the routes, he’s

seen the soft sands of the red Kalahari

and white Namib dunes laugh at man and

machine ... but his trust in the Wranglers is

unshakable.

“These tyres are flexible, their tread is high, their grip is fantastic and they

have been engineered and built to endure extreme terrains. The Wranglers

have always performed brilliantly in the past and this year the new AT/SAs

have been as impressive as I expected.”

Myles Dent, Goodyear Manager Marketing and

Communications, said the exciting, fiercely competitive

was “the ideal playground for this unbeatable Wrangler

and the perfect opportunity to show off its exceptional

performance capabilities.”

Making it happen

While Goodyear was agreeing to partner with volkswagen

in the Spirit of Africa, the 23 Amaroks for the event were

still on a ship on their way to Port Elizabeth. When they

reached land, they needed to be stripped and specially

prepped by various suppliers.

Kevin Slabbert, National Sales Manager:

Consumer OE, said the Goodyear team rose

to the challenge, fitting and balancing the race-

ready Wrangler AT/SA tyres in just three of the

five available days.

“Goodyear’s Supply Chain and Production

areas pulled out the stops to ensure enough

tyres were produced in time. Once the

vehicles landed, we removed all the spare

wheels and used those to keep the vehicles on the go between suppliers.

“We finished with two days to spare, which gave the crew at vWSA extra

breathing time. It was a huge exercise accomplished thanks to a great team

effort by Wilberforce Madlingozi, Khaya Tsawu, Thembinkosi Thompson,

Chris Tye, Peter henning and myself.”

Three days into the Spirit of Africa, van der Merwe called to thank the

Goodyear team for their professional support and to report on how well the

tyres were performing in the tricky Kalahari conditions.

“volkswagen were so impressed with Goodyear’s excellent support and

product performance, that they requested we fit Wranglers to the Amarok

double-cabs starring in the television commercial. This was done by hi-Q

Cape Town’s Peter Alterskye and his team.”

It’s an action-packed commercial, in which van der Merwe and SA rally

hotshot Gugu Zulu follow a crow’s flight over vast, rough terrain. You can

see they’re having fun ... and little wonder that their tough, ‘go anywhere’

Amarok is perfectly teamed with rugged, ‘get there’ Goodyear tyres.

The Wrangler 265/65R17 AT/SAs used in the commercial are produced

in the Uitenhage plant. Wrangler is one of the brands fitted as original

equipment to the volkswagen Amarok.

“In the testing sandy

conditions we encounter

during Spirit of Africa,

there is no tyre to equal the

Goodyear Wranglers.”

SPIRIT OF AFRICA ROllS ON GOODYEAR WRANGlERS

4 2 • G o o d y e a r N e w s

After a decade of steady growth in Kenya, Goodyear has opened the doors

to further expansion with its first equity-owned retail store in busy Nairobi.

Simply called the Goodyear Fitment Centre, the well-groomed store is

ideally situated in large semi-industrial premises on the main road in from

the capital city’s airport. Managing Director of Goodyear Kenya, Jacques

Nell, said with pride that there was “no other tyre store like it in the country”.

“The store looks beautiful and we are really proud of it. Its opening created

excitement – we embarked on a two-month long marketing campaign

which paid off - and it has been exceptionally well received.”

Nell, who has been with Goodyear for more than 25 years, has been a

driving force in building the tyre import and distribution business over

the last ten years. Before leaving South Africa, his last position was that of

National Commercial Manager for Trentyre.

Goodyear Kenya deals directly with its agricultural and earthmover tyre

customers, while the company’s commercial arm, Tread Setters, takes

care of truck tyre customers and retreading facilities. Until recently,

Goodyear passenger tyres were sold only through a network of about 200

independent dealers in Kenya.

“Quite simply”, he explained, “demand for Goodyear products has grown

bigger than our distribution network. There are only so many independent

FANTASTIC FIRST RETAIl STORE FOR NAIROBI

dealers in Kenya and the two big competition groups here have their own

branches.

“Opening our own retail store is the first step towards a bigger future for

Goodyear Kenya. One consideration was whether we would upset our

established dealer network, but most of the independent distributors have

a shared Goodyear identity so there has been no clash of interests.”

In atmospherics, the new one-stop Goodyear Fitment Centre may be

compared to South Africa’s hi-Q dealerships. The interior is spacious,

stylishly illuminated and well appointed, with touches of aluminium and

light grey décor elements giving the store a polished, clinical feel.

Along with tyre products and services, the centre also offers attention

to batteries and suspension. The wheel alignment machine and other

undercarriage equipment are state of the art.

“The Fitment Centre’s staff of eight have been put through their paces with

both technical and customer service training. Customers should hardly

have finished their free, steaming cup of coffee when they are on their way

out again. This is a uniquely positive tyre retail and service experience for

Kenyan customers. ”

Kenya’s enthusiastic Goodyear Fitment Centre staff, from left: Carl Badenhorst(General Manager), Brian Mboga (Fitter), Emmanuel Owino (Fitter), Jayne Wangui (Customer Care), Ruksana Kassam (Branch Manager), Faith Ogutu (Customer Care), John Maina (Fitter) and Stephen Anekeya (Fitter), with Jacques Nell (Managing Director, Goodyear Kenya).

With the reliability you get from Bandag, your fleet can take on anything. www.bandag.co.za

8182 Bandag Strip Ad.indd 3 5/15/08 4:39:38 PM

In a fast paced environment, we are faced with change, new options and

constant innovation. It is safe to say that Bandag has kept up with these

demands and has consistently adapted to changing customer needs

through constant product and service innovation, offering fleets options

that not only suit their needs but deliver optimum value while doing it.

The Bandag Application Specific® product range is just one of these.

With original Bandag designs and proven rubber compounds that have

outperformed its closest rivals, you can be rest assured that Bandag’s

Application Specific® product range is designed to deliver premium quality

and best in class performance.

launched just over ten years ago, the Application Specific® range has

grown steadily and now offers eight original tread designs, many of which

have been copied because of their superior performance at fleet level.

The Application Specific® tread range caters for all your transport needs

by providing a comprehensive range for longhaul, Regional and On/off

road applications.

After a decade of performance validation for

the Application Specific® range and as part

of Bandag’s continued focus on its premium

product offering, a renewed logo has been

launched to not only identify these products,

but to also stamp Bandag’s approval on them

as best in class for their specific application. In

addition, the new logo emphasises that products

in this range are original tread patterns, which are

exclusively, Designed by Bandag.

One such Application Specific® product is BMS (Bandag Mixed Service).

BMS has rapidly become Bandag’s champion product proving to be

a nemesis for previously established designs. So much so that it is

outperforming Bandag’s reputable BZY tread design. Tests conducted by

Bandag show up to a 25% better performance using BMS as opposed to BZY.

This level of product performance is testimony to Bandag’s commitment to

lowering fleet operating costs, making you more competitive!

But, don’t take their word for it, contact your nearest Bandag or BTS

Franchisee and take the Bandag Challenge! For a list of franchisees or to

contact Bandag, visit www.bandag.co.za

New logo for Bandagapplication

specific treads

4 4 • B a n d a g N e w s

T a l k i n g T y r e s • 4 7

The tyre industry undoubtedly despises

the notion that tyres are a grudge

purchase, but for Mr and Mrs Average

that’s what they typically are. But it’s

the quality of service rendered that

determines the outcome By Colin Mileman

Customer ServiceMore than skin deep

If the latest tyre survey done by Bridgestone is anything to go

by, South Africans have, on the balance of probabilities, started

paying marginally more attention to the condition of their tyres.

According to Bridgestone, there has been a positive trend with

more motorists maintaining suitable tyre pressures, and driving on

legally compliant rubber – but the picture is still overwhelmingly,

tragically gloomy.

“Although there appears to have been a general improvement

since we started the surveys, the statistics remain alarming,”

said Bridgestone’s public relations manager Mandy lovell. “Too

many motorists are not checking their tyre pressures regularly or

replacing worn or damaged tyres.

4 8 • G o o d y e a r N e w s

“In 11 surveys conducted around the country since 2007, during which

more than 16 000 tyres on over 4 000 vehicles have been inspected in

eight major metropolitan areas, just over 78 percent of all the vehicles

inspected were at or above the acceptable tyre pressure level of 1.8 Bar,”

the report states.

Indeed, the most recent survey, conducted in Rustenburg, revealed that

some 20 percent of the cars tested had tyre pressures of below 1.8 Bar,

and a disturbing eight percent of these were lower than 1.5 Bar.

I’m sorry, but I just don’t get it! Aside from service costs and petrol, tyres

represent the biggest running cost on a car. I recently had to replace the

tyres on my wife’s Renault Clio, and that took a not insubstantial R2 000

chunk out of our bank account. And my car’s much more expensive tyres

are worryingly teetering on the brink of replacement too …

Yet it’s alarming to witness how many people are driving around oblivious

to the fact that one or more of their car’s tyres are not just marginally below

pressure, but nearly flat!

We know all too well that people seem disturbingly dismissive of the

dire safety implications. But it boggles the mind that they’re equally

unconcerned about the hole that’s being burned in their pockets as the

available life span of the tyre evaporates in a haze of heat, rim-pounding

flex and flailing rubber.

Come on – it doesn’t take an engineering degree to spot a tyre that’s

running low, and we need to get people into the habit of taking a cursory

glance every time they walk towards their car. Next stop, regular pressure

checks.

Back to the grudge purchase. I did lots of shopping around for the Clio’s

new tyres, and found discrepancies of as much as R100 per tyre for exactly

the same item. All good as I saved over R600 with wheel alignment and

balancing factored in.

On that topic, it was surprising to find that some multi-branded franchises

charge nearly double the price for alignment and nail you per wheel for

balancing, where ‘my’ shop offered free balancing in the cheaper purchase

price and a much more reasonable alignment fee.

I thought I had done a fantastic job, but my wife was less than enamoured

with my choice of tyre outlet, located way off her beaten track, down down

downtown …

Admittedly, despite being a manufacturer-approved fitment centre, it lacked

the flash and sophistication of the modern suburban retailer we traditionally

4 8 • T a l k i n g T y r e s

Colin Mileman is a freelance motoring journalist,

photographer and advanced driving specialist with over

13 years of experience in this field. As a former editor of

Topcar and Topbike magazines, he’s as enthusiastic about

cars and bikes as they come, and has extensive knowledge

of all motoring-related matters, including the topic of tyres,

having run the annual and highly regarded Topcar tyre tests

for several years.

visited. It seemed locked in the dark ages, with a noisy, somewhat grimy

reception area and cars constantly nudging past. This certainly didn’t

compare favourably to the refined serenity of a glass-divided carpeted

lounge with complementary coffee and cold water on tap, matched to a

broad selection of crisp newspaper and magazine titles to peruse.

Not surprisingly, we handed over the keys, left our details and abandoned

the scene hoping for the best. Call one arrived well under an hour later to

clarify the model year, the tyres were already done and wheel alignment

was in progress. We hadn’t even had time to have a coffee and call two

notified us that the car was ready.

It was a case of promises delivered, and more. The tyre replacement and

wheel alignment were executed perfectly, the invoice explained in detail

and, fortunately, there were no unbudgeted add-ons – considering that

we’ve often landed up paying hundreds more for the bewildering array of

‘added value’ extras currently on offer.

To sum it all up we left pleasantly surprised, and I felt somewhat vindicated

that my downtown choice was anything but down in the dumps.

It proved that the concept of customer service and many years of retail

experience go well beyond a fancy façade or a lavish lounge – and that our

hard-earned extra R600 would have done little more than fund the latter …

W o r l d N e w s • 4 9

Blacktech X 12/6/10 3:00 PM Page 1

Composite


5 0 • W o r l d N e w s

hANKOOK ANNOUNCES SIXTh GlOBAl MANUFACTURING PlANT IN ChINAHankook has announced that it will build its sixth global manufacturing

plant in Liang Jiang Xin Qu in the Chongqing Municipal of China, investing

US$954 million in the project, which will cover approximately 53

000sqm. It will break ground in the first quarter of 2011 and is expected

to be completed by the end of 2015. Upon completion, the plant will

produce a total number of 11.5 million passenger car and truck and

bus tyres, generating sales of US$1 billion annually, according to the

company. It will also create about 4 600 new jobs in the region.

The newest plant, hankook’s third in China, is expected to solidify its

current global position particularly in the Chinese market, boosting its

production scale to become the world’s fifth largest tyre company within

a few years, the Korean manufacturer stated. The agreement indicates

the company’s ongoing growth strategy to establish a solid production

platform, a company statement said. (www.tyrepress.com)

CONTI GIvES EMPlOYEES A CASh ‘ThANK YOU’As a means of thanks for their contribution to the company’s recovery

from the recession, Continental AG’s 146 000 employees worldwide

will receive a one-off payment.

Executive Board member responsible for human resources, heinz-

Gerhard Wente, announced that a total of 45 million euros has been

set aside for this purpose. “After the serious economic and financial

crises last year, our employees throughout the world demonstrated their

commitment, working hard to contribute substantially to Continental’s

speedier-than-expected recovery,” he said. “In recognition of this

commitment, the Executive Board decided on the one-off payment for

the spring of 2011, even though the company is still facing several major

challenges.” Exactly how much an employee will receive depends on

where he or she lives, however. While Continental’s 45 000 workers in

Germany will receive 400 euros, those employed in lands with ‘lower

living costs’ will receive only 200 euros. (www.tyrepress.com)

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has

applauded the Goodyear Tyre & Rubber Company for developing

the airless tyre, capable of transporting large, long-range vehicles

across the surface of celestial bodies.

The tyre, developed last year, is constructed out of 800 load bearing

springs and is designed to carry much more than the wire mesh

GOODYEAR AND NASA hONOURED FOR INNOvATIvE ‘SPRING’ TYREtyre (which Goodyear also contributed to) that was previously used on

the Apollo lunar module, so as to allow for broader exploration and the

eventual development and maintenance of planetary outposts.

The Spring Tyre was installed last year on NASA’s lunar Electric Rover test

vehicle and put through its paces at the Space Center in houston where it

performed successfully. (Goodyear Tyre & Rubber holdings)

Italian tyre firm Pirelli, will supply all the Formula One teams from 2011-

2013 with six types of tyres: four for dry weather, one for rain and one

intermediate tyre.

Pirelli, which has supplied tyres exclusively for the GP3 championship

this year, will also supply the GP2 championship from 2011, thereby

becoming the sole provider of tyres for the most prestigious single-seater

championships in global motorsport.

The FIA (Federation Internationale de l’Automobile), the Teams, represented

by FOTA (the Formula One Teams Association) and Formula One’s

organising body, represented by FOM (Formula One Management) have

chosen Pirelli as their exclusive supplier, based on the specific proposals

from the Italian company to guarantee technical and operational stability to

the competitors.

Pirelli’s return to Formula One also has a firm eye on the future, as in full

collaboration with all the teams, research into new tyre developments is a

vital part of this exciting programme.

Pirelli is planning to make important investments in corporate

communications, in order to make the most of the high profile and

cutting-edge technology that go hand in hand with supplying Formula

One, using resources and budget that has already been set aside for this

purpose.

Consequently, Formula One will become a vital calling card for the Pirelli

brand, helping its commercial and industrial expansion without disrupting

the company’s long-term financial strategy.

The global visibility guaranteed through extensive media interest in F1,

together with dynamic plans to leverage Pirelli’s involvement in an activity

central to the company’s core business, represents a unique opportunity

for the brand to maximise its return on investment.

(Pirelli Tyres, Milan)

PIREllI CONFIRMED AS EXClUSIvE F1 SUPPlIER FROM 2011

CHEM

V

U L CC

HEM

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5 2 • C o m p e t i t i o n / S u b s c r i p t i o n

Please address your competition entries and subscriptions to: Sky Publications cc, PO Box 702, Douglasdale, 2165,

or Fax entries to: (011) 658 0010 (only one per person please)

or enter online at www.satreads.co.za

Congratulations!to our previous competition winner

Tayob Hameville of Brucedondas, Cape Town whose correct answer wins him a set of tyres or wheels to the value of R5000 from Autoquip.

Win…… a 2011

Pirelli Calendar!

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sa treads dec 2010

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