western rubber group handling scrap tires every step of ... · recycled into tire derived products...

volume 6 / Number 3 / june 2009 / $4,95

w w w. a u t o s p h e r e . c a

PM

400

1410

5

Handling Scrap Tires Every Step of the Way

Western Rubber Group

Mike Roberge

SAMPLE SIZES

Atlas Tire Wholesale Inc.

6290 SHAWSON DRIVEMISSISSAUGA, ON L5T 1H5TELFAX

(905) 670-9791(905) 670-0581

140 McLEVIN AVE., # 6 & 7SCARBOROUGH, ON M1B 3V1TELFAX

(416) 292-8202(416) 292-8177

[email protected]

IDEAL FITMENTS FOR:

ChevroletHyundai Nissan Toyota

Saturn

Highway All-Season light truck and SUV tire Symmetric independent block tread design Its tread blocks and all-season tread compound were developed to

provide traction on dry, wet and light snow-covered roads Twin steel belts to stabilize the tread area and a polyester cord body

to help cushion the ride. Uni-T Technology 100,000 Kilometer Treadwear Limited Warranty

DUELER H/T (D684 II)

Purchase via your Car Manufacturer / Bridgestone National Account Programs

TIRE DEALERS:Competitive prices on direct billing.

ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT & RUN-FLAT TIRES:We maintain a large and comprehensive inventory to meet all your requirements.

NATIONWIDE SERVICE:Competitive shipping across Canada. E-mail us for our freight policy and toll freecontact numbers.

B2B WEBSITE - VIEW INVENTORY AND PLACE ORDERS:Visit www.tiredistribution.com and register today.

Additional Sizes Available

Limited Treadwear WarrantyLimited duration replacement with comparable new Bridgestone tire at pro-rated cost ifwarranted kilometers not attained; actual tread life may vary. Certain limitations andrestrictions apply. See authorised retailer for full warranty details before you purchase.

CAR DEALERS:

LIGHT TRUCK

GMHonda

YOUR SOURCE FOR BRIDGESTONE TIRES

MazdaFordDodge

LT245/75R16 120/116REP215/70R16 99SP235/70R16 104T245/70R16 106S265/70R16 111SP235/65R16 101S235/60R16 100HP265/70R17 113SP265/65R17 110SP235/60R17 100SP255/70R18 112TP265/65R18 112SP275/65R18 114TP235/60R18 102HP285/60R18 114V

where applicable.

f e at u R e s

14 16 2410 Coming to Ontario

Duret & Landry Expands

12 Be Informed! Nitrogen Tire Inflation

14 Western Rubber Group: Handling Scrap Tires Every Step of the Way Focusing on Efficiency Fosters Success for B.C.’s Largest Tire Recycler

22 Tirecraft: Stronger Than Ever and Growing Quickly Unwavering Entrepreneurial Spirit Drives the Brand to Success

24 TPMS: It’s Here, and It’s Still a Challenge Tools and Education Top Our Experts’ Lists

26 Economic Downturn Survival Tips

27 Another MRT Plant in North America Pneus Bélisle Opens a New Retread Plant in Quebec

28 Inventory Management—Know It, Track It, Sell It Don’t Be Stuck With Cash on Your Shelf

29 Management The Challenge of Change

30 Product Life Cycle Starting at the End

R e G u l a R s

4 Editorial Good News!

6 Industry News

8, 9 New Products

14, 15, 16, 17 Tire Recycling

18, 19, 20, 21 Commercial Tires

29 Advertisers

Contents June 2009

C O V e R s t O R Y

| www.autosphere.ca | June 2009 | Tire News | 3

Rémy L. Rousseau [email protected]

Publisher Rémy L. Rousseau

Contributing Editors François Charron, Éric Descarries, Jack Kazmierski, Jil McIntosh

Copy Editor Shirley Brown [email protected]

Production Olivier Rhême [email protected] Valérie St-Cyr [email protected]

Circulation Manager Nancy Belleville [email protected]

Administration Wendy Allain [email protected] Danielle Boivin [email protected]

Advertising Nathalie Plouffe 416-925-5665 [email protected]

Luc Champagne 514-945-1299 [email protected]

Réjean A. Rousseau 450-649-9007 [email protected]

Subscription 1 year: $19.95 2 years: $34.95 3 years: $49.95

Published by Publications Rousseau 2938, terrasse Abénaquis Longueuil QC, J4M 2B3 T: 450-448-2220 F: 450-448-1041 [email protected] www.autosphere.ca

Tire News Magazine is dedicated to serving the business interests of the Canadian tire industry. It is published seven times a year by Publications Rousseau & Associés Inc., a member of AIA Canada.

Material in Tire News Magazine may not be reproduced in any form without written consent from the publisher. The publisher reserves the right to refuse any advertising and disclaims all responsibilities for claims or statements made by its advertisers or independent columnists. All facts, opinions and statements appearing within this publication are those of the writers and editors themselves, and are in no way to be construed as statements, positions or endorsements by Publications Rousseau & Associés Inc.

Publications Mail Agreement 40014105. Return undelivrable Canadian addresses to Publications Rousseau / Circulation Department, 2938 terrasse Abenaquis, suite 110, Longueuil, QC J4M 2B3

ISSN 1710-4211

PRINTED IN CANADA

T he need to recycle and reduce our waste has reached a crescendo in recent years. Our planet and our environment have

suffered greatly within the last hundred years or so, and it’s time to make changes.

The good news is that now, more than ever, businesses, governments, and individuals are getting into the spirit. Green is in, and it looks like there’s no turning back. That’s certainly good news.

Ontario’s good newsOntario has finally joined the rest of the country with a tire stewardship program, scheduled to come online later this year. According to the plan, both on-road and off-road tires will be diverted away from burning and landfills to be reused and recycled into tire derived products such as under-the-hood automotive products, flooring, sports fields, play and construction-related equipment and materials. That’s good news.

The program promises to manage the over 12 million tires sold in Ontario annually and includes an aggressive three-year plan to eliminate the over 2.8 million stockpiled tires across Ontario.

Good News!The past few months may have

been grim, but there’s hope in

the air fueled by a steady

stream of good news.

Economic good newsI’ve been speaking with businesspeople from a variety of industries and the consensus seems to be that we’re seeing new life being breathed into our economy. Some have said that it feels like a switch has been flipped, creating a sudden surge in the demand for their goods and services for the first time in many months.

Although this good economic news is to a large extent anecdotal, it is backed by eco-nomic data such as a decrease in the net loss of jobs in Canada (latest reports actually show that we’re creating jobs in Canada), an increase in the number of resale homes, and a slowdown in the decrease in consumer spending in the U.S.—the economic engine of the world.

You’ve probably also noticed that stock mar-kets are steadily improving with the index creeping upward at a somewhat steady pace. The bottom seems to have come and gone and investment portfolios are starting to claw their way out of the red.

I’m not saying that we’ve recovered from the economic slump and that the future is rosy, but good news like this is nice to hear, and it’s certainly better than the gloom and doom that’s been in the news in recent history.

If you’d like to see the news getting even bet-ter, I challenge you, as a business owner and consumer to make it happen. Start investing in your business and in yourself. The worst is hopefully behind us, and the time has come to ramp up for increased activity in the com-ing months. That is certainly good news.

For more great news, be sure to log onto Canada’s only comprehensive automotive business portal: www.autosphere.ca.

ediTorial

4 | Tire News | June 2009 | www.autosphere.ca |

California shops now required to check tire pressure

California’s air resources Board (arB) has adopted a regulation that will require auto-motive maintenance facilities in the state to check the tire pressure of every vehicle they service.

effective July 1, 2010, the ruling will affect about 40,000 service providers, in-cluding smog check stations, engine repair facilities, and oil service providers. it does not include car washes, body and paint fa-cilities, or glass repair businesses.

The ruling is part of the Global Warming Solutions act, signed in 2006, which re-quires the arB to implement strategies to reduce the state’s greenhouse gas contribu-tions. The new measure has been regulated partly to address older vehicles that don’t have TPMS, which was mandated in the U.S. for all new vehicles beginning September 1, 2007.

Equip Auto 2009

This fall, the 18th international equip auto aftermarket tradeshow, which occurs every two years, will take place at the Parc des expositions Paris-Nord. More than 2,000 ex-hibitors will display parts, accessories, tools, and state-of-the-art maintenance equipment for all vehicle makes and models. Conferen-ces and meetings on new technologies will also be offered to automotive service and autobody professionals, distributors, dealers, and fleet managers. www.equipauto.com

The WCTD Has Moved!

Since May 1, WCTd’s new address is 948 Jim Common drive N., Sherwood Park, al-berta, T8H 1Y3. Created in 1962, Western Canada Tire dealers gathers more than 950 tire dealers throughout British Columbia, alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, western ontario, Yukon, and the Northwest Territor-ies. www.wctd.ca

Erratumon page 10 of the april issue 2009, you

should have read that the Michelin Harmony tire is an all season tire, not a summer tire.

Ontario Environment Minister Approves Used Tire Plan

The ontario Minister of the environment, the Honorable John Gerretsen, put the stamp of ap-proval on the ontario Used Tire Program Plan.

The Used Tire Program Plan will implement a managed scrap tire solution for on-road/off-road tires supplied into the ontario market, diverting these tires away from burning and landfills to 3r’s processing that will see them reused and recycled into tire derived products (TdPs) such as under-the-hood automotive products, flooring, sports fields, play ground surfaces, and construction-related equipment and materials.

The program will manage all 12 million tires sold in ontario annually, and will track the tires from collection at over 10,000 points across the province to their sale as tire-derived products. it includes an aggressive 3-year plan to eliminate the approximately 2.8 million stockpiled tires in 90 sites across ontario.

Glenn Maidment, president of the ontario Tire Stewardship (oTS) Board, said they were very pleased with the decision to use the program plan. He added, “in approving the Plan, the Min-ister facilitates significant investment in ontario businesses handling used tires in environment-ally-beneficial ways, creating jobs and a green economy for future generations of ontarians.”

The program will inject over $22 million into the ontario-based scrap tire processing indus-try in the first year, supporting ontario-based processors as they invest in their businesses to increase capacity, adopt new scrap tire pro-cessing technologies, and create new “green” jobs in the Province.

Pirelli and Michelin to Equip the Porsche Panamera

The new Panamera sports sedan by Porsche will come equipped with Pirelli and Michelin performance tires. The base model of this exotic automobile, which will go on sale next fall, will come with Pirelli PZero 245/50Zr18 up front and 275/45Zr18 at the rear. Pirelli also an-nounced that 255/45Zr19 and 285/40Zr19 sizes are under development. The top-of-the-line Turbo version of the Panamera will come with Michelin Pilot Sport PS2 summer tires, 255/45Zr19 at the front and 285/Zr40 at the rear. an optional set of Michelins will be avail-able with 255/40Zr20 front and 295/35Zr20 at the rear. Porsche also approved Michelin Pilot alpin Pa3 winter radial for the 19-inch wheels while it has chosen Pirelli’s Winter240 Sottozero Serie ii for the 18- and 20-inch wheels.

The NAPA 5000 RallyNaPa will not only be sponsoring the

NaSCar Nationwide race in Montreal next august, it will also be involved with the NaPa 5000 rally that will start on august 13 in Calgary and end in Montreal on august 26 as part of the NaSCar race festivities. Five teams of chosen mechanics, each repre-senting a Canadian region (B.C., Prairies, on-tario, Quebec, and Maritimes), will cover some 5,000 km while stopping at specific places to go through mechanical tests on chosen cars. The winning team will get a $15,000 Grand Prize. registration for the contest can be found at www.rallynapa5000.ca.

Europe Closer to New Tire Labels

legislation that would require new labels on all tires sold in the european Union has been backed by the european Parliament and will go to voting by the member states. if ap-proved, labels will be required by November 2012, indicating the tire’s fuel economy, wet grip and noise emissions.

a fuel-efficiency classification will rate per-formance from a for best, to G for worst. There is also an obligation for suppliers to provide a fuel savings calculator on their web-sites for consumers. a “low-noise mark” of a tire wearing earmuffs will appear if rolling noise is kept below a certain decibel level.

european tire manufacturers have asked for unified measures, which would apply to passenger car and light- and heavy-duty tires. The european Commission will also set specific requirements for winter tires, and stipulates that Member States may only pro-vide incentives for tires ranked at least “Class C” on fuel efficiency and wet grip.

iNdUSTrY NeWS

phot

o: G

uilla

ume

Desc

arrie

s


cp napa Apr15.indd 1 5/11/09 7:26:31 AM

Nitrogen Tire InflatorThe new NitroFill e-170 is a mobile all-

in-one generator/inflator that’s fast and easy to use. it has advanced PSa technology—no membrane, no tank, no battery or charger, no other equipment is required.

it’s the perfect unit for almost every applica-tion and has an amazing 8 CFM rating. it con-verts up to 6 tires to NitroFill simultaneously at the touch of a button. it provides instant and uninterrupted flow with guaranteed purity up to 99.9%. each unit comes fully assem-bled—just plug it in!

For more information, contact Wayward Tools by phone: 705-359-1508 or www.way-wardtools.com, [email protected].

TPMS Repair Kit

You need to be able to repair tire pressure monitoring systems, as many vehicles have it and more will follow. These systems fail because of valve leaks, seal leaks, because the battery in the sensor dies, or the valve core snaps off.

These kits are important because the valve stem type TPMS sensors require installation of new hardware whenever a tire is changed. You lose the ability to service a wheel if you do not have the kits in stock.

The kit contains a new seal; seal washer; valve nut; valve cap and nickel-plated core.

Call your dorman representative at 416-521-9979, email [email protected] or go to www.dormanproducts.com.

Dunlop Introduces Five New Productsdunlop, a division of Goodyear, is launching five new products. These new tires were first

unveiled at the SeMa show last November—they are…• The SP Sport Signature all-season performance tire with Hydro-Paddle technology avail-

able in 26 sizes for wheels from 15 to 20 inches, from 65 to 35 aspect ratio;

• The Signature CS, a performance tire designed for crossover vehicles available in 11 sizes for wheels from 16 to 18 inches in the 70 to 55 aspect ratio;

• The high performance SP Sport Maxx TT, featuring duPont Kevlar reinforced sidewalls in 35 sizes for wheels from 16 to 22 inches in the 55 to 35 ratios;

• The SP Sport Maxx GT ultra-high performance, available in 14 sizes for wheels from 17 to 19 inches in the 45 to 30 aspect ratio;

• The Rover M/T Maxx Traction on- and off-road tire for light trucks and SUVs, available in 17 sizes for wheels from 16 to 22 inches; these new rovers feature the Multi-Pitch Tread design.

New Products

signature signature Cs Maxx tt Maxx Gt Rover M/t Maxx traction

Toyo Introduces Two Proxes Tires

The Canadian division of Toyo Tire has un-veiled two new Proxes tires:

• The extreme performance R1R for sports coupes and sedans. recognizable by its large footprint, this tire will provide great handling. Note the dynamic arrow-head tread pattern for water drainage and performance on wet pavement. This product will be offered in sizes fitting 15- to 18-inch diameter wheels.

• The Proxes ST II, a high performance SUV, sport truck, and crossover tire recognizable by its directional tread pattern featuring a five variable-pitch shoulder for reduced noise emission. This tire will be available in V, W and Y speed ratings for 16- to 26-inch wheels.

Dunlop Unveils a New Winter Tire

it’s not winter yet, but dunlop is planning ahead by unveiling a new winter tire for the 2009-2010 season—the Graspic DS-3. Fea-turing silica based fibre tread and Miura-shaped sipings, the new Graspic dS-3 will be available in 35 sizes for 13- to 18-inch wheels in the 70 to 50 series, all with Q speed rating.

Yokohama’s ADVAN Neova AD08 Hits the Market

The adVaN Neova ad08 is an updated version of Yokohama’s adVaN Neova ad07, known since 2006 as “the fastest street tire.” The all-new adVaN ad08, available in 32 siz-es ranging from 15 to 19 inches, is designed for a variety of premium sports cars and sedans, including Porsche, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, lexus, and others. extensive testing reveals the Neova ad08’s dis-tinct advancements in four key areas: dry grip, wet grip, ride comfort, and noise level.

Graspic Ds-3

Proxes st II

Proxes R1R


TPM Electronic Torque WrenchThe new oTC TPM electronic Torque Wrench designed specifically

for use on TPM sensor nuts, will cover torque requirements from 10-120 inch-pounds. Current TPM sensor nut torque requirements range from 12-106 inch-pounds and conventional torque wrenches don’t cover this range in a single wrench.

other key features designed specifically for TPM sensor applications include slide bar for quickly setting the torque requirements, indexing head for spinning the nut down easily, and flashing led light with audible beep when torque limit has been met. Specifically designed to torque TPMS sensors to specification, this 1/4-inch drive wrench features an indexing head for use in any position. The indexing head allows for use straight to spin nut down quickly, then rotates to 90° position for torque and leverage. 1-800-533-6127 / www.otctools.com

Hankook Expanding I*Pike RW11 Winter Tire Sizes

Hankook Tire Canada Corp. is introducing 26 additional tire sizes for its i*Pike rW11 winter tire—including 12 new lT

Metric winter tire sizes—to offer a more complete line of lT-metric winter tire sizes.

The line was picked for expansion in response to a recent increase in demand for both P-Metric and lT-Metric winter tires in North america. ac-cording to the raC, the market has seen a huge growth in year-to-year sales in 2008 of more than 50% percent.

The i*Pike rW11, Hankook’s newest high per-formance studdable winter SUV and light Truck tire, is now available in 37 different sizes ranging

from 13 to 20 inches in diameter. i*Pike rW11 embodies Hankook’s Kontrol Technology to provide

enhanced benefits to customers by applying the high-est standards of quality in terms of safety, comfort, performance hand-ling and environmental friendliness.

Award Winning OTC Tool KitNamed one of the Top Five 2009 after-

market Products by the Heavy duty after-market Journal in USa, the oTC 5195 Wheel Stud installer/remover Kit was se-lected because of its innovative design and ease of use. The tool will save you time and money while allowing shop technicians to quickly and effortlessly remove and install

wheel studs, calipers, or axles on virtually any Class 7 or 8 heavy vehicle wheel hub. www.otctools.com

ARTIGLIO 50

FOR INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT MR. ERIC LANDRY

800-663-0814

Importer of CORGHI products in Canada

CORGHI INvESTS IN TECHNOLOGY, DuRET & LANDRY INvESTS IN SERvICE!

DO YOu wANT TO SEE A RuN-FLAT TIRE MOuNTED AND DISMOuNTED IN

1 MINuTE 46?COME SEE OuR PROMOTIONAL vIDEO ON OuR NEw wEbSITE,

www.DuRETLANDRY.COM.

A mobile unitBeginning this summer, this Laval-based organisation will have its own mobile unit on Ontario roads. Tire businesses will thus be able to get to know more about the Corghi products distributed by Duret & Landry.

Corghi expert Thierry Lefebvre, a know-ledgeable bilingual Duret & Landry Sales manager, will be travelling through Ontario with his Dodge Sprinter mobile unit demonstrating the unique capabilities of the Corghi Artiglio 50 unit and other related products. Tire businesses inter-ested in the tire changing machine can witness how quickly it works on www.auto-

sphere.ca in the French section, under the “Pneumatique” tab. According to Vice President Eric Landry, it will take 1:46 minutes to change a run-flat tire with the Artiglio 50 while it might take more than 5 or 6 minutes to do so with a regular tire changing machine… if it can even handle the job!

But why a mobile unit instead of a fixed address unit? “A mobile unit is the key to success,” points out Landry. “Tire business people do not necessarily have the time to travel to see how a machine works. We have to go to them!”

A unique machineThe Corghi Artiglio 50 is a sophisticated yet rugged piece of equipment made to handle just about any size and shape of

wheel and tire without any effort from the technician and without any damage to the wheel or the tire. Bars are not even neces-sary! But it will do the job faster, safer, and better than any other competitive machine.

Duret & Landry’s people are well aware that Ontario does not go through a similar tire rush as Quebec tire dealers do in fall when the time comes to switch to winter tires. Yet, with so many cars requiring a professional service in Canada’s most populated prov-ince, the tire equipment supplier knows very well what kind of help is needed.

Ontario tire dealers—expect to see Duret & Landry’s Sprinter very soon in your area. Lefebvre will show you how the Artiglio 50 works. But be prepared—you may never have seen such a great machine before. Lefebvre can be reached at 416-902-5663 or [email protected].

www.duretlandry.com

Coming to Ontario

Duret & Landry Expands duret & landry is a very respected name in Quebec’s tire industry. For years, it has been pro-

viding local tire businesses with some of the best tire changing machines in the world, italian

Corghi products, of which it is the exclusive Canadian distributor. duret & landry also has a

good market base in Western Canada. But for some reason, the market in ontario seems to

have bypassed duret & landry’s services.

Éric Descarries [email protected]

Phot

os: É

ric D

esca

rrie

s

expect to see an incredible demonstration of the Corghi artiglio 50 tire changing machine by lefebvre.

thierry lefebvre is Duret & landry’s new Ontario sales manager.


Pilot ProjectIn 2006, a pilot project funded by Transport Canada showed that inflating truck tires with Nitrogen resulted in a 4 to 6% fuel economy and extended tire life (see figures below).

True or False1- Unlike air, Nitrogen does not compress in

cold weather.q TrUE q FALSE

2- Major tire manufacturers unanimously recommend the use of Nitrogen.

q TrUE q FALSE

3- Nitrogen molecules are bigger than air molecules, which reduces the risks of pressure loss by permeability.

q TrUE q FALSE

4- It is not necessary to check tire pressure regularly if it is inflated with Nitrogen.

q TrUE q FALSE

5- Nitrogen can only be purchased in gas bottles.

q TrUE q FALSE

Be Informed!

Nitrogen Tire InflationWhat reasons can one put forward to convince a client to inflate his tires with Nitrogen

instead of air? environmental protection? Fuel savings? longer-lasting tires? The benefits

of using Nitrogen are many, as you will see.

François Charron [email protected]

Figure 1Fuel consumption

Figure 2Actual tire wear (new and retread casings)

Did you know…?• Airismadeupof78%Nitrogen,a

non-flammable inert gas.

• Racecardriversaswellasthetruckingand aviation industries have been using Nitrogen for a long time.

• Nitrogenreducesmoistureinsidethetire and the risks of bursting caused by overheating.

• WithNitrogen,inflationpressureismore stable and leaks are minimal or less common.

• Currentinflationtechniquesonlyallowa 95% rate of Nitrogen inside the tire, because a small quantity of air always remains trapped in it.

1- True: No matter the weather, the tire pressure remains the same.

2- False: Yokohama recommends it, Michelin is sceptical, and Bridgestone considers the product acceptable.

3- True

4- False: It is imperative to measure tire pressure at least once a month.

5- False: Several manufacturers offer devices that generate Nitrogen at will using the air from the compressor.

Relevant web sitewww.getnitrogen.org

This site contains the findings of studies describing the benefits of using Nitrogen, testimonies, documents to help you assess the relevance of this technology, a search tool to locate the nearest Nitrogen retailer, and much more.


Atlas Tire Wholesale Inc.

WEST6290 SHAWSON DRIVEMISSISSAUGA, ON L5T 1H5

TELFAX

(905) 670-9791(905) 670-0581

EAST140 McLEVIN AVE., # 6 & 7

SCARBOROUGH, ON M1B 3V1

TELFAX

(416) 292-8202(416) 292-8177

[email protected]

IDEAL FITMENT FOR:

AcuraHonda Nissan

ToyotaMazda

P 1 8 5 /6 5 R 1 5 8 6 H

P 1 9 5 /6 5 R 1 5 8 9 H

P 2 0 5 /6 5 R 1 5 9 2 H

P 1 9 5 /6 0 R 1 5 8 7 H

P 2 0 5 /6 0 R 1 5 9 0 H

P 2 0 5 /6 0 R 1 6 9 1 H

P 2 0 5 /6 0 R 1 6 9 1 V

P 2 1 5 /6 0 R 1 6 9 4 V

2 0 5 /5 5 R 1 6 9 1 H

2 1 5 /5 5 R 1 7 9 4 V

2 0 5 /5 0 R 1 7 8 9 V

2 1 5 /5 0 R 1 7 X L 9 5 V

2 2 5 /5 0 R 1 7 9 4 V

2 0 5 /4 5 R 1 7 8 4 V

2 1 5 /4 5 R 1 7 X L 9 1 H

2 2 5 /4 5 R 1 7 9 1 H

2 3 5 /4 5 R 1 7 9 4 H

S A M P L E S I Z E S

� Silica to boost wet grip

� Wider footprint to improve cornering

� Advanced directional tread pattern for rapid water evacuation

� Sophisticated and sporty looks

� Veri-pitch design for a quiet ride

� Uni-T Technology

� 80,000 Kilometer Treadwear Limited Warranty

POTENZA G019 GRID

Purchase via your Car Manufacturer / Bridgestone National Account Programs

TIRE DEALERS:

Competitive prices on direct billing.

ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT & RUN-FLAT TIRES:

We maintain a large and comprehensive inventory to meet all your requirements.

NATIONWIDE SERVICE:

Competitive shipping across Canada. E-mail us for our freight policy and toll free

contact numbers.

B2B WEBSITE - VIEW INVENTORY AND PLACE ORDERS:

Visit www.tiredistribution.com and register today.

YOUR SOURCE FOR BRIDGESTONE

Additional Sizes Available

Limited Treadwear Warranty

Limited duration replacement with comparable new Bridgestone tire at pro-rated cost if

warranted kilometers not attained; actual tread life may vary. Certain limitations and

restrictions apply. See authorised retailer for full warranty details before you purchase.

CAR DEALERS:

All Season Performance

Subaru

Western Rubber Group: Handling scrap tires every step of the Way

Focusing on Efficiency Fosters Success for B.C.’s Largest Tire RecyclerWhen it comes to the tire industry, many “success stories” start with someone who grew up in

the business. But Mike roberge, president of Western rubber Group in delta, B.C.,

had only the experience of the tires on his car when he started what is now the

largest tire recycling conglomerate in the province.

I was a forest fire firebombing pilot,” he says. “I only worked during the summer, and I was looking for some-

thing to do. It was time to grow up and be responsible and put the kids in school, and I wanted to get into a busi-ness. In 1989, I was at a trade show and saw a little pile of rubber at a booth. It was from a mat manufacturer, and the company was looking for suppliers of buffed rubber.

“I had no experience with tires or rub-ber, but it looked like a sound business, and I thought it was an opportunity to get into something that wasn’t already established. I thought it was less expen-sive being in on the ground floor, and boy,

was I wrong. It was really expensive, but it’s been a great business, and more than exceeded any expectations.”

From start to finishFor the last two years, scrap tires in B.C. have been handled through an industry-lead strategy managed by Tire Stewardship BC (TSBC), a responsibility it took over from the province. Western rubber Group is the dominant recycler in British Columbia, from collecting the tires and shredding them, to produ-cing crumb and even some consumer products.

“We own our own trucks, and collect 65 percent of tires, with the rest through other

transporters under contract,” roberge says. “From there, it goes to Pacific Shredding Ltd., which is part of our group. Pacific Shredding feeds Western rubber Products Ltd. with feedstock for its granu-lating equipment. It makes the coarse crumb and sells some to customers, but the vast majority goes to Delta Fine Grind Company—which is ours, too—and it takes the coarse crumb into fine grind.

“That’s then sold to different industries, although we do make a pasture mat for a company in Ontario, and our own blast-ing mats for construction. We also own Island Tire recycling in Chemainus on Vancouver Island, and it shreds all of the passenger and light truck tires generated on Vancouver Island.”

Meeting the capture rateAbout a quarter of tires collected go to tire-derived fuel for cement kilns and pulp and paper in B.C., while the steel from the tires goes to a steel recycler, and the fibre is used for fuel at Lafarge Cement. roberge says that Western rubber has met the TSBC’s capture rate for scrap tires for two years in a row now. The group employs about 100 workers overall.

No settling for the status quoCovering so many steps of the process is a huge undertaking, but roberge says

Tire reCYCliNGJil McIntosh [email protected]

Phot

os: A

aron

Tam

– ta

m.a

aron

@gm

ail.c

om

SPeCial

“


that focusing on efficiency and keeping the customers happy is paramount. “It’s in buying the right equipment and making it work properly, by setting up a system that covers everything, from work safety, to hir-ing and training, to preventative mainten-ance. You can’t settle for the status quo, and we work really hard at that. I can be a tough guy to work for, but I feel most of the guys enjoy working with me, because I challenge them all the time, and then I let them go and do it. I don’t micromanage, but I’m involved. I always meet with my managers and discuss new ways, better ways, or any problems.”

Determination breeds successDon Blythe, chairman of TSBC, agrees that roberge’s determination plays a major role in his success. “I have to say that he has a fiery temper, but he cer-tainly is good to deal with because you know where you stand with him, and he certainly knows the business and all his customers out there,” he says. “I think he knows more about what’s going on in recycling throughout North America than anyone in Canada, and probably anybody in the U.S.

“There was a lot of distrust when TSBC first started off, because when it was a government-run program, they just did what they wanted and didn’t listen to the recyclers. When we took over, there was the feeling that TSBC would be the same as the government was. But in the two years we’ve had the program, we’ve def-initely built up a good rapport with them and there’s trust on both sides. They’re in to make a dollar, we’re in to manage the program at the lowest possible cost, and we’ve been able so far to work together to that end.”

Huge opportunitiesroberge is also happy with the new sys-tem. “If you’re going to sell something in this province and make money on it, you’re going to take responsibility for getting rid of it, and that creates huge opportunities in recycling,” he says. “That’s how TSBC came into effect. They accepted the responsibil-ity, the solution was there, and they just took over from the Ministry. That works for us, because you’re dealing with business people, not with bureaucrats. They’re busi-ness people like us, so it’s a lot easier to communicate and get things happening.”

Mike Hennessy, executive director of TSBC, is also pleased with how everything runs. “All the tires get picked up, the con-sumers who are paying the eco fee appear to be getting value for their money, and the job gets done,” he says. “There are no complaints from retailers, and that’s the acid test, which is why we’re satisfied with Western. One of the keys to their success is their determination; they’re assertive and aggressive, and that’s why they’re alive and thriving.”

Keeping tires in B.C.But while it’s essential that Western rubber Group thrives, roberge is also genuinely concerned with both the en-vironmental and fiscal health of his prov-ince; he spends a great deal of time at conferences and keeps in touch with other industries, always looking for new uses and markets for recycled rubber. “The ul-timate goal for us, and for the tire board, is to try and get every tire that’s generated in B.C. turned into a finished product in B.C., and preferably used in B.C.,” he says. “That’s a huge undertaking, but we’re up for it. Ideally, any scrap that’s gener-ated in a jurisdiction should be recycled in that jurisdiction. You won’t get there right away, but we got to where we are by thinking that way, and you always need something to strive for. I don’t ever want to hear ‘it can’t be done.’ You just find a way to make it work.”

Mike Roberge, president of Western Rubber Group


Jil McIntosh [email protected]

Tire reCYCliNGSPeCial

Ontario tire stewardship: the Program Is Now in Place

Environmental Fees Take Effect in September 2009Following legislation passed in February, ontario now has a comprehensive plan for scrap tires:

the ontario Tire Stewardship, or oTS. The plan will take effect September 1, 2009; the specif-

ics can be downloaded from www.ontariotirestewardship.com.

T he program hasn’t fundamentally changed from what was original-ly presented to the government,

according to Andrew Horsman, Interim Executive Director of OTS. “We’re in the business of running the program, and we’re going to work with the existing haul-ers, processors, and collectors of used tires in the province,” he says. “One of the prime missions is to enhance those existing businesses and industry, so that it can process 100% of the used tires gener-ated in Ontario. right now we’re probably handling anywhere in the realm of 65 to 75%oftiresbeingprocessedinOntario,with the balance going to the States or Quebec.”

Not a taxUnder the program, brand owners and first importers must register as stewards, and remit a fee of $5.84 to OTS for every passenger tire supplied. It’s an environ-mental fee, not a tax, stresses Eric Gilbert, president and owner of Ericway Tire Sales, and a director on the OTS board repre-senting OTDA. As such, he says, it will be up to each company and retailer to decide how to pass the fee along, whether included in the price of the tire, or as a separate line on the invoice. The only im-perative is that the fee is remitted to OTS by the steward.

Consumer concernsWhile he is enthusiastic about the pro-gram, as a retailer, he echoes the con-cerns of many dealers when it comes to the consumer. “Across the province, there’s an average of between $2 to $3 for the (current) tire disposal fee, so con-sumers are going to jump from that aver-age to $5.84, and that’s always a concern when there’s an increase. I also think that, as a tire dealer and also OTS, we’re going to have to keep an eye on the borders, particularly if the dollar goes up to par again. When you look at the GST, PST, tire disposal fee, and traditionally it’s a known fact that tires in the U.S. are anywhere from 12 to 18% cheaper, you put all those things together, and it certainly makes it attractive for cross-border shopping.”

Ontario-based businessesThe U.S. has also been in the picture as American processors, accustomed to using Ontario tires as feedstock, now face an end to their supply. In an article in the

Toronto Star, New York State Senator

Antoine Thompson said that U.S. firms will close and jobs will be lost due to what he calls an “unfair subsidy” through the environmental fee.

But Horsman says that OTS has met with a variety of stakeholders, including in the U.S., and that the incentive isn’t meant to subsidize crumb, but to help proces-sors increase their capacity. “Whether it’s crumb or shred, we’re going to mon-itor the impact, and work with our pro-cessors to stay on the right side of inter-national trade laws while helping them to grow their business,” he says. “The mission is to work with Ontario-based businesses to manage 100% of those tires, but we’re not saying we’re only going to work with existing businesses, so there is a commercial opportunity for new businesses to set up in Ontario. Our expectation is that this will happen and that will be a good thing for the Ontario economy.”

www.ontariotirestewardship.com

Phot

os: M

arie

-Jos

ée R

ouss

eau



tire stewardship Manitoba

New incentives drive timely, effective collection.it’s time for a celebration: Tire Stewardship Manitoba (TSM) has reached its first birthday, as a

not-for-profit agency formed to represent the tire retailers of Manitoba.

T SM took over the responsibility of operating the province’s scrap tire recycling program from a govern-

ment-run board on April 1, 2008, which had managed it from 1995 to 2008. There have been challenges, says TSM Executive Director Brett Eckstein, but overall, it’s been a very smooth and ef-fective transition.

“We collect an eco-fee from the tire retail-ers at the point of sale,” he says. “It’s a fee on all new tires that are supplied in Manitoba, so you’re either a first seller or first importer. There are no manufacturers in Manitoba, so it works better from our standpoint.”

Responsible for all tiresThe fee starts at $4.50 and varies by tire type, reaching$75 for largeOTRtires, with all money remitted to TSM. “We’re responsible for all tires and tubes in Manitoba,” Eckstein says. “Anything on a motorized vehicle, on- or off-road, with the exemption of personal mobility aids, such as motorized scooters.”

registered processors either collect or contract collection of the scrap tires. Two incentives are paid to processors: when tires are collected or delivered, and when they’re processed or manu-factured into other products. Under the government program, processors were only paid upon proof of sale of a recycled product.

“We’ve split that to provide an incentive to collect,” Eckstein says. “This helps improve collection in those areas which have been historically underserviced, such as some of our more remote rural areas, by paying a separate fee that encourages collection on a timely basis. Our goal is to keep tires off the landscape and out of retailers’ yards, because they pose a fire hazard and other environmental and human health risks, such as mosquitoes.”

A successful programThe program is successful: last year, 95% of all tires collected were recycled within the province into other products, such as aggregate, crumb, molded products, or blast mats. The remaining 5% was shipped outside the province for tire-de-rived fuel, “but that was program residual that can’t be easily handled by some of our processors,” Eckstein says. These were mainly oversized OTr tires; there aren’t enough of them to justify the expense of buying the big shredders needed to handle them.

One major accomplishment is that a back-log of 12,000 tires from the government program has been cleaned up. “These were OTr tires, and because they were not levied, they had accumulated over the years,” Eckstein says. “The province occasionally funded some pickups, but they did that with surplus funds, and that’s what got the program in trouble financially. When we made the transition,

the government agreed that they would assist us financially in dealing with the inventory. The backlog has been cleaned up, and now we’re removing the flow on an annual basis.”

High value to consumersEckstein believes that consumers are pleased with the program, especially since almost all of the tires are processed within the province, creating jobs and economic development. “We’ve made some sig-nificant improvements with how we’re managing tires, we’ve done some cleanup, and now those tires are being stored appropriately and collected on a more timely basis,” he says. “There are some challenges that lie ahead, and we’re work-ing with our processors to improve collec-tion province-wide. We’re seeing a more systematic approach to collecting tires in Manitoba and processing them without any significant backlog. I think the public is getting very high value for what they’re being asked to contribute.”

www.tirestewardshipmb.ca



CoMMerCial TireS

T he increasing demand for Ag tires in our part of the world can be explained by the fact that there

is more demand than ever for food, especially from other areas of the globe where appetite and taste have grown for more meat (mostly beef and pork) than fish. Consequently, more machin-ery and larger equipment is needed for such farming. This situation has made it more profitable for farmers. riddell tells us that the demand for big equipment right now has increased to a point where major tractor and farming equipment manufacturers have a hard time keeping up with it!

Today’s tractors are not what they used to be. Other than modern creature com-forts such as air conditioning and mod-ern technology such as GPS guidance, big machines made by legendary manu-facturers such as John Deere as well as others, are now available with dual and triple rear tire options and with all-wheel drive!

Unfortunately, it is now more difficult than ever to get the production numbers

from the agricultural tire industry. Still, according to riddell, Bridgestone produ-ces the most popular brand of Ag tires—Firestone. He even estimates it to be among the most important in the world. Obviously, brands such as Michelin and Goodyear (which is now under Titan ownership) are to be counted also, but the interest for the Firestone brand is easily explainable by the allegiance to the brand as Firestone was the first to make pneumatic tires specifically for Ag use, and by the fact that farmers are thrifty people who like to stick to prod-ucts they have known and trusted for a long time.

The Canadian marketThe most important market for Ag tires in Canada remains the Western region with about 60% of the market, followed by Ontario and Quebec, each with about 20% of the same market. Farms in Ontario and Quebec are generally 200- to 300-acres; in Western Canada, they are from the 30,000- to 50,000-acres—this alone explains the importance of that area.

Although some competitors have almost phased out bias-ply tires, Firestone still offers them. “They are less expensive, so they are more popular for limited use and small chores,” comments riddell. “Still, there’ll probably come a day when all Ag tires will be radials.” We also learned from our expert that Ag tires can last a long time but some of the newer stronger crops have proven to damage AG tires more. The ones that don’t wear out as fast are the implement tires, but

still a manufacturer like Firestone can offer a warranty of 9 years on its radial products, 8 on its bias ply tires.

Technology still prevailsWhen Harvey Firestone introduced rub-ber tractor tires early in the 20th cen-tury, he wanted to replace the steel wheels that used to equip those ma-chines. Firestone was a farmer himself (his original home now sits at the Henry Ford Museum in the part called the Greenfield Village) and not only was he looking for comfort, he also wanted better traction. Nowadays, tractor tire manufacturers are aiming at making products that will make the lightest com-paction possible on the soil. At the same time, they must have the best traction possible, no matter what kind of soil is involved. Ag tractor tires are offered in four categories, r-1 for standard soils,


Business Is Good!

Agricultural TiresThe agricultural tire business—a.k.a. ag tires—is doing fine. as a matter of fact, according to

Brian riddell, National manager of Bridgestone americas ag Group in Canada, it is excellent!

these firestone agricultural tires can also be used for snow removal. (photo: Éric Descarries)

Brian Riddell is the National manager of Bridgestone americas ag Group in Canada.


r1-W for moister grounds, r-2 for wet, muddy conditions, and r-3 for turf appli-cations and for minimal soil disturbance. The r-1 still is the most popular version in North America.

Today’s technology involves making lar-ger tires for bigger tractors. Firestone is still proving that its tires with a 23-de-gree lug angle are more efficient than the conventional 45-degree rib angle during traction and pulling power.

Another technology making its way in the industry is the rubber track. Bridgestone is very much involved in this technology. Its engineers began working with the concept in Japan back in the 1960s. rubber tracks are more reliable than ever and Bridgestone offers some in many sizes ranging from a 16-inch to a 36-inch width. Christian Marin from Bridgestone told us this concept was slowing catching on in Western Canada where it helps diminish compaction.

Other usesAg tires are not necessarily confined to farm works. riddell pointed out that

many airports now use farm-type trac-tors mostly in winter for many little chores including snow removal. “They choose farm tractors because they are easily resalable later on,” says riddell. However, it is important to remember that tires wear out faster on harder pavements.

For his part, Marin notes that tractors are used for snow removal in large cities such as Montreal and Quebec City. Since they are used on public paved roads, tires do tend to wear out faster.

In addition, the forestry tire business is slowly picking up thanks to projects in Quebec, but it has suffered badly from trade politics with the United States. Construction tire sales are also growing fast thanks to all the local government grants for road reconstruction.

Little competition from the OrientThere was a time when we all thought that the foreign competition—particu-larly from China and India—would be in-tense for established brands. Yet, accord-ing to riddell, farmers shied away from

those brands and their sales dropped considerably. Once again, brand loyalty won over novelty. At any rate, he still be-lieves the big name brands make much better tires.

riddell has a great opinion of Ag tire customers. Though he admits that sell-ing such tires is not difficult, he says that selling to farmers is personable and more enjoyable. But, just like any other tire representative, he has the same advice to give: “The most import-ant maintenance to do on an Ag tire is to regularly check the pressure.” Where have we heard that before?

firestone’s Christian Marin (photo: Éric Descarries)Goodyear, now with titan, is an important player in the ag tire segment. (photo: Éric Descarries)

tracks for farm tractors are slowly gaining popularity. (photo: Bridgestone)

Phot

o: J

ack

Kazm

iers

ki


CoMMerCial TireS

A cross much of the tire industry, the effects of rising fuel prices and the economy are having a major im-

pact. But some are seeing a silver lining, most notably in the farm segment, says Bruce Barnim. He’s vice president of Al’s Tirecraft in Burgessville, Ontario, as well as president of Tirecraft Eastern Canada Division.

“Farm tire sales have probably never been so good,” Barnim says. “The big challenge is finding enough of them, as there’s a real short supply. The com-modity prices were really good last year. They have backed down a bit, but when the oil prices went so high, they started making a lot of ethanol and fuel from different products. That put a real demand on everything having to do with farming and drove the prices up significantly.

“There are some segments of farming that are down, but overall it’s doing very well and consequently, there’s in-creased demand for new equipment. It’s not just North America. Farming has taken off in other places all over the world and it’s put a lot of pressure on everyone.”

In business for 42 yearsAl’s Tire Service has been in business for 42 years. “My father started the businessin1967,pumpinggas,andhesold a few tires,” Barnim says. “I was still going to school and pumping gas after

school. Five years later, I went full-time with tires. We had a one-bay shop beside the service station that grew to a seven-bay shop.”

In the1970s,BarnimacquiredHaughTire in nearby Clinton, and then took on other shops in Ingersoll and Exeter. His group, Town & Country Tires, eventually had 14 stores when the decision was made to join Tirecraft. “We do a little of everything, but truck tire sales and service represents a major portion of our overall business mix,” Barnim says. “But we concentrate on farm. We tend to be in a lot of the smaller, rural com-munities. We started in a rural area, so we tend to like the farm and commercial aspects.”

Going to the customerThat includes going to the customer, wherever he may be. Huge farm equip-ment that breaks down in the field can’t be simply rolled down to the shop. “We’re able to fix it, no matter where it is,” Barnim says. “Tires are getting so large these days that most of our trucks are now equipped with crane service so they can lift the tire.”

Business of the YearBarnim is an active participant in the community, and Al’s Tires recently re-ceived an award as the Norwich District Chamber of Commerce’s Business of the Year. “I think we do a fairly good job of supporting the community that supports us,” Barnim says. “I believe more in put-ting our advertising dollars toward our local arena or different clubs, rather than spending a lot of money in radio or other media. We should at least put a portion of our money into the community.”

The business also actively supports the Woodstock Hospital Foundation, the New Norwich Arena, and in conjunc-tion with all of its shops, raised almost $35,000 last year for the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation through a golf tournament.

And most importantly, it all works for the customer. “Farm tires have got more complex over the last few years,” Barnim says. “radialization is a big factor now. It used to be a very simple market, but now the farmers often know more than the dealers. We have to be right on top of it all—more now than ever.”

al’s tirecraft

Keeping the Farm Community RollingKnowledge and service keep the customers coming back.


Bruce Barnim, vice president of al’s tirecraft and president of tirecraft eastern Canada Division


CoMMerCial TireSiNdUSTrY NeWS

Your eco fee helps give new life to

BC’s scrap tires

To find out more about tire recycling, the eco fee or upcoming initiatives

please visit www.tsbc.ca

Continental and Marangoni to Offer Truck Tire Retreads

Continental Tire North america (CTNa) will soon offer Continental-brand retread tires to commercial tire dealers in Canada and the United States. actually, as we first learned (unofficially) at Montreal’s expocam, CTNa is cooperating with Marangoni Tread North america and already testing ContiTread re-treads for select fleets and customers. Con-tiTread will be available in two tread designs based on Conti’s fuel efficient Hdl eco Plus and HTl eco Plus truck tires. Both, bearing the additional name “with ring technology,” will be built with Marangoni’s ringtread sys-tem that features a seamless ring tread that slips on the processed casing.

Yokohama Adds Four Commercial Tire Sizes

Yokohama has added four sizes to its 103ZrT commercial truck tire line. The 103ZrT is known to be part of Yokohama’s eco-friendly Zenvironment line of longer last-ing, more fuel efficient tires. The four new sizes are: 295/75r22.5 14(G) and 16(H) p ly ; 11r22.5 14(G) a n d 1 6 ( H ) p l y ; 285/75r24.5 14(G) ply, and 11r24.5 14(G) and 16(H) ply.

Continental Introduces Five Commercial Tires

Continental Tire North america unveiled a new line of commercial truck tires at the louis-ville, Kentucky Mid-america Trucking Show last March:

• The HSR2, a regional steer tire that replaces the traditional HSr. it features a 23/32” tread com-pound and the company’s Visual alignment indica-tor (Vai) and a patented stone ejection system.

• The HDL2 DL, an over the highway long haul drive tire with a 32/32” tread depth and a wider casing for increased handling stability.

• The HTL Eco Plus, a trailer tire with improved fuel efficiency; according to Continental, this new tire will improve fuel economy by 10 percent. among its feature are a 13/32” tread depth and a stone ejection system with Visual alignment indicator.

• The HSU2, a waste hauler and construction fleet tire with 26/32” deep rib combined to a cut and tear resistant tread compound.

• The HTL 1, a wide-based super single tire designed to replace two regular trailer tires. it features a 13/32” tread depth to minimize irregular wear and for better fuel economy. add to that sidewalls with ribs to protect from curbing and cutting.

Most of these new tires—except the HTl 1—are made at the Mount Vernon, illinois plant.

BFGoodrich Adds Load Range E Sizes to All-Terrain T/ABFGoodrich, a branch of Michelin North america, has just announced it will add six load range e sizes to its all-Terrain T/a Ko line of tires. Consequently, buyers

will have the choice between 21 sizes of load range e tires from that manu-facturer. already available are two lre sizes: 225/75r16 lre and 285/70r17 lre. in May, BFG added the 305/70r16 lre and 325/65r18 lre, while the 325/60r20 lre and 265/75r16 lre will complete the new arrivals in June.

tirecraft: stronger than ever and Growing Quickly

Unwavering Entrepreneurial Spirit Drives the Brand to SuccessYou have no doubt heard of the phoenix, a mythical bird that burned in a fire, but rose from

the ashes stronger than before. it’s certainly an apt metaphor for Tirecraft, a well-known and

well-respected company that went through an ownership change a couple of years ago and fell

on difficult times. it’s now in the hands of tire professionals, who have once again turned it

around into a strong brand that’s growing successfully under the stewardship of its new corpor-

ate owners.

Tire Distributors in two tire distribution centres in Ontario.

Tire people run tire businesses“The short-term goal is to bring strong dealers and business partners to the Tirecraft brand,” says Bob Anderson, president of Tirecraft Western Canada, based in Edmonton. “Tire people run tire businesses, end of story. Tirecraft consists of a group of entrepreneurial individuals, each well-trained in every aspect of the tire business. The group managing the Tirecraft brand today is very much in tune with how the businesses should oper-ate, and market by market, they are the strength of those businesses. Long-term, our collective goal is to be an amalgama-tion of Tirecraft East and West, repre-senting the Tirecraft brand nationally.”

Strong emphasis on serviceTirecraft sees itself as a retail selling group, rather than a buying group, with a strong emphasis on improving service to cus-tomers while leveraging the efficiencies of a store network. “Tirecraft is the pro-gram banner name, while each member’s name is maintained to leverage the equity built up over the years in their local com-munities,” says Todd richardson, Sales & Marketing manager for Tirecraft Eastern Canada. “This change has already opened up new doors to the program.”

W hile the name known to many Canadians has remained the same, the company is operating

under two divisions, one in the east and one in the west.

Adding value without adding expense“Tirecraft is a name that’s been around this industry for decades, is well-respect-ed, and has a ton of equity, both at the retailer and supplier level,” says Don Gauthier, general manager of Tirecraft Eastern Canada. “Our goal now is to simply enhance the program to insure it’s responsive to our members’ needs, and address the market changes as they occur.

Adding value, without adding expense, by way of making it easier for our member-ship to conduct business is our number-one goal.”

realizing the value of the brand, two Alberta dealers, Kirk’s Tire and Trail Tire, purchased the Tirecraft name in 2008. Al Barnim Inc. of Ontario also became a partner, and as a result, the two divisions were formed: Tirecraft Western Canada, and Tirecraft Eastern Canada. Currently, the western division has 35 stores, one wheel distribution and four tire distri-bution centres, and two retread plants, while the eastern division consists of 45 stores, and is partnered with regional


ADVERTORIAL

todd Richardson, sales & Marketing manager, Don Gauthier, general manager, and Bruce Barnim, president – tirecraft eastern Canada


approach, will definitely help Tirecraft grow, even in the uncertain economic times we are experiencing today,” Anderson says. “The poor economy is having some impact on our business, especially in the commercial segment, but it is tracking to expectation. Our new programs and initia-tives are having a positive impact. Combine all of this with the equity of the Tirecraft brand, and our strong membership which is comprised of successful entrepreneurs, [and] we have a very effective team going forward.

“The combined effort of Tirecraft Eastern and Western Canada is going to re-establish the Tirecraft brand nationally. That’s why our partners in the east are doing what they’re doing, and the manufacturers have seen the benefit as well. We’re two separate companies, but we’re working in partnership to achieve our common goals,” he says.

“It’s a development process, but we want to be sure we’re doing the best possible for the consumer by partnering with dealers who have a solid sales, service and busi-ness background. We want to be stronger, but we need to be smarter. A collective effort will keep everyone on the right path and will insure our continued success.”

For program information in the East, contact Todd Richardson at 519-532-1692 or email [email protected].

In the West, contact Robert Anderson at 780-909-1949 or email [email protected]

Each store is also tailored for the area in which it’s located. “We’re a very broad-based group,” says ray Lehman, Dealer Development manager of Tirecraft Western Canada. “Depending on the market, a dealer could be stronger in off-road, agri-cultural, or commercial businesses than they are in, say, the retail or mechanical side, but most of them have everything to offer as a full-line service. That’s part of the criteria for Tirecraft stores as we go forward; we want to service everyone.”

Seamless serviceAccording to Anderson, it’s that commun-ity-based approach that each individual store took that made the transition much easier. In many cases, he says, consumers weren’t even aware of the changes at the corporate level, especially as Tirecraft dealers kept their names and, in most cases, sourced their products as best they could, with the singular aim of providing seamless service to their local customers until a structured program could be put in place. “The businesses we’re affiliated with in the East and West were going concerns right through all of 2008, in spite of the unfortunate circumstances,” he says. “But by and large, the customers had dealt with the people in those locations for years. I don’t think anyone saw any change.”

In Ontario, a trade fair and banquet held in February in Cambridge introduced deal-ers and prospects to the brand name; richardson says that over 90 percent of those who were dealers under the old program have stayed on for the new one. Another fundamental change to the pro-gram has been the introduction of Tire Service Network, or TSN, which provides a seamless service solution to fleet oper-ators.“It’sinplace,withaWeb-based24/7tire service solution,” richardson says. “When a company has a truck down at 2 am, they call our Tirecraft 1-800 number, and the fleet profile is already preloaded

into the system, so the service is carried out to the standard predetermined by that fleet. Then all the billing comes back through their servicing dealer. This is a very exciting enhancement to our program and even though we’re independent busi-nesses, we can present a single face and a single solution to our fleet customers.”

Growing quickly but sustainablyThe eastern division’s warehousing system, regional Tire Distributors, plays a big role in building the strength of the Tirecraft brand. The two warehouses provide the network of stores with up to “four times daily” service, ensuring the best possible customer service through timely product access.

With over 80 locations already established in just a few months, the Tirecraft program is growing quickly. However, both divisions are taking a methodical approach that will result in sustainable growth.

“The strength of our associate program comes from the unwavering entrepreneur-ial spirit that exists amongst our member-ship, which is comprised of a mixture of both new and former Tirecraft associates,” Gauthier says. “This broad-based experi-ence and knowledge provides us with front-line insight that keeps us on target and on the leading edge of market evolution.”

An effective team“The broad experience of our membership, coupled with our enhanced marketing

todd Richardson

Bob anderson, president, and Ray lehman, Dealer Development manager – tirecraft Western Canada


B ut common doesn’t always mean easy. There are still a number of challenges, including tools, train-

ing, access to information, and most im-portantly, consumer understanding and acceptance.

Educating on maintenance“The biggest challenge is education, for both the end consumer and for tire deal-ers,” says Brian rigney, general manager with Dill Air Controls. “With the end con-sumer, we’re trying to work more with TIA and our federal government to educate people so they understand why they have it. That’s where the tire dealers need to come in. They automatically replace the rubber valve stem on new tires, and that’s standard, but we’re now telling them they must replace the key sealing valve com-ponents: the seal itself, the valve core, the hex nut and the valve cap. Any time you disassemble the tire from the wheel, you need to replace the components in the service kit.”

Dill has also designed a countertop dis-play, containing a dummy sensor, to show consumers what’s in the tire. “Dealers can show customers the sensor, what we’re replacing, or why you need a new one,” rigney says.

Doing what the dealerships don’tSusan Hitchon, national sales manager for Tomkins Industrial and Automotive,

agrees that consumer education is of prime importance. “In our experience of conducting training seminars across the country, the resounding response to this question [of challenges] is that the consumer education piece of the puzzle is missing,” she says. “While some Canadian consumers are well aware of the new

TPMS safety feature on their vehicle, the majority are not.”

Hitchon says that education should ideally start at the new-car dealer level, but this doesn’t always happen. “If a new-car owner is unaware of these features, the retailer or tire dealer performing the

tPMs: It’s Here, and It’s still a Challenge

Tools and Education Top Our Experts’ Listsonce found only on a few high-end models, tire pressure monitoring systems (TPMS) are now a

mainstream item. While they’re not mandatory in Canada—and Transport Canada says it cur-

rently has no plans to make them so—their requirement on all new vehicles sold in the U.S.

means they’re increasingly common north of the border.



repair or selling new tires can also ‘sell’ the features of TPMS,” she says. The dealer must also explain the importance of replacing the sensors’ service parts with OE-equivalent parts.

Opportunity for everyoneSo once the consumer is educated, what’s next? That would be tools, according to Scot Holloway, general manager of Bartec USA. “The challenge has always been to be able to design tools and solutions to work with the broad variety of sensors that are in the marketplace,” he says. “We’re not going to see standardization in the short term. [Bartec is] at the OE level and we’re seeing four new protocols and/or sensor types being introduced right now. At the same time, there’s opportunity for every-one. If you equip yourself with knowledge and tools, you’ll set yourself apart.”

Putting off tools and training won’t work anymore, Holloway says, because many TPMS-equipped vehicles are now five

years old and are out of factory warranty. “The biggest challenges right now have to do with the Asian vehicles,” he says. “When the domestic OEs started out, as long as you had an activation tool, you could re-register IDs for two sets of wheels for winter or summer. The Asian vehicles made that more challenging, because you need a scan tool connected to the vehicle to complete that, more like the OE pro-cess at a dealership or even at the plant.

“A solution that allows the most flexibility is a tool that is a TPMS tool and a scan tool all in one package. A combination tool is easier to operate and keeps the learn-ing curve simple.”

It’s all about the toolboxThe Tire Industry Association (TIA) was the first to combine relearn procedures for each make and model into a quick reference chart, and offers training on the system. But senior vice president of train-ing Kevin rohlwing believes that many dealers have the education they need, and now it’s all about the toolbox. “It’s hard to be in the tire business and not deal with TPMS to some degree,” he says. “It’s not a matter of them putting off training; if they’re putting off anything, it’s invest-ment in tools. Either the retailer or service provider is deciding to spend the money on the electronic diagnostic and relearn tools, or they do the best they can, and send the customer to the dealer.

“Technically, any vehicle can be relearned without a tool, for standard tire work. The tools come into play when the relearn pro-cedure for that vehicle doesn’t work. The time that it would take to relearn is signifi-cantly reduced with electronic tools.”

Tracking your requirementsrohlwing believes that dealers should base their training on the shop’s requirements, rather than schedule refresher courses automatically. “The biggest urban areas in the provinces will see the most TPMS, because the highest concentration of new cars will be in that particular area,” he says. “In the rural areas, they don’t see a lot of

TPMS. A refresher is a good idea, but it will depend on the market and how many you see. If a dealer’s not having any problems, they may never need training again.

“With any training, [track] how much trouble you are having, how much time you are wasting in the bay doing relearns, how much that is costing you in productiv-ity. If you’re breaking sensors, or tying up the bays for long periods, I would suggest you get training right away. If there’s no problem and you’re managing it well, focus on other areas. My advice to retail-ers is to become the expert. If dealers are just going to take the approach of sending it to the new-car dealer, they’re going to run out of customers; it’s just that simple.”

Building confidenceCustomer confidence is everything, says Dave Lottridge, president of Prema Canada. “If a customer goes into one shop and they tell him how to maintain it, why it’s there, what’s the benefit, and the other shop says, ‘You don’t have to worry about it,’ I’d have more confidence in the shop that’s engaged in it,” he says.

“Traditional tire dealers have not been in-volved in complex electronic systems,” he says. “Before, you had a tire changer and valves. Nothing was electronic on a tire. These things cost more money, and the key is to educate the customer with the value you’re providing. You also need to do a pre-service check to make sure the sensors are work-ing properly, so that you have documented evidence that they were working when they came in and when they went out.

“From our perspective, we’re trying to encourage tire shops to get the tools and be prepared. If they wait until 50% of the vehicles have a system until they learn about it, that learning curve is going to be very steep. It’ll be like going up over a cliff to learn what they need to service these vehicles. If shops are aggressive about promoting the information and sell-ing the service, they’ll gain the customer’s confidence.”

photo: autodeadline.com | www.autosphere.ca | June 2009 | Tire News | 25

economic Downturn

Survival Tipsit seems as though each day that goes by, the economic news gets worse—layoffs, bankrupt-

cies, foreclosures and other hardships are realities businesspeople are having to face. The Tire

industry association (Tia) and its members have come up with some innovative tips business-

people can use to weather this economic storm.

In an economy like this, know what to buy—and what not to.According to Dan Beach, TIA president and a successful businessperson with over 40 years of experience, you should keep inventories low in order to conserve cash, but you should also look at other neces-sary, yet less critical expenses to see if you can lock in low prices now. “For example, for a tire dealer, it’s important not to have a buildup of tire inventory in order to keep a solid cash reserve. Yet, for other expenses—such as uniform service—it may make sense to shop around now to lock in a low price, as many vendors are willing to negotiate in an economic climate like this,” said Beach.

Consider joining a trade association.Membership in a trade organization such as TIA can benefit businesspeople on several fronts. Most associations offer their mem-bers discounts on vital products/services, such as workers’ comp and liability insur-ance, consumer credit cards, and business software. In addition, they often provide valu-able training and education opportunities to help businesspeople stay competitive.

Don’t fear change.“Change” seems to be almost as popu-lar these days as the word “recession.” Follow this trend. Take a look at existing expenses, such as insurance, uniform service, credit card processing, and payroll services. Then, shop around. Businesspeople might be surprised at how much they can save by switching vendors of these services. If nothing else, with the information gathered from

shopping around, businesspeople can go to existing vendors and negotiate lower prices.

Don’t cut marketing—increase it.When the economy slows down, the first thing businesspeople often do is to cut their marketing budget. But, what they are really doing is making it much harder to reach critical customers. For example, “Many trade publications, websites, newspapers, and radio and television sta-tions are willing to deal right now when it comes to advertising,” said TIA Director of Marketing Communications richard Porter. “As business slows down, you need to work harder to reach customers in order to generate sales. Cutting your marketing expenditures only makes that effort much more difficult.”

Invest in training.With the battle for customer dollars get-ting even fiercer, businesspeople need every weapon in their arsenal to stay ahead of the competition. One way to achieve this is by investing in training. “Investing in education for your service teams, as well as your salespeople, places a value in front of your customer many of your competitors may not have. This same education also places value in you as an employer. In today’s environment, employees tend to look at education as a sign that their company cares about them. On top of that, if you are unfortu-nately involved in litigation over an injury or other liability, the first thing the plain-tiff’s attorney will look at is training,” said Jerry Lott, loss prevention manager of TIA member GCr Truck Tire Centers in Austin, TX.

If you have to cut, think outside the box.Do you turn the heat down after hours? Does a cleaning company come in every week to clean? Do you have to buy land-scaping mulch every other year? “You might be surprised at how these small, repeatable expenses add up,” said Todd Hart, director of sales, at TIA member B&J Manufacturing Company. “For example, if you switch to recycled tire mulch for your landscaping, it will last you several years, versus using traditional wood mulch, which has to be replaced every year. While a greater up-front expenditure, the recycled rubber mulch is a maintenance-free solu-tion for many years, saving the labour and materials costs associated with replacing wood mulch every year.”

Listen… and put two and two together.Go beyond just reading the headlines. See where the trends seem to be going. Also, now more than ever, listen to your customers. For example, if your customers are having an increasingly difficult time trying to afford the products and/or servi-ces a businessperson offers, he/she needs to find a way to make it easier and more enticing for the customer to buy. “Learn to put ‘two and two’ together once you know what the trends are. For example, offering a credit card like CarCareONE, which al-lows consumers to pay for automotive pur-chases over 90 days with no interest, can provide customers with the mechanism(s) necessary to go ahead and make the pur-chase,” said Beach.

www.tireindustry.org


another MRt Plant in North america

Pneus Bélisle Opens a New Retread Plant in QuebecHow important is the demand for retread commercial tires in eastern Canada? Sufficient

enough for Pneus Bélisle, a Quebec-based tire distributor and retreader, to open a brand new

retread plant near Quebec City.

W hen establishing its second retread organization, a $3.9 million plant in St-Augustin-de-Desmaures’ industrial park, Pneus Bélisle thought of Michelin’s

retread Technology (MrT). Consequently, this would be Michelin’s 80th retread plant in North America, its eighth in Canada. According to Daniel Bélisle, president of rechapage Bélisle, when the plant comes into full operation, it will be able to deal with around 60,000 tires a year.

According to Bertrand Gariépy, regional Sales manager for Eastern Canada for Michelin North America (Canada), the demand for high quality retread tires is increasing within to-day’s economic situation. That alone is enough to justify the new plant.

A second plant for Pneus BélisleThe Pneus Bélisle Group already has a 38-year history; its main headquarters are based in the Montreal area. Other than its MrT retread plant recently opened in St-Augustin-de-Desmaures, it already operates another retread plant in Québec. Pneus Bélisle also has two distribution centres and eleven corporate stores throughout the province.

“Chip in”and helpthe kids.

Join us for our 17th AnnualAARO Charity Golf Tournament

at theCardinal Golf Club in Newmarket

Wednesday, June 24, 2009.

Both AARO and the Bloorview Kids Rehab Centre are not-for-profit

organizations. All proceeds from this worthwhile and tax-deductable

fundraising event are donated to the Bloorview Kids Rehab Centre. The

success of this event is dependent upon the generosity of our sponsors

and participants.We urge you to join us for this hugely successful and

highly anticipated annual industry event. Both sponsorship packages and

participant’s packages are available. For information please go online to

www.aaro.ca or contact Bonnie Black toll-free at the AARO office.

17th ANNUAL AARO CHARITY GOLF TOURNAMENT

1-800-268-5400


Phot

os: É

ric D

esca

rrie

s

these are some of the retread products offered by Rechapage Bélisle.


F ifty-four percent of failed busi-nesses are making money when they close,” Shay says. “The inven-

tory was in the wrong place. The concept is as old as it gets, but I’m amazed at how many don’t worry about inventory control.”

Free business calculatorsShay offers several free, no-obligation business calculators for downloading at his website www.profitsplus.org, in-cluding “Open to Buy” for inventory

management. Your calculations help determine how much you can and should spend for each inventory category, if you’re matching your sales to the inven-tory on hand, and what product lines you want to have in your store. “Open to Buy” is the amount of cash you have available to purchase new inventory.

“In some cases, running out of stuff is good,” Shay says. His example is a card shop that runs out of full-price Valentine’s Day cards on February 5, while a competitor is marking them down to half-price on February 15. “I want maximum inventory just before peak sales, and then a drop afterwards,” he says. “I don’t need cash sitting on the shelf. Inventory and sales must relate—they must look like Fred Astaire and Ginger rogers. But too little inventory costs you sales, because customers go elsewhere. Selling out continually is not healthy.”

Velocity codingThe key to determining proper inventory management is in “velocity coding,” Shay says—assigning a code to each line, with A being something that moves every day; B, C and D move more slowly, while E might only sell once a year. These slower-moving items may have a place in your inventory, since big-box stores probably won’t carry them. “But D and E needs to earn its way,” Shay warns. “Its profit margin needs to be high. If it’s only 10 percent on a $2,000 item, then make it a special order.”

There are several ways to qualify inven-tory using the Open to Buy calculator; Shay suggests making each tire size a “fineline,” or category, for inventory con-trol. He warns that it will make for a lot of calculations, but they will tell you when to buy and restock each fineline. You won’t sell each fineline equally each month, but when you chart your sales, you’ll find their ups and downs. “They may defy logic, but over the years, the pattern will be there,” he says. “Every product has a reason for going up and down. You don’t necessarily need to know the reason, but you do need to know where the down point is.”

A prime positionBesides knowing what’s moving off your shelves and when, Shay says that keep-ing a strict eye on inventory puts you in a prime position to take advantage of purchasing opportunities, to change your strategies quickly if necessary, and to have the cash you need to continue your operations.

“If you end the season with inventory, where do you get the money to buy inven-tory for the upcoming season?” Shay asks. “Inventory is your investment. It becomes a vehicle that can make you a better re-turn than any bank or the stock market. It’s a lot of paperwork to track your Open to Buy, but it’s the way to make the busi-ness work.”

Inventory Management—Know It, track It, sell It

Don’t Be Stuck With Cash on Your ShelfWhat’s the most important business investment you can make? according to Tom Shay of

Profits+Plus, it’s your inventory. and by constantly monitoring it, you can make

your shop run both tightly and profitably.


“

Tom Shay


adVerTiSerSAARO www.aaro.ca 27

Atlas Tire Wholesale www.atlastire.com 2, 13

autosphere.ca www.autosphere.ca 31

Continental Tire www.continentaltire.ca 32

Duret & Landry www.duretlandry.com 9

Kumho Tires www.kumhotire.ca 11

NAPA www.napacanada.com 7

Tire Stewardship BC www.tirestewardshipbc.ca 21

Tirecraft www.tirecraft.com 22, 23

TIREMAX www.tiremax.ca 5

Management

The Challenge of ChangeMaking changes is seldom easy. To do so effectively, you need the right tools.

phone. These comparatively easy and minor changes can often be handled in-house.

If you’re planning changes that will completely alter the entire structure and operation of your business, much more “how to” time will be necessary. In some cases you might even need to call in professional help.

Let them shineAnd while you’re on a mission of change, why not take the oppor-tunity to get the best out of your employees and really let them shine. The better they are, the better your business will be. Are there skills you can encourage them to develop? Would your team benefit from hands-on training? Is there a knowledge gap that needs to be filled?

The satisfaction that comes from mastering a new skill is often enough to change the way an employee feels about him or herself, which in turn results in an improved attitude and perspective that benefits the entire company. This is the kind of change everyone will welcome.

I n order to survive and prosper in our changing economy, retailers (including tire shops) need to adapt to the ebb and flow of the market and to increasing consumer demands.

But change can be difficult. Individual employees aren’t always open to it, and corporations often have a difficult time orchestra-ting the transition from the old business model to the new one.

Getting your staff to embrace new attitudes, new products, and a new way of doing business takes skill—the owner or manager of a business must be able to get his team to change their tune in unison while maintaining harmony.

Expect oppositionExperts in the field of corporate dynamics will warn you that change is often opposed… especially if that change is forced upon employees. Your role as the owner or manager is to realize this fact and understand that your employees need more than a command or an ultimatum in order to make changes. They need to know why those changes have to be made.

Telling your counterperson that from now on he’s responsible for the cleanliness of the washrooms without explaining how clean washrooms contribute to the overall image of your shop, create an inviting atmosphere, and encourage customers to come back and buy more tires from you, will have him balking at the idea.

On the other hand, if you connect the dots between demanding customers, dirty facilities, dwindling sales and the fact that his services will no longer be needed if your shop goes under, then a clean washroom suddenly looks like a good idea.

Change is a skillOnce the need for a change is explained and understood, your employees must be taught how to make those changes. The ability to change is a learned skill—if you want changes to be made without hiccups in your overall vision, you’re going to have to train your staff how to make those changes.

In some cases, this may involve a few hours of one-on-one time explaining the differences between the old and new way of doing business. Perhaps an employee needs to learn how to use new software or needs to change the way he or she answers the

Jack Kazmierski [email protected]


Your eco fee helps give new life to

BC’s scrap tires

To find out more about tire recycling, the eco fee or upcoming initiatives

please visit www.tsbc.ca

I magine a world where manufacturers are responsible for the disposal and recycling of the products they make

and sell. A world where every toaster, te-levision or truck that leaves the assembly line will eventually make its way back to the factory to be disassembled, re-used, or melted down and recycled.

That’s the kind of world many European countries have envisioned and are moving toward with laws that hold companies res-ponsible for the environmental impacts of their products.

Beyond the carmakersThese laws and guidelines are a natu-ral for vehicle manufacturers. Instead of leaving old vehicles piled up in wreckers’ yards, why not implement a program where consumers take their vehicles back to the dealer, much like we return old beer bottles to the retailer?

But why stop at carmakers? Whether in Europe or here in Canada, we can put this

concept to good use on a larger scale. Whether we sell tires, fix cars, manage a fleet or repair fender benders, if everyone were to do their part we could collectively make a big difference.

Re-thinkImagine for a moment that lawmakers sud-denly made you responsible for recycling all the products you sell. Whether you’re a ma-nufacturer, distributor or a retailer, it is now your job to make sure whatever you sell is recycled or re-used. Wouldn’t that make you re-think the way you do business?

Perhaps you’d think about the packaging you currently use. Does that tiny widget really need to be packed in a kilogram of plastic and cardboard? Perhaps you’d also reconsider the raw materials you use, choo-sing those that are more readily re-used or recycled.

Even everyday items like oil filters and air filters could be re-thought and re-engi-neered using materials that can either be

redeveloped into new products at the end of their usable life, or materials that will more easily decompose in our landfills.

ResponsibilityThis kind of change can be a challenge since current business models seldom, if ever, include an environmental impact component. Most companies and indi-viduals are happy to pass the buck, and responsibility is a dirty word.

But if we were all responsible for whatever we sold our customers, we’d start making noise and demanding that our suppliers adjust their way of doing business so as to make it easier for us to live up to our responsibilities.

If we truly care about the environment we won’t hesitate to take the initiative now—long before laws force us to. Can you start by doing something today to assure the products you sell will be dealt with in an environmentally-friendly manner once their life cycle comes to an end?

Product life Cycle

Starting at the Endall products have a life cycle. Whether the products you sell will end up in a landfill or be

recycled into new products is up to you.

Jack Kazmierski [email protected]


For advertising opportunities, call us at 450-448-2220.

YOUR INDUSTRY HOME PAGE!

Directory of manufacturers, distributors and

trainers

Latest new programs, services

and products

Subscribe to our free weekly

e-newsletter and stay informed

Search for documents

and articles of interest

Fresh industry news several times

weekly

Renew your subscription to key

industry maga -zines free

Don’t miss the most important

events to come

Most popularindustry events on-site, and in

pictures!

Know what the industry’s position is on

key issues

Exclusive reports from

our experienced journalists

THE CANADIAN BUSINESS AUTOMOTIVE PORTAL. «YOUR TIRES INDUSTRY HOME PAGE»

PubAutosphere2009.indd 6 5/15/09 8:34:04 AM

western rubber group handling scrap tires every step of ... · recycled into tire derived products...

Documents