Time to sign up for Safety Week
WASHINGTON-The Rubber Manufacturers Association (RMA) is urging tire dealers to sign up to participate in National Tire Safety Week April 24-30.
An offshoot of the RMA's ``Be Tire Smart-Play Your PART'' consumer education program, National Tire Safety Week emphasizes promotional events, tire pressure check lanes, media contacts and the dissemination of tire care brochures and posters, in an effort to reach the 85 percent of U.S. motorists who don't regularly check their tire pressures.
Last year more than 9,000 tire dealerships participated in the program, as did the Tire Industry Association, the American Automobile Association, state tire dealer associations and state highway officials.
For free National Tire Safety Week media kits and materials, dealers should log on to www.betiresmart.org.
General brand hits 90th anniversary
CHARLOTTE, N.C.-Continental Tire North America Inc. (CTNA) is celebrating the 90th anniversary of its General brand this year.
To mark the occasion, CTNA will run some commemorative ads in trucking publications and plans to launch some new tire lines at the Mid-American Trucking Show March 31-April 21 in Louisville, Ky.
Akron businessmen William O'Neill and Winfred Fouse established the brand in September 1915 with the founding of General Tire & Rubber Co.
To set the company apart from more than 300 other tire makers active at that time, Messrs. O'Neil and Fouse decided to first produce a premium replacement tire, along with a line of pneumatic truck tires. Among innovations General Tire is credited with are the low pressure General Balloon Jumbo truck tires, carbon black latex, oil-extended rubber and Gen-tech adhesive for tire cord.
Over the years, General Tire evolved into GenCorp Inc., a diversified business with activities in aerospace, radio/television, plastics, chemicals and sporting goods. Continental A.G. bought the General Tire division of GenCorp in 1987.
``We are very proud of the General Tire brand,'' said Martien de Louw, president and CEO of CTNA. ``The products the Continental corporation offers today continue to meet the demanding and complex needs of our customers in both the original equipment and replacement sectors.''
ASA adds POS credit processing
NASHUA, N.H.-ASA Tire Systems has partnered with a Web-based credit card transaction processing company to provide tire dealers with integrated point-of-sale credit processing.
ASA said the arrangement with X-charge will help dealers using TreadX, TireMax and TirePro software applications to eliminate steps in the card authorization process and minimize processing fees. The service is available immediately, ASA said.
``Most tire dealers have to enter the sale into their point-of-sale systems, then have to go through a separate step for the authorization process,'' said David Duchesne, director of sales and marketing for ASA. ``This partnership allows our clients to reduce the time needed to process sales, making the customer experience more enjoyable.''
Hankook contest promotes new tire
WAYNE, N.J.-Hankook Tire America Corp. will promote its new Ventus V4ES ultra-high performance all-season tire with an online ``Getaway Giveaway'' for a trip to a Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts site in the U.S. or Puerto Rico.
The contest will give four winners $5,000 gift certificates to a select Four Seasons destination plus airfare for two. Hankook also will award 50 first prizes of Canon digital cameras and 250 second prizes of a MasterCard gift card for $20.
The sweepstakes will be advertised in print ads in major automotive publications plus signage and point-of-sale displays at Hankook dealerships, the tire maker said. Participants must enter the contest via Hankook's Web site www.hankooktireusa.com/enter.
Winners will be selected in late May. No purchase is necessary.
Yokohama marks 35 years in U.S.
FULLERTON, Calif.-Yokohama Tire Corp. recently celebrated 35 years in the U.S. tire market.
Yokohama Rubber Co. Ltd. founded its U.S. operations in 1969 in Los Angeles. The headquarters moved to Fullerton in 1986.
The U.S. company is headed by Norio Karashima, who was named president and CEO last year. He replaced Koji Ikawa, now chairman of Yokohama Tire, who was one of the first U.S. employees for Yokohama.