PM 40014105 VOLUME 7 / NUMBER 4 / NOVEMBER 2010 / 4,95 $ www.autosphere.ca AtlasMade Tire Wholesale in Inc. China Rakla Tires proudly stands behind their suppliers Aziz Rakla President, Rakla Tires EXPERIENCE CORGHI’S TECHNOLOGY. ASK FOR A DEMONSTRATION, IT WILL CONVINCE YOU. TO SCHEDULE OUR DEMO TRUCK, CONTACT OUR ONTARIO SALES MANAGER: THIERRY LEFEBVRE EM7440 A9824TI-DV-1000 ARTIGLIO 50 • SALES • SERVICE • LEASING/PURCHASING • FINANCING AVAILABLE ARE YOU READY FOR YOUR SUMMER TIRE SPRINT? FOR INFORMATION : 416-902-5663 WWW.CORGHIONTARIO.COM ONTARIO Contents November 2010 14 C O V E R S TORY 8 FEatURES 8 NASCAR, it’s mechanical! 25 A customer retention solution Not sophisticated? Think twice Tire storage 10 Tire testing 26 Winter testing in Florida’s heat Winter and All Weather offerings Air force base provides snow from Hankook indoors for tire testing 12 Updating the business 27 1 million wide-base tires News from the OTR Michelin X-One and AG tire segments 30 Supplier spotlight 14 Rakla Tires stands behind their suppliers Focus on the future Made in China... Proudly! 16 Lead issues R E G U LAR S Part 1: Why get rid of it? 18 Managing tires 4 ................................................ Editorial The right software is your best friend 22, 28 .................................. Industry events 19 Could it be tomorrow’s tire? Optima introduces the ...................................... New products Camber Tire technology 6, 7 20 For three years minimum 29 ............................................ Advertisers Pirelli: back in Formula One 24 Recycling regulations Leveling the playing field | www.autosphere.ca | November 2010 | Tire News | 3 EDitoRiaL Founding President Rémy L. Rousseau Contributing Editors Shirley Brown, Claude Boucher, Philippe Crowe, Éric Descarries, Simon Dion-Viens, Jack Kazmierski, Jil McIntosh and Daniel Rufiange Revisor and Translator Shirley Brown and François Charron Photographer Marie-josée Rousseau Graphic designer Kevin Foster Circulation Manager Nancy Belleville Administrative Assistant Françoise Poynee Sales Assistant Marie-Hélène Côté Tire Pricing? Business Developement Managers Nathalie Plouffe 416-925-5665 Price doesn’t always [email protected] Luc Champagne 514-945-1299 equal dollars [email protected] Réjean A. Rousseau 450-649-9007 Well, it’s that time of year again… the time when consumers ‘shop’ [email protected] for pricing! Sell more than tire and services; sell added value. Subscription 1 year: $19.95 2 years: $34.95 3 years: $49.95 hen consumers come to your tire but there will likely be some problems with Printer store, they really don’t just come the purchase… are the tires the correct size, Publications 9417 are they the correct tire for that particular for a price… but to purchase a Published by W vehicle. Consumers don’t always know what product and service at a price! It’s up to they’re buying on the Internet… other than you as the tire store owner or the service price! advisor to explain in detail what you are 455, rue Notre-Dame est, suite 311, offering at your store… for a price! You have the answers Montréal QC, H2Y 1C9 When the consumer comes to your particular T : 514-289-0888 / 1-877-989-0888 tire store, you should have all the answers F : 514-289-5151 Yes, you need to sell tires… but how about E: [email protected] all the rest of the products that are part of and all the products and services available. It’s not just ‘price’, it’s what goes with it Tire News Magazine is dedicated to serving the business the tires—they too, need to be checked. interests of the Canadian tire industry. It is published four How about the valve stems, the wheel that’s even more important for you and your times a year by Rousseau Automotive Communication, a member of AIA Canada. weights (not lead, I hope), cleaning the rims customer. You are the expert… you can tell them what type, quality they need and if the Material in Tire News Magazine may not be reproduced in properly, TPMS, tread depth of the tires, the any form without written consent from the publisher. The wheels, the tire pressure, storage for their tire is the correct one for their vehicle in or- publisher reserves the right to refuse any advertising and der for your client’s safety and for the kind of disclaims all responsibilities for claims or statements made by ‘summer’ tires, etc. its advertisers or independent columnists. All facts, opinions driving they are doing. and statements appearing within this publication are those of the writers and editors themselves, and are in no way to Internet shopping be construed as statements, positions or endorsements by Remember it’s not always about price… Rousseau Automotive Communication. Some people will go to the Internet to source it’s about the services and product that go Publications Mail Agreement 40014105. Return undelivrable pricing… and they will discover all kinds of together for safe driving. Canadian addresses to prices from all kinds of places for the same Rousseau Automotive Communication / Circulation Department, 455, rue Notre-Dame est, suite 311, product. But, you need to explain the value We have all kinds of article and photo fea- Montréal QC, H2Y 1C9 of what you’re selling and the Internet can’t tures about products and services on our do that. Consumers also forget that if they website autosphere.ca. Check it out, you’ll do purchase on the Internet, they must pay be surprised. (usually) for the shipping and be there when the package arrives. And how about instal- lation… they have to go somewhere else for that. Buying through the Internet may be OK, Rémy L. Rousseau [email protected] 4 | Tire News | November 2010 | www.autosphere.ca | **BINDING EDGE**BINDING EDGE* NEW! The ESPIA EPZ, Falken’s latest addition to the winter tire line up. It provides superb traction even in the harshest weather conditions. Specially designed canyon sipes and a fiberglass-reinforced rubber compound allow the EPZ to “claw” the roughness of ice and stubbornness of snow in a non-studded alternative to the traditional winter tire. With 10 sizes available August 1st, 2010 the new ESPIA EPZ is the perfect choice capable of conquering mother nature at her worst. *BINDING EDGE**BINDING EDGE** NEW TECHNOLOGY CANYON SIPES SELF-MAINTENANCE MECHANISM Siping inside the block is composed of complex An anti-aging agent maintains fundamental functions zigzag bodies improving overall grip on snow and ice DUAL-PURPOSE TREAD PATTERN CIRCUMFERENTIAL GROOVES “ICE FACE” maximize hydroplane resistance by provides for a wider center tread and expanded channeling water away from the contact lateral shoulder area grooves patch in wet weather conditions DUAL-PURPOSE TREAD PATTERN NYLON REINFORCED SHOULDERS “SNOW FACE” improved high speed stability and handling expanded lateral shoulder area grooves takes on snow-packed roads STEEL BELTS stiffer wide steel belts offer greater tread rigidity, SHOULDER-EDGE WAVE SIPE superior grip and high speed stability provides a stronger resistance to wandering HIGH TENSION CARCASS increase handling response and high speed stability Follow us: Become a Falken Fanatic at wegetyougoing.com www.falkentire.com 13649 Valley Blvd. / Fontana, CA 92335 / Tel: 800.723.2553 Fax: 909.466.1169 TIRE 800.723.2553 | FALKEN | Tire News_Canada | *RIGHT HAND Full Page Ad* | AUG 2010 | 10.875”H x 8.125”W NEW PRODUcts New Muscle Car Toyo Tire Bridgestone Ecopia EP150 Toyo’s Proxes TQ is a street legal Bridgestone Corp. has launched a line of eco-friendly tires, drag radial designed specifically the Ecopia EP150. for high-horsepower muscle cars and street machines The products were displayed at the International Motor Show (IAA) in to deliver power to the Frankfurt, Germany. Compared with current Bridgestone products in the track, the company reports. same dimensions, the company claims its new Ecopia EP150 has a 15 Featuring a dual-purpose percent improved rolling resistance — making it, on average, about 3 low-void asymmetric tread percent more fuel-efficient while achieving a reduction in CO2 output of design, it has a semi-slick around 3 %. inner area to improve trac- tion. On the street, a vari- The Ecopia EP150 will be introduced as an integrated replacement and able pitch outer area of the original equipment product, targeting tread reduces pattern noise. compacts and mid-sized passen- Combined with the company’s ger cars with 14- to 16-inch Tmode design technology, drag ra- rim sizes in 55 to 65 series. dial tread compound and special drag-race radial construction, the tire delivers a smooth, quiet ride on the street and quicker No release date for the 60-foot times at the track. Canadian market has been unveiled. TRW Continues to Drive Affordable Safety with Low-Cost TPMS Yokohama’s new BluEarth AE-01 TRW Automotive announced the launch of its LCCI (Low Cost wins Good Design Award Clamp-In) sensor for Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) Yokohama Rubber Co. Ltd’s new applications in 2011 model year vehicles. BluEarth AE-01 passenger tire has won the Good Design Award from the The new design, which TRW says results in significantly lowered Japan Industrial Design Promotion costs for the system, features a valve that screws directly into the Organization. housing, allowing for a single housing with multiple valve design capability. This results in fewer parts and higher reliability The eco-friendly BluEarth was than using a screw and nut, according to the company. introduced this past July. “Under the new BluEarth concept... Yokohama endeavors to be environmentally friendly through The new design also features laser welding of the excellent fuel efficiency,” say com- cover to the housing, a compliant pin battery and valve pany officials. connection, and a heat-resistant, long-life battery capable of operating within a range of -40 to 120 degrees Celsius.