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NEWS
Former TIA President Bob Malerba Dies at 64
Bridgestone Announces Significant Price Increases
Bridgestone Commercial Solutions, a business of Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations, recently announced that effective immediately it has increased prices in the United States and Canada on its Bridgestone and Firestone brand truck and bus tyre products, Bandag brand retreads and related retreading materials. In addition, the price of Bridgestone, Firestone and Continuum OTR tyre products and retread rubber will increase effective Aug. 1. The total average increase for all of the
products listed above will be 11 per cent.
“Volatile market conditions continue to provide many challenges to the transportation industr y, and Bridgestone Commercial Solutions is certainly not immune to the rising cost of doing business,” said Kurt Danielson, president, Bridgestone Commercial Solutions. “We are particularly impacted by intense supply pressures and escalating raw materials, making this increase necessar y at this time.”
US Truck Tyre Retreads Outnumbered
It used to be normal for the number of retreaded truck tyres in the United States to outnumber new replacement truck tyre shipments annually. Not anymore according to Modern Tire Dealer.
In five of the last seven years, more new truck tyres have been produced and shipped in the replacement market than their retreaded counterparts.
In 2010, 15.2 million replacement truck tyres were shipped in the U.S.. Another 14.3 million retreaded truck tyres, worth close to $3 billion (including casing costs), were sold.
The average cost of a new truck tyre is $335.52. That is 60% more than a comparable retread, which costs an average of $209.79.
Bob Malerba, former independent tire dealer and president of the Tyre Industry Association (TIA), died of cancer on Monday, May 30, 2011. He was 64. Bob Malerba was a well known face in the tyre industry and a regular at key events around the world, including Reifen Essen, Autopromotec and other events. Malerba served as president of TIA in 2005-2006. He also served on the TIA (formerly the National Tire Dealers and Retreaders Association and Tire Association of North America) board for many years.
At one time, Malerba owned Malerba's Silver City Tire, a three- store commercial tyre chain based in Meriden, Conn. He also ran a Bandag retread shop. The family business got started in 1939 when Malerba's father bought a delivery service in Meriden, Conn., naming it Meriden Parcel Gift Delivery. Realizing there was a need for truck maintenance in the area, he soon opened Malerba's Service Depot as a gas station.
As the business grew and expanded its scope of operations, it became Malerba's Silver City Tire Co., a title acknowledging Meriden's claim to fame as the town where sterling silver pitchers, silverware and other household products were produced. In 2004, he sold the stores, which did business as Malerba's Tyre Man, to Jim Berlin In his high school and college years, Bob Malerba worked in the dealership's retread shop doing whatever needed to be done. When he graduated from Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., in 1970, he was second in his class academically. That's also the place where he met his wife, Kitty. (This
is the same university, incidentally, attended by Roy Littlefield, TIA's executive vice president.)
To attend college, Malerba was given an exemption from the Vietnam War draft, but on graduation he enlisted in the Air Force, took pilot training and became a strato-tanker pilot, using the four-engine Boeing 707 to refuel other aircraft in flight. He spent more than 3,000 hours as a flight instructor and eventually trained other pilots to become flight instructors. He also wrote a co-pilot evaluation test for the Strategic Air Command.
"Bob lost a courageous battle with cancer," says Blaise Pascale, his right-hand man at Malerba's. "How fitting that a retired militar y pilot passed away on Memorial Day."
“Ever yone at TIA is saddened to hear of the death of our former president and friend, Bob Malerba," says TIA Executive Vice President Roy Littlefield.
"Bob cared ver y passionately about the success of TIA, and he showed this before, during and after his presidency. His service to TIA will not be forgotten, and we extend our deepest sympathies to his family and friends during this time of great loss.”
Malerba was one of only 12 pilots nominated to help develop a central flight instructor course. By the time he left the Air Force in 1979, he also had served three tours of duty in Vietnam. Survivors include his wife of more than 40 years, Kitty, and his children, Jeffrey and Kymberly.
Continental has New Retread and Brand Manager
Grant Willman has joined Continental’s UK and Ireland commercial vehicle tyres marketing team as Retread and Brand Manager in a newly created role.
With three years experience in the industry, Willman, 31, moves from his previous position within the Continental Tyre Group as Truck Sales Manager to become Retread and Brand Manager with the responsibility of developing the manufacturer’s retread strategy over the next five years. Before Continental, Grant worked in the Golf Industry.
Grant will also be responsible for managing the casing process to ensure Continental is at the forefront of the retread market as well as developing and implementing the brand strategy for all Continental’s commercial vehicle products.
Grant said, “I am excited about my new position as I know retreads are playing an
increasingly important role in the
commercial vehicle tyre market. I am looking forward to the challenges ahead. Reducing operational costs are a top priority for our customers and we are working on a great retread package that will really work to benefit operators, so watch this space.” Arthur Gregg, Continental Sales and Marketing Director Commercial, said” “This is a really important new role in our truck team and we are pleased to be able to offer retreads such a focus within Continental to help operators achieve the lowest overall driving costs. Grant has been out in the field with our customers for the last three years so he brings a great deal to the position with a real focus on what is wanted and valued by our customers. It is a really exciting time for retreads at Continental and I wish Grant every success in the future.”
Grant is a keen golfer and lives in Farnham, Surrey with his wife Carys and their five-month-old daughter Eva
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