w hat ’ s th e B u z z ?
SUMITOMO TIRES – REVOLUTIONARY PERFORMANCE NOW AVAILABLE IN SOUTH AFRICA
When leading Japanese business
conglomerate, Sumitomo Rubber
Industries, Limited (SRI),
announced the acquisition of
Apollo Tyres South Africa
in 2013, subsequently
renamed Sumitomo Rubber
South Africa (Pty) Ltd (SRSA),
the local tyre industry
has eagerly anticipated
the rich variety and
advanced product offering
that a company, such as
SRI, would bring to the
country.
Headquartered in Japan, SRI is
the fifth largest tyre manufacturing
company in the world and is renowned
for producing superior quality tyres
in a number of brands, including the
iconic Dunlop brand, with which it has
a proud and successful association
since 1909.
SRSA has taken strategic steps to
introduce SRI’s first-class export
brand - Sumitomo Tires – into
the South African and African
market.
Sumitomo Tires have the necessary
pedigree, quality and range to make it a
business-enhancing product with a focus
on:
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The company is confident that this brand
will be well accepted having already
proven itself in the highly demanding North
American and other international markets.
An introductory range catering to
popular vehicles in the South African
market in a variety of sizes
Consistent stable supply courtesy of
SRI’s global demand planning and
multiple factories
Strong in-field service from a wellestablished SRSA sales force
First-class Original Equipment
standard used by car manufacturers
as a tyre specification benchmark
All these factors will make the brand a
natural success with customers and prove
an efficient addition to a tyre retailer’s
stable.
For more information on this exciting
new brand, visit the website:
www.sumitomotires.co.za
DRIVERS, BEWARE! A NEW STUDY CLAIMS
REAR-END COLLISIONS ARE ON THE
INCREASE DESPITE STRONG EFFORTS FROM
MOTOR MANUFACTURERS TO HELP COMBAT
THE PROBLEM
How often do you, when driving on a highway (or other
roads for that matter) get the feeling that the vehicle behind
is much to close? Probably worse if this is a big truck or at
higher speeds, cautions Eugene Herbert of RAC. A statistic
indicates that 80% of rear end collisions are as a result of
incorrect following distance – he recommends a minimum
of 3 seconds (allowing for more in inclement weather and
heavy vehicles). Research by Accident management firm
Accident Exchange in the UK indicate their research has
uncovered a 7% rise in the number of rear-end crashes
over the past three years and account for over a third of
all accidents. What is interesting, according to Accident
Exchange, is the fact that although most modern vehicles
are now better equipped than ever to avoid collisions
these crashes are on the increase. New cars benefit from
advancements like improved braking systems such as
ABS, as well as the development of collision avoidance
systems which can even be fitted aftermarket. While the
report offered no obvious explanation for the increase
given the improvements in vehicle safety over recent years
the following was worth noting. It was postulated that a
contributory factor could come from increased connectivity
providing the modern driver with a greater number of
distractions, some of which we know to be mobile phones,
tablets and entertainment devices.