Archive for the ‘News’ Category

More City & Guilds accreditations for TyreFinders staff

News & advice posted on

Huge congratulations to Curtis, Aarron, Taylor, Harry and Adam (from left to right) for successfully completing their City & Guilds accredited NTDA Licensed Retail Tyre Technician course at our training centre in Helston.

More City & Guilds qualified tyre technicians at TryreFinders

Modules covered on the course are Practical Assessment – Fitting of Car, Light Van and 4X4 tyres, Practical Assessment – Wheel Security (BSAU 50), Practical Assessment – Minor Tyre Repairs (BSAU 159(g)), Balancing, Theory & Practical Assessment, Four Wheel Alignment, Theory & Practical Assessment, TPMS and Manual Handling and Safe Working Practices

Congratulations to Lee, Taylor, Chris, Steven and Jason (from left to right) for successfully completing their City & Guilds REACT course.

Tyrefinders technicians achieve REACT qualification

Tyre Technician earns ‘Licence to Fit’ with Michelin

News & advice posted on

STEPHEN MORRISON – TYRE TECHNICIAN EARNS ‘LICENCE TO FIT’ WITH MICHELIN

Local tyre fitter Stephen Morrison has become one of just 16 people chosen by iconic brand Michelin to take its new Licenced Retail Tyre Technician course.

Stephen, who works for Tyrefinders at their Commercial Road Penryn branch, was selected from tyre fitters around the country to spend two days at Michelin’s world class training centre in Stoke-on-Trent, learning more about wheel security, tyre repairs, four-wheel alignment, safe working practices and tyre pressure monitoring systems.

The 25 year old tyre technician said: “It’s an honour to have been put forward for the opportunity by Tyrefinders and to have been picked by Michelin. Together with the other lads, we’ve become the first in the country to take this new training programme and I’m sure it will help me further my career.”

The course, which has been accredited by City & Guilds, is believed to be one of the first of its kind in the industry. It follows calls from tyre retailers asking for an industry-wide training standard to be created for retail tyre technicians.

Stephen was invited to take part in the Licenced Retail Tyre Technician course as Tyrefinders, which is located in Commercial Road Penryn, is among a select group of tyre retailers in the UK to have been recognised as a Michelin Certified Centre. This mark of excellence is only awarded to those businesses that prove they deliver exceptional levels of customer service and workmanship by passing a comprehensive Michelin audit.

Andy Aylward, Michelin Retail Programme Manager for the UK and Ireland, said: “Providing access to free staff training sessions has always been a key part of the Michelin Auto Professional programme and helps ensure we attract the very best dealers to join our network. Without doubt, this year’s training package has proven a real highlight and it was a pleasure to have Stephen on the course.”

Another 8 members of staff achieve Licence to Work Safely at the Roadside

News & advice posted on

Congratulations to another 8 members of staff this week who have successfully been trained by Michelin and passed the REACT – Licence to Work Safely at the Roadside qualification at our new Training Centre in Helston!

TyreFinders staff passing REACT

Roadside Emergency Action Concerning Technicians (REACT) – Licence to Work Safely at the Roadside

The safety of tyre technicians working by the roadside has always been a cause for concern in the tyre industry; technicians can be called out at any hour, in all weather conditions, to work on a vehicle often mere yards away from speeding traffic. It is a sad fact that, every year, some fitters are seriously injured or killed while working at the roadside.

How Did React Come Into Being?

A number of professionals in the tyre industry; manufacturers, retailers offering roadside assistance and training providers, have come together as the REACT Steering Group to launch a scheme to licence all tyre technicians working on truck tyres on the roadside. The scheme has received the backing of the Highways Agency as a positive step towards improved working safety.

Training And Monitoring of Roadside Tyre Technicians

REACT operates as a group within, and is administered by, the NTDA. Launched in October 2011, (and to become mandatory at a date yet to be set by the Executive Council of the NTDA), for all truck tyre technicians who work for companies in membership of the NTDA. The scheme records and monitors the training of technicians working on the roadside throughout Great Britain and Northern Ireland attending truck tyre associated breakdowns on motorways, duel carriage ways and trunk roads.

Tyre Technician passes his Car Tyre Technical Course

News & advice posted on

We are delighted to announce that another one of our tyre technician’s has passed his Car tyre Technical Course at the Michelin Training Centre.  The objectives of this City and Guilds accredited course is to explain the basic elements of car tyre technology, demonstrate how to fit and balance car tyres and to carry out minor repairs and to explain the importance of workshop health and safety.

This three day course trains our staff on the following:

  • Tyre Development
    • The importance of the pneumatic tyre, components of the  pneumatic tyre, materials used in tyre construction
  • Tyre size and other sidewall markings
  • Car Wheels
    • Tyre/wheel relationships, Torque settings
  • Principles of vehicle control
  • Theory of balance
    • Practical balancing
  • Tyre examination
    • Wear and damage diagnosis
  • Puncture Repairs
    • Minor repairs to BSAu 159(f)
  • Tyre Legislation
    • Factors affecting tyre life and how to control them

Gary started with us in March 2015 and although he had many years of tyre fitting experience before joining our team he didn’t hold a qualification therefore we booked him on the first available course.

When Gary returned from the course he said, “Although I’ve been the trade a while Ive learnt a lot from the course and it’s going to give me a lot more confidence when i’m back at work dealing with customers.”

We have several staff booked on courses this year, courses include the Car Tyre Technical, Licence to Fit – Roadside Recovery, Motorcycle Tyre Technical and a Selling Tyres course.  A member of staff from the Redruth branch passed his Truck Tyre Technical back in January 2015.