Marketing Gacosia Wheels in Shenzhen

Gacosia, owned by the Tsui brothers, has its headquarters in Hong Kong and a subsidiary in California. China Wheel produces Gacosia its alloy wheels, and in turn the manufacturer considers Gacosia as one of its two self-brands (the other being “Finn”). Stephen Tsui, Gacosia managing director, and his team, spend most of their time in China Wheel’s office space in Guangzhou: “We are very close partners,” he says. The relationship between the wheel brand and its manufacturer – and this is not uncommon in China – is not based on actual contractual agreements, as is the standard in the western countries. Instead it’s a case of “you scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours,” so to speak.

So far Gacosia wheels have not been sold in Europe, whereas in China they are said to have the image of a “noble brand.” In Shenzhen Stephen Tsui presents two market outlets as being typical of Gacosia: CoolCheCool and the B&B Motor Club.

The CoolCheCool shop is led by Henry Kong and looks like the combination of an accessories shop, a tyre dealer and a fast fit station. In any case business was active during Tyres & Accessories’ visit. Unlike a number of European markets, there are no seasonal high points in this part of China and no particular low point either.

One customer would like a carwash, the next one air conditioning service, in one bay the mechanic works under the engine bonnet, in another the tyres are being changed, the next customer is looking for alloy wheels. The vehicles that come to the shop are the same as you might see arrive at your local tyre dealer and correspond to good European standards. Older cars are rather rare.

This is “a completely normal business day,” observes Kong adding: “Our customers are interested in status symbols.” Thus he is interested in the sale of premium brands. Consequently Phillips, Shell and Denso products are offered to customers. As far as tyres are concerned, Goodyear is the preferred brand. Cheap names or unbranded products are frowned upon here. Nevertheless Kong would buy other products if required. When it comes to wheels he favours Gacosia products, and these are presented in the sales room as well as in the shop window accordingly. The wheels on show are predominantly large dimensioned casted aluminium wheels, which are often chrome plated.

A few roads away, and still rather inconspicuous from the outside, the second sales point is called B&B Motor Club. This outlet is quite different to anything you might find in Europe: This is a garage attached to a first class restaurant and a bar serving fine French wines only the more expensive Cognacs. Venture on into one of the lounges and you will find the two Bs noted in the business’ name. B&B stands for BMW and Benz.

“The business idea is oriented towards members of exclusive golf clubs,” says managing director Angie Cai, one of the few women in the largely patriarchal top management of Chinese enterprises. But the company does not only service Mercedes and BMWs. “For many members the Mercedes or BMW is the secondary car, and we also do not reject Porsche drivers.” That’s an understatement!

The club areas offer all conceivable sources of entertainment, which naturally includes Internet connections. The focus really is on making the visit to a workshop as pleasant as possible. But with service like that don’t members come to the club whether their cars need servicing or not? The simple answer is yes they do. Whether the cars needs work or not, it is still carefully cleaned during the course of the stay.

Across the road from B&B there is a small but high-class hotel exclusively for the use of club members. And it is on seeing this that you understand that it is really an exclusive club with sales rooms and workshops attached. Bearing in mind the competitiveness of the two companies in Europe, it is difficult to understand having both brands under the same roof. Cai just shrugs her shoulders as if to say: “What do we have to do with that?” B&B is a pilot project, employing approximately a hundred people. Cai let it slip that another 10 such enterprises are planned in other Chinese cities.

The workshop is of the high quality you might expect having seen the top class eatery and bar. The equipment is largely from Europe (for example the site uses Maha lifts) and is completely new. The staff work extremely carefully on the equipment and even go as far as wearing white gloves! Cameras are directed towards the cars, so that their owners can see at any time, what is being done to their vehicle. When it comes to tyres B&B is limited to two brands – Pirelli and Continental. The wheels are of course premium Gacosia products.

It is referred still to the fact that one co-operates naturally also with the large German tuners of the mentioned car brands, while on the screen famous racing drivers turns round and round.

The high quality accessories are presented in a high-tech atmosphere, however, and not in the din of racing car motor, but accompanied by the ripple of a waterfall and classical music.