MWS Enters ‘Seller’s Market’ in Europe

During 2006 Manchester-based MWS Distribution, which supplies the CV market through aftermarket and OEM divisions, launched into Europe with both its established steel range and new Xlite forged alloy products. Reckoning on the current demand for CV wheels trailing behind the rest of the market’s ability to supply, arising from Euro4 demand for new vehicles, managing director John Ellis has is forecasting an increase in sales from Europe up towards 2 million this year. This sales breakthrough came from marketing support with DTI’s Passport to Export, and recruitment since 2005 of French, German and Spanish speakers to the company’s sales staff.

Launching Xlite at last year’s Hanover IAA exhibition, MWS claims it has found OEMs seeking alternative sources for forged alloy wheels. First among these is France’s trailer manufacturer Benalu, which will be trialling Xlite on their new Siderale 78 trailer at Solutrans in Lyon (April 2007).

Xlite is supplied by MWS Wheel Systems, which belongs to MWS Distribution Ltd. It is manufactured to world-class quality standards, including TÜV, ISO 9002 and ETRTO. Already supplying Australia and Korea from its factory in Chennai and with distribution agreements being set up in USA, Xlite’s introduction to Europe is claimed to be a major challenge to a market that is currently dominated by a single supplier.

Says John Ellis: “It is the trailer manufacturers who seems to have come off second best as a result of the demand for wheels for traction units, along with the closure of manufacturing plants in Spain and France.” He then brings up a situation that worries him: “The aftermarket has also suffered and we are seeing a resurgence of ‘second-hand wheels’ being used to solve supply problems,” adding that the MWS Aftermarket division currently holds a larger range of stocks than ever in order to meet fitters’ needs.”

To further stimulate its forged alloy market, MWS has launched an exchange scheme for Xlite buyers. MWS is to offer a new-for-old exchange that will credit old steel wheels as well as old alloys (both cast as well as forged).