Soopa Toobs: 25 Years of Tyre Industry Specialisation

During a lifetime’s experience in the tyre trade, Mike Mansfield has created a dynamic family company that has established an outstanding reputation as a successful niche market tyre and specialised tube wholesaler.

Soopa Toobs (Tyres) Limited was founded in May 1983 and is still based at its original home in Colliers End, near Ware in Hertfordshire. “In conversation with Tyres & Accessories, Mike Mansfield said, “the business began, with some assistance from a sympathetic bank manager and the unwavering support of my very understanding wife, Tricia. After consulting with a number of tyre industry luminaries, and based upon some market research, the decision was taken to opt for the tube market. Despite the fact that this judgement, whilst being somewhat influenced by financial restraints was also cautiously secure in the knowledge that there was, at that time, little competition in the tube wholesaling field. A number of tyre sizes were extremely difficult to obtain tubes for and it was this market, in particular, that I set out to satisfy without compromising on quality of product. It is a decision that I have never regretted.

“Initially tubes were sourced throughout Europe at the best possible prices,” continued Mike. “I would spend most of the week travelling around the Home Counties with a van full of samples developing sales. Deliveries would generally be made at weekends.”

After approximately 12 months of trading, with the business having developed a reasonably healthy customer network and at the point of becoming profitable, the tube market in the UK suddenly became extremely buoyant. With others wanting a slice of the action this inevitably resulted in a rapid increase in competition. It was a challenge that Mike confronted head on. Using whatever diminutive funds were available, an extensive search of global tube manufacturing companies was initiated and this eventually led to the Korean producer, Dong Ah Corporation who, following extensive negotiations, agreed to supply Soopa Toobs with their own brand of tubes.

This was soon followed by supplies from Nexen, formerly Heung Ah and this has developed into a mutually supportive relationship. “The main search agenda involved terms of quality and price and the Korean manufacturers were able to combine these important criteria perfectly. Additionally, the range of tubes available was capable of meeting the most demanding specifications of the majority of international tyre manufacturing companies. To this day I have still not seen any make of tube that is equivalent to the product range we are supplying.”

In the intervening years, through a unique blend of perseverance, sheer hard work and a dogged determination, Mike Mansfield slowly but surely has achieved his ultimate ambition – to make Soopa Toobs a dominating force in the tube market.

The tubes are branded ‘Swift’ and are available today in literally hundreds of different sizes to fit the smallest of wheelbarrow through to the largest earthmover tyre. Several container loads a month are shipped for delivery to customers throughout the UK, on a one or two day schedule, which is dependent on urgency and locality.

Unsurprisingly, Soopa Toobs has also now become recognised as a leading supplier in certain areas of the specialised tyre markets. “Our venture into tyres came about at the request of our customers,” said Mike. “We were increasingly being asked to provide certain sizes of grassland, agricultural and implement tyres. To meet this demand, it was originally our intention to stock a few sizes that we knew would sell; however, the inevitable happened and a few sizes, before long, became an avalanche of different dimensions and brands. Today the company stocks a full range of tyres for lawn care, ATV and UTV, industrial, agricultural, implement and a variety of material handling applications. Among the extensive range of brand names available are, Goodyear, Dunlop, Bridgestone, Carlisle, Trelleborg, Mitas, TVS, Kenda, Maxxis, Galaxy, Kings and Nokian.

“Whatever a customer asks for, if we do not have it immediately available from stock, we will endeavour to source and supply. It has always been our company’s policy to supply customers with whatever they need, so that an abnormal tyre or tube size, irregularly requested, can generally be quickly traced and delivered.”

After 25 years at the helm of Soopa Toobs and a total of 45 years in tyres, Mike Mansfield now endeavours, somewhat ‘tongue in cheek’, to adopt a less demanding role in company affairs. He is ably supported in the day to day management by members of his family, daughter Caroline and sons Darren and Martin as well as James Flannery as a director and general manager. Soopa Toobs has built up an reputation as a friendly and highly professional company which is big enough to supply cost effective quality products but, small enough to care about retaining personal customer contact.