Brityrex Increases Aftermarket Appeal

More exhibitors from across the aftermarket have signed up for October’s Brityrex International exhibition, with familiar names and new brands seeking to capitalise on the potential offered by a post-recession tyre and equipment marketplace. Among the latest names to be confirmed by show organiser ECI International are battery specialist Manbat, Chinese tyre maker Guizhou Tyre Co and a strong hand of garage equipment suppliers in Snap-On Equipment, DQN and JHM Butt & Co.

Myles Pemberton, marketing manager with leading independent battery distributor Manbat, explains his decision to exhibit at the show: “We’ll be at Brityrex because we believe there is an enormous amount of potential for tyre and fast fit retailers to improve their sales and their expertise in batteries. We can help dealers grow their business with good training and technical knowledge; it’s not just about shifting units.”

Snap-On Equipment is one of the longest-established names in the garage equipment sector and the company will be returning to Brityrex with the promise of new Hofmann under-car products for the tyre and fast fit workshop.

General manager Chris Behan is confident that the trade is starting to invest in new equipment after a period of mend-and-make-do over the past 18 months or so:  “The name of the game has been to make existing equipment last as long as possible and that has been borne out by huge increases in spare parts sales that we saw last year. The mood has now started to change and businesses are conscious that they need to invest to replace old equipment, but also to make sure they keep pace with OE tyre and wheel technology that has continued to move on despite the recession.”

In addition to its Hofmann ranges of wheel balancers, tyre changers, aligners and lifts, Snap-On is a major supplier of ATL (Automatic Test Lane) equipment for MOT testing and improved workshop efficiency.

Guizhou Tyre Co. to debut in October

A first-time exhibitor at October’s show will be Chinese tyre manufacturer Guizhou Tyre Co, best known for its Advance brand. The company is a major producer of non-highway tyres, including OTR, agricultural and industrial, but also supplies truck and commercial ranges to export customers throughout the world.

Roger Preston, Guizhou’s technical consultant, says Brityrex will be an important stepping stone to greater brand awareness in the UK market: “Guizhou is a major producer in China but our promotion within Europe and in the UK especially, has been relatively low-key in the past. We have now taken the strategic decision to be more aggressive in our sales promotion across Europe in general and in particular the UK market. Exhibiting at Brityrex will start to address that situation and we look forward to introducing our products and capabilities to distributors and dealers in Manchester.”

JHM Butt & Co., better known as Butt’s of Bawtry, is a long-established family business supplying tools, equipment and consumables to the garage trade. Already a supplier to fast fit giant Kwik-Fit and to Nationwide Autocentres, the company is looking to Brityrex to boost its reputation and profile in the tyre sector.

“We can supply customers ranging from an independent garage through to a national fast-fit chain with everything they need to equip and run a workshop,” sales director Mark Bean said, adding: “Although we have a very wide range of products, I’m particularly keen to promote our air-operated coil spring compressor and our suspension tester, both of which I think will appeal to garage and fast fit operators.”