Tyremen confident in UK winter market

Based in East Yorkshire, point-S member, Tyremen is conspicuously active in the seasonal winter market. Not only is there a dedicated winter tyre and wheel section on the company’s website, but banners advertise both specialist seasonal products and all-season rubber in prominent positions. The retailer says it is “well prepared” for what it predicts will be “a busy winter season in 2012/13”.

The company says that after a number of years of winter tyre experience it is expecting demand for winter tyres to continue to strengthen, even after the unusually mild winter of 2011. It says that “many of Tyremen’s customers have experienced the benefits of specific cold weather products over the last five or six years”, and predicts that those customers already using winter tyres “will continue to use these in years to come”.

On initially entering the winter market Tyremen says it typically sold to drivers that either lived in Scotland or were driving to the Alps for ski trips, tallying with the idea that winter tyres in the UK are sustainable in the areas with harsher conditions in winter, in addition to those driving more premium vehicles. However, Tyremen also says that the last few years have seen more motorists purchasing winter tyres, regardless of location. The company predicts this scenario “will become more prevalent”.

Tyremen stocks “many thousands” of winter tyres at its 25,000 sq ft warehouse in Hull, including tyres from leading manufacturers such as: Vredestein, Continental, Goodyear, Dunlop, Hankook and Uniroyal. During the winter they supply to local retail customers, online through Tyremen.co.uk and to trade and wholesale customers all over the UK. It also aims to stock SUV, runflat and unusual sizes that are often more difficult to source directly from manufacturers during the winter months.

Tyremen is also in an advantageous position with its stock of wheels, making it able to offer winter wheel and tyre packages where winter products are supplied fitted, balanced and ready to be swapped over. Tyremen has most prevalently imported Alutec wheels from Germany in the past, but this year it has introduced some new products into its range. It has sole UK distribution rights for Anzio alloy wheels, which – like Alutec products – are TÜV-approved and come with a five-year guarantee on the paint finish. It also offers German manufactured steel wheels on a wide range of vehicles.

Tyremen also stocks a range of “factory run” original equipment Audi wheels; the retailer has previously stocked these wheels and it says they are well suited for Audi drivers that want a cost effective winter wheel.