Michelin appoints UK, RoI commercial director truck and bus

Michelin has appointed Guy Heywood as commercial director of its truck and bus operations in the UK and Republic of Ireland. Heywood, 45, has been with the company for more than 14 years, having served the last two years as national sales manager of its commercial vehicle tyre operations. Heywood also spent four years as production manager at the Stoke-on-Trent-based Remix plant. Reporting to Marc de Bellescize, sales director for Michelin’s European Truck Tyre Division, Heywood replaces Bill Schafer, who is returning to the USA to take up a position within the Michelin group there.

Heywood says: “In these trying economic times, we have seen our market share increase as fleet managers are choosing not the lowest price tyre but the tyre and service provider offering the lowest total cost of ownership.

“Our focus in the short term will be maintaining Michelin’s presence as market leader in the replacement sector for bus, coach and truck tyres in the UK and continuing to grow our market share. We have developed significant contracts with large national fleets and we now plan to further extend our base of regional and local fleet customers.”

Heywood expects to drive results thanks to Michelin’s latest ranges of high technology products through the Company’s dedicated sales force, and through its extensive national network of ATS Euromaster outlets and Michelin Certified Centres.

Heywood is also a keen cyclist, completing a five-day cycle challenge in Madagascar in June 2012 to raise money for industry charity Transaid – and a separate London to Paris event in aid of the North Staffs Carers Association in October 2012.