Nankang pursues UK growth with West Bromwich distribution site

With a product range encompassing a good range of high and ultra high performance fitments at an economical price-point, Taiwanese manufacturer Nankang’s potential in the UK market has always been clear. However, the brand’s UK representatives believe that its profile and perceived brand positioning in the country could be raised in line with its European activities. Committing to achieve these goals, the brand’s distributor in the UK, Westlands Ltd, has taken up the new name Nankang Tyre UK, and joint managing directors Steve Smith and Scott Graham will head up the project.

Smith views the project as challenging and exciting: “Throughout Europe Nankang has a high presence and brand recognition as a good quality mid-sector tyre. But in the UK it has not always been perceived in the position within the market that it deserves. It hasn’t been significantly marketed in the UK before and we will be addressing this in the future. We see Nankang as being positioned in the Premium Economy sector, which, given its vast size range, performance and quality, is exactly where it should be. The potential is enormous.”

Nankang Tyre UK’s new 75,000sqft warehouse in West Bromwich holds between 80-90 per cent of the entire Nankang range – currently totalling over 320 stock lines and expanding daily. The distributor says it will increase staffing to provide greater depth of service, while it also says that there has never been a greater level of stock available, with stocked sizes ranging between 195/65R15 and 295/35R21. The operation is designed to allow retailers and wholesalers to cover a wider array of requirements, Nankang UK says, servicing both tyre and alloy wheel specialists.

Raising Nankang’s profile

One of the ways in which Nankang plans to increase its visibility is through appearances at major motorsport and performance events – a tactic employed successfully in the UK particularly by Maxxis for example. Nankang participated in Top Gear Live in 2012 and Autosport International 2013 highlighting the brand’s performance credentials.

Nankang also plans to up its presence on the social networks with dedicated Facebook and Twitter pages. The brand continues to grow in the motorsport arena, with a current focus on Drifting. It says further profile-building involvement is now under consideration.

Smith comments: “There are huge opportunities for Nankang in motorsport, particularly in the track day tyre market. Here we are looking to make a huge im-pact, moving up a gear with an all-round track day tyre to meet the needs of an increasingly price-competitive market. We now have an incredible value-for-money track day tyre, the NS-2R, which will be available in both Track and Street compounds in a wide size range.”

Nankang Performance Centres

Nankang Tyre UK wholesale and retail outlets will be branded as Nankang Performance Centres. A more user-friendly website is on its way too, with better Facebook and Twitter integration. Nankang says dealer branding support programmes, point-of-sale material, merchandising and work wear are all in development, each of which will be tailored to an individual outlet’s requirements. Typical examples could include specialist promotion for the ECO-2 tyre and the new performance range NS-20.

Nankang Tyre UK has also put into place a 24-hour “delivery promise”, either through the West Bromwich delivery fleet or by express courier. It’s location near the intersection of the M5 and M6 at the heart of the motorway network makes this possible, according to the company.

Smith concludes: “We are setting out to change perceptions, through providing exceptional service which begins here at our head office, right through to our delivery support and our expanding sales force out in the field. We are absolutely determined to go the extra mile for our customers and enhance the growing reputation of the Nankang brand. We are gearing up to allow a greater proportion of the tyre retail market to have the opportunity to experience the value for money and unique versatility of our mas-sive tyre size range.”