Manchester wholesaler exclusive GRI materials handling tyres supplier

Specialising in the production of solid and pneumatic industrial tyres and operating out of a warehouse in Manchester, Wholesale Industrial Tyres (WIT) was set up to offer more value and choice for businesses with large fleets of warehousing vehicles.  WIT is the exclusive UK distributor for Sri Lankan materials handling tyre manufacturer Global Rubber Industries (GRI), importing a range of tyres suitable for heavy duty warehousing tasks. WIT currently employs five people.

John Grey, director, WIT, told Tyres & Accessories that there has been strong growth in the warehousing vehicle segment in Europe, on the back of expanded distribution and manufacturing in the continent. He said the tyre wholesale market for this segment is “currently worth £250 million,” adding that fleet management companies for these fleets “are under enormous pressure to keep vehicles running reliably and operations directors are looking for value on large volumes.“ In turn, this has led to growth as companies try to offer better products at better prices.

With cheaper raw materials, prices for warehouse vehicle tyres has come down too. Grey describes a more level playing field existing now, since the wholesale market “was dominated by two large companies but the rise of new businesses has diluted their monopoly and therefore created more price competition.”

New products for these applications are “frequently entering the market and this is forcing wholesalers to consider their pricing structures very carefully. Smaller manufacturers from countries including China have started to appear in the European market and this growth in product availability has kept EU manufacturers on their toes in terms of range and pricing. “

WIT has increased market share by three per cent year on year since start-up, Grey added. “The exclusive partnership with GRI allows us access to a huge range of tyres which suit demands for specialist tyres, both solid and pneumatic.  Access to this range of quality, value tyres is giving us an edge over competitors and we are building up strong relationships with customers who know that they can approach us for a ‘one stop shop’ solution.

“In the future we will continue to benefit from GRI’s product development and introduce new products into our range every quarter. We will be looking at agricultural products and super solids in the near future and are committed to growing our business organically through the extensive range we can offer.”