Giti Tire refreshes retread programme with new name, partner

Giti Tire has renamed its UK retread programme Giti Genesis as part of its European truck and bus rebranding project. Originally known as GT REE Tread when it was launched at the CV Show 2012, the next generation products show strong continuity in most aspects – it will remain a hot cure bead-to-bead retread manufactured using Giti casings, though there have been some changes, the biggest of which is the identity of the retreader. The Giti Genesis is available in two patterns: the GDR690 regional drive axle tyre is available in 295/80R22.5, 315/70R22.5 and 315/80R22.5; the GTR990 regional trailer tyre is offered in size 385/65R22.5. Speaking to Tyres & Accessories from the CV Show 2017, where the Giti Genesis received its official launch, Tony McHugh, TBR sales and marketing director UK at Giti Tire, explained the thinking behind the change of branding.

“We’ve rebranded REE-Tread – Reliable, Economical, and Environmental Tread – completely as Genesis,” McHugh states. “The reception from dealers has been that the new tyres look the part. The sidewall is very clear and Genesis goes well with Giti. We only retread on our casings, so every Giti Genesis tyre is on a GT Radial casing.”

As well as changing the name of its range of retread tyres, Giti has also engaged a new retreader in the manufacture of the Genesis, switching from its previous supplier. McHugh tells Tyres & Accessories that the reasons for the change include the “changing circumstances” of the UK retreading operation that produced the GT Radial REE-Tread, and the nationwide casing collection and distribution network offered by the new supplier.

Timing of the rebrand

Speaking about the timing of the rebrand, McHugh adds that changing market circumstances suggest there are currently good opportunities for robust retread programmes to flourish. “The market is changing as cheap Chinese [new tyres] are increasing in price, which gives us an improved opportunity to sell the Genesis into the marketplace. We’ve seen price increases of up to 20 per cent on new tyres, which closes the price gap considerably.” The availability of new tyres at cheaper prices than the manufacturer’s retreads has made for a challenging marketplace since the REE Tread was launched, though such products are often not of the same standard. “We persevered with it, and the Genesis is now making its own mark. The pricing situation has given us a better opportunity

In terms of what Giti is trying to achieve via its retread programme, the emphasis of Giti Genesis remains very similar to that of the REE Tread, McHugh adds. “Our retread programme is working to establish the integrity of our casings, which is done, and to give added value to the fleet operator. We bring in our own casings, collected by the third party, and we manage it from there. We pay the casing value back to our dealer, and give the fleet a second life for our products. It makes the Giti product stand out from other imported products, because we are one of only two manufacturers [in this category] that offer a retreading programme.” McHugh adds that using a mould cure process to produce the Genesis is also a factor in standing out in the market place, both because of the “like new” effect on the tyres’ aesthetics, and because of the implied quality of the existing casings. “The retread is only as good as the casing it sits on, and our retreads only sit on GT Radial – and Giti, going forward – casings.”

Finally, Giti’s rebranding also implies a wider perspective for the manufacturer in terms of future growth. McHugh tells Tyres & Accessories that the rebrand stems from “a new outlook” on Giti Tires’ whole retread programme. Renaming as Giti Genesis reflects the ambition “to expand into other markets with one brand name,” McHugh says, giving the range an international appeal the acronymic REE Tread lacks outside the English-speaking world. While the programme is currently run only in the UK, Giti is looking towards an international future: “Genesis will be known around the rest of Europe as the Giti retread programme.”

Giti Genesis joins the first phase of the company’s Giti branded truck and bus tyre range, with 20 patterns making their European debut. Giti announced at Reifen 2016 that it would replace GT Radial in the truck and bus segment to create a singular global platform and streamline product development. The brand will be pitched at the same level – the top of the mid-tier segment, Giti states – with extensive value-added service support.