Continental reorganises replacement tyre businesses in EMEA

Company reorganising management roles to deliver a new structure based on customer groups rather than products

Continental has merged its passenger and truck tyres replacement businesses in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. Philipp von Hirschheydt, former head of the passenger tyres replacement business in the EMEA region, leads the new business unit. This transformation started on 1 January, 2020, becoming effective on 1 July, 2020. Conti states that it has merged the businesses to “increase customer centricity while increasing the overall efficiency of the organisations.” In making this organisational change, Conti has shifted its structure to align with customer groups rather than product categories.

As a result of the merger, sales of passenger car, van and truck tyres will be managed in the new ‘Replacement Tires EMEA’ business unit. The new joint organisation is structured primarily according to customer groups, such as major international key accounts, fleet customers, OEM after-sales customers, or customers in emerging markets. Conti says these groups will be “comprehensively served according to their individual needs by dedicated specialist departments.”

As a result, Conti will also merge previously separate central functions, including the marketing and e-business departments. This promotes synergy where previously separate depatments delineated by product categories provided comparable services. Conti added that one particular objective is for its “digital structures to optimise and personalise the customer experience” to be “developed more quickly and effectively.”

Synergy and efficiency

Philipp von Hirschheydt, head of the Replacement Tires EMEA business, commented: “The completion of the re-organisation measures marks a milestone for us. We have consistently looked ahead and organised ourselves closely in line with current and future needs of our customers – from local retail, wholesale and commercial tyre dealerships to international key accounts, fleet customers and OEM after-sales customers. This will allow us to serve all our customers with our products, services, and solutions as well as at every other touch point in an optimal way and strengthen our market position in the different countries and in the entire region.

“The merger will make us even more efficient and allow us to connect know how from previously separate entities and utilise it for the benefit of our customers.”

Leadership reorganisation

Constantin Batsch, former head of the truck tyres replacement business in the EMEA region, will be responsible for managing the Fleet Solutions department as well as overall tyre sales in Northern and Eastern Europe in the new organisation. Ralf Benack, former head of the truck fleet business, will be responsible for the strategic management and orientation of the specialist department for truck, passenger car, and van fleet customers.

Roland Welzbacher will manage sales in Southern Europe and the OEM after-sales department in the new structure. Frauke Wieckberg will be responsible for the strategic management of the OEM after-sales department, which focuses on customers from the car dealership and truck trading branches.

From 1 September, Jürgen Marth, currently head of the ContiTrade distribution network, will be responsible for regional sales in Central Europe and the international key account business. The latter he will gradually take over from Wolfgang Thomale, who has assumed responsibility for the new ‘Specialty Tires’ business unit. On July 1, the former business units ‘Commercial Specialty Tires’ (specialty tyres for commercial use), ‘Two Wheel Tires (‘bicycle and motorcycle tyres) and ‘Hoosier Racing Tire’ (racing tyres) were merged in the business unit ‘Specialty Tires’.

The head of the department for major international customers is long-standing key account manager Benoit Henry.

Jon-Ander Garcia will continue to manage and develop regional sales in emerging markets in the Middle East and Africa as well as in Turkey and Russia.

The former head of the ‘Commercial Specialty Tires’ business unit, Enno Straten, will assume overall responsibility for the areas strategy, analytics and marketing in the new business unit ‘Replacement Tires EMEA’.