Sumitomo-run Blackcircles ZA brings its brand of online tyre retail to South Africa

In August 2021, the people behind Blackcircles ZA announced that the company would tap into “the enormous growth of e-commerce in the country” by launching Blackcircles.co.za in South Africa. Four months later at the end of 2021, the site went live.

However, while the Blackcircles.com we in the UK know was founded in 2001 by Michael Welch and subsequently bought by Michelin in 2015, the rights to run the South African version have been bought by the largest local tyre manufacturer, Sumitomo Rubber South Africa (Pty) Ltd. According to Blackcircles.co.za, the South African business is a franchise of the central Michelin-owned Blackcircles.com, which has been purchased by Sumitomo Rubber South Africa and will be run as a separate division. Sumitomo Rubber South Africa (Pty) Ltd is a subsidiary of Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd (SRI), which is headquartered in Kobe, Japan.

Devlin Moodley, general manager for Blackcircles commented: “Blackcircles.co.za is here to change the way South Africans buy and fit tyres and to ensure that finding and fitting tyres becomes a completely stress-free process. With two decades of international experience, we have created the technology that allows our website to cover every base in an efficient manner. Customer experience is at the heart of our company’s growth, as we consistently engage with customers to ensure we continue to develop our already much praised business model”.

Moodley continued: “The Covid-19 pandemic has rapidly increased the take-up of e-commerce. Whether you’re ordering dinner, a new pair of sneakers or groceries – the new normal has spawned many more tech savvy customers. Customers want choice, full transparency, no hidden costs and to have on hand comparative data to make the most informed decision, while also being re-assured with easily accessible consumer reviews and confident that their tyre purchase decision will keep them safe on the road”.

In addition to the central business and the new South Africa franchise, Blackcircles has franchises in Mexico, Egypt, Thailand and Canada.