“If we don’t have something, it’s usually not available anywhere”

It was all a matter of vaccinations at the beginning of 2021. A couple of jabs and then everything would be right, the world we knew and loved would greet us with open arms. But we entered the new year entirely lacking immunity against other threats, and supply chain issues, shortages of key raw materials as well as rising costs for these as well as escalating shipping and energy prices very quickly became an unwelcome reality for everyone who earns a living with tyres. The two-wheeler tyre business isn’t exempt from this mess, and Cambrian Tyres has seen the cost of many products go up and the availability of some go way down. Yet by arming itself with altered buying patterns, the wholesaler strives to minimise the global situation’s impact upon its customers.

Marketing manager Richard Hemingway tells us that by following a revised forward ordering strategy, Cambrian has ensured its customers don’t go away empty-handed. And by remaining alert it has found opportunities to offer affordable options. “These past months haven’t always been a case of customers getting exactly what they want, rather what is available and suitable. We deal with a total of thirteen different two-wheel tyre brands, so on occasions when we can’t sell the precise product that someone’s asking for, we can instead advise on other alternatives. It’s very rare that we can’t offer anything suitable at all. Usually if we don’t have something, it’s not available anywhere.”

By advising customers so they can make an informed choice and by having suitable alternatives to their first-choice products, Cambrian Tyres managed to grow above the six per cent market average in 2021. A praiseworthy achievement in an environment of across-the-board shortages in which numerous manufacturers have chosen to focus upon higher margin products to the detriment of their entry-level ranges.

“These aren’t priority for manufacturers when order books are full,” comments Hemingway. He adds that Bridgestone is a notable exception amongst premium manufacturers, offering a “strong entry-level range with products such as the Battlax BT023 and BT-016 Pro.” Stocks of these have been “fantastic all year long” and remain so.

Certain popular entry-level radial tyres such as Continental’s ContiMotion have been unavailable in key sizes for much of last year, and prices for other products have increased. But while Hemingway concedes that “people need to get used to the idea that entry level is no longer the price point it once was,” riders can still get a good deal if they buy carefully. Cambrian helps here by doing deals with manufacturers whenever the opportunity presents itself to put an entry level tyre on the shelf in key sizes; it recently did this by snapping up the last of the Michelin Pilot Power stocks. “We know that in the coming year they won’t have a sports tyre for less than £150 a pair, and we were able to buy enough Pilot Power tyres to make several hundred sets in key sizes. We have these for as long as they’re available. With everything else going up, they now represent even better value too.”

Year-round ordering

Prior to the pandemic, Cambrian Tyres started running its stocks down in autumn in preparation for the coming year, but in autumn 2021 continued ordering and taking bulk deliveries during the off season to ensure the best possible stocks were available for dealers once this year’s riding season starts. The wholesaler sees no point in working towards manufacturers’ targets and keeping to the more traditional ordering patterns, only to later discover that stock can’t be supplied when it’s needed. “We’ve always built our reputation on having the best two-wheel stocks in the UK, and we’ve adjusted what we do to maintain that.”

Cambrian has repurposed an existing facility as an additional overspill warehouse to give it space for extra stockholding and reserves. It has also hired a further three team members within its warehouses as well as three office staff – all of these investments aim to help the company continue offering the level of service and availability that people expect.

Even better value with Anlas

Key new launches from premium manufacturers, such as the Dunlop RoadSmart IV and Qualifier Core, the Michelin Road 6, Continental ContiRoadAttack 4 as well as the latest Bridgestone products, are covered elsewhere in this section. But Cambrian still has plenty to report on the product front. We’ll begin with Anlas.

With the cost of shipping a 40-foot container from the Far East increasing fivefold since January 2020 to the eye-watering price of around £16,000, products made closer to home have gained a significant advantage. Turkish brand Anlas has been a beneficiary of these massive rises in shipping charges and is now “extremely attractive” in terms of pricing. “Anlas never attempted to position itself as a cheap brand as it knew it couldn’t win a price war with a Far Eastern brand,” comments Hemingway. “But now Anlas no longer sits between the entry level brands and the bigger names in the market, it is actually right at the bottom end of the price scale in a lot of key sizes. Yet the quality is fantastic value for money, and we’ve seen good annual growth with Anlas once again.”

Sales of the Anlas Winter Grip 2, which first arrived in the Cambrian range five years ago, have spiked considerably thanks in part to their popularity with delivery fleets running electric scooters. Despite the name, this tyre has firmly established itself as an all-weather fitment. Cambrian’s marketing manager notes that Winter Grip 2 is “very much an all-season product in the UK” and ideal for delivery fleets and rental companies that want to operate their scooters safely in all conditions, be it wet, cold or icy. Hemingway confirms that Winter Grip 2 is now Cambrian’s biggest selling all-season scooter tyre, and the range’s popularity will be boosted this year by the arrival of a couple of new sizes.

Another new addition for 2022 represents the first Anlas foray into the sport touring radial market. The Anlas Viento Turismo will be available in four sizes this year – 120/70 ZR17 M/C (58W) TL for the front wheel and 160/60 ZR17 M/C (69W), 180/55 ZR17 M/C (73W) and 190/55 ZR17 M/C (75W) TL for the rear. Many newer bikes typically wear this rear size, and Hemingway is looking forward to seeing Anlas add sizes for a wider variety of machines. “When we do see the introduction of some of the smaller sizes such as 160/60 R17 or 180/55 ZR17, this will really help to get the range out into the UK marketplace.”

MX & enduro a Kenda priority

Kenda Tire appointed Cambrian official UK importer of its two-wheel tyre range in 2019, and Richard Hemingway describes the brand’s growth since then as “fantastic”. The wholesaler began working on an expansion of the Kenda portfolio last year. “What we import is nowhere near Kenda’s full range, which is enormous,” comments the marketing manager. Cambrian constantly examines the line-up it offers and looks at what products will slot well into the UK market and is thus bringing some new lines into the range for 2022 as well as adding to existing ranges.

Values of classic trail bikes from the 1960s to 90s are creeping up, and Kenda offers a suite of different period style trail tyres that look the part on these machines. This year the Kenda K270 Dual Sport range, a tyre that features a visually arresting cat’s paw tread pattern, increases to 16 sizes with the arrival of seven further dimensions. Even older bikes may benefit from the trials patterned K262, a line-up that gains three extra sizes this year. The K280 is an entirely new range, and this street trail tyre will be available in two front and four rear sizes.

Kenda K270 Dual Sport

With most major brands giving low priority to entry-level products such as motocross and enduro tyres in favour of those offering higher margins, Hemingway says Cambrian has been helped by good availability within the Kenda and Bridgestone motocross ranges. “This has brought more dealers on board because they know supply will be more reliable. Motocross and enduro tyres belong to Kenda’s flagship two-wheel range – it’s a key market for the brand – and we’re therefore confident it won’t reduce the priority of those products.”

Further developments in the Kenda range include a fourth KM1 ST Road size that joins Cambrian’s Kenda portfolio this year, and the wholesaler anticipates that this 160/60 ZR17 rear tyre will open the sport touring range up to many more bikes. Another relatively recent arrival for Cambrian is the Kenda Kanine KR20, which satisfies niche demand by being the only aftermarket tyre specifically developed for the Can-Am Spyder three-wheeler. It looks like a car tyre, but isn’t, and Hemingway emphasises that car tyres aren’t particularly well-suited to these vehicles. This year the wholesaler will also take on the latest version of the tyre, which can be fitted to Can-Am’s most affordable model, the Ryker.

Surprises in the market

Another, unexpected niche emerged for Cambrian in 2021. The wholesaler noticed it was selling far more big wheel 85 front motocross tyres than rears. “When we investigated, we found out that electric bicycle brand Sur-Ron uses a 70/100-19 size on the front and rear, and dealers were buying whatever stock they could to offer riders a more off-road capable tyre than the OE fitment” With supply being squeezed already, this doubled the pressure on stocks and these tyres were flying out the door as soon as Cambrian received them, no matter what brand.

“You still get surprises in the market,” Hemingway remarks. “We’re working closely with Kenda to make sure we have adequate stock for these bikes as well as for junior motocross bikes moving forwards.”

Deliver value whenever possible

Wrapping up our chat with Cambrian, Richard Hemingway reiterates that maintaining stock levels to ensure availability will remain a priority for the wholesaler. Pricing will remain an issue so long as raw materials and shipping costs remain high, but Cambrian will “continue to search for deals that deliver our customers the best value whenever possible.”