Prinx Chengshan appoints Costache European sales director

Adrian Costache is the new sales director for the Austone, Fortune and Chengshan tyre brands in Europe. He began in this role on 1 February and reports directly to Thomas Wohlgemuth, managing director of Prinx Chengshan Tire Europe. As sales director, Costache is responsible for complete price management as well as European sales for both passenger car and commercial products.

Costache brings 20 years of tyre industry experience to the position. After 14 years with a renowned Romanian tyre trading company, where he first worked as purchasing and pricing manager and later as national sales manager, he joined Prinx Chengshan as area sales manager in 2016. In that role he was responsible for his home country Romania as well as the key markets of France, Italy, Spain, Portugal and, more recently, Bulgaria.

Moving in the right direction

“We are delighted that Adrian has taken on this role,” states Thomas Wohlgemuth. “We have ambitious growth plans to take the Austone, Fortune and Chengshan Tires brands forward across Europe and Adrian is the ideal person to implement these in sales. With a growth model that works and the right people in place, our business is undoubtedly moving in the right, positive direction.”

An initial important task awaiting Costache is the restructuring of the Europe sales area. A new strategic orientation includes separating the passenger car and truck tyres segments as well as creating new regional divisions. Area sales managers will continue to take care of regional key accounts within Europe, and Prinx Chengshan Tire Europe aided this by bringing additional tyre specialists on board last year. Costache says he intends to add further area sales managers to the team going forwards to “create a specialised, diversified, professional and localised pan-European sales presence.”

Growth in 2021, OEM deals coming

According to Prinx Chengshan Tire Europe, 2021 was a very successful year for the company. It reports growth of almost five per cent in the PCR segment, while sales of summer and all-season tyres in the UHP segment increased by 25 per cent. In addition, it says the “extremely successful” debut of its commercial vehicle tyre line-up “completely exceeded expectations.”

The company is following up this success with its first OEM partnerships within the commercial vehicle tyre sector and expects to conclude agreements this year. “With the quality of our products, our optimised service and our flexibility, we ensure that we stand as a reliable and dependable partner at the side of our wholesalers and continue to develop and shape our joint business positively. He also emphasises,” states Costache. “In 2022, we will additionally improve the specifications of the existing product range and add new products to constantly meet the expectations of European drivers.”

Prinx Chengshan describes the appointment of a sales director as the logical decision for an expansive growth strategy in Europe. The region represents a decisive strategic growth market for the company, and Prinx Chengshan is undertaking “targeted investments” to this end. “As a consequence, the European Prinx Chengshan team is continuously growing and the European organisation is being optimised, expanded and strengthened,” concludes the tyre maker.