Quality, value & long-term potential – 2 decades of ETD & Linglong Tire

Twenty years is a long time in the tyre business. Back in 2002, products from China were still a relatively unknown quantity and European wholesalers were taking their first, tentative steps towards getting to know Chinese manufacturers a little better. It was a steep learning curve on both sides, but some relationships have endured and thrived over the past two decades. The partnership between wholesaler European Tyre Distributors B.V. (ETD) and Shandong-headquartered Linglong Tire is one such success story. This year, the two companies celebrate their 20th anniversary together, and to find out more about this journey we caught up with ETD founder Marcus Reedijk and current managing director Sjeng van der Maarel.

Established in 1999 by Reedijk, then already a 30-year industry veteran who’d previously built up another successful tyre wholesale business, ETD has worked with Chinese manufacturers from the start. The company imports and distributes a portfolio of products ranging from car, trailer and caravan through to truck, agricultural and OTR tyres, supplying both OEM and aftermarket demand. Sjeng van der Maarel says the wholesaler’s goal is to “create a win-win situation for our partners by bringing the big Asian market to Europe and to unburden them by providing all kinds of support.” He describes ETD as being “truly the specialist in tyres from Asia.”

During dealings with another tyre brand in ETD’s early days, Marcus Reedijk’s Weihai-based contact recommended Linglong Tire. “After investigating, it became apparent that we liked their products, values and long-term development potential. I knew we’d found a factory with whom we could build a future relationship, trust each other and do business on a friendly basis.”

The working relationship began with ETD moving all its tyre moulds to Linglong’s factory, and with them the new partners established the Security Tyres brand. Security was the foundation of a union that now covers three brands, including exclusive products. Reedijk is proud of the fact that ETD was one of Linglong Tire’s first customers outside of China and for a while the largest. “Over the past 20 years, ETD has maintained and developed a positive business relationship with Linglong Tire. One of the main factors has been the excellent quality and stability that Linglong provides.”

European production coming

In addition to the Security range, ETD distributes the Event Tyres passenger car tyre line-up and Linglong Tires’ Leao brand.

The wholesaler does brisk business with Security, sales here greatly helped by the brand’s dominance in the trailer tyre original equipment business. But in terms of volumes, Leao and Event are amongst ETD’s largest brands. “In 2021 we focused on promoting the Leao tyre brand in European markets,” shares van der Maarel. “Although trade fairs that we intended to participate in were cancelled due to the pandemic, we concentrated upon online marketing tools, advertising and giveaways, all based around our marketing and promotional guidelines and handbook, which are available for our partners. By doing this, we are creating a strong brand identity that is universal across Europe.”

ETD distributes the Security range, the Event Tyres passenger car tyre line-up and Linglong Tires’ Leao brand (Photo: ETD)

ETD began importing Leao truck tyres in the early days of the partnership, and these products are now made at Linglong Tire’s factory in Thailand. The tyre maker also owns and operates five plants in China (as well as R&D centres in China, Germany and the USA), and this is where Leao agricultural and OTR tyres destined for ETD distribution are produced. Linglong’s six plants will soon be joined by one in Europe, too.

“Going forwards, we’re more than impressed with Linglong’s global strategy,” comments van der Maarel. “Overseas manufacturing bases make supply and service more convenient, and when the European factory enters production, it will shorten delivery times and quickly satisfy our demand. With this new European factory, we are sure that we can add another successful chapter to our cooperation.”

100% ready to get brands into market

The managing director shares that ETD’s main goal for this 20th anniversary year is to increase the footprint of all three brands, Leao, Event and Security. “During the period of pandemic-related restrictions we worked to strengthen the foundations of these brands and of our company. We’ve improved our IT systems, invested in an extensive marketing plan, increased and modernised our warehouse capacity, and invested in and expanded staff. In that way we’re able to react faster to market demands as well as Linglong’s growth vision. ETD is 100 per cent ready to get the brands out into the market.”

Marcus Reedijk adds that even though he retired as ETD’s managing director in November 2016, he retains a very good relationship with Linglong Tire’s chairman and president, Wang Feng. “We have been very good friends for the last 20 years and still are. I value the friendship I have with Mr Wang and with his father, with whom I began this partnership. And the fact that we’ve worked together for 20 years now shows how satisfied we are. We look forward to another 20 years.”

Although he retired as ETD’s MD in 2016, Marcus Reedijk retains a very good relationship with Linglong Tire’s chairman and president, Wang Feng (Photo: ETD)