NTDA Tyre Industry Award Winners 2023

It was a full house at the Hilton DoubleTree, Stadium MK, Milton Keynes of the night of 19 October 2023. The 94^th annual NTDA dinner and awards saw leading players in the UK tyre business receive arguably the highest honours – those of their peers. Following a day of conference sessions on topics including technology, sustainability and stewardship, it was a particularly good night for Hankook, which won both the Tyre Industry Environmental And Sustainable Solution Of The Year Award and the Industry Marketing Campaign of the Year Award; and for Autogem Invictor, which won both the Staff Training and Development Initiative of the Year and Aftermarket Equipment Supplier of the Year awards. And Merityre Tyre Specialists Ltd, which was named both medium-sized Tyre Retailer of the Year and Overall Tyre Retailer of the Year – in a fitting tribute to company director Jolyon Pope.

Before the rest of the awards were announced, a couple of special awards were presented. The Chairman’s Award for Outstanding Contribution, sponsored by Hankook Tyre Ltd, was presented to a genuinely shocked Roger Griggs, communications director of ETEL Ltd, in recognition of his decades of work in the tyre industry as well as his years of service to the NTDA itself.

The Chief Executive’s Round & Black Award, sponsored by Snap-On, was presented to Rema Tip Top as a team for, amongst other things supporting industry training on major repairs.

Autogem Invictor won both the Staff Training and Development Initiative of the Year and Aftermarket Equipment Supplier of the Year awards (Photo: NTDA)

Arguably the most encouraging award of the night, the Apprentice Tyre Technician of the Year, sponsored by the Worshipful Company of Wheelwrights, highlighted the future of the industry – a future that is especially valuable in light of widespread observations relating to the difficulty of recruitment and retention in the tyre business. While the business remains male-dominated the fact that several women achieved finalist status represented another point of hope. Indeed, the overall winner was Susannah Tait of Soltyre Ltd. It should also be noted that, of the 16 entrants shortlisted, 11 came from ETEL-run retail brands and 10 from Kwik Fit specifically.

On the commercial vehicle side of the retail spectrum, it was a different story. In the React Commercial Tyre Technician of the Year category, sponsored by Bridgestone Europe NV/SA UK Branch, Halfords Group PLC-owned Commercial Fleet Services dominated and McConnechy’s offered a particularly strong showing within that grouping. Nevertheless, the overall award was won by Rebecca ‘Becks’ Hardy of Lodge Tyre Commercial Fleet Services.

Continuing that strong showing, Lodge Tyre Commercial Fleet Services also won Commercial Tyre Service Provider of the Year, which was sponsored by Marsh Commercial.

Hankook Tyre UK Ltd wins 2023 NTDA Marketing Initiative of the Year Award (3) – Cap: Hankook won both the Tyre Industry Environmental And Sustainable Solution Of The Year Award and the Industry Marketing Campaign of the Year Award (Photo: NTDA)

As we have seen, Industry Marketing Campaign of the Year, sponsored by The Tyre Group, went to Hankook Tyre UK Ltd. And Hankook also won Tyre Industry Environmental and Sustainability Solution, sponsored by The Lord Mountevens of Chelsea KStJ JP.

Continental Tyre Group won Tyre Manufacturer of the Year, sponsored by CAM.

And Stapleton’s won Tyre Wholesaler of the Year, sponsored by Compilator.

Truck and Agricultural Tyre Supplier of the Year, sponsored by Yokohama TWS/Trelleborg Wheel Systems, went to Kirkby Tyres Ltd.

The TRA (RRS) Member of the Year, sponsored by Michelin Tyre Plc, was Murfitts Industries Ltd.

Murfitts Industries, which is part of the Itochu-owned ETEL group, won the 2023 TRA (RRS) Member of the Year Award (Photo: NTDA)

Again, Autogem Invictor won Staff Training and Development Initiative of the Year, sponsored by Autotech Group as well as Aftermarket Supplier of the Year, sponsored by Automechanika Birmingham.

But the role of the retailer is arguably the highest honour at the NTDA annual awards – a category where all scale of businesses are recognised. To that end, Large Tyre Retailer of the Year, sponsored by Pirelli Tyres Ltd, went to Protyre Autocare. And – at the other end of the spectrum – TyrePoint Services was named Small Tyre Retailer of the Year.

However, arguably the most poignant awards were presented to Merityre Tyre Specialists Ltd, which was named both medium-sized Tyre Retailer of the Year and Overall Tyre Retailer of the Year – in a fitting tribute to company director Jolyon Pope who died recently.

Merityre Tyre Specialists Ltd managing director Dene Arnold collected both medium-sized Tyre Retailer of the Year and Overall Tyre Retailer of the Year on behalf of the company in a fitting tribute to company director Jolyon Pope (Photo: NTDA)