Recruitment a clear-and-present-danger to aftermarket profitability
There has been talk about closing the recruitment gap in the automotive aftermarket for years. More recently certain training bodies and associations such as the NTDA have taking significant steps to renew efforts to recruit and upskill the tyre and aftermarket workforce. Now, however, is clear evidence that these much-discussed issues are not just theoretical. Rather, the lack of skill people in the trade is affecting the ability to service already depleted demand, which is hitting profitability even amongst some of the largest, fastest-growing and most profitable tyre-selling businesses.
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Recruitment roadblock reduces Halfords profitability, but tyres continue to drive growth
Halfords Group plc (Halfords)’s third-quarter 2023 trading update for the 13 weeks to 30 December 2022 show that group revenue grew 38.3 per cent and like-for-like group sales were up 12.6 per cent compared with 2020 levels. Other headlines included the news that Halfords’s services business represents 50.3 per cent of group revenue, and B2B, which includes the Avayler system 28.2 per cent. At the same time, Halfords hailed its “strong Commercial Fleet performance”, with this part of the business growing 138 per cent year-on-year. However, the company reduced its full-year 2023 underlying profit before tax (PBT) guidance from £60 million to £50 million.
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Williams heading Hankook Tire America – 4 promoted
Rob Williams is heading Hankook Tire’s business in North America as the new President of Hankook Tire America Corp. His colleague Jong Jin (JJ) Park has been promoted to the role of Vice-President of USA PC/LT Sales, while Intae (Ted) Choi has become Vice President of North American Marketing Strategy, and Byoungjoe (Joe) Park has been named Vice President of Corporate Management.
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First Stop UK makes round of tyre retail appointments
Following the news of Brenden Marais’s promotion to First Stop Tyres & Car Services UK and Ireland franchise manager, First Stop has recruited two new retail business consultants to accelerate its expansion plans. With 155 stores now operating under the First Stop banner, the company’s pledge to reach the 220 mark by 2024 remains on course.
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Repairify appoints new international product manager
Philip Slater has been appointed by Repairify as international product manager to expand its overseas markets and “enter new territories with its portfolio of advanced vehicle diagnostic and calibration technology”.
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Liu Yanhua named chairwoman of Sailun
On 30 December 2022, Sailun held a general meeting of shareholders to elect members of the sixth board of directors. Liu Yanhua was elected chairwoman of the tyre manufacturer, and Xie Xiaohong became president of Sailun. Liu Yanhua’s resume shows that she worked in two accounting firms before coming to Sailun. Prior to being elected as the chair, Liu Yanhua was the vice chairwoman, executive vice president and chief financial officer of Sailun.
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Yokohama names new European marketing manager
Yokohama Europe has appointed Tobias Kins as its new head of marketing. The new marketing manager has been working for the Düsseldorf-based Yokohama Europe for over six years and his most recent role was Head of Sales Division.
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ZC Rubber appoints Ruddy OTR tyre sales director for Europe
In addition to naming Mark Turner its European Agriculture Tyre Sales Director, ZC Rubber has appointed John Ruddy European OTR Tyre Sales Director. Ruddy, who first joined ZC Rubber as European OTR Sales Manager in 2019, brings decades of experience within the European OTR tyre industry to his new role.
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Michelin appoints Giuliani as VP Corporate Sales & Distribution Europe
On 4 January Marco Giuliani physically rejoined Michelin Headquarters in Clermont-Ferrand after a number of years to take on the role of vice president corporate Sales and Distribution Europe.
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Michelin names Dubourdeau EVP of Manufacturing
As of January 2023, Pierre-Louis Dubourdeau is Executive Vice-President of Manufacturing for the Michelin Group. In this role, Dubourdeau takes on responsibility for all Michelin factories around the world. He has also been appointed to the company’s Group Executive Committee.
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Falken Tyre Europe appoints Feldmann COO
Bettina Feldmann has left Goodyear Germany to take on a new role at Falken Tyre Europe. The Japanese manufacturer has appointed Feldmann chief operations officer of its European business, succeeding Markus Bögner in this position. Bögner remains with the company as managing director, president and chief sales officer of Falken Tyre Europe GmbH.
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Apollo Tyres names new UK sales manager
Apollo Tyres has appointed Shobhit Arora as its new Country Sales Manager for the UK. He brings over 14 years of experience at Apollo Tyres to the role, having begun his career as a Graduate Engineer Trainee for the company in India in 2008. Since then, Arora has worked across many areas of the business in India and Europe, most recently as Distribution and Business Development Manager at Apollo Tyres’ European headquarters in the Netherlands.
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Thomas Harbo returns as CEO of Euromaster Danmark A/S
Effective 4 January 2023, Thomas Harbo has been appointed as CEO of Euromaster Danmark A/S. Thomas replaces Henrik Fusager, who since August 2022 has held the dual role of CEO of both Euromaster Denmark and Euromaster Switzerland.
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ZC Rubber names new sales director for agricultural tyres in Europe
The Zhongce Rubber Group (ZC Rubber) has a new sales manager for agricultural tyres in Europe. Mark Turner has taken on the role of European sales director agricultural tyres.
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Leadership change in Continental’s replacement tyre business
Job swapping at Continental – as of 1 January 2023, Ralf Hoffmann and Timo Röbbel have taken on each other’s former role within the company. Hoffmann is now head of public relations, media and communications for Continental’s tyre replacement business in the EMEA region, while Röbbel becomes Continental’s head of marketing for the tyre replacement business in the German market.
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