Bandvulc managing director Patrick O’Connell, who started in the family tyre retreading business by working on the factory floor in his school holidays, stepped down as MD of the Bandvulc group of companies on 1 May 2017. According to the company, he will now “spend more time on other projects within Continental”, Bandvulc’s owner since the tyre giant purchased the retreader and fleet business last July.
Bandvulc will exhibit at the Commercial Vehicle Show on 25-27 April at the Birmingham NEC (Hall 5, Stand 5F70) with a larger stand than in previous years, reflecting its 2017 developments. The Group said its continued growth and development of cost-effective tyre solutions have contributed to making this year’s stand its biggest yet.
The Bandvulc Group has announced the appointment of TyreWork to its Key Partner Network. With more than 40 years’ experience in the truck tyre business, Kings Road Tyres Group company, TyreWork has provided its services to Bandvulc for the last decade, handling callouts comprehensively in addition to its professional tyre support for Bandvulc’s portfolio of clients. Bandvulc said making TyreWork a Key Partner strengthens the companies’ association.
After 10 years of collaboration, Tructyre has acknowledged Bandvulc’s position as a “strategic partner” in its business.
In 2014 Tructyre embarked on an aggressive three-year business plan following on from their acquisition of P K Commercial Tyres in 2012. According to Tructyre, when the plan was instigated it was key that their strategic partners were on board. With 10 years of partnership behind them, Tructyre reports that “the relationship has flourished even further in the last three years with proactive initiatives in distribution, product (launch of Tructyre’s Re-Trak range), tyre management and service.”
It is no secret that Continental and Bandvulc have been working together for decades. So it was also no surprise to learn that the subject of a possible takeover arose as long as 12 years ago. However, the round of talks that resulted in the sale agreement were instigated by Bandvulc managing director Patrick O’Connell during a meeting at the CV show in 2013. In the two or so years that followed the two firms say they grew together before a final deal was completed in July 2016.
From 1 January 2017, BVF1RST, the wholesale arm of the Bandvulc Group will be the exclusive supplier of the Uniroyal truck tyre brand across the UK.
Throughout 2016 Bandvulc has introduced a new generation of tyres. These meet the modern day needs of transport companies and provide consistent performance and safety for regional applications and long-distance routes. The new steer axle FH 40, drive axle DH 40 and trailer axle TH 40 tyres boast increased mileage, wet performance and reduced rolling resistance over predecessors.
Bandvulc has added Marc Kinnear to its sales & key account management team. He joins Bandvulc having been in the tyre industry for over 14 years in varying roles, most recently in an operational and administrative position which enabled him to gain valuable account management experience.
Bandvulc Plus+ has added Kevin Green to its BVPlus+ team. Green joins as a regional fleet inspector having spent 25 years within the tyre industry in a similar function.
Based in Sheffield Green will focus on operations in the northern areas of the UK for Bandvulc Plus+ fleets. He here will inspect and report on a variety of operations, including working weekends, to ensure success and compliance throughout our managed fleets.
With Continental’s acquisition of Bandvulc, the voice of independent retreading in the UK has been substantially diminished at a moment of intense market pressure and political uncertainty. Issues surrounding the at times unbelievably cheap new commercial vehicle tyres imported from China have been around for many years now, and have certainly squeezed retread output in this period. The Brexit vote has increased doubt that protectionist European market measures for which independent retreading businesses could lobby the EU to provide would be implemented in a more isolated UK market, though in the short-term the reduced value of sterling has presented opportunities for British-manufactured product. While nothing is currently clear, we will leave our readers to consider the chances of UK market protectionist measures against Chinese imports being implemented while the country redefines its trading relationship with global economic superpowers. It’s not hard to see how the security provided by merger with Conti was attractive to Bandvulc.
On the 4 July, as the USA began to celebrate its independence day, Continental AG’s UK subsidiary (Continental Tyre Group) announced it had bought Bandvulc (B.V. Environmental Ltd.), one of only two substantially sized independent retreaders left in the UK. Legally, the takeover establishes Bandvulc as a wholly owned subsidiary of Continental UK Group Holdings Limited. T&A understands Bandvulc’s existing management team are to continue to lead the business.
Bandvulc has added Refuse Vehicle Solutions (RVS) to its supply portfolio. RVS handpick all their quality used refuse vehicles and put each one through a rigorous 72-point check to correct all defects, a rigorous approach the two companies say they have in common.
Bandvulc has been awarded SafeContractor accreditation for excellence in health and safety. The retreader, recently bought by Continental, stated that its application for SafeContractor accreditation was driven by the need for a uniform standard across the business and to protect employees and customers.
Continental Tyre Group has bought Bandvulc (B.V. Environmental Ltd.), one of only two substantially sized independent retreaders in the UK. Not only does the deal change the face of UK tyre retreading, it also has a significant impact on commercial vehicle tyre market shares owing to the fact that Continental can now count Bandvulc’s strong fleet management, service provider and independent truck tyre retreader amongst its own. The takeover will establish Bandvulc as a wholly owned subsidiary of Continental UK Group Holdings Limited. T&A understands Bandvulc’s existing management team are to continue to lead the business.
In recent months we have heard much about the decline of retread demand and production at the same time that Chinese truck tyre prices have plumbed to new depths. Of course this paints a very negative picture for the retreading business in the UK – where low-costs imports have historically been more popular than the average European state – and also across the European tyre markets. The premium new tyre makers have suggested they will weather the storm by pointing out their uniquely strong position with regard to large fleet customers. Because they also produce their own retreads, these firms pointed out that their businesses will remain relatively sheltered by the low quality, oversupply problems facing other independent retreaders. However, such a reading of recent history relies on two premises: 1) that the market remains in undeniable decline and 2) that premium manufacturers with their own retreading options are best positioned to get over this particular bump in the road.
Dawsonrentals truck and trailer has made an exclusive four-year agreement with Bandvulc. Bandvulc reports that it will now work closely with the individual managers at the company’s 30 branches around the UK, collecting tyres from the 11,000 strong truck and trailer fleet and retreading them as needed.
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