Bond International has completed the acquisition of 75 per cent of Tyrescope Ltd’s shares. This follows a brace of whole and distribution acquisitions announced last year, which suggests the company remains in the midst of its growth strategy. Tyrescope was set up and developed by Tony Mann, who remains a 25 per cent shareholder and managing director of the business.
The Churchill Tyres brand from UK wholesaler Bond International now includes many sizes offering top-class wet grip. The brand, which is manufactured by global top ten tyre-maker Sailun Group, offers the Churchill RCB-010 ultra-high performance car tyre in a broad range of 16-20” sizes, many certified with the top A rating on the European tyre label.
Bond International has completed the acquisition of Easityre Ltd and Fife Autocentre Ltd. Bond recently announced it had acquired a 200,000 square foot warehouse in Bathgate, Scotland, and coupled with these acquisitions the company reports that it will give the Pocklington-based business “a dominant share of the wholesale tyre market in Scotland”. Scott Meechan of Easityre will join Bond and will assume the role of managing director for Scotland. Brian Meechan will also remain in the business to give his support and expertise in all areas of the combined tyre business north of the border.
Bond International has completed the purchase of a 200,000 sqft warehouse in Bathgate, Scotland, continuing the Pocklington, Yorkshire-based tyre wholesaler’s expansion of operations north of the border. Elsewhere in Scotland, Bond has also acquired Birkenshaw Distributors Ltd and formed a joint venture with Goodtread Tyre Co, enabling the company to make same-day deliveries to “a large proportion of Scotland.” The new warehouse is located on the M8 belt between major Scottish cities Glasgow and Edinburgh, allowing it to deliver to both population centres several times a day.
Fast-growing wholesaler, Bond International has launched the Admiral tyre brand. The trademark for Admiral was gained back in 1996 by the late Reg Bond and has since been registered in countries around the world.
The Inverness based tyre wholesaler acquired as part of Bond International’s recent deal to acquire Stepgrades Motor Accessories Limited from Halfords Group is forming a joint venture with long term Bond customer Goodtread Tyre Co, based in Alness in the Scottish Highlands. The two parties said the JV would strengthen their tyre distribution operations covering north and west Scotland and the islands, increasing the availability of stock as a result of Bond’s large stockholding, improving warehousing, and modernising Bond’s newly acquired Birkenshaw Distributors Ltd. Sandy MacKenzie and Mark Kelman from Goodtread Tyre Co will head the joint Inverness operation.
Following the news that Bond International is set to acquire the Viking tyre wholesale business, Halfords Group executives have confirmed to Tyres & Accessories that, Bond will indeed acquire the Viking and Birkenshaw tyre wholesale businesses. At the same time, Halfords Group commercial director/director Halfords Commercial Fleet Services, Robin Shaw clarified that the Bond acquisitions only include the McConechy’s warehouse in Warrington which came into the Halfords group as part of its McConechy’s acquisition in 2019. Meanwhile, Halfords continues to invest in its Commercial Fleet Services operations which have grown out of Halfords’s acquisitions of the members of ULM – Universal, Lodge and McConechy’s.
Well-known tyre wholesale business Bond International was growing fast before the latest acquisitions were announced, but now the company has agreed to purchase Stepgrades Motor Accessories Limited trading as Viking Wholesale Tyres, Birkenshaw Distributors Limited and McConechey’s Commercial Fleet Services, growth will be considerably faster. All three Stepgrades businesses have been acquired from Halfords Group Plc as part of a deal which will see Bond International partner with Halfords to distribute tyres to all of their network. Moving forward, company representatives suggested that there will “further announcements” as the company looks to expand its operation in Scotland, where the business previously had limited exposure.
It is with great sadness that we report the death of Reg Bond on 15 March 2021, at the age of 77. Reg had been diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2010 and had been battling it ever since, ultimately succumbing to complications from the illness. It is testament to Reg’s character that he fought so long and so hard against the tumour.
Reg was the founder of tyre wholesaler Bond International and was the driving force behind it becoming a well-respected and successful independent business and one of the largest tyre wholesalers in the UK. Reg was the Chairman of the business, set up in 1966, until his death and was actively involved in the business for over 50 years, although he had handed over the day-to-day running of the business to his sons Greg and Charlie. Over the years the company has grown from a one-man band to its current size, where it employs over 450 people and sells more than 5 million tyres a year. Reg was immensely proud of the strides that Greg and Charlie had made in recent years in taking the business forward. He delighted in the fact that his sons and his business, continued to challenge the competition as he has done and always encouraged that sort of healthy competition.
Beleaguered wholesale and tyre services company Kings Road Tyres is now in administration, with KPMG appointed joint administrators. The administration comes at the end of nearly a decade of turbulence for the company, which is one of the UK’s oldest tyre wholesale operations, having been incorporated in 1959.
Online car repair marketplace, ClickMechanic.com has added tyre replacements to its service offering, partnering with wholesaler Bond International. The website states that the new addition will enable both existing mechanics as well as new tyre specialists to register their services on the site. Bond will supply tyres to the site’s network at what ClickMechanic describes as “an extremely competitive trade price,” based on high volumes promised by the site.
Two of Sailun Jinyu International Europe’s tyre brands will now be distributed by wholesalers Viking Wholesaler Tyres and Bond International following a major strategic review of its UK distribution operations. The manufacturer pronounced itself “delighted to announce a number of enhancements and improvements” for its portfolio, which includes the Sailun, Jinyu, Blacklion, and Rovelo brands. The new strategy has become effective immediately, SJI Europe added.
Enjoy Tyre’s Rotalla and Routeway brand winter patterns will be available through exclusive UK distributor Bond International. The company states that both ranges have recently improved their tyre labelling ratings.
Sailun recently invited a number of key customers from across the country to experience the performance of its tyres in track-day conditions. The event, run in association with well-known national wholesaler, Bond International was held at the Everyman Racing Driving Experience in Prestwold near Loughborough in Leicestershire. As well as being an excellent opportunity to demonstrate its products, the Sailun track day also presented the opportunity to take part in Bond International’s 50th Anniversary celebrations which are taking place this year.
SD-International (SDI) has appointed Steve Tidmarsh as general manager. Tidmarsh brings over 35 years of experience to the Shanghai-based contract tyre manufacturer.
Tidmarsh’s experience includes 25 years at Goodyear Dunlop, culminating as sales and marketing director of both the consumer and commercial sectors. He has also held the position of financial director with Hi-Q Tyre Services as well as six years as managing director of Kumho UK, becoming the first non-South Korean to hold this title.
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Bond International
Reg Bond, who founded Bond International, 1943 – 2021
