The bigger the tyre brand, the more important marketing becomes in order to communicate its values and its worth. With this in mind, the “marketing” tag collates all the latest marketing-related news and analysis into a single place. This reverse-chronological list of thousands of articles is your go-to source of tyre industry, marketing-related news and information.
Nexen Tyre Europe GmbH has appointed Joo Ho Song as its new president. Song has reportedly already started carrying out “a comprehensive package of measures, focusing on Nexen’s ambitious goals in Europe and implementing relevant strategies quickly.” The measures include increasing personnel at the European headquarters in Eschborn.
Hankook Tire is tweaking its global management team. Soo Il Lee, who is currently president of Hankook Tire America, will as of 1 January take on the position of president and COO of Hankook’s China regional headquarters. The person he’s replacing, Byeong Jin Lee, has been appointed Soo Il Lee’s successor in the US-based position.
Kian Hon Tyres Sdn. Bhd., the sole Malaysian distributor of the Maxxis tyre brand, is placing a greater focus on retreading the Taiwanese tyre maker’s products with the opening of an expanded retreading facility. The company says it has received the “full support and involvement” of Maxxis to construct a tread rubber production line and expand its retreading plant in Penang. Total capacity at the plant, which first entered operation in 1980, will increase to 120,000 retreads a year and 15,000 tread liners per month. The plant will be the primary retreading and tread liner production site for the Maxxis brand within the region.
Goodyear Dunlop has announced organisational changes in its ‘German-speaking’ markets. As of 1 February 2013 changes will occur in the leadership structure of the so-called “D-A-CH cluster” (Germany, Austria and Switzerland cluster), the business formed at the start of 2012 from the three respective national operations. The tyre maker says a key element of this will involve the creation of an integrated consumer replacement segment sales and marketing organisation under the leadership of Frank Titz, who is currently director of the D-A-CH consumer replacement business. In his new role, Titz will coordinate the tyre maker’s entire sales and marketing activities in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. As before, Titz will report to Dr. Rainer Landwehr, group managing director for the three countries.
Harry Rogasch is reporting to Berlin as head of Continental’s new Liaison Office for Public Affairs. The office opens for business in the new year and Rogasch’s responsibilities will include representing the legislative and regulatory interests of the company's Rubber and Automotive Groups and engaging in dialogue with political, administrative, and regulatory institutions in the German capital.
Christian Halbertschlager has been appointed marketing manager at Goodyear Dunlop Tires Austria. In his new role, Halbertschlager takes on responsibility for all consumer marketing activities in the Austrian market. Commenting on the appointment, Goodyear Dunlop Tires Austria managing director Tassilo Rodlauer said: “We are pleased to be able to welcome a marketing communications expert to our ranks, and we wish him every success in his new position.”
Driver performance management company GreenRoad has published the results from its "Fleet Leader 2013 Outlook" study. According to the survey, the majority of UK fleet leaders, 56 per cent, are 'cautiously optimistic' about 2013, only 12 per cent are 'very optimistic', and 22 per cent, identify themselves as 'neutral' about the year ahead. More than two-thirds, 67 per cent, expect the price of fuel to rise ‘modestly’ in 2013, and a clear majority, 84 per cent, cite 'reducing fleet fuel expenses' as a significant or very significant challenge.
The results of a study involving questionnaires and face-to-face interviews with more than 70 experts from 32 tyre makers, including all top 20 suppliers, show 85 per cent of the companies questioned expect the new EU tyre labelling regulation will significantly impact their daily businesses. Most of those questioned also view the regulation as an opportunity rather than a burden.
As of next year, the Bridgestone brand will be title sponsor of the Copa Libertadores, or Libertadores Cup. This annual international football competition, which is arguably the most prestigious club competition in South America, will thus be known as the Bridgestone Libertadores Cup through to 2017.
It seems fair to say, on the basis of recently published Encircle Marketing research (see the forthcoming December 2012 Tyres & Accessories), that tyre labelling had a slow start at point of sale in its first month. Encircle made 4,700 sales calls in November 2012, and only 6.1 per cent of the retailers contacted mentioned the new tool that was designed to help overhaul the way tyres are sold in the European Union.
Barely a month has passed since the Hankook Masters Programme was launched in our part of the world, and Hankook Tyre UK reports having four outlets on board, the most recent sign-up being Corby Tyres. The tyre maker has big plans for Hankook Masters, and foresees a network exceeding 100 outlets in the UK within three years.
GiTi Tire brand, Primewell has launched a fully-integrated marketing campaign designed to attract new customers and support key dealers, led by a new website. Primewell-tyres.co.uk features a key dealer locator, a tyre search facility by both size and registration plate, a more navigable product search facility and full sections on tyre labelling and news for both passenger car and van markets.
Toyo Tire & Rubber Co., Ltd. president and CEO Kenji Nakakura has announced a change in name for its forthcoming consolidated tyre manufacturing subsidiary in Malaysia. Formerly Toyo Tyre Manufacturing (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, the passenger and light truck tyre manufacturing facility will now be known as Toyo Tyre Malaysia Sdn Bhd. The factory will begin operation next spring.
In order to further its customers’ knowledge about the battery business, Exide Technologies has launched what it calls ‘Exide Academy’. This new programme covers a broad range of commercial and technical topics, including margin optimisation and start-stop technology.
Former Nokian Heavy Tyres marketing manager Perttu Mäkinen has been appointed by Mitas as its country manager for the Nordic region. Mäkinen will operate from the Mitas a.s. headquarters in Tampere, Finland, and his responsibilities will include sales and marketing for Mitas and Continental agricultural and other off-road tyres in Finland, Sweden and Norway.
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