Hankook Tyre UK is sponsoring this year’s ‘Best Use of Technology’ award at the Motor Transport Awards in September. Four candidates stand on the shortlist for this accolade, which recognises the best use of applied technology to solve a problem or improve service by a road transport fleet operator.
Hankook’s Tyre Manufacturer of the Year winning entry at the NTDA Tyre Industry Awards “demonstrated, in great detail, its growing marketplace leadership in product, performance, innovation, productivity and sustainability,” according to NTDA chief executive Stefan Hay. The award was presented to Hankook Tyre UK’s sales director Paul Emery and marketing & communications manager Zoë Baldwin. Emery said: “We are a relatively small team at Hankook and are extremely proud that the UK tyre industry has recognised the strength of the Hankook business. This is truly a team effort and a team award.”
Continuing our recently-introduced series of interviews with leading figures in the UK tyre industry, Tyres & Accessories spoke with Paul Emery, UK sales director, Hankook Tyre UK.
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This summer, Hankook Tyre UK will exhibit its growing range of truck, bus and van tyres, including the new Laufenn truck tyre range, at the Commercial Vehicle Show. The UK’s largest and most comprehensive road transport and commercial vehicle event will take place between 31 August and 2 September; Hankook can be found in Hall 5, at stand 5B50.
Hankook Tyre UK has appointed Jon Cottrell as UK commercial sales manager. He follows on from Paul Emery who was promoted to UK sales director earlier in 2020. Cottrell has a career spanning more than twenty years in the tyre industry, including spells with Bridgestone, Goodyear Dunlop, Mitas, and most recently Apollo Vredestein. Hankook says he will be responsible for the strategic leadership of the commercial sales department within Hankook Tyre UK. This includes the expansion of both the Laufenn and Alphatread ranges, contributing to the overall growth strategy.
Hankook’s global launch of Laufenn brand commercial vehicle tyres, targeting the segment’s second tier, represents a substantial development for the company’s commercial vehicle tyre business. For the UK market in which Hankook is a leader in terms of sales, the initial nine Laufenn patterns cover more than 85 per cent of tyres in the market for goods and people transportation, as well as construction truck tyres. Most sizes also offer the three peak mountain snowflake (3PMSF) marking for use in winter conditions. The Laufenn range was due to be presented in the UK at the Commercial Vehicle Show, before the Birmingham NEC event was cancelled due to the pandemic. Tyres & Accessories took the opportunity of the launch to speak to Guy Heywood, Hankook’s European marketing and strategy director for its truck and bus business, and UK sales director Paul Emery about the addition of Laufenn to the manufacturer’s European commercial vehicle tyre portfolio, Hankook’s position as a leading player in the segment, and its response to the coronavirus crisis and the financial headwinds emanating from the pandemic.
The launch of the second-line Laufenn brand onto the European commercial vehicle tyre market has rounded out Hankook’s offer to fleet customers. Offering a second tier brand – alongside a growing retreading programme via its Alphatread range – can both allow the manufacturer a more extensive product range to cater to each customer’s entire fleet, and also allow Hankook to capitalise on the growing interest in more value-oriented products. The new tyres, which give Laufenn itself impressive market coverage, also help to emphasise one of Hankook’s competitive advantages; the proportion of products under three years old in its TBR portfolio. The timing of the launch could also help to address the economic strife felt by the logistics sector in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. Featured in the September issue of Tyres & Accessories, we spoke with Guy Heywood, Hankook’s European marketing and strategy director for its truck and bus business, and UK sales director Paul Emery about how the introduction of Laufenn will help to develop the tyre manufacturer’s commercial business in the UK and Europe.
Hankook has introduced a new line of Laufenn brand commercial vehicle tyres in the UK. With Laufenn the Korean tyre manufacturer targets the second tier of the market. Hankook initially launches Laufenn in the UK with nine patterns covering more than 85 per cent of tyres in the market for goods and people transportation, as well as construction truck tyres. Hankook adds that most sizes offer the three peak mountain snowflake (3PMSF) marking for use in winter conditions. The Laufenn CV tyre range was due to be presented in the UK at the Commercial Vehicle Show, before the Birmingham NEC event was cancelled due to the pandemic.
Truck tyres are joining the ranks of Hankook Tire’s second brand, Laufenn. Hankook Tyre UK will preside over the global launch of these products at this year’s Commercial Vehicle Show, presenting the Laufenn tyres alongside its expanding Hankook commercial vehicle line-up.
Hankook Tyre UK has appointed Paul Emery as sales director effective 1 February 2020. He joined the company as UK sales manager of the truck and bus tyre segment. Emery brings over 30 years in the tyre industry in various managerial roles to the position.
Hankook Tyre UK has announced the appointment of a successor to David Thorp, its UK sales manager who will retire on 30 June 2019. Paul Emery, who has a wealth of industry expertise to draw upon, will take over as sales manager of the UK truck and bus tyre segment. Thorp will retire after a long career in the tyre industry, including more than thirteen years’ service at Hankook.
NR Evans, one of the UK’s largest temperature controlled distribution fleets, has renewed its tyre service agreement with Bridgestone. The tyre supplier said that its Total Tyre Care package played a critical role in the company’s success during a competitive tendering process.
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