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Premio Tyre Dealers Annual Meeting

This year’s meeting of the German co-operation of independent tyre dealers under the umbrella of the retail brand “premio” had as its motto “time for take off”. Round about 125 outlets are members, with only a few having more than one service station. The downside of the premio network is that the “brand premio” is not well-known among end users. One reason for this is the fact that the chain is relatively young, about five years old. Of course a brand would be more popular if it were spread all over the country or – as service provider Goodyear would say – if more stations are on the net. But the premio managers are realistic, and it is not possible to grow by leaps and bounds. The competitors among the other groups of tyre dealers have restricted the market. And of course sometimes a member leaves the group after selling his business. Premio is part of the controlled distribution network of Goodyear in Germany which today covers round about 600 outlets. Premio wants one day to be what the group managers call the “lighthouse of the market”. Because the quantity targets have to be limited, Premio wants to be the best in terms of quality. In all criteria of an independent customer satisfaction analysis Premio performed better and even much better than the competitors – in all but two aspects, that is and these two were brand awareness and prices for endusers. It is hard to become the best in the market, but it is also hard to stay the best. How does it work? The best way is to continue to improve and optimise the modules of the system which the Premio Centre in the Goodyear headquarters makes available for the members. They not only try to develop new modules but also have to decide whether some of the older modules are no longer relevant. With more than 50 (!) modules the Premio offer is a leading player; taking just one of the modules available, the new software solution for the tyre trade called “tiresoft II” may well be the most modern in the market.

30th November 2001/by Tyrepress Editors

E-Business Partner For Michelin USA

Michelin North America has selected Modern Media, a e-retail software specialist to develop its B2C initiative in North America. Michelin North America Inc’s Debra Track said, “Modern Media will help us create a platform that will allow us to go after a new generation of consumers that don’t necessarily use traditional media in their shopping habits”. The value of the deal has not been disclosed.

30th November 2001/by Tyrepress Editors

Internet Sales Disappointment

Continental has ended its co-operation with Autobytel Europe. The tyre manufacturer had intended to invest 15 million Euro in retail sales via the Internet. The company has revised plans and is eschewing B2C activities to concentrate on B2B developments. Swedish customers in the test market can already access the tyre module from car broker Autobytel.

30th November 2001/by Tyrepress Editors

Reshuffle At Cooper-Avon

Cooper-Avon Tyres has reshuffled many of its management team. André Korynevsky – responsible until now for retreading materials – has been appointed European Sales Director, liaising with the company’s offices in Germany, France and Switzerland. He will continue to manage the retread materials business. Phil Caris is the new European Sales & Marketing Director with responsibility for multi-brand strategies, coordinating global product management. As European Major Accounts Director, Steve Cundy will head a team of three, which will service the business with European retail chains, marketing Avon house and private brands, as well as developing fleet business.

30th November 2001/by Tyrepress Editors

Stephan Kessel, Continental’s CEO: A Separation On Friendly Terms

Someone who acquires a seat at the top, and even reaches the CEO position at Continental, will neither be fired nor will he just quit. There is what is called “a separation on friendly terms”. The question whether Kessel and von Grünberg could ever have been friends is not even relevant. Whoever thinks that von Grünberg just shrugged and happily retired to some comptroller’s position will find out that he was wrong. Von Grünberg is the type of man who may occasionally loosen the handcuffs, writes a German daily newspaper, but he also tightens them again. His thumb pointed downwards, and that gesture determined Kessel’s future, and the whole board went along, including the banker Weiss.

30th November 2001/by Tyrepress Editors

2000 Figures From Nokian

Nokian Tyres has released financial results for last year. Net sales were 398.5 m Euro, 23.5 per cent higher than 1999. Allowing for acquisitions made during the year, the figure was 359.8 m Euro, or 11.5 per cent higher. Operating profit was 39.4 m Euro (1999: 42.1 m), affected by a 1.7 m Euro loss incurred by the tyre retail chain. Net profit was 19.8 m Euro (1999: 25.7 m).

30th November 2001/by Tyrepress Editors

Retail Distribution Of SmarTire Begins

SmarTire Systems, the tyre pressure monitoring equipment supplier, has launched the US distribution of its new aftermarket products through the Tire Rack and Big O Tires. SmarTire CEO, Robert Rudman says, “These orders follow our initial distribution in Europe and represent the beginning of our marketing strategy for SmarTire’s aftermarket products in North America.”

30th November 2001/by Tyrepress Editors

New UK Truck Servicing Network For Continental

Continental Tyre Group is to set up a new UK truck network, comprising independent businesses with exclusive territories, managed by Continental. This will obviously affect the commercial division of Conti’s subsidiary National Tyre Services. Some will be sold, while some will be taken over by existing staff – a number of these are expected to join the new truck network, which will be called ContiNetwork.

30th November 2001/by Tyrepress Editors

Continental “Expects To Sell National Tyre Service This Year”

Manfred Wennemer, management board chairman of Continental AG, is reported to have said that the company expects to sell its UK equity chain National Tyre Service by the end of this year. Earlier this year, Continental UK closed National’s truck tyre operations when it formed ContiNetwork; a partnership with independent truck tyre service providers. This left 210 retail outlets in the National chain. A spokesman in Hanover confirmed Mr. Wennemer’s comment, but would not reveal any further details. The news was only revealed because Continental had to enter a figure into the fourth quarter accounts which was picked up by analysts.

30th November 2001/by Tyrepress Editors

Sale Rumours Denied By National

TYRES & ACCESSORIES, on hearing stories of a Continental sale of National Tyres and Autocare decided to put the question to National. In response to enquiries about the possible sale by Continental, Roger Hawkins, Managing Director of National’s Retail division told TYRES & ACCESSORIES, “Continental has no immediate plans to sell National Tyres, rather it has invested a considerable amount into the fast-fit chain in the past 18 months on branch refurbishment and acquisition of “High Street” locations and will soon be unveiling an ambitious new fleet programme.” National Tyres and Autocare is a wholly owned subsidiary of Continental AG and reports to Continental AG in Germany. If the Equity were to be sold off it would send shock-waves through the UK retail and wholesale trade.

30th November 2001/by Tyrepress Editors

Purchase Completes Vianor Chain In Sweden

Nokian Tyres has purchased the 13-outlet tyre chain of Dackaffaren for the sum of 4.3 million Euro. Dackaffaren had a turnover of 110 million Swedish Crowns (11.5 million Euro) last year and employs 70 staff. The company will be incorporated into Nokian’s Vianor tyre retail chain, which now consists of 50 outlets in Sweden and a total of 170 outlets in five countries. Kim Gran, Nokian’s President and CEO, says that the acquisition completes the company’s coverage in Sweden.

30th November 2001/by Tyrepress Editors

New Director For Goodyear

James M. Zimmerman (57) has been elected to the board of directors of the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. He joins the company from Federated Department Stores Inc., where he was chairman and CEO, and has extensive experience in retail. It was also announced that Katherine G. Farley, senior managing director of Tishman Speyer Properties Inc., has resigned from the Goodyear board after three years’ service.

30th November 2001/by Tyrepress Editors

Improved Sales And Profit For Nokian

Nokian has released interim financial figures for the first nine months of this year. These show an increase in net sales of 7.4 per cent to 277.7 m Euro and an operating profit of 25.3 m Euro (11.9 m Euro for the same period last year). Net profit reached 9.1 m Euro (2.7 m in 2000). Nokian’s target for the year is to achieve a sales growth of around 10 per cent and improve on last year’s profitability.

30th November 2001/by Tyrepress Editors

Development For Eurofleet

Eurofleet Tyres & Services, daughter of Bandag and the German retail cooperative Team-Group, which was first introduced in June at REIFEN 2000 in Essen, reports a positive development. It has more than 1,300 service partners which cover not only the Western European territory, but also Poland, Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania and Slovenia.

7th December 2000/by Tyrepress Editors

Turnover Up, Profits Down – Nokian’s First Quarter Figures

Nokian’s net sales in the first three months were up 18.4% over last year’s figures, reaching 67 million Euros (1999 Q1: 57 million Euros). Operating profit was -4.4 m Euros (2.7 m Euros). Manufacturing made a profit of 2.9 m Euros (5.8 m Euros) while the retail chain made a loss of -6 m Euros (-2.9 m Euros).

7th December 2000/by Tyrepress Editors