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First Stop breaks the 150-branch barrier

First Stop

First Stop’s UK tyre and autocare retail operation recently broke through the 150-branch barrier. The leap to 150 tyre centres marks a significant milestone for any tyre business, but read in light of our annual tyre retail ranking, two key facts are immediately apparent: Firstly, First Stop has added something like 26 branches to the network since the last count at the end of April 2022 (which itself followed a 65-branch increase on the 2021 total). And secondly, reaching the 150 mark means that – as things stand – First Stop is now the fifth largest tyre retail operation in the UK. First Stop’s UK management set the goat or reaching 220 branches in four years back in 2019. Reaching 150 branches in three despite the challenging circumstances that have come along with the pandemic, is all the more remarkable.

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Related news:

  1. The Auto Workshop joins First Stop, rebrands as flagship centre
  2. First Stop unveils ‘most advanced’ centre in Weston-super-Mare
  3. First Stop network set to triple in size
  4. Bridgestone buys ETB, Britannia Tyres
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Growth despite challenges: Torque from the Top – Kumho Tyre UK managing director, Keon Park

Kumho

Continuing our ongoing series of Torque from the top special interviews with influential industry figures, here Tyres & Accessories hears from Keon Park managing director, Kumho Tyre UK, who shares Kumho’s perspective on the challenges and triumphs of the last couple of years as well as the well-known brand’s hopes for the future.

Tyres & Accessories logo“Torque from the Top” is a regularly feature in the print edition of Tyres & Accessories magazine. Not a subscriber? No problem, click here to become one.

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Related news:

  1. Micheldever ending Kumho tyre distribution in May
  2. Davanti unveils wave of new product, partnership news at first conference
  3. All-season tyre growth, especially for premium brands – GfK
  4. Torque From The Top – Gary Oliver of Grouptyre
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Torque from the Top – Andy Fern, Stapleton’s managing director

Stapleton’s

So far, the majority of our ongoing Torque from the Top series of interviews with leading players in the UK tyre business have been with executives hailing from the manufacturing side of things. This month we redress the balance by engaging with Andy Fern who is the managing director of one of the UK’s largest tyre wholesale businesses, Stapleton’s. Here he talks us through the resilience of staff and customers during the turbulent couple of years we have all experience and details the “seismic shift in the market” that has come with increase online demand from consumers.

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Related news:

  1. Andy Fern becomes MD of Stapleton’s
  2. Stapleton’s ‘Wholesaler of the year’ crown an ‘extra special achievement’
  3. 2017 marks 80 years of growth and innovation at Stapleton’s
  4. ‘The online tyre market has moved on two or three years’ – MTS
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Torque from the Top – Pravesh Amtha, recent sales general manager Consumer UK & Ireland at Goodyear

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Goodyear

One of the world’s largest tyre companies, Goodyear employs about 72,000 people and manufactures its products in 55 facilities in 23 countries around the world. Its two Innovation Centres in Akron, Ohio, and Colmar-Berg, Luxembourg, strive to develop state-of-the-art products and services that set the technology and performance standard for the industry. Recently, Goodyear completed the acquisition of Cooper Tire & Rubber, which is a great place to start this month’s Torque from the Top Q&As – an ongoing series of interviews with leading executives. Our interviewee this month is Pravesh Amtha, recent sales general manager Consumer UK & Ireland at Goodyear, who has now moved onto “an expanded leadership role managing a portfolio of strategic business projects across Goodyear’s EMEA business”.

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Related news:

  1. Van Wessum becomes Goodyear consumer sales general manager UK & Ireland
  2. Goodyear approached Cooper Tire regarding multi-billion-dollar acquisition
  3. Fitch rating affirmation partially affirms Goodyear Cooper acquisition strategic logic
  4. Cooper Tire joins the Goodyear team
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Torque from the Top: David Seward, managing director Yokohama HPT

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Daimler

The latest in our ‘Torque from the Top’ series of interviews with leading tyre industry executives features David Seward, MD of Yokohama’s UK distributor, Yokohama HPT. As you will read later, the company was established in 1988 and Seward has been with the company from the beginning, which must make him one of (if not the) longest-serving MD of any UK-based international tyre company. But first, a brief look at the history of the parent company.

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Related news:

  1. Premier League trophy to appear at Automechanika with Yokohama
  2. Yokohama hails Chelsea success as team wins ‘football’s biggest prize’
  3. Alliance name comes to Chelsea FC sleeve ahead of car tyre range’s European launch
  4. Yokohama celebrates brand boost as Chelsea wins Europa League
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Torque from the Top – Paul Emery, UK sales director, Hankook

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Hankook

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.

Tyres & Accessories: How has the pandemic impacted on your business? What changes have you made in day-to-day business?

Tyres & Accessories logo“Torque from the Top” is a regularly feature in the print edition of Tyres & Accessories magazine. Not a subscriber? No problem, click here to become one.

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  • Full analysis of tyre business segments
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Related news:

  1. CV Show launch for Laufenn truck tyre range
  2. Hankook introduces new Laufenn truck and bus tyres for UK market
  3. Laufenn launch makes Hankook more holistic commercial tyre supplier
  4. Hankook extending core competencies to drive future growth
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Torque from the Top – Chris Smith, managing director, Michelin Tyre plc

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Michelin Tyre Plc

Michelin has been in the UK since 1905, and it has been making tyres there since 1927 when its Stoke-on-Trent factory opened. Michelin’s Stoke-on-Trent plant still produces retreaded truck tyres, which use 70 per cent less raw material than a new tyre.

Stoke-on-Trent is Michelin’s UK headquarters, and it is the global headquarters of Michelin Lifestyle – the manufacturer’s licensing operation. The Michelin Training and Information Centre pushes up standards, safety and knowledge through courses attended by tyre technicians and emergency services from the UK and overseas, while Michelin Development supports new and small businesses in selected regions.

Michelin in the UK also produces the Michelin Guide Great Britain and Ireland, giving readers expert and independent advice on where to stay and where to eat, and listing restaurants worthy of a world-famous Michelin Star.

Michelin UK has strong links with other Michelin Group companies in the country, including Camso, Fenner and Blackcircles.com. The Michelin Group employs more than 123,000 people globally.

Tyres & Accessories recently interviewed UK managing director Chris Smith in order to get his view on subjects affecting the market today.

Tyres & Accessories logo“Torque from the Top” is a regularly feature in the print edition of Tyres & Accessories magazine. Not a subscriber? No problem, click here to become one.

Membership Required

If you are not yet a Tyrepress or Tyres & Accessories subscriber, you can change that here.

Subscribe now

Becoming a member has benefits such as:

  • Read our sector-leading articles in full
  • Full analysis of tyre business segments
  • Read Tyres & Accessories magazine online/in print

Already a member? Log in here

Related news:

  1. Full house of UK’s biggest CV tyre brands at CV Show 2015
  2. Green restart: Retreaded tyres as a decarbonisation aide
  3. Torque From The Top – Gary Oliver of Grouptyre
  4. Michelin assembles COVID-19 support packs for dealers nationwide
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Torque from the Top: David Smith, managing director, Continental Tyre Group Ltd

Continental

Continental Tyre Group Ltd was established in the UK in 1935 as part of Continental AG, a leading global automotive supplier, celebrating its 150th anniversary this year. Continental Tyre Group Ltd manage the sales, marketing and distribution of car, 4×4, van, truck and bus, materials handling, agricultural and earthmover tyres in the UK and Irish markets. The company also runs the successful Conti360° fleet tyre management services with a range of digital solutions to also support commercial fleets. The multi-brand tyre offering in the UK and Ireland incorporates premium brand Continental as well as several well-known, mid-range and exclusive brands such as Uniroyal, Semperit and Best Drive as well as truck retread brands ContiRe and Bandvulc. Continental has made important investments in the UK in recent years through the acquisition of Bandvulc Group Ltd and Tyre Maintenance in 2016 as well as R&J Strang in 2019.

Tyres & Accessories logo“Torque from the Top” is a regularly feature in the print edition of Tyres & Accessories magazine. Not a subscriber? No problem, click here to become one.

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Related news:

  1. Conti: CV registrations slow, but truck tyre market up
  2. Continental names new UK passenger sales director
  3. Continental UK appoints Okan Tamer as MD
  4. David Smith returns as Continental UK country manager
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Torque from the Top – Andrea Manenti, vice president – Bridgestone North Europe region

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Bridgestone

Continuing our ongoing series of interviews with leading tyre executives, this month’s edition hears of Bridgestone’s achievements in the realms of sustainability, material development, retreading and more.

Tyres & Accessories: What effect has the pandemic had on the day-to-day running of your business? Have you had to make any fundamental changes?

Tyres & Accessories logo“Torque from the Top” is a regularly feature in the print edition of Tyres & Accessories magazine. Not a subscriber? No problem, click here to become one.

Membership Required

If you are not yet a Tyrepress or Tyres & Accessories subscriber, you can change that here.

Subscribe now

Becoming a member has benefits such as:

  • Read our sector-leading articles in full
  • Full analysis of tyre business segments
  • Read Tyres & Accessories magazine online/in print

Already a member? Log in here

Related news:

  1. Tyre sales down, but not as much as feared – GfK
  2. Michelin UK resuming production at Stoke retreading factory
  3. Top Treads resilient and adaptable despite challenging lockdown environment
  4. Bridgestone Invests £400,000 in UK Retreading
/by

Torque From The Top – Gary Oliver of Grouptyre

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Welcome to the first of a new series of articles, in which leading executives give their insights into matters affecting today’s tyre industry. We begin the series with Gary Oliver; Chairman of Grouptyre, the national network of independent wholesalers. In the article we discuss the effects of the coronavirus pandemic on the business, new automotive innovations and long-term trends, and current attitudes towards tyre distribution.

Tyres & Accessories logo“Torque from the Top” is a regularly feature in the print edition of Tyres & Accessories magazine. Not a subscriber? No problem, click here to become one.

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Related news:

  1. Oak Tyres outlines brand strategy in new Davanti era
  2. Michelin temporarily closes some European factories, car tyre demand down 9%
  3. Tyre demand declining 15 to 26 per cent in 2020
  4. Port problems cause Honda Swindon shutdown, pressurise UK tyre supply
/by

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