West Midlands based International Tyres is promoting its “comprehensive choice of brands direct from stock for all applications” which the firm distributes from its warehousing facilities which hold in excess 20,000 truck tyres.
When looking for new premises for its expanding wholesale operation, Grouptyre member ETB looked no further than across the road from its existing site in St Austell. The 35-year old family-run company services tyre retailers across the South West, Mid and South Wales and the Midlands from its four warehouses which are located in Worcester, Exeter, Bridgend and St Austell.
For a nation so interested in weather that its obsession has become a national cliché, the UK winter tyre market has continued to elude growth, yet this is not preventing wholesaler Stapleton’s from continuing to make the case for winter tyres. The company stocks a range of premium and house brand seasonal fitments, in which it continues to see potential from both a driver safety and dealer profit perspective. Following the UK’s wettest June since records began in 1910, giving us the impression of a very short-lived summer, Stapleton’s suggested that perhaps it won’t be too much of a wrench to turn our thoughts to the coming winter, the challenges it brings for drivers, and the opportunities for tyre retailers that come in the form of winter tyre sales.
Kirkby Tyres has appointed John Parker as director of business development and special projects effective from 2 August 2016.
OBO Tyres has acquired the exclusive distribution rights for the OTR brand MTP Tyres in the Benelux region. The brand offers new tyres for a wide range of applications, including articulated dump trucks, graders, loaders, cranes, and dump trucks. OBO states that the distribution rights fills a gap in its portfolio of products for its extended home market.
Omni United has purchased Texas-based A to Z Tire & Battery, Inc – Omni’s second US-based distribution acquisition. Now the focus is on consolidating the distribution businesses (A to Z Tire and the previously acquired Interstate Tire Distributor) into a single unit under a new brand identity. No further details of what brand and when this will take place have been released.
Reflecting on the Brexit news, prompts us to think about the part of the tyre trade the does business the most regularly on the continent – the wholesale sector. But first, let’s take a look at the car trade by way of a proxy. Following the Brexit nes, he National Franchised Dealers Association, which represents franchised car and commercial vehicle dealers in the UK, considered the impact on trading, with Sue Robinson, director of the NFDA saying:
Tyre wholesaler Kings Road Tyres (KRT) has invested in a major expansion of its Kingstone range to include over 60 new lines for ATV, turf, horticultural, agricultural, light materials handling and high speed trailer tyre applications. In addition, the new products are supported by a range of EU-manufactured tubes.
According to the company, the investment represents the most significant expansion of the brand since it was first introduced in 1987, with the new lines joining the company’s existing range of Kingstone tubes and flaps.
Delticom, the German-based online tyre retail and wholesale firm, presented its entire range of B2B Services during Reifen in Essen. According to company representatives, which market themselves as yourtyres.co.uk over here, the trade fair appearance proved extremely positive, resulting in “hundreds of interesting and constructive discussions with international clients and media representatives.”
The recent Reifen 2016 in Essen, German was a “constructive” show for Singapore-based Stamford tyres. Larry Lee – vice president for international distribution at Stamford – pointed out that an all-new range of bus tyres for the mid-tier market sector were being launched for the first time in Europe plus a series of new wheel designs and colours from Stamford Sport Wheels (SSW) popular Euro Technik range will be showcased which are specifically produced for the European alloy wheel sector.
Independent tyre distributor and one of Grouptyre’s 10 member EG Wholesale has opened its new warehouse in Partridge Green, West Sussex. Colin Obbard, operations and logistics manager said, “It has been a long time coming finding a suitable location for an expanding wholesale operation.” Grouptyre states that “continued investment” by members, “such as new warehousing, is one of the primary reasons for the continual growth of the company, who consistently strive to offer more to the retailer.” EG Wholesale is a division of a motor trade group that has petrol stations, convenience stores, property rentals and workshops. The family run business has been in business for over 40 years with a turnover of £48m and 230 members of staff.
May 2016’s Reifen show coincides with Heuver’s 50th anniversary; a conjunction that will enable the international wholesaler to mark this significant date in style. Heuver will thus highlight its anniversary over the course of the week from its Hall 2 stand (E42), from which it will also be showcasing Aeolus products, for which it is the exclusive distributor in eight European countries – a fact the company describes as “the icing on the cake.” Heuver added that its many brands for international markets will be represented by account managers from all countries on its stand.
This year Heuver Tyrewholesale celebrates its 50th birthday, and at the same time another person of significance to the company celebrates an important birthday milestone. Jan Heuver has turned 65 and reached the Netherland’s official retirement age, and therefore is stepping down as a director of Heuver Tyrewholesale. He was honoured by Heuver Tyrewholesale employees at an internal function held to mark the company’s half-century, and his retirement was further observed by the establishment of ‘Jan!’, the Jan Heuver Foundation, a surprise farewell gift the wholesaler believes a fitting one for the public-minded director.
It is now half a century since Mans Heuver entered the tyre business, swapping his job as truck driver for that of tyre dealer and opening a small shop in Den Ham, the Netherlands. Over time he and his two sons, Jan and Bertus, transformed this business into a large wholesale operation bearing their name, Heuver Tyrewholesale. But while the company is looking back on its history throughout the course of this year, Heuver Tyrewholesale is also looking forward to the future. This year sees the wholesaler renew its focus on the agricultural market and increase its efforts with OEM partners.
A recurring theme encountered when talking to tyre wholesalers in 2015 and 2016 is the importance of value-added services. Each wholesaler has its own strategy for delivering this added value; in the case of Inter-Sprint, it involves a focus on acting as a “one-stop tyre partner.” This is a direction the Netherlands-based company has followed for some time now, and it is taking steps to ensure its customers can benefit from this in the years to come.
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