During 2015 Micheldever is celebrating 20 years of partnership with Coninental-owned brand General Tire. What began as a supply contract between the pre-Continental General Tire and the pre-Micheldever 4×4 tyre wholesale specialist, Southam Tyres, has blossomed into a successful ongoing relationship over the years.
With Landsail and Grouptyre celebrating their third anniversary this June, the two firms have announced that the partnership is now selling over 1.5 million units a year. Grouptyre became the sole distributor of Landsail in the UK and Ireland when the deal was struck three years ago and, according to both the partners and the unit sales figures, the relationship has gone from strength to strength since then.
Heuver Tyrewholesale is to showcase three messages at Autopromotec: that the company delivers “almost all A brands”; secondly, that it has a strong range of own import brands for many European markets; and last but not least, that a new brand called Barkley is being added its existing range. In Bologna, Heuver will be displaying a selection from its range of truck, agricultural and earth-moving tyres. Heuver’s stand is located in Hall20-C45.
Danish tyre wholesaler Nordisk Dæk Import (NDI) aims to significantly develop its market presence in neighbouring Germany. Carsten Andersen, area sales manager for the Brørup-based company, says NDI is currently searching for a dozen or so partners to take over distribution of its Nordexx private brand in Germany.
As we look forward to 2012 there is no sign to economic pressures that blighted 2011 lifting any time soon. On the contrary, with the financial confusion surrounding the eurozone and with credit ratings agency Standard and Poor’s threatening to downgrade any of the 17 countries associated with it, there are still many challenges ahead. That said it was apparently a good year for some.
Based just North of York in Pocklington, the relatively small size of this North Yorkshire town belies the current scale and influence of the tyre wholesale operation it is home to. Bond International was founded in 1966 by Reg Bond when the qualified automotive engineer suffered an industrial injury that blinded him in one eye. In spite of the incident, Bond demonstrated great vision by investing his ensuing compensation into expanding his business to incorporate tyre wholesale. Now the company is firmly in the top flight of UK tyre wholesale operations and has purportedly risen as high as number three in recent years (see next month's Wholesale Feature for an update on the current state of UK tyre wholesaling). With an overseas office already located in Singapore, now Bond is considering its European options, while pointing out that there are still opportunities in the UK. On top of this the company recently launched its first foray into the online marketplace, which executive hope will – over time – develop a whole new source of business for it and its retail customers alike.
Stapleton’s Tyre Services latest and greatest 100,000 square foot warehouse has been developed to be the leading tyre wholesaler’s UK “super hub.” Positioned near the literal mid-point of England, the new depot is central to the company’s existing warehouses. Previously the largest of these were developed to be Northern and Southern hubs, but now they will be fed by the large Birmingham location, which is coincidently located a stone’s throw away from Goodyear Dunlop’s Tyre Fort in the Erdington area, Birmingham. Tyres & Accessories recently met Ashley Croft, head of Stapleton’s supply chain, for an exclusive first look at the new facility.
The first thing you notice after you arrive inside the Erdington, Birmingham location – which is impossible to miss owing to the largest Stapleton’s signage in the company fixed to the road facing wall outside – is that the new super hub is already stocked with a full-range of about 3500 stock keeping units (SKUs).
Yesterday saw the Tyre Wholesalers Group Annual Lunch held at the National Motorcycle Museum in Solihull. At the event, TWG chair Ashley Croft reviewed the year in UK tyre wholesaling, saying that “TWG members are fortunate within the replacement side of our market to have enjoyed a year of consistent market size, although the busy first half of the year has been balanced by a quieter period following.” Croft also looked forward to 2011, in which he forecasted “a year of challenges” for TWG members, commented on the rising interest in winter – or cold weather – tyres in the UK and the long-term potential effects of a consistent, large seasonal market; the persistently low availability of product throughout the year; his concerns about tyre labelling; and the education of non-NTDA member retailers. Below, tyrepress.com presents the transcription of his speech.
At this year’s CITExpo, Best Choice International Trade didn’t just present a large portion of its existing range – visitors were also shown a new brand. By the end of the year this new line-up, produced under the “Mazzini Tyres” name, should be available in 13 sizes between 15 and 18-inches. As export manager Stephen Wu explained, the Mazzini brand will be separately positioned in the market to the company’s existing “Sunew” own brand. “We wanted a new brand for new customers,” elucidated Wu, stressing that the necessity to supply various distribution channels with a variety of brands. In light of this the company is looking around the world, particularly in Western Europe, North America, Australia and Japan, for new distributors.
The subject of grey marketing raises the hackles of wholesalers and manufacturers alike, with each blaming the other for its existence. So imagine my surprise when Kumho UK managing director, Steve Tidmarsh tackled the subject head-on, telling delegates at November’s Tyre Wholesaler’s Group (TWG) lunch that it is “the manufacturers who drive the grey market.”
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