News from the tyre wholesale sector
The Petrol Retailers' Association (PRA) has offered to submit evidence to the European Commission on alleged anti-competitive pricing tactics in the UK fuel market. In a letter to Alexander Italianer, Head of DG Competition at the European Commission in Brussels, Brian Madderson, PRA Chairman, addressed the current EU oil price fixing investigation and offered the PRA's assistance in this important inquiry.
Pirelli’s decision to make wholesale changes to its range of P Zero Formula One tyres, as well as the sole tyre supplier’s future in the series, are hanging in the balance going into this weekend’s Monaco grand prix. The tyre maker appeared ready to go ahead with a plan to supply altered tyres from June – thought to be a mix between the features of the current rubber and last year’s model – but behind-the-scenes negotiations have followed that announcement.
Tyre wholesaler, Treadsetters has signed a new distribution partnership with Falken. The brand, which is seeking ways of expanding its commercial tyre activity in the UK, will supply truck and bus tyres to the Telford-based distributor.
Goodyear Tire & Rubber’s New Zealand unit, Goodyear & Dunlop Tyres, intends to sell its retail tyre and automotive service centre chain. The company is selling its 52 Beaurepaires outlets in New Zealand to local company Beau Ideal Ltd for an undisclosed amount. The deal is expected to close by the end of the month, the company said.
The Petrol Retailers' Association (PRA) has again voiced its concerns about the unpredictability of the wholesale petrol market. In the last seven days there has been a drop by over 2.6 pence per litre (ppl), which encouraged supermarkets to rush price reductions onto their forecourts. However by the start of this week, wholesale costs recovered all that reduction, resulting in a swing of more than 5.2ppl over a few days of trading.
Roughly half of the 30 million-odd tyres sold to UK motorists each year are delivered through tyre specialists, a figure that is broadly comparable with figures across Europe. And while there are some noteworthy differences between the structure of the UK tyre market and mainland Europe in general, perhaps the most interesting details are to be found within this 50 per cent. That’s why in this month’s retail chains/buying groups feature Tyres & Accessories considers the state and make-up of the sell-out market and releases the details of latest top 20 tyre retail chains survey. As well as our own research we consider data compiled and analysed by four well-known third-party research firms, however for commercial and confidentiality reasons we aren’t citing the sources individually each time they are mentioned. Instead this year’s retail report analyses their input and presents our view of the consensus.
The latest in a succession of leaders at Tyre Fort in Birmingham, Erich Fric brings with him an easy-going, but teutonic clarity into his (relatively) new role of Goodyear Dunlop UK managing director. Almost a year after news of the appointment was released, Tyres & Accessories visited the company headquarters in mid-April for the MD’s first published interview in his current role where he shared his views on the British tyre market and recent corporate criticism of the companies EMEA region.
A common theme while talking with wholesalers this year has been the need for flexibility. Various companies are approaching this in different ways, and Danish wholesaler Nordisk Dæk Import, better known as NDI, has chosen a path not yet taken by any other European wholesaler. In order to offer customers the double advantage of flexible ordering and competitive prices, the company has established a new warehouse in Qingdao, China, near where its Nordexx private brand is manufactured. From this warehouse, NDI will directly supply Nordexx-brand and other products to its European and international customers; in early March the first shipment of Nordexx tyres arrived in the new Qingdao warehouse, and by April the full Nordexx range was in stock.
Revenues at online tyre retailer Delticom fell 4.9 per cent year-on-year in the first quarter of 2013 to 81.3 million euros, the company reports. Delticom suggests this drop in sales is linked to many motorists’ decision to delay purchasing summer tyres due to the persistent snowfall experienced in many parts of Germany and elsewhere right through to the end of March.
In recent times, Starco has placed a significantly stronger focus on one specific business area. While the firm has been guided by the vision to become “the global market leader in special wheels” for a number of years now, its group strategy for the period from 2010 to 2014 singles out the agricultural sector for particular attention. This focus is influencing Starco’s numerous operations, including its development of new products and the company’s wholesale business. Indeed, the agricultural sector was a crucial factor in the company’s recent expansion into a new continent.
It seems being spoiled for choice may also spoil our chances of receiving the tyre service we want, when we want it. Michelin’s head of Fleet, Dave Crinson, opines that a wholesale shift in the way drivers view tyre appointments needs to occur due to the number of tyres now available on the market. This diversity means drivers who arrive unannounced at fast-fit suppliers may end up with a second or third choice tyre, or may be required to return at a later date.
Dutch wholesaler Heuver Tyrewholesale has appointed Dewy Mulder its new marketing manager. She succeeds Maureen Voortman in this role following Voortman’s promotion within the company. In her new role, Mulder takes on marketing responsibility for both Heuver’s wholesale business and the company’s Profile Tyrecenter retail outlets.
This year, Lassa Tyres will once again field the Team Lassa Tyres in the British Drift Championship. The team’s drivers for the 2013 season are Simon Perry and Jody Fletcher in Super Pro-Class and Richard ‘Juddster’ McCourt in Semi Pro-Class; once again, they will compete in all six rounds of the UK’s premier drift championship.
In a press release, Heuver Tyrewholesale shares that “despite difficulties in the market,” the wholesaler “managed to end 2012 on a positive note.” The Netherlands-based company states that, taking market conditions into consideration, its performance last year is viewed with satisfaction.
Noting the present wide ranging diversity of fitments in the current 4×4/SUV market, Stapleton’s notes that the opportunities open to the retailer present a challenge in requiring a wide breadth of stock to meet increasingly specialised demand. While retailers can expect the usual range of premium brand tyres in this segment from the wholesaler, it says there has been a particular focus in this segment on providing a variety of lower-priced private brands.
If you would like the latest news from the Chinese tyre industry in Chinese, visit our partner site TyrepressChina.com. Or click below to continue on Tyrepress.