News from the tyre wholesale sector
(Akron/Tire Review) Treadways Corp. has selected TireWare to provide business software solutions to independent tyre dealers through the company’s Treadmasters marketing program, slated for launch in July. TireWare will provide point-of-sale, wholesale and commercial software solutions to Treadways’ wholesale tyre dealers and associated retail dealers through the marketing program.
The Hercules Tire & Rubber Company (Hercules), the marketer and distributor of private label and branded tyres, announced that it is acquiring Tire Distributor Inc., USA (TDI), a tyre wholesaler headquartered near Miami, Florida. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. “We are very pleased to bring TDI and its management team and employees into the Hercules family,” said Larry Seawell, president and chief executive officer of Hercules. Seawell added, “We had targeted the Southeast region for expansion given the opportunities for growth in that market, and it was important for us to find a strong operating platform in Florida that would allow us to expand our sales and distribution capabilities throughout the Southeast and into Latin America.”
(Akron/Tire Review) Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. announced that it is withdrawing from certain segments of the private label tyre business in North America. Approximately 10 private label brands currently manufactured by Goodyear and sold by wholesale customers to tyre retailers will be affected by the decision. In 2005, this segment represented approximately $300 million in sales and about 8 million units manufactured in five North American plants, or approximately one-third of the company’s overall private label business.
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the foundation of Summit Wheels & Tyres. The company was set up by Peter Summers and specialised in tyres and wheels for the industrial sector, notably fork lift trucks and skid steer; both replacement and OE.
Summit swiftly established itself as a major player in this specialised niche and developed a reputation for being able to supply unusual or hard-to-get products and to deliver these quickly and efficiently, using its own fleet of vehicles.
At first sight it is difficult to tell whether the Tires & Rubber show, held for the ninth time in Moscow recently, is a show for the industry or the trade. Compared with the number of new tyre manufacturers, material suppliers, machinery and equipment providers, the tyre trade seems to have gained some ground at this year’s show compared to 2005. This statement applies to Russian as well as European companies.
For example this year Dutch company Van den Ban Autobanden was exhibiting in Moscow for the very first time. The goal was to introduce the company and sound out the market. “First we want to present ourselves here,” explains commercial manager Cyril Versteeg in an interview with Tyres & Accessories. In fact, there have been business contacts with Russian companies in the past but Van den Ban concentrated mainly on the Eastern markets of the recently enlarged European Union. “These markets are more accessible,” Versteeg adds. At Van den Ban’s headquarter in Hellevoetsluis there are sales personnel that speak all the local languages of these markets, he adds.
Kirkby Tyres has been in the tyre and wheel wholesale, import and export business since 1958 and, since that time, has developed the reputation as one of the major stockists in the UK and in Europe. The company will be exhibiting at the Essen show, meeting existing customers and hoping to make new contacts.
UK tyre wholesaler Stapletons has appointed a new marketing manager to spearhead the company’s next stage of development. Stephen Childs (32) joins the Letchworth-headquartered company, which is the UK’s leading supplier of passenger car tyres to the wholesale and dealership sectors and also has 48 thriving automotive retail centres in the UK.
Kirkby Tyres operates from a three-acre site in Liverpool, close to John Lennon airport, and has grown to become one of the largest wheel and tyre wholesalers in Europe. For most of the UK, next working day delivery of stock items is the norm. The company has long-standing links with major players in the international tyre and wheel markets, which means that it can obtain products from a variety of sources.
Credential Environmental Ltd has made another key acquisition, announcing the further integration of its tyre collection and reprocessing businesses into one division under the Credential Automotive banner.
Credential Environmental already owned the Automotive Waste Solutions (AWS) and Waste Tyre Solutions (WTS) recycling businesses, and has now acquired Wednesbury-based Tyre Collection Services (TCS) to complement its growing portfolio of automotive sector recycling businesses bringing the group’s turnover to around £16.5 million in 2006.
Marangoni, has announced the appointment of Greg Graham as Brand Manager. The role will be predominantly UK based, with responsibilities across additional English speaking countries. The appointment follows Marangoni’s new distribution partnership with leading UK wholesaler, Group Tyre (UK) Ltd, and further signals the manufacturer’s intent to aggressively increase its market share of the UK car tyre market.
Having been established for almost 45 years within various sectors of the automotive industry, Sussex based, Elite Garages has now opened a Motorsport Tyre division within the wholesale operation based in Mannings Heath, Horsham.
Managing director Richard Whittemore commented: “With the increased number of people taking their cars on track to explore their performance limits, we felt it necessary to open a specialist division to offer sales support and technical information for these customers”. At the beginning of 2005, this idea became a reality under the watchful eye of Dave Blackley, who has over 10 years experience in the tyre industry with Elite Garages.
It’s time once again to vote for the winners of the NTDA Tyre and Fast Fit (TAFF) Awards. These were introduced last year and immediately became the awards that everyone wanted to win, as it is the customers who decided the outcome.
Leading UK wholesale and retail tyre supplier, Stapletons Tyre Services has appointed a new sales manager to join its wholesale operation. Following a two-year gap, Nigel O’Hara, 46, returns to Stapletons as wholesale sales manager. Reporting to wholesale and IT director, Steve Parker, Nigel’s remit is to manage Stapletons’ wholesale tyre sales operation as well as the telesales division across the country. Nigel will also manage a team of field sales staff.
(Akron/Tire Review) Costco Wholesale purchased an additional 26 Branick Nitrogen Tire Inflation Systems for its Costco de Mexico Wholesale locations, completing the installations in late 2005. In addition, Costco purchased an undisclosed number of Branick units for its 16 UK stores. The addition of nitrogen tyre inflation systems in Mexico comes one year after Costco installed over 400 Branick nitrogen units in its US and Canada tyre centres.
Tony Todd, the architect of 34 years of growth at Micheldever Tyre Services’, has sold the company to its management team. On 6 February Alan Baldwin, Phil Brookes, Ashley Croft, Mike Flood, Brian Kerswell, and Eric Noble became the new owners. A number of other companies, including Kwik-Fit, are said to have unsuccessfully approached the company.
The deal was backed by private equity company Graphite Capital and the Royal Bank of Scotland. Financial sources report that Graphite is taking a 72 per cent stake while the management will own the remaining shares. While details of the price-tag have not been released, estimates would have to be based on the £150 – £160 million of sales the company achieved in 2005.
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