The old mindset was that tyre consumers weren’t able to make their own purchase decisions, so the repair shop salesperson usually had the power to decide which products to offer, and the only issue would be what they sold, not if they sold. And the whole package or fitting and balancing the tyres sold was already money in the bank. Now, they are lucky if they get the latter, as an enormous amount of consumers have found that there is a lot of money to be saved by purchasing the tyres online and then shopping around for the cheapest place to have them fitted and balanced. People in the industry know that this often results in consumers buying the wrong products, as there are many factors apart from the size of the tyres that are equally important, and it can end up being a lot more expensive for consumers if they are not careful. But this still doesn’t defer the wide masses of consumers to take this route. Some companies have figured this out, and I have even seen an example of a really clever online platform, offering consumers the option to first find the best price for a given set of tyres and then choose the most convenient shop where they will be delivered directly and fitted after booking a time through the portal. That is a brilliant solution for consumers – but yes, the platform takes most of the profits from both the party selling the tyres and the shop selling the fitting service, no doubt about that.

Regardless, it shows that intelligent solutions making things easier and cheaper for consumers are those that create market shares. The ability to let the consumer choose between tyre offers from all over the country instead of just the local shop is already a great benefit, but to also be able to book a time and place to have them fitted without having to contact another party for that is truly brilliant. Furthermore, in these Covid times it’s perfect, as everything except dropping the car off for the service can be done in a flash in front of the screen at home. The next thing might be shops also offering home services using mobile tyre fitting stations, and the client would just need to unlock the car using the remote key from behind the window in case it needs to roll a bit. But it does sound a bit paranoid, doesn’t it? I mean, I hope we’ll get a bit back to real human interaction after Covid, and this last service step might just be a bit too much.

That being said, it would make sense to offer the service at the office parking lot to save the employee/consumer the time to drop off and pick up the car at the shop. Lately, we have seen windshield repair companies offering this exact type of service, even for whole windshield replacement jobs, and I hear it’s fabulous – as long as it’s not raining. These sort of intelligent, out-of-the-box solutions where companies move their products and services to where it’s convenient for the consumers are definitely creating great value, and growing in scale. The key trend which Covid has spawned here is moving the focus to value and benefits instead of unit pricing; after all, it’s easier to make profits from a transaction when having more than just the product itself in the basket, and it becomes harder for consumers to distinguish offers when only looking at the price.

In these days, where the costs of freight and transportation have skyrocketed as an after-effect of the first Covid-19 outbreak in China, and later strengthened by compound effects related to shipping disruptions, accordion-style capacity fluctuations, congestion and semi-conductor chip shortages, one can only thrive and prosper in the tyre business if one is successful in letting consumers see the value of a proposal, and not only the price. Intelligent algorithms, traffic analysis and consumer behaviour projections will be the most important factors going forward. (TT)

As part of a strategic effort to increase its presence in the region's premium original equipment (OE) market, Kumho Tire has confirmed its plans to establish its first tyre production facility in Europe by 2027.

The company has shortlisted Poland, Serbia and Portugal as possible locations for the plant, which is projected to need an investment of more than KRW1 trillion (USD 705 million). The decision is closely linked to Kumho’s ambition to strengthen its partnerships with European automakers and was revealed by Kumho Tire CEO during the South Korean premiere of Kumho's new Ecsta Sport tyre line.

Kumho has recently secured OE supply contracts with major brands such as Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Volkswagen Group. At the moment, Kumho runs eight tyre production plants in China, Vietnam, South Korea and the US. Its capacity to compete in the premium OE market, however, has come to be perceived as being constrained by the absence of a European production base. Through the benefits of local production, the new facility will improve response to European client requests, save freight costs and shorten delivery times, all of which will strengthen the company's partnerships.

Sentury Tire USA has opened pre-enrolment for its two associate dealer programmes (ADPs), the Delinte HYPERDRIVE Associate Dealer Program and the Landsail Elyte Associate Dealer Program, underscoring the company’s commitment to rewarding dedication and partnership to the Landsail and Delinte brands.

The ADPs, which are customised for each brand and intended to encourage dealers, will formally start on 1 June 2025. Both programmes give dealers access to special benefits, incentives and strong tools to help them expand their businesses. This involves dependable customer service, effective marketing and worthwhile financial incentives to promote dealers' success at every stage.

Beginning in Q3, dealers may earn up to USD three per tyre through the Delinte HYPERDRIVE Associate Dealer Program. Dealers can receive retroactive benefits for purchases completed in Q2 if they register before 1 June. The awards are available for all Delinte PTR, LTR and the new DV3 LMD AS last-mile delivery tyres. For all Landsail PTR and LTR tyres, independent dealers that sign up for the Landsail Elyte Associate Dealer Program can also earn up to USD three per tyre. For customers who sign up by June 1, the new LMD 100 AS last-mile delivery is also eligible for the benefits and will get the same early bird incentive for Q2 2025.

No initial order is necessary. Dealers only need to register to begin making money. According to the monthly programme rewards structure, 48 tyre purchases each month are eligible for a reward of USD one per tyre, 120 tyres are eligible for a reward of USD two per tyre and 240 or more tyres are eligible for a reward of USD three per tyre.

ENSO, a London-based tyre manufacturer engaged in the production of sustainable tyres specially designed for electric vehicles (EVs), has launched its new ENSO Premium range of EV-specific ultra-high-performance (UHP) tyres aimed at drivers of high-performance EVs such as the Tesla Model 3 and Model Y.

Specifically designed for electric passenger vehicles, the ENSO Premium range comes with A/A EU-label ratings for both energy efficiency and wet grip. The tyres are designed to provide safety, increased range and a reduced total cost of ownership. Conventional tyre designs frequently fall short of the special performance needs of electric vehicles, which include greater vehicle weight, regenerative braking and higher torque loads. By lowering tyre wear and rolling resistance, ENSO Premium takes care of these issues.

The company is an authorised provider of replacement tyres for LEVC's electric taxis and has partnered with Uber to install its tyres in high-mileage metropolitan areas. The company now plans to grow throughout Europe and North America, and with ENSO Premium, it is now offering its services to individual EV owners throughout the United Kingdom. According to ENSO, the range offers advantages including longer tyre life and fewer replacements, lower energy usage, fewer charging stops and lower CO₂ emissions and tyre particle pollution.

Gunnlaugur Erlendsson, CEO and Co-Founder, ENSO, said, “We’re plugging a long-standing gap in the tyre market by offering EV drivers a purpose-built, affordable, premium EV tyre alternative that matches the innovation of their EV.”

Kraton Corporation, a leading global sustainable producer of specialty polymers and high-value bio-based products derived from pine wood pulping co-products, has announced a general price hike in North America for its SBS, SIS and HSBC product lines with effect from 1 May 2025.

Following a careful analysis of the effects of recently implemented tariffs, related cost increases and a conclusion that the company cannot independently absorb these repercussions, Kraton is adopting these pricing hikes, according to a company statement. The company further said that it will keep an eye on the scene and reassess these measures promptly in the event that conditions and US import tariffs alter.