How do you view the changes happening in tyre retailing, and its future course into a digital world?

I was born and raised in the tyre industry. My dad had a wholesale company along with 13 retail locations so I had the opportunity to work on the wholesale and retail side. Retailers have always faced challenges, whether it be size proliferation where you look back 25 to 30 years ago where 80% of the market was dominated by 10 sizes while today 80% market is dominated by 250 plus sizes. That poses challenges that retailers have to manage because it’s not in their domain, it’s all about tyres and sizes and it’s their specialty. 

The biggest challenge that I see retailers being faced with now is the new digital age. It’s out of their comfort zone! They have to rely on marketing themselves through social media platforms and Geofencing. So now retailers have to sit down and think of how they can be different and how can they attract an audience and bring people through the door, rather than how it was before. This is an aspect of the business that is out of their comfort zone. Many do not understand it and have to rely on third party software’s or consultants. The market structure in the US is still predominately driven by independent tyre retailers, where over 65% of the industry is run by ‘Mom and Pop’ shops. Everybody wants to think about the large chains but the bulk of the business is by these independent operators, and they’re competing against these Giants that are trying to gain that customer base. 

What strategies does TGI adopt in the current changing business environment?  

Size proliferation is a big driver and one of the things that benefits companies such as us Tire Group International, is that we are a large wholesaler with large inventories & large warehouses. The reason for that is we have to stock a lot of tyres because retailers no longer have the luxury to stock tyres. They may have financial constraints, space constraints, etc , to be able to stock all the different sizes in order to service whatever car is coming through one of their doors. So, they have to rely on wholesalers like us to offer them a good solid product range. It all depends on the type of consumer coming in. Once that is satisfied then you have to meet the requirement of getting there on a timely manner to get them those tyres.

One of the things that we have been able to do is to increase the service side of our business. It's really been changing our business. It’s not about just providing tyre support. You have to have great customer service having a great relationship with your customers and being able to deliver to them more than three times a day in-order to offer what they call ‘Hot Shot’ delivery, where you get your tyres within 30 to 60 minutes to the retail location. They are heavily relying on that supply chain to be able to satisfy their retail customers.  So as a part of our strategy to bring that all together and meet the needs of today’s market, we have opened up additional smaller distribution centers so we can service regional locations as opposed to having to drive from our main hub to one of our farthest customers almost three hours away. Opening up a location closer to customers has now given us the opportunity to deliver a customer a 30 to 45-minute delivery window rather than having to wait almost a day for delivery. In Latin America which we have invested in, single shop operators and multi branded stores are very prevalent and they rely on fast service and getting tyres to customers in a timely manner and that is something that we will continue to push on.

How much has the pandemic and its impact forced you into bringing in new changes?

The pandemic has taught us many things. Most importantly is has taught us how to lean on our digital platforms and software systems that we’ve been developing over the years. Being forced to use them more and other digital platforms has taught us a lot. Video calling has been a great tool to showcase our product line to dealers from all across. It has definitely opened our eyes to the use of technology and how important it is to have the right technology in the workplace. We felt the first impact of the pandemic when I got a call from our VP of Sales asking if one of our dealers could get a 30-60 stay on his trade receivables as he was being forced to shut down due to having to adhere to CDC guidelines. That was the start. A lot of our customers were asking for more time to sort out and figure out what was really going to happen. The pandemic was affecting all of us and this solidarity came out from everyone. People were very accommodating and understood the situation.

Surprisingly consumer demand never dropped off. For most, if you had a job, you continued to have your revenue stream coming in, but you didn’t go out to eat 2-3 times a week, you weren’t spending money on gas, on a vacation, or going out. You had to stay at home, and this led to consumers having more spending power and wanting to travel locally. Rather than air travel, people started opting for more road trips and so tyre purchases which may have been a faraway thought, now became a front and center and customers had the discretionary income for it.

Manufacturing plants were shutting down but consumer demand never dropped. These plants tried to come back but with workers going back to their hometowns and not being able to travel back, there was suddenly this supply gap in the industry that started to drive the price up but demand kept increasing. Everyone thought that consumers were not going to buy tyres or spend much on them but it was the complete opposite. Even today demand is extremely strong and supply has not caught up with it. Over the last couple of years, we have seen retailers go thought a price decline, but with the market demand increasing they are going through a price incline which is good.

What is your take on online retailing? What are its advantages as well as disadvantages?

We divide our business into many units and the online retail sector is one that has taken off in the last 3-4 years. It is the wave of the future as more and more things become automated and we adopt a ‘buying everything online’ type of world. The challenge with tyres is, you cannot just click and get them to your house, but you have to get them installed. That creates the challenge which people are trying to meet, whereby coupling the service of buying online with mobile service via appointments to get the tyres fitted. These are the challenges faced in the online sector but it is by far the largest growing sector. The online space is the first place where customers go to find out when they should buy a new tyre, what size they need and see what their options are. The challenge is, how do you put your product in front of a consumer or how can you get that consumer into your virtual door. We service a lot of B2B platforms where customers can place their orders and we ship those orders directly to the consumer. We started doing this in 2017 and this has grown by over 400% year over year.

What are the challenges in retailing multi-brand products?

Back in the days there were only single branded tyre retailers because at that time there were only limited tyre sizes. But now with so many tyres sizes available in a particular spectrum, even if you wanted to be a single brand retailer, you wouldn’t have all the tyre sizes that you would need to be able to service every consumer’s needs. This forces you to become a multi brand outlet. It has its own challenges. No particular tyre can be branded as the best as it’s a subjective decision and so as a retailer it depends on how you are going to market it. We as a retailer need to understand what are our objectives. How we tier our products in our portfolio matter.

Which segment of tyres is more in demand than others?

In the US market, with the new import restrictions and import duties on tyres from certain countries, the biggest challenge has come in the passenger and light truck segment. Tyres which were imported and that were once available at a certain price point are now more expensive because of the cost of the duties to import them. It is estimated that with the new duties imposed on tyres imported from Taiwan alone, there is about two and a half percent of the market share of the US that is now priced out of the market. So now there is a tremendous supply gap in the passenger and light truck segment because of this new import law and the duties that have been imposed. This also works as an opportunity for those who have inventory to increase the price a bit. Passenger and light truck segment is where the demand is more but trying to secure product for that segment is now a challenge.

Do customers demand any specific features for the tyres they seek?

For the vast majority of our consumers, the main question in their mind is pricing. The second question is how good is your cheapest tyre. It’s always a mental game of price for quality. Most consumers don’t know a lot about tyres, and most of the time, the lower priced tyres are from brands that they’ve never heard off. Consumers put a lot of trust in the retailer as far as quality vs price go. From a retail side, bridging the gap from price to quality as in safety,is crucial. On the wholesale side, it’s very different. We wholesale and buy tyres on the open market and that’s where competition comes in. Profit margins and pricing plays a big part, bridging the gap between the cost, quality, exclusivity make a difference.

For the most part, general consumers don’t ask for specifics about a particular tyre, like the kind of grip or longevity it offers. But you get specific consumers who are performance oriented. An educated consumers will ask more questions about the benefits each tyre brings. Top US publications in the US ran a survey last year and about less than 20% of the consumers we get come in well informed and are looking for specific features. As per a survey done here in the USA, 80% of the time, a consumer walking in to a retail tyre shop, will buy a tyre that the counter person recommends. Customers also look at what tyre they have already on their car, and feel that those tyres served them well, but according to the survey, customers only left buying the same brand of tyres 30% of the time. 70% of the time, customers bought the tyre that the counter person recommended. So there’s a lot of power in what the counter person recommends.

What is your take on tyre manufacturers doing their own retailing? Does that affect your business?

The first here in the US to get into that was Michelin. They developed their own online platform and then Goodyear and a lot of the Tier1 manufacturers followed. But some have taken a step back. The channel disruption it was creating was more a drag on their business than a benefit. They did create a MAP pricing (Manufacturers Authorised Price). This way they wanted to make sure that their tyres were being sold at the same price across platforms and dealerships. But by setting a ceiling price on a tyre, you’re also setting a ceiling on how much a shop or tyre channel can make. Whereas if I’m selling an in-expensive brand of tyre, I can buy at my cost point and the retailer can sell it at their cost point where both make a profit margin.

There are a lot of dynamics at play. The younger the consumer becomes, when they start buying tyres, the more they’re going to look for online purchasing. The challenge is a retailer’s consumer is becoming younger and becoming more fleet driven with the likes of Uber, Lyft, etc. These fleet buisnesses are becoming more of our consumer base than an individual car owner. The old ways of going to a tyre shop and talking to the guy, having a cup of coffee and talking about tyres is over, the younger generation of buyers want to buy everything online. This is where online providers are trying to bridge the gap between product and service, as you need specialized service as far as tyres go. Automated tyre installation bays is being worked on and I think that will be the future. (TT)

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Toyo Tire Corporation said Mitsubishi Corporation has ceased to be a major shareholder after tendering its entire holding through a treasury share buyback, ending its status as the company’s largest shareholder.

The change took effect on 10^th August , 2026, following Toyo Tire’s acquisition of its own shares through off-auction trading (ToSTNeT-3). Mitsubishi tendered all its shares, excluding less than one unit, as part of the transaction.

As a result, Mitsubishi is no longer classified as a major shareholder or associated company of Toyo Tire, the company said.

Before the transaction, Mitsubishi held 30,822,206 shares, equivalent to 20.07 percent of total voting rights, and ranked as the largest shareholder. Following the change, its holding has effectively been reduced to zero.

The move follows Toyo Tire’s earlier announcement on August 7, 2026 regarding the termination of its capital and business alliance with Mitsubishi, alongside plans to repurchase its own shares.

Toyo Tire said the change would have no impact on its consolidated financial results.

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Linglong Tire has become the first Chinese tyre manufacturer to join the Global Data Service Organization (GDSO) as a full member, marking a step in the industry’s efforts to standardise and exchange tyre-related data globally.

The company joins the non-profit body as its fourteenth member. GDSO was established in January 2022 by Bridgestone, Continental, Goodyear, Michelin and Pirelli to facilitate the digital exchange of tyre data and develop common standards across the sector.

Moh Wahi, Head Of Truck And Bus Tyre Development at Linglong Europe, said: "By joining the GDSO as a Full Member and providing reliable data, we want to be the first Chinese tyre manufacturer to make a positive contribution to the further development of the tire industry and set new standards for the efficient processing of tire data in the digital age."

Riccardo Giovannotti, Secretary General of GDSO, said: "With Linglong Tire as a Full Member, GDSO is gaining one of the leading Chinese tire companies which is committed to digitalization and sustainability in the industry. Together, we will further make progress in developing standards for data processing and future-oriented solutions."

Shandong Linglong Tire Co., Ltd., founded in 1975, operates seven research and development centres globally and employs almost 20,000 people. The company runs nearly 200,000 sales outlets and exports products to 175 countries.

It supplies tyres to more than 200 production bases for over 60 automakers and has manufacturing facilities across China, Thailand and Serbia, with plans to expand further overseas.

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TyreSafe, UK’s charity dedicated to raising tyre safety awareness, has joined forces with Sussex Police’s Road Safety Team to introduce a pioneering digital reference tool for frontline officers. The initiative equips police with immediate, device-accessible tyre safety data during roadside stops.

Developed as a local pilot, the application enables consistent vehicle examinations and improves driver communication regarding tyre dangers. It offers specific checklists for diverse vehicle categories, including motorcycles, cars, heavy goods vehicles, light commercial vans and towed trailers. The system further incorporates guidance on part-worn tyres, common queries and educational talking points.

Following its Sussex trial, the programme holds potential for nationwide adoption across UK police forces. This deployment underscores Sussex Police’s dedication to roadway innovation and reinforces the essential contribution of proper tyre maintenance to overall public safety.

Stuart Lovatt, TyreSafe Chair, said, “This partnership with Sussex Police is a landmark moment for tyre safety enforcement and education. By putting reliable, accessible tyre safety guidance directly into the hands of frontline officers, we can ensure safer vehicles on our roads and help prevent avoidable collisions and breakdowns. Sussex is leading the way, and we hope this model will soon be adopted nationally.”

Superintendent Jo Grantham, Head of Roads Policing, Sussex Police, said, “Our officers are committed to keeping road users safe, and having instant access to this tyre safety resource makes a real difference on the ground. It supports enforcement while also giving us the tools to educate drivers more effectively. We’re proud to be working with TyreSafe on this project and to be the first police force in the country to pilot it.”

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The UK Towing Safety Alliance (UKTSA) has published a comprehensive four-year analysis of incident data from National Highways’ Strategic Road Network, covering 2022 to 2025. The findings reveal a 23 percent rise in total towing-related incidents, driven primarily by a maintenance crisis affecting utility and commercial trailers. While traffic collisions involving towed vehicles decreased by 17 percent, mechanical breakdowns now constitute 77 percent of all towing-related incidents, highlighting vehicle and trailer condition as the sector's foremost challenge.

The data coincides with SMMT Motorparc 2025 figures showing Britain's vehicle fleet at its oldest recorded level, with average car age reaching 9.7 years. The summer harvest season has also arrived, bringing agricultural trailers back to roads after months of disuse. NFU Mutual research indicates collisions involving agricultural vehicles are 56 percent more likely between May and September, reinforcing the need for pre-journey roadworthiness checks.

Utility and agricultural trailers now account for nearly half of all towing-related callouts, surpassing 3,000 incidents in 2025. Regionally, the North West has overtaken the South East as the most incident-prone area, with trailer failures surging 60 percent since 2022, while the North East recorded a 55 percent increase. A growing divide exists between leisure and commercial towing sectors.

Leisure sector improvements, including fewer horsebox incidents and regional caravan reductions, suggest awareness campaigns are yielding positive results. However, utility trailer failures continue climbing, indicating maintenance standards across commercial and domestic sectors require greater attention. Regular servicing, correct loading and proper coupling remain essential to prevent avoidable incidents.

For working trailers, summer represents peak operational period, with agricultural and utility trailers seeing intensive use while rural roads become busier with tourists and cyclists. The Alliance emphasises that trailers stored for extended periods require thorough inspections before returning to service.

The UKTSA urges all towers to perform three essential checks covering tyres, load and connection before every journey. Tyres must be inspected for pressure, tread and deterioration; loads correctly distributed and couplings and electrical connections verified. The Alliance will place ‘The Working Trailer’ at the centre of safety campaigns, collaborating with industry partners to boost maintenance awareness and reduce preventable breakdowns across the Strategic Road Network.

A spokesperson for the UK Towing Safety Alliance said, “It’s encouraging to see fewer collisions involving towing vehicles, which suggests that drivers are becoming more aware of safe towing practices. However, that progress is being undermined by a growing number of preventable mechanical failures. The challenge is no longer simply about how people tow – it’s increasingly about what they’re towing and the condition it’s in. As both tow vehicles and trailers get older, regular maintenance has never been more important.”

Stuart Lovatt, Chair of TyreSafe, said, “Harvest season places extra demands on both vehicles and trailers, particularly those that may only be used for a few months each year. One of the most common issues we see is tyres that appear to have plenty of tread but have deteriorated through age, weathering or prolonged storage. Whether you’re towing a livestock trailer, plant trailer, horsebox or caravan, tyres should always be inspected for correct pressure, damage, cracking and signs of ageing before every journey. A few minutes spent carrying out these checks can prevent breakdowns and significantly improve safety for everyone using our roads.”

Sarah Smithurst MBE, COO, National Trailer & Towing Association (NTTA), said, “Across the NTTA network, we’re seeing a noticeable increase in enquiries from people looking to refurbish older trailers or source second-hand trailers, including imported models, as a more affordable alternative to buying new. While extending the life of a trailer is often entirely appropriate, it’s essential that owners understand that trailers are not maintenance-free. Many have been in service for years, sometimes decades, and components naturally deteriorate over time, even if the trailer has seen relatively little use. Every trailer should be thoroughly inspected before it returns to the road, with particular attention paid to tyres, brakes, bearings, couplings and lighting. Investing in regular servicing and maintenance is far less costly than experiencing a breakdown – or worse, being involved in an incident. The NTTA continues to help and advice new and old trailer users about safety and many are asking for help when towing, especially the reversing aspect of a trailer, now the B&E test was withdrawn. We are also seeing more trailers being repatriated from North America and Europe rather than purchasing new in the UK.”

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