How do you view the changes happening in tyre retailing, the way it goes more and more digital?
This is the inevitable outcome of the internet and the ease it provides for researching tyre types, performance attributes, pricing and communicating with a tyre store. The Covid-19 pandemic has fast-forwarded consumer use and acceptance of online purchasing and communication with retailers, in general, so I think this will occur with tyre retailing. In the U.S., it is estimated that traditional brick-and-mortar retailers are seeing more than 15% of tyre revenues coming from online sales. This is likely to grow, although the majority of replacement tyres likely will continue to be sold and serviced in the more traditional manner of customers interacting with the tyre store directly. Tyre retailers will have to offer both online and in-store operations to be able to service all tyre customers.
How do you see retailing strategies changing in the changing business environment?
I think convenience will be the buzzword going forward. Thanks to the growth of general online sales, consumers are becoming accustomed to purchasing products and services via the Internet and having products delivered directly to their homes. This also applies to tyre sales and service. Tyre dealers will need to have an effective website that includes information on various tyres and brands, tyre pricing and the ability to make an appointment. Tyre consumers also will come to expect periodic updates via texts as their vehicles are being serviced. Customers choosing to sit in the waiting room while new tyres are installed or serviced will want to be able to connect to the shop’s Wi-Fi to do work or surf the Internet. The waiting room will need to be clean and inviting. In addition, there likely will be growth in mobile tyre retailing and service, where the tyre shop comes to customer, either at home or work. Why? For convenience.
How is TIA involved in this sector as an industry organisation?
The Tire Industry Association (TIA) serves the tyre retailing sector primarily in two ways. It offers certified tyre service training to tyre technicians and serves as a watchdog for tyre dealers concerning local, state and federal legislation that could negatively impact their businesses. Safety is the watchword when it comes to training, both for the technician as well as the vehicle owner. Over the past two decades, TIA has trained more than 200,000 tyre technicians worldwide on the proper ways to mount, demount and service all types of tyres. Through this, TIA training has helped raise the professionalism of the tyre service operation by teaching technicians the proper ways to service tyres. This in turn has helped make the driving public safer.
Through its Government Affairs efforts, TIA focuses on representing the interests of tyre retailers and the tyre industry in tyre-related legislative issues that could negatively impact the industry and the driving public. Each year, the association monitors scores of proposed bills and legislation and weighs in to fight for the best interests of the industry and tyre retailers.
The association also offers various member benefits that help tyre dealers reduce costs and better run their businesses.
What is your take on online retailing? What are its advantages as well as disadvantages?
Online retailing is here to stay and will continue to grow. The advantages are obvious. It allows tyre customers to make tyre service appointments any time day or night, to research products, do comparison shopping all without leaving their own home. There is a lot of upside to online retailing. The tyre dealer gains from online retailing because it generates business in a sense automatically and helps in tracking sales and inventory. But there are downsides, as well.
Today, many tyre makers have begun selling tyres direct to consumers via the Internet, bypassing the dealers and using them only as installers. This has upset many dealers, as they lose out on the tyre sale and only generate revenue via the installation charge. Thus, it is crucial for tyre dealers to have their own online tyre operation, in addition to their brick-and-mortar stores, so when consumers are searching the Internet to purchase a tyre, the tyre dealership can not only make the tyre sale online but also schedule the installation. In addition, savvy dealers will use the opportunity to turn that installation customer into their own tyre and service customer in the future.
Another downside to online retailing is it is more difficult for dealers to build a personal relationship with the customer. One of the strengths of the independent tyre shop is the development of personal relationships and trust with customers. This customer loyalty has served tyre dealers well for over 100 years and kept the independent tyre dealer as the No. 1 channel for the purchase of replacement tyres in the U.S. I don’t see that changing dramatically. Tyres are a major purchase for most consumers and most vehicle owners don’t understand these products. They rely on their trusted independent tyre dealer to guide them in selecting the right tyre at the right price. Online retailing makes developing and retaining that personal relationship more difficult, but I expect the entrepreneurial spirit of tyre dealers to find a way to overcome this issue.
What is your take on tyre manufacturers doing their own retailing?
There is nothing wrong with tyre manufacturers operating their own retail tyre store chains. Many do, although this does put them into a competitive situation with their own independent tyre dealer customers. Independent tyre retailers are used to various types of competitors, from tyre company stores, to auto dealerships, to mass merchandisers, to auto service shops and oil change outfits that sell tyres. Now they are contending with online tyre sellers. Historically, independent tyre stores have overcome their competitors through their deep knowledge of the tyre business, their business savvy, their close relationships with customers and ability to evolve and make decisions quickly. I don’t see this changing, even with the growth in online tyre retailing. (TT)
Pirelli's Sensor-Equipped Cyber Tyre To Feature In Future Aston Martin Models
- By TT News
- September 15, 2025
A new partnership between Pirelli and Aston Martin will integrate Pirelli's pioneering Cyber Tyre technology into the British ultra-luxury brand's future vehicles. This system represents a significant technological advancement as the first of its kind capable of gathering real-time data from sensors embedded directly within the tyre's tread. These sensors feed information to Pirelli's proprietary software and algorithms, which then communicate seamlessly with the vehicle's electronic architecture.
This integration, developed in cooperation with Bosch Engineering, allows the car's main dynamic control systems, including ESP, ABS and traction control, to receive and utilise a comprehensive set of precise tyre data that was previously unavailable. By processing this information, an electronic control unit can optimise the vehicle's dynamics, enhancing both performance and safety. The collaboration underscores a shared commitment to innovation in the ultra-luxury performance sector. The adoption of the Cyber Tyre system marks a notable step forward in Aston Martin's pursuit of class-leading capabilities, leveraging detailed, real-time insights to refine the driving experience.
Despite Improved Sentiment, German Rubber Industry Reports Deep Losses
- By TT News
- September 15, 2025
The latest data from the German rubber industry highlights severe challenges at the domestic location are compelling companies to fulfil local demand primarily through their foreign production facilities, according to the German Rubber Industry Association (wdk).
A recent business climate index indicates a slight improvement in industry sentiment for the second half of 2025. However, wdk President Michael Klein sharply contradicts this optimism, stating that the data reveals a far grimmer reality. He emphasises that critical performance indicators – including revenue, sales, employment and production – are all showing deeply negative results for the domestic market, underscoring a troubling exodus of manufacturing from its core German base.
Klein has acknowledged the federal government's pledge to launch an ‘autumn of reforms’ as a positive signal. Nevertheless, he insists these measures must urgently deliver tangible relief and cost reductions for industrial companies of all sizes. He argues that what is needed most is a decisive and rapid approach to the promised reduction in bureaucracy, stressing that only verifiable results, not further promises, will count towards improving the competitiveness of the German industrial location.
Sailun Group Breaks Ground On $1 Billion Tyre Plant In Egypt
- By TT News
- September 15, 2025
Chinese tyre manufacturer Sailun Group has begun construction on a new USD-1-billion tyre facility in Egypt. The plant is situated within the Sokhna integrated industrial zone, part of the Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZONE). This investment, one of the largest Chinese industrial projects in Egypt, was officially launched at a ceremony attended by SCZONE General Authority Chairperson Walid Gamal El-Din.
The expansive 350,000-square-metre factory will be developed in three phases over a three-year period. The initial phase is scheduled to become operational in 2026, with a planned production capacity of three million passenger car tyres and 600,000 truck and bus tyres annually. This first stage is expected to generate 1,500 new jobs. Upon full completion, the facility's total output is projected to surpass ten million tyres each year.
As a global leader in tyre manufacturing with an extensive international sales network, Sailun Group will utilise this new factory as a strategic hub. The facility is designed to meet rising demand within the local Egyptian market while also creating substantial opportunities for export to regional and international markets.
Nynas Joins Collaborative Research On Tyre Wear Particles
- By TT News
- September 15, 2025
With the rise of electric vehicles reducing exhaust emissions, attention is shifting to non-exhaust emission like Tyre and Road Wear Particles (TRWP). These microscopic particles, generated from tyre and road surface friction, are a growing environmental concern and will be addressed in the upcoming Euro 7 emissions standard. To tackle this challenge, Nynas has joined a major research consortium coordinated by the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), alongside Volvo Cars, Scania and the Karolinska Institute.
The project aims to close a significant scientific knowledge gap by thoroughly investigating the formation, characteristics and environmental impact of TRWP. Nynas contributes a unique dual perspective to this interdisciplinary effort, bringing deep expertise in both tyre rubber compounds and bitumen-based road materials. Pär Nyman, Technical Manager – Tyre & Chemical Industries, Nynas, represents the company in the project alongside the company’s Chief Scientist, Dr Xiaohu Lu, who brings extensive expertise in bitumen and asphalt to the collaboration. A key focus will be understanding how different materials contribute to wear mechanisms.
The research scope extends beyond particle analysis to include measuring the rolling resistance of various tyre and bitumen combinations, a parameter directly linked to vehicle energy efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions. By uniting industry and academia, this collaboration is poised to drive innovation and set new benchmarks in sustainable mobility research.
Pär Nyman, Technical Manager – Tyre & Chemical Industries, Nynas, said, “While Sweden lacks domestic tyre manufacturers, Nynas' research capabilities fill that gap by providing foundational insight into the chemistry and physics behind TRWP generation. Nynas' rubber and asphalt labs are at the heart of this contribution. One of the core insights driving this initiative is that wear particles cannot be fully understood by analysing tyres or roads in isolation. It's the interaction – the system – that matters. By studying both tyre composition and road structure, the project aims to develop a holistic view of TRWP formation, dispersion and toxicity. At Nynas, we are excited to contribute our unique knowledge of materials to help solve an important challenge for both the environment and human health. Through collaboration and scientific inquiry, we aim to pave the way for cleaner roads and cleaner air – one particle at a time.”
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