With increasing technology and service-oriented approach and thrust on transparency in the pursuit of delivering service excellence towards the end-user, tyre dealers will evolve to be seen as providing the values expected of a specialist and not a generalist, says Satish Sharma, President (Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa) and Whole Time Director, Apollo Tyres. 

“In terms of the changes, we will see more transparency ushered in by the technology and change in mindset. The new generation is more data-oriented, so testing and other data will be asked. I believe the service aspect and data-oriented approach will get expanded. A ‘24x7 for 365 days’ kind of service availability will be seen. Retailers are still looked upon as generalists. More and more specialisation will be happening, as the tyre is an engineering product and you want the right quality, assurance and replacements. So, retailers will emerge as specialists. There are also some regulations, such as tyre labelling and end-of-life, coming in. I’m sure the tyre retailers will have a role to play in the regulatory changes that are happening. So, the evolutionary journey is happening in bits and pieces. But given that the change is speedy, we are hopeful that this is the direction we will go,” explains Sharma.

The Indian tyre retail business has witnessed tremendous changes in the recent past. Earlier, a tyre dealership business was not seen as an aspirational choice. Still, with the evolution of finance for commercial vehicle tyres, the emergence of passenger car and motorcycle tyres as a specialised business – which offers a lot from the service angle – is producing a new breed of entrepreneurs who see the tyre retail business as a vocational profession. 

“Today, we are seeing entrepreneurs who have gone from a single retail outlet to multiple retail outlets looking at the benefits of covering the geography. Many of them are also having multiple retail outlets with various brands. On the two-wheeler tyre side, the traditional tyre retail outlet is not able to cater to that market, but they are available at mechanical shops or even puncture shops. At some places where the scaling has happened, one has also seen the entry of some professionals,” adds Sharma.

Tyre service is also emerging as a source of revenue. Specialisations around fitment, alignment balancing, nitrogen filling and other services have generated a sizeable portion of revenues. As radialisation is happening in the commercial tyre segment, dealers are also expanding their business on highways.

New challenges are cropping up for dealers with the emergence of new business models, where tyre companies are catering to end-users directly through supplying tyres on rent or on a CPKM basis and selling on their own websites. However, Apollo Tyres prefers to keep its partners as an integral part of its new business models. Sharma explains, “Providing tyres as a service is happening in the commercial tyre segment, where few tyre companies go directly to the end-user. However, Apollo Tyres has never gone that route and does not believe in going that route. We sell and service only through our dealer partners, and that’s been our preferred choice. When we opt for new business models, we always take care of channel conflict in our organisation. Even if we have to provide services directly to the end-user, we will train our dealer partners to provide the services. That’s the way we handle it. And I believe that’s the right way to handle it. In the passenger tyre segment, many local dealers are selling tyres online with the help of e-commerce portals. That’s why you normally won’t find the desired product on these e-commerce portals, and it’s not a very efficient business as of now.

Apollo Tyres had launched an e-commerce portal, shop.apollotyres.com, for passenger car and two-wheeler tyre customers two years ago to cater to the online selling tyres business. With the portal, consumers can purchase their chosen tyres online and book an appointment with Apollo Tyres’ dealer nearest to their location to get the tyres fitted and serviced. The Indian tyre major also has a portal for commercial vehicle tyres. Consumers can directly buy tyres on the portal, but the commercial transactions are passed to the dealer servicing the customer’s needs. “However, this business model, again in its nascent stage, is not as if it’s put the world on fire. For e-commerce for tyres, there’s a long way to go, simply because the customer realises the quality of service you can actually get by going to the dealer counter and having a good relationship with a tyre specialist – because you need the services repeatedly. As the bouquet of services at a tyre dealer is increasing, you can go to a tyre dealer even for a puncture. If this business model takes off, we are already a foot inside the door,” adds Sharma.

Apollo Tyres will launch a digital experience centre to reach its targeted consumers widely. However, the company firmly believes that a real- life experience of the product better impacts the consumers. In line with this, it is making efforts to train its dealers, setting up a standardised format for its branded retail outlets such as Apollo Zones, Apollo Corner, Apollo Points and Apollo CV Zones. “With our branded retail outlets, we have changed the perception of a tyre shop from a dusty looking shop to a dust-free and air-conditioned outlet, where products can be browsed on digital screens. Products are placed so that one can touch and feel them. Our outlets are very friendly and gender-neutral to encourage women to purchase tyres independently. So, we engage our customers with products more meaningfully,” explains Sharma.

Apollo Tyres is also focusing on expanding its footprint in the rural area. With local entrepreneurs and service forces called rural experts, Apollo Tyres has around 4,500 touchpoints, including about 250 AVK/ ARD and more than 1,000 REDs , in the rural network at the start of FY21 . It also launched the ‘Apollo Tyres Sarpanch’ initiative in March 2021 to enable it to have the most comprehensive tyre distribution network in the rural segment. 

Apollo Tyres recently has launched its Vredestein brand in India. With the brand, the company will initially cater to the demand for tyres between 15 inches and 24 inches, which are generally needed for the luxury and executive premium segment. The company is also working with BMW to supply the Vredestein tyres for BMW 2 and BMW 7 series as OE fitment. “We are cherry-picking the business partners. To create awareness, we are associating ourselves with targeted communities and consumers. We are also engaging ourselves with golf tournaments and providing riding experiences on the F1 tracks,” adds Sharma.

In the tyre retail business, data will gain importance to generate new customers, retain older ones, serve them and manage the business more efficiently. However, dealers may be good at maintaining the balance sheets but they are yet to get hands-on with generating data on the best tyre models, sizes, brands and fast-moving inventories. As per Sharma, “Today, dealers have mistrust with the company manufacturers, and they don’t want to share their data on inventory, the movement, speed and velocity of the inventory at the same time. But as the dealers are getting more and more into digitalisation, they’re seeing the benefits of data. Their minds are also opening up. And so, it’s a journey which needs to be travelled.”

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Tegeta Green Planet opened the Light Vehicle Diagnostics course at Tegeta Academy with a presentation for attendees aged 17 to 33. Beyond their chosen vocational field, participants learned about automotive waste management and environmental responsibility.

Shalva Akhvlediani, the organisation’s director, outlined its activities and goals while emphasising Extended Producer Responsibility. The session examined how the automotive sector connects to environmental duty and why used tyres, waste oils and automotive batteries must be collected and managed properly.

Tyre management and RECSOL featured prominently. Attendees traced a used tyre’s path from collection to recycling and learned how waste becomes a source of new resources. RECSOL, Tegeta’s tyre recycling plant, is a significant infrastructure project in used tyre recycling, processing tyres into materials for various uses and supporting circular economy principles.

A core aim is a system where waste is not an endpoint but the starting point for new resources, which requires infrastructure alongside greater public awareness and information on proper disposal. For participants, the meeting linked professional education with environmental awareness, stressing that future automotive professionals should understand this responsibility early.

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Tyres Europe, alongside ACEA (the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association) and CLEPA (the European Association of Automotive Suppliers), has dispatched a joint communication to EU decision-makers concerning the possible broadening of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) to cover downstream goods. The move comes as trilogue discussions approach.

Tyre producers form part of an automotive value chain already bearing carbon-related expenses for steel and aluminium manufactured within Europe. The proposed expansion would draw additional products into the mechanism’s remit before the existing framework has demonstrated its effectiveness. Resulting costs and administrative requirements would land on downstream manufacturers, tyre makers included, with signatories cautioning that a conceptually sound regulatory effort could become an operational and financial strain.

Endorsing the mechanism’s aims, the signatories nonetheless urge a proportionate scope that shields the entire value chain from carbon leakage while preventing that risk from being pushed further downstream. They advocate extending the mechanism only where a material carbon-leakage danger is evidenced, and request that policymakers ease compliance demands, including via more fitting default values mirroring real production routes.

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NEXEN TIRE has extended its partnership with Zalgiris, reinforcing its commitment to basketball in Europe, particularly across the Baltic region. The renewal builds on a relationship that began in 2024 and reflects the company’s broader strategy of linking its brand to performance, innovation and mobility.

The tyre maker has pursued sports partnerships as a way to connect with fans, sharing in the passion and excitement of supporting favourite teams during major matches and memorable moments. It also values the teamwork, dedication and collective achievement that define team sports, using such ties to build authentic connections and deepen engagement in key European markets. Its collaboration with clubs including Zalgiris and FC Bayern München forms part of this approach.

Under the extended agreement, NEXEN TIRE will gain greater visibility among sports fans in the region. The partnership offers branding opportunities at Zalgirio Arena, such as synchronised on-screen advertising and promotion on LED stands near the court, in a position visible on television during EuroLeague and LKL home games.

The arrangement also includes a hospitality programme allowing NEXEN TIRE to welcome guests and business partners at Zalgiris home fixtures. Through the strengthened alliance, the company aims to share its passion with more fans while raising brand awareness across the region.

Ricky Lee, Managing Director, NEXEN TIRE Poland, said, “Our cooperation with Zalgiris has developed positively since 2024, and we are pleased to extend and strengthen this partnership. Basketball has a particularly strong following in the Baltic region, making Zalgiris an important partner as we continue to grow our presence and engage with fans. We look forward to supporting the team throughout the season and doing our best to create positive experiences for both the players and their passionate fans.”

Paulius Jankunas, President, Zalgiris, said, “We are delighted to continue our cooperation with NEXEN TIRE and build on the partnership we started two years ago. NEXEN TIRE brings extensive experience in sports marketing, and we are proud to work together on creating meaningful projects and experiences for our fans. We look forward to another successful period of cooperation and to welcoming NEXEN TIRE’s guests and partners to our games and events.”

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TBC Corporation, one of North America’s largest marketers of automotive replacement tyres through wholesale and franchise operations, has widened its tyre portfolio through the addition of four new lines under the Multi-Mile Tyres banner. Serving as a value step-up brand, Multi-Mile gives dealers a strong mix of broader product coverage and improved consumer advantages crafted to drive better retail margins, helping retailers offer greater value while lifting profitability. With this expansion, the portfolio now reaches over 85 percent of the vehicle market, offering dealers more ways to satisfy customer demand.

Among the additions are tyres built for rugged and mud terrain use, boasting self-cleaning treads that push out mud and stones alongside dependable traction both on and off the road. Also joining the range are commercial and C-metric speciality tyres tailored to heavy-duty regional and long-haul trucks, together with all-weather tyres that hold the 3-Peak Mountain Snowflake severe snow rating and are made for high mileage and consistent year-round use.

A prominent name in the replacement tyre segment, Multi-Mile carries cutting-edge touring, high-performance and broad-line tyres suited to passenger cars, light trucks and SUVs. Meanwhile, the upgraded Mile After Mile Protection Plan warranty now delivers broader coverage, adding three-year roadside assistance, a three-year road hazard protection plan and a 60-day ride guarantee on top of its extensive treadwear warranties.

Rachel Tibor, Chief Marketing Officer, TBC Wholesale, said, “For more than 70 years, Multi-Mile products have offered cost-efficient, reliable and durable tyre options that enhance safety and performance. With this expanded portfolio, Multi-Mile strengthens its position as a value step-up brand, giving dealers more opportunities to meet evolving consumer needs while offering a product mix designed to support stronger retail margins. We’re continuing our longstanding tradition of supplying the right products at the right time for every type of vehicle and application.”

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