Shamrock Marketing aiming to grow in Europe

The Reifen show is a meeting point for both long-established and new companies; Shamrock Marketing Inc. belongs – at least in Europe – to the second of these groups. The US-based trading company, which was founded in Louisville, Kentucky twenty years ago by Douglas Conley, now seeks to enter the European market. The firm began life as a distributor of vulcanisation envelopes, and although this remains a core element of the company’s business activities in the US and other markets, Douglas Conley Jr. told Tyres & Accessories that Shamrock has added many additional products to its portfolio during the last 20 years. Shamrock Marketing’s current range covers accessories, tools and equipment such as autoclaves, monorails, buffers and envelope spreaders, plus tyre mounting equipment – everything needed in a cost-efficient retreading facility.

After two decades in the business, Shamrock Marketing views the US market as saturated, shared Douglas Conley Jr. Organic growth now mainly occurs through export markets, and this is what attracted the company to Reifen 2012 in Germany. “For us it is worth making an effort,” the vice-president and general manager added. He also stressed that Shamrock has the right products for Europe and will continue to add items to its portfolio that cater to this market and its particular requirements. Shamrock Marketing’s primary focus during Reifen was making initial contact with potential European distribution partners. In past years the company occasionally supplied products to Europe, however no real weight was put behind driving this aspect of the business. This will now change, asserted Conley.