Michelin Group has reported that its first quarter 2022 sales amounted to 6.5 billion euros, a 19 per cent increase on the first quarter of 2021. According to the company, price increases and strengthening replacement demand helped it offset headwinds including operation disruptions and inflationary pressures exacerbated by the conflict in Ukraine plus the resurgence of Covid-19 in China.
Simon Foxall has been appointed area sales manager to cover Central England for tyre inflation and compressed air equipment manufacturer PCL. Prior to his appointment at PCL, Foxall most recently managed key accounts for a wholesaler and manufacturer of industrial hardware products.
Autodoc, the Berlin-based online automotive parts retailer, just got an early Christmas present. The company, which was founded 13 years ago and now has around 4,600 employees in Germany, Poland, Ukraine, Moldova and Russia, reports that sales have exceeded the 1 billion euro mark this year.
Pirelli is raising its full-year 2021 sales forecast off the back of better-than-expected performance in the third quarter of 2021, a trend that was particularly driven by performance in the so-called “high value” tyre segment. According to the Italian tyre manufacturer’s nine-month figures, which were published on the evening of 11 November, sales rose 28.6 per cent to almost 4 billion euros. At the same time, Pirelli more than doubled its earnings and can now report a pre-tax profit margin (EBIT) of 15 per cent.
Maha UK’s Luke Fuller joined the company during 2020, right in the midst of the pandemic, but he didn’t let the ‘stay at home’ rule affect his confidence or ability to build a rapport with customers. Now back out on the road, he’s keen to make up for lost time.
Yokohama has sold its Hamatite automotive and construction sealent business to Swiss company Sika Group AG in a transfer that is scheduled to be completed on 1 November 2021. Yokohama hasn’t released exactly how much Sika is paying for the Hamatite business, but management expects to post a gain on the sale of about ¥5 billion (£33 million; 38 million euros; US$46 million – after tax). However, the exact amount is said to be “subject to change”.
Workshop equipment and wheel alignment specialist Pro-Align has appointed a former Kwik Fit branch manager to its sales team. Tom Burkett, a former director and owner of a mobile tyre fitting service and branch manager at Kwik Fit, has been appointed to join the team as a sales executive, covering the Midlands and South Wales region. The Hunter distributor said the addition of Burkett will provide “even greater levels of support to workshops across the country.”
Nexen Tire Europe is rationalising its approach to sales and marketing, and has thus announced changes affecting its operations in Austria and Sweden. The tyre maker will transfer responsibility for both markets’ sales organisations to its European headquarters in Kelkheim, Germany by the end of Q1 2021.
Sumitomo Rubber Industries, which is active in Europe with its Falken brand, has published third-quarter results which show that group-wide sales fell by 16.1 per cent in the first nine months of the current year, while at the same time earnings evaporated to only a third of the previous year’s figure.
PCL has welcomed a new Area Sales Manager for the South of England to its team. According to the inflation specialist manufacturer, Steve Nolan brings extensive experience within the motor industry to his new role, having worked on key automotive accounts dealing with distributors and end users, and covering national trade shows and conferences.
Whichever company is responsible for manufacturing Eurorepar Reliance tyres, the repair chain certainly appears to be moving significant quantities.
Following the reports that Continental is in talks to sell off various parts of its wider group, analysts have responded positively to Siemens’ recent sale of its Energy division, saying it is good for Conti.
Upgrading their rating to “buy”, Jefferies analysts said: “Siemen’s recent spin-off of Energy gives confidence that Conti’s share price will benefit from its planned spin-off of Vitesco as the combined market cap of Siemens and Energy was up 7 per cent on the day of transaction (DAX +3%)” The implication, they explained, was that there was a discount in Siemens’ sum-of-the-parts valuation. That being the case, given Conti’s “more attractive transaction structure”, the analysts predicted that Conti’s “re-rating should be more pronounced.”
Goodyear has appointed Kate Norton sales general manager commercial UK & Ireland. She assumes the role after a decade-long career with Goodyear. Most recently she was head of sales capability Europe. Goodyear states that Norton has extensive knowledge of the industry. She has previously managed some of the company’s largest consumer accounts in the UK, bringing strong sales coaching skills to support the ongoing development of the commercial team.
Michelin; Jefferies
PCL
Autodoc
Continental
Maha UK
PCL
Source: Sumitomo Rubber Industries
PCL
PSA UK
Vitesco
Goodyear