Page 24 - CTB n5 - 2014/1

INTERVIEW
Aaron Jin (right) with the editor at a recent trade show in South Africa
Ralf Hämmerling and his team will be promoting their Athos truck tyre brand at the CV Show
Interview: Double Coin – Aaron Jin
Confucius, focusing on the need for harmony and win-win relationships. We don’t want to damage nature. We want to be part of it. Indeed, the Double Coin name actually signifies win- win as well as balance/harmony. Every employee follows this way of thinking. It is a key strategy for us.
CTB
And what about the environment?
AJ
The environment, of course, is also important. We are changing all our compounds to green tyres, a line which most Chinese
companies are now taking. We want to improve the environment and to give our grandchildren a better world in which to live.
CTB
And finally, what can we expect from Double Coin this year in terms of new products?
AJ
We will be introducing a considerable number of new sizes and patterns throughout the course of the year and information on these will be released in due course. So watch this space.
Chinese tyre manufacturers are becoming ever more important in the truck and bus tyre market. Several of these now have significant profiles in Western Europe, which they are backing up with full life strategies with a view to increasing their market share.
Among the most prominent of these manufacturers is Double Coin and we had the chance to interview their Marketing Director, Aaron Jin, recently at the Tyrexpo Africa exhibition in Johannesburg. In the year of the company’s 80th anniversary, Jin was able to give us a clear insight into the strategy and culture of the Chinese tyre industry and of the values which the company hopes will help them achieve their aims.
Commercial Tyre Business Thank you for talking to us, Mr Jin. Perhaps you could begin by explaining to us the key cornerstones of the Double Coin strategy.
Aaron Jin
Certainly. The main point of our strategy is that they want to be the most professional manufacturer all the way from supply to service. Saying this, I would like to stress that we respect all the tyre industry in China and elsewhere. Many of these manufacturers have done very well and we are trying to learn from them.
CTB
How important is your dealer network?
AJ
To achieve our goals we need to work with excellent customers such as our UK distributors, Kirkby Tyres. Our aim is to work closely in co-operation with professional operators like Kirkby, particularly with regards to gaining local information. We must grow together. The co- operation with the dealer is vital because only he knows the local conditions.
The most important thing is to continually try to meet customers requirements. Different markets have different requirements in terms of products and service, so central to our aims is the need to sell the most suitable sizes and to make service and availability reliable. We also look at both sides of the market – at both price and performance - as both are equally important. In addition we have a service standard that we strive to adhere to.
CTB
You seem to lay great emphasis on the culture of Double Coin. Could you please explain?
AJ
The culture of our company is vital to our being. We grew up following the culture of
Hämmerling to Profile Athos Truck Tyre Brand
German tyre dealer and retreader Reifen Hämmerling will be exhibiting their Athos brand of truck tyre at the CV Show.
Athos is a new tyre manufactured in China for the German wholesaler. However, the tyre is stamped by the German TuV organisation and has a particularly good
equipped with a Euro 5 engine and Krone trailers. The two vehicles were put to the test on a defined course and put to the test against another well-known European premium brand. According to Hämmerling, the Athos achieved fuel consumption of 28.7 litres per 100 km compared with 29.2 litres for the comparison brand.
reputation for retreadability. The tyre also underwent two internal tests in the summer of 2012 in order to test the Athos tyre in terms of its mileage performance. Two different trucks, a Mercedes Actros and an Iveco Stralis were used, both
Athos is available in a wide range of patterns and sizes and is backed by a comprehensive range of point-of-sale and promotional items. According to Hämmerling, the company is looking for a UK distributor for the brand.
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