Page 10 - CTB N15 - 2016-03

NEWS
Truckforce Treads a Path Back to Mercedes-Benz Sprinter
40 million PCR, 5 million bias truck tyres, 200 thousand OTR, and 140 million bicycle and motorcycle tyres. With reference to their future focus, Shen stated that ZC Rubber is looking to concentrate on the development of both the replacement and OE markets. The company’s cooperation with Schmitz Cargobull, a large trailer manufacturer in Europe, was identified as a milestone for ZC Rubber’s Europe business. Meanwhile, plans are also afoot for ZC Rubber to establish a European office to support the OE business as well as R&D.
Following this, Shen highlighted the strategy for ZC Rubber, “In the future, ZC Rubber will continue to differentiate its brand from other competitors. Meanwhile, we will also differentiate Westlake and Goodride by different position, products and function.” According to the president, this will be done through continuous investment on a variety of promotions to help partners and dealers increase sales.
ZC Rubber recently hosted the first European dealer meeting for the further development and marketing strategy in the European market. This
CommercialTyre
Management
and Fleet Business
Mr. Shen Jinrong (centre) and the sales director of Europe and Oceania Nick Zhou (right)
Truckforce, Goodyear Dunlop’s dedicated mobile service and breakdown division, has come full circle, replacing the first Mercedes- Benz Sprinters it bought five years ago with 57 new models. The operator began using Mercedes- Benz vehicles in 2011. It has since invested in a further 60 Sprinters and, with the arrivals of its latest, now runs a fleet of 165.
Based at 15 operating centres, which act as hubs for a network of satellite locations across England and Wales, the vans are allocated to technicians who repair, replace and service customers’ tyres at their premises or at the roadside. Truckforce Business Manager Bob Mason commented; “They perform well and are popular with our drivers, as well as being extremely reliable and hard-wearing. They stand up very well to demanding work over a five-year life.”
“Equally important, though, is the quality of support we receive from
the Mercedes-Benz Network. Its Dealers are proper commercial vehicle specialists, and many of their sites are open 24/7. This means our mobile tyre technicians can drop their vans off at the end of the working day, have them maintained overnight, and pick them up ready to start work again in the morning. This service works very well for our business,” added Mason.
Like their predecessors, Truckforce’s new Sprinters were delivered by Birmingham Dealer Midlands Truck & Van. All are fuel-efficient 313 CDI models that combine comfort with a variety of safety features, including ADAPTIVE ESP and Crosswind Assist. They are kitted out with engine-driven PTOs which power on-board compressors, Hope Safe-T-Bar rear bumpers and roof- mounted beacons, and carr y a full complement of tools and equipment.
On the European market, Shen commented; “Westlake Tyre and Goodride Tyre have already obtained good reputations in the European market. Branding will be the most important strategy to push the sales.”
was attended by hundreds of partners and dealers. This event included ZC Rubber holding a prize-giving ceremony to show appreciation for the support and trust for their dealers.
Z Tyres Enters Guinness Book of World Records
In celebration and recognition of its high performance tyres, Z tyre recently engaged an exclusive jeweller to develop a unique Z1 tyre, which was unveiled at Reifen Essen 2016.
The set of tyres combined 24 karat gold and diamond stones with the assistance of Joailler Prive and its Italian artisan jewellers. The tyres were then returned to the UAE for the application of gold leafing. The 4 tyres were independently valued
at $600,000 by Guinness World Records and were unsurprisingly labelled as the ’World’s Most Expensive Set of Car Tyres’. Zenises CEO Harjeev Kandhari had the following to say on the new world record; “we’ve always treasured the outstanding skills and dedication involved in developing our Z Tyre range, so we thought what better way to celebrate this achievement than with a record-breaking special set of tyres.”
Harjeev Kandhari CEO of Zenises on the Z Tyre stand at the Reifen Essen 2016 Show
ZC Rubber Looks to Build on Strong Position
In 2015, ZC Rubber were 10th out of the top global manufacturers, with capacity exceeding 40 million tyres. Moreover, ZC Rubber founded ZC Rubber Thailand in June 2015, operating a new production line for both PCR and TBR to meet demands
in South East Asia.
During a recent European dealer meeting Mr. Shen Jinrong, president of ZC Rubber said, “Innovation and cooperation is the key to ZC Rubber’s success. We set up a world-wide sales network in six continents and supply
tyres with excellent quality, safety and great value, using the most advanced technologies and providing the most suitable products in such a changing global market.” Shen expects that the capacity of ZC Rubber in 2018 will reach 18 million TBR,
European Dealer Meeting in Germany hosted by ZC Rubber.
10 Commercial Tyre Business