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COMPANY NEWS
MWheels Rebrand the Base for European Expansion Programme
Manchester based commercial wheel distributor MWheels has undergone a fundamental transformation over the course of the last year and a half.
Chief Operating Officer Matthew Mardle, who explained the company’s multi-layered approach to equipping the company for future expansion.
Jason Mayor, Chief Financial Officer Clive Maudsley and European Supply Chain Manager Mike Cornwell to give us the skill sets required to allow us to expand internationally, whilst maintaining something of the family business feel the company has always had. It has been about creating the right team.”
The first part of the transformation process was a comprehensive 12-month rebranding exercise, which has seen the creation of a new corporate identity and the amalgamation of the company’s
value and service to our product offering, so the emphasis is now on making it clear that we can provide a comprehensive package of solutions for the commercial wheel sector. In short, we are a service provider, not simply a product provider.” As a result of this approach MWheels has invested in five fitting machines to offer fitted units in which it can safely make sure that the right PSI is in its customers’ tyres and also added a new website explaining the company’s vision and showing a more vibrant and outward looking face to the world. In addition, the company
Driven by the acquisition of 100% ownership of the company by Chief Executive Officer (CEO) John Ellis, the company has invested in the region of £1 million in a complete rebranding of the company, the establishment of a subsidiary in continental Europe, and the appointment of a new team of executives, which has given the family-owned business the core competences of a much larger organisation. Heading up the new team is
“The rebrand and restructuring came about following our CEO’s acquisition of his partner’s shares in the company, and the consequential need to change the Motor Wheel Services and Chevron brand names with which we had been associated,” said Mardle, “but the move has also been part of a general restructuring, which highlights a change in the overall business strategy of the company. We have brought in key people such as Chief Commercial Officer
16 Commercial Tyre Business
range of steel wheels, previously sold under the Chevron name, into a new family of products, and branded as Xsteel together with the company’s existing Xlite and Xbrite ranges of forged aluminium wheels.
Mardle, however, is keen to point out that the corporate rebranding exercise was about more than just veneer. “A key part of the process was about putting a stamp of approval on our products. There are many products coming out of The Far East that are not validated. A critical point about MWheels is the quality of our wheels, which are both certified and accredited. It was also perceived that there was a need to add
has invested a six-figure sum in IT infrastructure to improve operational efficiency.
Central to MWheels growth strategy is a five-year plan to expand across Europe. This process was commenced at the start of 2017 with the establishment of a new legal entity based in Cologne, Germany.
Says Mardle; “We expect 2017 sales to be 20% up on last year, and most of this will be fuelled by growth in Germany. We will be establishing an office in Düsseldorf with effect from the start of 2018 and will be employing two additional sales people and an admin to join Frank Richter in developing the