The retail and wholesale sectors of the UK tyre market are the backbone behind the consistent success of tyres being readily available for drivers across all market sectors. Most tyre sales companies concentrate on either retail through a series of tyre centres – or wholesale supported by strategically located warehouse/distribution facilities but there are a select few companies who have managed to combine both services with equal success.
Such as Derbyshire based Eden Tyres who over the past two decades have offered both a thriving retail service and a wholesale and distribution facility across the Midlands region.
The company was initially formed in 1981 by John Eden at an initial retail centre in Derby (which is still operational today) and until the early 1990 traded as an ambitious tyre retailer with further local outlets. Around this time John’s sons Jim and Matt joined their father in the business – starting at the bottom as tyre fitters. Jim at the Derby branch and Matt at a new centre in Nottingham.
During the period through to the early 2000’s Eden Tyres embarked on a controlled growth campaign and by now operated five popular retail depots. Then in 2005 John decided to retire and Matt and Jim took over the running of the company and moving forward to 2019 the company have continued their expansion plans and currently have seventeen thriving retail branches in the East Midlands region opening six new retail centres in the past three years..
However on the wholesale side of the business, Eden Tyres opened their distribution centre seventeen years ago following Jim and Matt’s frustration at not being able to find tyres at the right price and in turn a gap in the market to start wholesaling in the local area. Jim says, “Our wholesaling venture started off in a modest way but over the following years our tyre wholesaling service has become popular and today we are a respected leading specialist wholesaler for the PCR, 4×4/SUV and light commercial market sectors.
“At the same time our industry leading TyrePartner website(www.tyrepartner.co.uk) offers customers the opportunity to source online, tyres from all over the world which are supported by a define and accurate delivery schedule – if not immediately available from stock.”
“In terms of profit it is pretty much a 50/50% split between our retail and wholesale divisions. However when it comes to annual turnover the wholesale division is significantly larger.” The company sells over 600,000 tyres a year and stock in excess of 80,000 tyres at any one time so with two growing businesses running alongside each other – Matt is Managing Director of the retail operation leaving Jim to concentrate on wholesaling and distribution.
Both in retail and wholesale Eden Tyres present a huge selection of major A brands but also recognise that in the past few years private and exclusive brands have become an important part of the market. Eden Tyre currently hold private brands Zeta, Toledo, Radar and Tracmax with Matt adding, “Zeta is currently our most popular fastest selling PCR brand in our retail outlets and we have enjoyed an ongoing and successful business partnership with Zeta for the past eight to ten years.
“We started on a wholesale basis as Zeta’s supplier SD-International worked with us to ensure we could maintain the right amount of stock at all times.” Andy Baron, Sales Manager for Zeta in the UK and Ireland adds, “Zeta are always pleased to be working alongside Eden Tyres as they are such a modern, forward thinking company.”
Eden Tyres currently employ 175 staff but anticipate this may rise in due course as the company continue to take advantage of opportunities both in retail and wholesale as they present themselves.
