Last week saw Kwik Fit hold its annual Tyre Insight Day for the fleet industry, with this year’s event the biggest yet. In order to accommodate additional requests from customers Kwik Fit broadened the content and moved the event to Mercedes-Benz World, on the site of the historic Brooklands racing circuit. The day’s programme included insights from across Kwik Fit’s parent group, European Tyre Enterprise Limited (ETEL), as well as from Continental, one of the company’s strategic tyre partners.
The location enabled guests to participate in information sharing modules, as well as experiencing a range of driving activities on the facility’s tracks. These sessions highlighted the impact of different tyre choices on road holding performance in a variety of conditions.
The day was attended by representatives from 25 different leasing companies and fleet operators, a record for the event, highlighting the ever-increasing focus on tyres within the fleet industry. Collectively, the delegates manage the tyre requirements of more than 1.5million vehicles, ranging from almost exclusively EV fleets, through to owner operators of large LCV fleets. A central theme of the event was the challenge the fleet industry faces in the ever-increasing complexity of the tyres required by the UK vehicle parc, and understanding how Kwik Fit continues to support its customers.
This complexity stems not only from the increasing number of marques and models entering the UK market, but also from the range of tyre options for a single model or even an individual vehicle. The event was hosted by Tom Edwards, Kwik Fit Fleet Sales Director, who gave the example of new models arriving in the UK market with ‘silent’ tyres specified for one axle, but not the other. The team also highlighted a single model which has 24 different tyre specifications listed as original equipment across its variants.
Tyre complexity feeds directly into production. Technical experts from Continental shared insight into how premium tyre manufacturers are continually developing bespoke compounds to meet the demands of their OEM customers, which continue to push the limits of tyre manufacturing. They also used interactive demonstrations to bring to life the impact of rolling resistance, pressure and wear on tyre performance.
Delegates heard from Kwik Fit’s sister companies within ETEL, with sessions covering how Stapletons Tyre Service is meeting the logistical challenge presented by the proliferation of tyre SKUs. Murfitts Industries, the UK’s leading tyre recycler, shared how ETEL ensures that every end-of-life tyre it handles is processed in the UK in a fully audited and sustainable way, providing fleet customers with the confidence they need in their entire supply chain.
On the tracks, delegates tested the difference between summer and all-season tyres. On dry roads the performance was comparable, however the difference was clearly evident when on surfaces simulating wet and icy roads. With vehicle availability a business-critical issue for many fleet customers, all season tyres can provide a significant advantage in a market like the UK. Regulations don’t mandate a switch to winter tyres in the UK, but winters can be severe enough that many summer tyres struggle to cope with the conditions.
Tom Edwards said: “Our Insight Day has quickly become a very popular event in our annual calendar and we were delighted to be able to host it at Mercedes-Benz World this year and welcome even more customers. We are very grateful to Continental for their invaluable support and thank our customers for fully participating in the sessions, the knowledge sharing is a very important part of the day.”
“I have no doubt the event will continue to grow as we continually see new tyre technologies being developed for the vehicle manufacturers. We look forward to 2027 and plans for our next programme are already underway.”
