The firm launched its dedicated winter tyre service for UK fleets nearly four years and says that demand for the specialist car, SUV and van tyres – which provide enhanced mobility and safety when the temperature drops below seven degrees Celsius – increased by 14% in 2012 and is on track for further double-digit growth in 2013. Around two-thirds of the winter tyres sold by ATS Euromaster are fitted to light commercials.
Peter Fairlie, group sales director of ATS Euromaster, said: ‘In 2012 the Euromaster Group sold more than 1.8 million cold weather tyres across Europe, reinforcing the wealth of winter tyre expertise we have within our business. We use this knowledge to help UK fleets best manage their tyres, including scheduling changeovers to maximise safety and performance, whilst also minimising downtime.’
‘In percentage terms, our own cold weather tyre sales are accelerating at a faster rate than nearly every other European country where Euromaster is present. The only exception is Spain, albeit Euromaster’s winter tyre sales on the Iberian Peninsula accounts for just 10% of the volumes we sold in the UK last year.’
And with several meteorologists having warned of record-breaking snowfall in November and a harsh winter ahead, ATS Euromaster expects its total cold weather tyre sales to exceed £10m in 2013.
‘With the UK suffering one of the coldest winters last year, road conditions were treacherous for many drivers over a prolonged period of time. The importance of keeping safe in adverse weather conditions will be at the forefront of many fleet manager’s minds as soon as the temperatures start to dip, and so too should fitting cold weather tyres,’ added Fairlie.
