3 questions for … Volker Nitz, Administrator of The Danish Tyretrade Environmental Foundation

What do you think the tire trade is currently doing right for a better future?

Being an “environmental freak” has turned into a positive label – almost a seal of quality – with consumers, organisations, politicians and the media in particular. This is especially true for the Nordic countries where green sustainability and respect for the environment are ingrained in almost every level of daily life.

Taking responsibility for our ecosystem and setting the foundation for green mobility has also become a focal point for the tyre industry. Premium tyre manufacturers are supporting it through improving their development and production. The search for new and sustainable materials while ensuring long duration and best performance are key issues for the industry. This not only reduces the environmental footprint but also gives the end-users the best value for money. In the transport sector, the reduction of CO2 emissions is an important factor, and the tyre industry is supporting this effort, too. Efficient tyre management, low rolling resistance and high retreadability of tyres are contributing in a positive and significant way – if customers buy the right quality products, that is.

Which sectors or companies should a specialist tyre retailer take as an example when it comes to setting up for the future?

In general, the tyre industry is very driven and foresighted. It develops its products according to the demands of the automotive industry and its customers and is supporting the retailers in many ways and various areas.

However, retailers and customers are very different from country to country, and for this reason, is it impossible for me to give an overall recommendation on the matter. Nevertheless, it is rather clear to me that customer relations, management, and service will remain a vital success factor for the industry. Convenience for both end-consumers and professional clients is getting more and more important as leisure time and efficiency are highly valued. From my point of view, it’s all about the crucial basics: a close relationship with the customer, based on excellent service and good products, creates satisfaction and loyalty – and ambassadors for your brand.

What do you think is the most important thing that needs to happen in the tire industry?

I believe that the commitment to researching and developing sustainable production methods and materials, culminating in superior quality tyres, is the overall requirement. In addition, within and beyond existing EU regulations, tyre manufacturers should be committed to securing that tyres are providing the least possible negative impact on the environment. After all, they provide one of the most vital products for our mobility.

Biography:

Volker Nitz

Born in, Düsseldorf, Germany, in 1961

Has been living in Denmark since 1965

23 years of experience in the automotive business, trained as Automotive Technician and graduated as workshop manager

10 years as General Manager Aftersales for Mitsubishi, Chevrolet and SsangYong in charge of dealer development and management of the aftersales area, customer satisfaction and concept development. Responsible for all technical, service and warranty related issues for 165 dealers in Denmark and Sweden.

As of January 1st 2010 –

Tyre Business Denmark - Director of the Council, organising the associations of Tyre Importers, Tyre retailers and Tyre retread manufactures in Denmark.

Administrator of• The Danish Tyretrade Environmental Foundation• The Danish Council for Tyre Safety

This is an organisational and political position where we act and guard on behalf of the members´ interests, sharing knowledge about the tyre industry and acting as a spokesperson vis-à-vis government, ministries and other public authorities.In addition, Volkre Nitz is the Executive Editor for the monthly magazine "Dækmagasinet" (The Tyremagazine).