Commercial Director of Prometeon Turkey, Russia, Central Asia and the Caucasus, Gökçe Şenocak; We Attach Great Importance To Touchıng The User In The Truck Tıre
“IN SUCH A DIFFICULT PERIOD; WE PROVIDE SOLUTIONS TO MAKE OUR CUSTOMERS ‘LIVES EASY BY TAKING THE COSTS UNDER CONTROL AND CUTTING THE PRICES ”
Starting her speech by explaining that Premium tires are manufactured in factories in Turkey, Şenocak said that; “We have 4 factories. Among these factories, what makes the one in Turkey important is that: Premium tires are produced especially here. These are technological tires that we call “01 series”. In order to increase the capacity of our factory and tire factory in Turkey, we announced an investment of $ 115 million in 2017. That was the main purpose. Of course, there have also been technological developments and efficiencies. While 20 percent of our production capacity within Prometeon Group is produced in Turkey, it is started to produce 30 percent of truck tires in Turkey around the world with this new investment. We have completed our investment and now we have increased our capacity. Of course, there was a contraction in all markets in the global world. However, this did not affect our investment. We have completed our investment and now we have reached the capacities I mentioned. ”
“The Start Of A Pandemic In The World At The Beginning Of March, And Then In Europe And Slowly In Turkey In The Second Half Of March Has Changed The Entire Table”
Stating that they started very well in 2020, Şenocak said: “2017 was a very good year for us and for the industry. 2017 was one of the highest markets. The first quarter of 2017, January, February and March, started with a market of over 700 thousand. 2020 also started with a market of over 700 thousand like that. In 2020, we would think of a 2 million truck tire market with January, February and March. But the start of a pandemic in the world at the beginning of March, and then in Europe and slowly in Turkey in the second half of March has changed the entire table. Growing more than 30 percent in the first quarter, the market contracted 36 percent in April and 20 percent in May. As a result of this, there was a 4 percent growth in the first 5 months. ”
“We See Things Getting A Little Better In June”
Şenocak states that there are improvements in the foreign and domestic markets in June. Expressing that they have increased their market share, Şenocak said, “June is going well. We see that things have recovered a little in June. I’m talking both for Turkey and foreign markets. Our factory exports mainly Europe. We also see a recovery in Europe. That’s why June improves some morale in this process. We gained 3 percent market share in the first 5 months in the shrinking market. This is a very serious share. We already had a good market share. Thereupon, Prometeon became the company with the highest market share. We have a market share of over 20 percent. We caught 30 percent in May. This is a record for Prometeon. Market figures are getting collected. When we look at the market figures and our own figures, we think that we have achieved the market leadership three times in the first 5 months this year. Better yet, when we look at the numbers; we believe that we have been the market leader for the last two consecutive months with 30% market shares. ”
“We Think We Manage The Process Well With The Advantage Of Factory Located In Turkey”
Stating that the pandemic process did not cause any change in its targets, Şenocak said: “We are producing Premium tires as the only manufacturer focused on industrial and commercial tires in the world. Europe is the most important geography of the Premium tire market. We export most of our exports to Europe. We have not changed anything in our market goals. Still, Europe is our top priority in terms of exports. We also think that we have overcome this process well in Europe. We think we manage the process well with the advantage of factory located in Turkey. We started to catch the figures of last year in Europe within ourselves. We are still not fully back to our old times, but at least we see that the group’s European sales are improving in June. ”
“We Think We Manage This Process Well In The Sector In Terms Of Production Despite The Interruptions”
Şenocak emphasized that they did not have any problems with raw materials and stock during the pandemic process and said that; “I can say a few things about the breaks we have made during this two-month period. We had supplied our raw materials correctly at the right time. Our stock was good. Our advantage was this: When the pandemic started in the world; in China and Europe, it came to Turkey relatively later. We were already taking the necessary precautions at that time. Because our headquarters is in Italy, so our awareness was higher. Our stock was good. We have another factory in Egypt. We also coordinated with the factory in Egypt during the process. In terms of production, we think that we manage this process well in the sector despite the interruptions. If we could not provide our dealers and end users with the right stock, our truck tire at the right time, we would not have received these figures. So the figures show that we manage the stock and factories correctly. ”
“We Managed the Process in an Extremely Healthy Way”
Şenocak explains that they keep high stocks in the pandemic process in order to avoid disruptions in the transportation sector, which is one of the important sectors and said that; “We managed the process in an extremely healthy way. Our dealers are less affected by this because they keep stock and work with high stocks. When we evaluate in terms of our end users; the vital importance of the tire industry becomes more evident as it carries the life-sustaining equipment such as food and medicine. We do not have the chance of making a statement to our carriers, our end user by saying that, “You leave your car, we will give your tire in 3 days.” That’s why we responded quickly to our industry from our dealers and from our own stocks. ”
“We Continually Reached Our End Users During Pandemic Period”
Stating that the market shares in the pandemic period were the result of their good management of the process, Şenocak said that; “Telecommuting and many other measures started in the second half of March. Commercial packages such as conveniences for payments began to be announced in the first half of March. Of course, the credit packages announced by our state have also benefited the sector greatly. We organized seminars to support not only financially but also spiritually. We brought the professors of economics together with our dealers in live broadcasts. Because there is an unknown situation. We did deliver our masks and gloves to our dealers without mask discussions. These are the works that are done in the first half of March. We intervened very quickly. We have received very good reactions from our dealers. I thank each of our dealers. Because they are the front lines and they clash more than we do. The shops remained open in the process. In this period, we constantly reached our end users. We have received great reactions from our end users and customers. We managed this process all together very closely, even though certain periods are remote. This is not just a process with us. Because we reach our customers through our dealers. It was important for them to reach awareness and to take these measures for their customers. I think we managed this period well materially and morally. I also understand this from the results. Huge demand was met. This brought us market share figures. ”
“We Have No Worries About What Happens If The Second Wave Comes”
Pointing out that the contraction in the market will not exceed 10 percent during the normalization process, Şenocak said: “The process is not over yet, the pandemic continues. There are the questions whether the second wave will come or not. But no matter what, we have to be optimistic. We have to produce a solution for them. We are creating our future together with Turkey’s first Pirelli tire factory, our heritage, and with our dealers. We have no worries about “what happens if the second wave comes.” If the second wave comes, we will take our precautions accordingly. We will not leave our customers and dealers alone.
But if I have to say some of my estimations as a number; there is still a 4 percent growth. With the contraction of the last two months, the market may go towards some contraction. However, I do not expect a contraction in the tire market exceeding 10 percent. If the second wave does not appear, the contraction figures will not exceed 10 percent when the current pandemic process is evaluated. I think the important thing is our optimistic attitude, our hope and the measures we will take in return for it, rather than the contraction figure. ”
“Markets are Shrinking and Purchasing Power Is Getting Slightly Weaker”
Emphasizing that the service became more prominent in the pandemic process, Şenocak said: “Actually, the period is to manage the cost and the new period. Because we have a difficult process ahead of us. Markets are shrinking and purchasing power is getting slightly weaker. In this period, service becomes more prominent eventually. We are a premium tire manufacturer. Until the end, all the advantages of that tire should be used. It is necessary to make long mileage, save fuel at that time and use it until the second or even third and fourth lives after the first life of the tire ends. We started to underline this even more in this period.”
“We Make Them Use The Tire Even More”
Speaking about their customers’ focus on tire needs and the applications they developed in this direction, Şenocak said: “We launched ProTruck in the first quarter of 2018. ProTruck solutions were an expanding family. The purpose of this family is to focus on what our customers, cooperatives, fleets and truckers need like a tailor and become a solution partner. We expanded this day by day. We offered new solutions. We have focused a lot on this recently. It was already a program we started in 2018. For example; we have ProCorners, our new application that we brought to the logistics industry. We install it at stations, dealers and fleets. This is a fast air completion station; the vehicle owners are leaving the vehicle and they can fill the tire air within 3 minutes. Under the FleetMobile program, we have full equipment mobile service vehicles. Whether Mersin, Tarsus or Izmit, we go to cooperatives in different cities under the name FleetMobile. We touch them. We make under – vehicle inspections. We make them use the tire even more. If they stay on the road, we help with our Pro 24/7 service. Because time is also a cost for them. They have to go into operation as soon as possible. We have a solution package called “FleetCube”. Some garages have no tire stores. This is a modular and mobile project that includes the tire-related main services in a full-fledged container. We can carry it very comfortably anywhere. We install it in the garages of our fleets and create a mobile tire room. In such a difficult process; we attained solutions that will make our customers’ lives easier by at least keep the costs under control and cutting the prices while decreasing revenues and decreasing volumes. ”
“We Attach Great Importance To Touching The User In The Truck Tire”
Emphasizing that they have developed solutions for their customers according to their needs, Şenocak said: “The truck tire is not like a passenger tire. We have to touch our customer in the truck tire. We do this with our dealer. In this context, we started to develop tailor-made solutions before 2018. All of these solutions are solutions that have already touched our customers. In a brief process, we have touched about 500 fleets under the name of this program. We have many more customers. But with the solution package, we touched 500 customers in two and a half years. With these theoretical calculations and these customers, I think we have saved approximately 20 million TL ”
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