Davanti Keeps Up with Market Needs

Light commercial vehicle tyres are a market sector in their own right and Davanti Tyres in the UK is a growing supplier in the van sector

Davanti Tyres Keep Pace with The Market Demands

Commercial Tyre Business spoke with Davanti’s Sean Maddocks, sales director for the UK and Ireland.Tyres are subject to trends just as any other market  sector is, and Commercial Tyre Business wondered if Davanti has deen any particular movements in decision making for light commercial vehicles?

“In recent years we have seen a trend towards all season tyres,” outlined Maddocks. “This is largely down to van drivers needing to reduce vehicle down time - and all-season tyres take away the need for the traditional summer/winter season tyre switch - as well as prioritising the importance of year-round vehicle reliability.

“It is also important to acknowledge the effect of the push towards electrification on the roads. With the government and businesses keen to meet their electrification goals, there is more demand for electric commercial vehicles, and these vehicles place different demands on tyres. As a result, development of EV suitable tyres is focused on pushing the tyre capabilities under heavier loads and in terms of low rolling resistance.

 What sort of demands are Davanti seeing from its customers in terms of tyre types?

Maddocks responds, “Now more than ever with the cost of living crisis, fleets require tyres which are reliable to minimise fleet downtime, as well as all year round capabilities to help maximise margins and lower overall expenditure. It’s also important they have the right tyre for the right vehicle to provide an economical and low cost per mile.”

The EV market in the UK is growing, and as more ULEZ are created and there is a push for ever cleaner emissions, this is driving the EV sector. Is this reflected in sales of tyres specifically for EV?

“As electric vehicles put different pressures on road tyres, there is much more importance placed on reducing rolling resistance. It is important the tyres must be able to deal with the extra weight of electric and hybrid vehicles, too, and these are all things we keep in mind during research and development.” Says Maddocks.

How important is staying abreast of the state-of-the-art developments in tyres in maintaining a price differential over mid-range and budget tyres?

At Davanti Tyres, it is vital we deliver a tangible benefit to our customers, states Maddocks. “Tyre safety is always a priority for all our products. We spend months on research and development to ensure important factors such as wet and dry handling, aquaplaning, and braking ability are optimised. We pride ourselves on our testing benchmarks, much of which are above and beyond the general statutory requirements to enter the market or what is shown on the tyre label.

“We also keep in mind the fact the purchase price of the tyre only tells part of the story in terms of total cost of tyres. Davanti tyres will outlast budget equivalents and deliver improved MPG which helps reduce cost per mile and therefore makes Davanti a better value proposition than what may appear to be a lower priced alternative,” he concludes.