EXECUTIVE INTERVIEWS > PUBLIC SECTOR
ELEVATING the Toyo Tire Brand in the Sudanese Market
Ahmed Hafez Elbarbary, Director at Ahmed Hafez Elbarbary Co, joined the family business and spent his career developing the Toyo Tires brand in Sudan.
Our company started dealing in tires since the early nineties, however I became the Director for the tires business in 2008, and a year later our company was appointed the sole agent for Japan’s Toyo Tires in Sudan.
Experience and lower cost per kilometer. Toyo has delivered high quality tires worldwide for more than 75 years. Toyo Tires offer a firm hold onto the surface no matter the nature of the terrain. Toyo invests heavily in R&D, testing, and manufacturing processes hence the quality control is covered throughout the life cycle from lab to driver experience.
We cover the full range of tires from Trucks and Buses to passenger cars and light trucks. We actually carry more than 100 different sizes in stock. The main customer for Toyo tires in Sudan is the retail customer and fleet owners who care about the quality of the tire installed in their car. Most Chinese branded tires available in Sudan have a lifetime less than 1 year. With Toyo Tires the life expectancy can reach up to 4 years.
One of our biggest business challenges is the volatile Sudanese Pound versus the Foreign exchange rates. This was especially true in 2018 and 2019, when Sudan suffered hyperinflation during this time ensuing in continuous changes in prices for all imported products, not just tires. Our main goal is to try and avoid extreme price increases to our customers. However, usually it is easier said than done due to the persistent devaluation of the Sudanese pound. Moreover, when clients are offered cheaper, non branded tire options in the market, many clients do not Tires that last MAY 2020 consider safety, durability and life expectancy. With Toyo Tires, Sudan’s rough terrain and poor road condition means you change tires less frequently. Moreover for the long distance drivers, safety needs to be considered. Clients need to understand that buying tires is the same process as buying a car. Price reflects safety and durability. Fleet vehicle owners appreciate this concept as downtime to their vehicles means revenue loss.
Since 2006, Toyo Tires has been working in achieving “maintenance- free tires” and to find a “spare-less solution.” In 2017, I can proudly say that Toyo Tires became the first company in the industry to develop the technology for new “noair”, airless tires. This technology is niche globally and we think on a case by case basis, the Sudanese market may have an appetite.
We plan to establish 2 or 3 Toyo Tire Care Centers, where customers can enjoy the comfort of our waiting lounge, which will include free coffee, tea and refreshments while their vehicle’s tires are being replaced. We also plan on setting up a Free tire delivery service, where a customer orders their tire by phone or online and it gets delivered right to his doorstep within a short time.
Sudan Business Magazine
