is a brand of Bohle EDITORIAL World Edition 1 I 2008 I May I 5th year Dear Schwalbe Partner! The bicycle economy began this year with quite some momentum and I therefore dare to think that we can look forward with optimism to the season. In this edition of the Schwalbe Profile, I would like to direct your attention to the 35 years long friendship between two family enterprises – German and Korean – so rare in today’s world. It was in 1973 when the founda- tion-stone for the Schwalbe bicycle tires business was together laid by my father, Ralf Bohle, and the High Road make the pace grandfather of today’s company in the Paris-Roubaix - directors of our production partner George Hincapie can be Hung-A (South Korea). In 1991 pro- seen riding second. He duction was shifted to Indonesia eventually placed 9th. from where nowadays all Schwalbe (3): Foto-Roth Photos bicycle tires originate and over the years ultramodern companies in both Indonesia and Germany de- veloped in order to satisfy the Ultremissimo increasing demand for Schwalbe tires. From its inception the Ultremo represented an enormous leap forward in Schwalbe’s tire tech- Take a look at the article inside and while riding conjure an image nology and consequently demand exceeded supply by a significant multiple – the inevitable of the beautiful island of Java! result was delivery delays. Now that production capacity has been substantially increased, this year availability should be seamless. Sincerely, From the very first moment that the Ultremo hit the was formerly more well-known as specializing in market, demand outstripped supply. ”And each time tires for everyday use and touring – until the late we stepped up production the market demanded even nineties when the firm became known for its inno- more“, said Schwalbe’s Technical director, Holger vative MTB tire range. Schwalbe has, since 2002, Frank Bohle Jahn. This was clearly quite a surprise, because for become a recognized European brand leader between ten and twelve years the German tire brand within the bicycle industry. 5 tips on how to make Production partners for Schwalbe now spon- your Schwalbe Shop- 35 years: The family sors two ProTour System more attrac- firms of Hung-A and teams: Gerolsteiner tive. Bohle. and High Road. PAGE 3 PAGE 4 PAGE 8 2 SALES Photo: www.photohein.com Photo: Schwalbe rider Ronny Scholz (Gerolsteiner) and Bert Grabsch (High Road) in the Eroica GP, Tuscany, Italy. Ultremissimo larly inspired: ”The tire feels like a tubular. It’s alive, supple and flexible.“ In its latest test (9/2007), ”Tour“ magazine con- firmed that it gave a safe riding experience. ”Very good riding impression. Fully predictable, giving the feeling of a lot of rubber on the road“. And in an ear- lier skid test (2/2007) that measured wet grip, the In 1997 Schwalbe introduced its first profes- magazine awarded the Schwalbe racer a performan- sional racing tire – Stelvio. Subsequently, in 2001, ce of ”Outstanding“. it became the official tire sponsor of Team Gerol- steiner, which at that time was competing in cate- Enormous demand – but a fast increase in gory GS2. Over the next few years Gerolsteiner and production is incompatible with precision Schwalbe grew together, not least due to the close cooperation of their respective technicians. Require- Success led to an unusual situation. The high demand ments rose whereby today Gerolsteiner is one of the that was initially very pleasing also had its downside. most successful ProTour teams. Schwalbe also wan- It caused supply bottlenecks as the planned sales ted to be more successful and not merely one among forecast was rapidly overtaken by actual demand. many tire suppliers. “So the next generation of rac- Everything needed to accelerate and quickly: ing cycle tires had to become a hit at the first Technicians and production managers mobilized attempt”, stressed Jahn. within Hung-A company, Indonesia, with whom So was born the Ultremo that met the criteria Schwalbe has worked for 35 years and as joint ven- Cobbles and gravel roads: with three innovations: Unequalled 195 gram weight ture partners for the past five years. ”Unfortunately, Roger Hammond riding for a genuine racing cycle tire, a patented High Den- production capacities for high-quality products can- Ultremos on the Paris- sity puncture protection belt and a unique Triple not be multiplied simply by pushing a button. Quality Roubaix. Compound. is always our highest priority!“ proclaimed Jahn. ”It would be nice if the answer was simply to Outstanding grip, employ more workers, but a premium tire – exemplary handling consisting of multiple carcass layers, puncture protection belt and precise tread joint – can The new Schwalbe racer only be made by fully trained and competent delivered what it promi- operatives.“ sed. ”Ultremo comes The situation this season is much more closer than any other comfortable. ”We have substantially increased make tested to be- capacity and are absolutely certain that we can ing the complete completely fulfill expected demand“, assured all-rounder“, so jud- Holger Jahn. ged the German specialist maga- Ultremo: A genuine zine ”Roadbike“ (05/07). And Team competition tire at Gerolsteiner’s pro riders were simi- just 195 gram. profile 1 2008 SALES NEWS 3 Tips for an effective Shop-System A Schwalbe Shop will help to increase tire sales and simultaneously mean less time is spent advising customers. To make the Shop System more effective – here are some top tips. Demonstrate professionalism – order creates confi- salesmen“ that allow customers to quickly under- Technical Information dence. Standardize product and price marking using stand tire treads and structures. Give customers an in 5 languages the new label kit (see news right). Position popular overview of which is the correct tube by using the tires in the customer’s grab zone. valve display. Let customers test for themselves the There is a new edition of Schwalbe’s Optimize the use of areas – customer orientate tire puncture protection of the Marathon Plus with the Technical Information: The 35 page book- presentation. ”Flat-less“ display. let is available in: English, Italian, French, - Top tire rack – the ”Reach“ zone: The right place Take a look at the Shop-System at least once a day German and Dutch. The 2008 updated ver- for ”exotic“ tires. Because searching above head - Only display Schwalbe products in a Schwalbe Shop sion offers even more technical tips and height is difficult, this is the last place that custo- as any other brands will just confuse customers. background information around and about mers will look. Always show customers products at their best by tires. The publication is available from - Middle tire rack – the ”Grab“ and ”Eyelevel“ zone: ensuring that the wrappers of wired on tires face your distributor. The very best place! High quality and fast moving to the front and are lined up. tires such as the Marathon Plus should be put here. - Pricing is a legal obligation and also helps cus- New Shop-System signage This spring all owners of Schwalbe Shops received a mail-out from Bohle inside which was: New signage for shelves – small cards either preprinted with all the popular tire models, or blank. For the blank cards there were transparent stickers with the names of all tire mo- dels, sizes and prices. The new signage is not only simpler to handle than the former CD, at the same time it is of far superior quality – improving the appea- rance of the logo that enlivens the Shop System and making customers’ selection of tires so much easier. High pressure The ”Grab“ and ”Eyelevel zone“ is the best position in the Schwalbe Shop-System. Fast moving and high quality adhesive rim tape tires like Marathon Plus should go here. Schwalbe has introduced a - On shelving: Folding tires on Euro hooks and on the tomers make a quick purchasing decision. Always new, high pressure adhesive first shelf, tubes, accessories and point of sale mate- make sure there is a price sticker! rim tape. The fabric, made rial. - Stay up to date: Always display the current range from high density polyami- - Bottom tire rack – the ”Bending“ zone: The and fast movers. Older tires should be placed in the de is light and extremely correct place for wide tires with distinctive treads, ”Bending“ zone or the stockroom. pressure resistant. The or tire alternatives to the high quality products in - Tire racks, hooks and shelves should always be high-quality adhesive pre- the ”Grab“ and ”Eyelevel“ zone. refilled immediately. Avoid having gaps. Well arran- vents slipping under ex- Encourage additional sales – offer customers help in ged and stocked shelves are good purchasing motiva- treme loads and tire changing. Place articles such as ”Easy Fit“ fitting tors! But take care: Never overfill the Shop System. high tempe- liquid and tire levers close at hand, not forgetting - Take an objective look at the Shop System each day. ratures. The high quality rim tapes and, as the customer should If it is clean, well presented and inviting then it is tapes that al- also be ready to invest in more safety and comfort, doing its job! so have a valve hole, measure two meters make sure that items such as the tire pressure gauge long – sufficient for any rim. The tapes are within reach too. are sensibly packed in a twin-pack set, Visually inform – sample rings are great ”silent suitable for dealers’ self-service wall. profile 1 2008 4 TECHNOLOGY Schwalbe brand tires originate from the family firms’ – Bohle and Hung-A – joint venture fac- tory in Jakarta (Indonesia). German-Korean Friendship The longstanding friendship and cooperation between the family firms of Bohle and Hung-A, a Korean manufacturer of bicycle tires, has grown ever stronger over the past 35 years.