Operating out of Tullaroan, County Kilkenny, John Cummins repairs, sources and fits a full range of tyres for all vehicle types, from passenger cars to the largest agricultural machinery. He provides professional, high-quality, cost-effective solutions and this is why John Cummins Tyres Ltd, has gone from strength to strength since its inception some 16 years ago.
Service and quality are at the very heart of John Cummins Tyres Ltd. The eponymous founder / proprietor offers his customers thoroughly-professional, punctual and value-for money solutions that will get them back on the road (or field, or quarry) as quickly and safely as possible. John uses only the highest quality materials and workmanship and has developed a stellar reputation for himself as one of the leading tyre repairers / fitters in the greater Kilkenny area.
He has been involved in tyres for all his working life, accumulating a great knowledge of the trade during this time. “I set the business up in 1999, having worked in tyres before that,” he reflects. “There was nobody in this area mending tyres or giving a service in this direction. People were getting onto me and asking if I’d be able to help them out and eventually I decided to just set up the business. It has worked out well for me and we’re still here today.”
John started off initially with one van and he had a second one on the road within a year. During the peak times of the boom, he had five mobile units on the road. At present, he runs three vans out on the road every day and all the indications are that he will soon add a fourth.
Regarding the mobile units, he adds: “They’re all Transits – the older Transits. I don’t like the new ones; they give far too much trouble. The older ones don’t break down or give any hassle whatsoever. I had them in Poland for a-year-and-a-half when I was doing a lot of work over there and had no bother with them.” The Kilkenny man has been back in Ireland on a full-time basis since September / October 2012.
Like many others, he started out from a garage at the side of his house. “I then rented a facility in an Industrial Estate close to Urlingford before purchasing this premises on a half-acre site in 2005,” he continues.
The well-appointed, spacious facility is well stocked with tyres of all description, to suit everything from cars, vans and trucks to tractors, tankers, earth movers and diggers. Indeed, the agri market is a very important one which accounts for a significant percentage of John Cummins Tyres Ltd.’s overall business:
“I do a lot of vulcanising / repair work on tractor and agri tyres that have been cut or damaged,” he confirms. “This is a very popular service as it can save farmers a lot of money and we attract customers from as far away as Galway, Nenagh, Tipperary town and Waterford.”
The power of positive word of mouth ensures a steady stream of new customers seeking to avail of John’s superb services. When it comes to large tyres on agricultural equipment, the difference in price between a repair and replacement can be eye-watering… “It could cost on average as much as €2,500 for a new tyre and we can repair it for around €150-200 and it will be like new,” John points out. “That’s a massive saving and it makes sense for owners to have the tyre fixed in this case. For example, Irish Cement in Limerick recently had a new tyre cut, which was only two days old. The tyre was worth €15,000 and we fixed it for a small percentage of that. Agricultural / plant tyres can get nipped or slashed at gates or coming in or out of sites and there are big savings to be made by having them professionally mended. I’ve been mending tyres since I started out and it remains a key part of the business.
“The agri side of things has actually been busiest for me this year. I’d say we’ve done around 60% agri / 40t% car tyres. Especially when farmers are busy, they don’t really have time to be working on tyres themselves so we look after them and let them get on with their work.
“On the agri end of it, we do everything from tractors and slurry tanks to ploughs etc. – anything that moves. “We also do a lot of plant and quarry equipment.” Of course, some of these tyres are very, very big… “The biggest one I’ve fitted is 875x65x29. This isn’t like fitting a conventional tyre – I have a HIAB on one of the crew cabs, which I use to fit those.”
John imports tyres himself directly from the continent and insists on only the highest-quality products. He stocks all the premium brands, including Bridgestone and Michelin etc., but also sources more affordable alternatives with the emphasis always on quality and safety. In my opinion, Barkley are making the best agri tyres these days and we fit a lot of those.
“We’re busy all the time, which is encouraging,” he comments. “The mobile vans are out on the road every day and we also have a lot of work going on in the workshop, so we can’t complain.”
Customer service is first and foremost in this line of work. “We give the service and that’s the bottom line. When a customer is having trouble with his tyre, he wants to be sorted out as conveniently and painlessly as possible. If a lad wants a tyre fixed, then we will do it, no problem, and get them back up and running again. If he wants tyres replaced, we will do that too. Whatever the customer wants or needs, that’s what we are here to provide. We’ll also give them professional advice on the best course of action to take.
“It’s all down to service. We give a very good service and we stand over our work. We fit a quality tyre and make sure that everything is right before the customer drives off.”
Four-wheel alignment and balancing services are also provided as well as a truck balancing service for commercial vehicle owners. Gainful employment is provided to a team of four – John and his wife Valerie in addition to two tyre fitters. A 24/7 service is offered. “You can get calls at any time of the day or night and you have to look after the customer. I never switch the mobile off,” John confirms.
“Generally speaking, the business is going very well and expansion is on the cards,” the affable Kilkenny man concludes. “I buy in bulk to keep the unit costs down, importing from the continent twice a month. When it comes to tyres, quality is everything. Some of them are too thin or have no sidewall and I won’t touch those ones. I go for quality brands that I know are going to serve their purpose and I stand over them.
John Cummins Tyres Ltd.,
Tullaroan,
County Kilkenny.
Tel: 056 776 9855
Taken from Irish Tractor & Agri magazine Vol 3 No 11, December 2015
