Established in 2009 by Mick McManus, Tyres-4-U is a leading tyre depot in Stamullen, Co. Meath which continues to go from strength to strength.
Tyres-4-U is a family-run business which is committed to providing the agri sector with exceptional tyre repair, fitting and breakdown services. The company has earned an enviable reputation for supplying, fitting and repairing tyres for cars, vans, 4x4s, trucks, tractors and diggers. It stocks all the leading brands, including Michelin, Pirelli, Bridgestone, Firestone, Hankook and BF Goodrich as well as being a main agent for BKT Agrimax. A huge selection of mid-range, budget and used tyres are also in stock.
Mick McManus and his team offer expert advice on the best quality tyres to suit your needs and budgets. “You get what you pay for,” the affable proprietor quips. In addition, they offer free tyre checks, wheel balancing, disposal of old tyres and supply and fit a wide range of batteries.
“We pride ourselves on our quality products and unrivalled service,” Mick says.
“We will always go the extra mile for our customers. Customer satisfaction and value-for-money are very important to us. We focus on quality and looking after our customers’ requirements. Our primary concern is the safety of our customers, hence the importance of choosing the right tyre to suit your vehicle and the way you drive it.”
Tyres-4-U also provides a 24/7 breakdown service to its regular customers, about 90% of whom are farmers. “We’re in the middle of a tillage area and have some very loyal customers like Pat Reynolds & Sons in Garlow Cross, White Bros in The Naul and Country Crest in Donabate. We would never see them stuck. We recently invested in a new Mercedes Sprinter 519 mobile unit for breakdowns. We offer a prompt and professional breakdown service which will have your vehicle back up-and-running in no time.”
Outlining the background to the company, Mick says: “I started around June or July 2009 when I decided it was time to go out on my own. I just bought a lorry and trailer and filled it with tyres and started to call around various depots. I built the business up from there.
“There was big demand for a 24/7 breakdown service so I invested in a van and then a new D Max pick-up. The pick-up was ideal for getting into fields, etc, which was important as we were doing a lot of agri work from the beginning. We work on literally anything that holds air – from a four-inch tyre up to a 52-inch one, from a wheelbarrow to a combine harvester.”
Agri work has developed into the core aspect of the overall business. “It’s the farmers that are keeping us busy nine-tenths of the time. We do a lot of work on tractors and all types of agri machinery, and it has become our bread and butter, really,” Mick continues.
Years of experience enable Mick to offer an exceptional level of service in this specialist area. It’s something he’s always done and he has become so accomplished at it that customers ring in and look for him personally to get them moving again.
“Some of the farmers I started working for have since passed their businesses on to their sons, but they still ring in and look for me. It’s nice to know that people respect you for being good at what you do and I make myself available to look after customers at any time of the day or night.”
The catchment area encompasses North Dublin and parts of counties Meath and Louth. “Generally, we’d be working within a 20-mile radius, but it all depends on where they are broken down and at the end of the day you have to go wherever the vehicle is.”
Of course, farmers are not prepared to settle for second best when it comes to their machinery. Quality is paramount in the agri sector and, as a rule, only the best tyres – which provide the maximum value for money in the long term – will get anywhere near a farmyard. “BKT tyres are the biggest and the best, and that’s what most farmers are going for,” he explains.
“Top premium tyres get the job done and 99% of farmers want them because they are the best. They want a premium product and a premium service – we go out of our way to provide both and that’s why we get so much repeat business from the farming community.”
The fully-stocked depot at Heathtown, Stamullen carries every make and size of tyre a farmer or motorist could possibly want / need, all of which are ready to be fitted to the customer’s vehicle within a matter of minutes. The company’s convenient and accessible premises offer customers the best possible products and service levels in double-quick time, catering for drivers of any type of vehicle.
As it’s essentially a family-run business, a friendly and personal touch is guaranteed with Tyres-4-U. Mick is ably assisted by his wife Anne, sons Jonathan and Michael, and daughter Jessica. “They all help out as much as they can, and without them I’d have nothing,” he notes.
All in all, considering that 2009 was hardly the ideal time to set up a new business, due to the poor state of the economy at the time, Tyres-4-U has been a resounding success story to date: “We started during a recession and have always been busy, thank God.
“Success always comes down to workmanship and service in any trade. If you do a good job, you will get good work out of it. When I’m talking to customers, I always do my best to advise them and to give them professional advice at all times. Health & Safety is everything when it comes to tyres and I have to make sure it’s 100%. I won’t settle for anything less. I won’t do a job unless it’s 100% right.”
Looking to the future, Mick says it will be a case of more of the same for Tyres-4-U, with a major emphasis placed on maintaining the same quality service for which he has become renowned.
“We just want to keep going as we are going and to provide a personal touch,” he adds.
“To offer excellent products and an unrivalled service to match. To look after our customers and make sure everything is right.
“I have a lot of time for the farming community and these are the people who keep me going. I’ve a lot of experience of working in that area now and I understand the pressure they are under and strive to provide them with exceptional service and keep their downtime to a minimum. They can call me day or night.
“I have a lot of very good customers – farmers, contractors, hauliers and general motorists – and it’s a two-way relationship. They are loyal to me and I make sure to look after them and keep them right. There’s a knock-on effect, too, when you look after people. As well as their agri equipment, the farmers all have private cars and vehicles as well – as do their wives and sons and daughters – and you pick up a lot of extra work that way, once you have a reputation for delivering a fast and dependable service.”
Mick would like to take this opportunity to thank his customers and suppliers for their continued support as well as his staff for their hard work, dedication and skill.
Tyres-4-U
Heathtown,
Stamullen,
Co. Meath.
Tel: 086 0228113
Email: [email protected]
Facebook: www.facebook.com/mcmanm22
First published in Irish Tractor & Agri magazine Vol 11 No 3, May/June 2023
