Sold out event delivered great insights and networking opportunities 

On February 7, the Ontario Tire Dealers Association (OTDA) hosted its 2025 Winter Conference at the Blue Mountain Resort near Collingwood.

The event saw 98 registrants, including tire retailers, tire wholesalers and distributors. In talking with Adam Moffatt, OTDA’s Executive Director, the response to the event far exceeded original expectations, requiring the venue to be expanded to make additional room for attendees and vendors and the tickets to the event ended up selling out.

A full range of sessions
Besides a variety of information sessions, including two panel discussions and a keynote address, there was also an on-site tabletop vendor showcase, where attendees had an opportunity to sample a range of tire-industry related products and services. There were also ample networking opportunities during the course of the event.

Following some opening remarks by OTDA President Charley Kriksic, acknowledging that the Winter Conference was a direct result of feedback from OTDA members and the incredible efforts of Adam Moffatt and his team, as well as sponsors, the event got under way.

First up was a corporate/distribution panel which featured three leading experts from the sector: Frank Brundle, Owner and CEO of Tire Discounter Group; Scott Campell, Co-owner, London Tire Sales and Usman Mir, Director of Growth & Development at Tirecraft Ontario. Moderated by Alexa Lebrecque from Provincial Tire Distributors, the panel delved into a range of topics including changing market trends, artificial intelligence and the threat of tariffs on Canadian exports and potentially, U.S. imports.

Supply chains and availability
A major frustration with distributors over the last several years, has been supply chain disruptions, causing delays, cost increases and restricting availability of certain types of tires for customers. Scott Campbell suggested that if tire manufacturers could introduce their own distribution networks, it would likely help control the process and make things more efficient. He also said that a big challenge for distributors is the lack of information from tire manufacturers on availability of certain products including production dates and OE sizes. “More information would help us make better decisions and also help retailers and consumers,” he said.

Frank Brundle noted that while the supply chain situation has improved, managing inventory remains a challenge for distributors and wholesalers, due to the sheer number of different tire types and sizes. He also noted that the growth of EVs in the overall vehicle parc, also creates its own set of requirements, since electric vehicles have different operating characteristics due to weight and performance and require different tires since regular rubber wears out much faster on these types of vehicles. Brundle stressed the importance in understanding customer needs and requirements, and the ability for distributors to leverage the technology available to fulfill their needs.

AI transformation
The topic of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is currently at the forefront of many conversations and Usman Mir noted that it was important for the tire industry to start wrapping its head around AI and that it will transform the way businesses operate and the way customers interact with them. He also stressed that it was important for tire industry professionals to understand the things they have control over and those they don’t. While he said we can’t control policy decisions and issues such as tariffs, we can control the way we run our businesses and elements within our peer groups. “We need to have open communication among each other about what industry trends we are seeing—so we can collectively move forward,” he said.

Following the distributor panel, Mauro Di Tullio from Federated Insurance took to the stage, discussing the importance of having the right partner for your business as well as effective approaches to risk management, including covering operational costs for businesses, in the advent that facilities are damaged or destroyed. Di Tullio said that each organization approaches risk management in a different way and it’s important that they work with a valued insurance partner to tailor polices specific to their needs. Di Tullio also provided an overview on the importance of cyber security and some of the options available through Federated Insurance.

Health and safety are also a huge factor for the tire industry, given the nature of the business and the roles that employees perform, including those working in the shop or service bays. Tanya Muller, from Workplace Safety and Prevention Services (WSPS). Muller stressed the importance of having safety as an integral part of your entire business and the need to ensure you stay within the requirements of the law. She noted that partnering with organizations like WSPS can provide multiple benefits, including guidance and support as well as cost savings for tire businesses when it comes to implementing and operating health and safety initiatives.

Factors critical for success
Following the lunch break, was the keynote session, presented by Peter-James Gregory. A long-time entrepreneur and tire industry professional, Gregory discussed some key factors that are critical for success. He said that often, a common issue is that entrepreneurs and business operators try to either expand too quickly or enter into too many different sectors and lose focus. “You need to focus on what you do best and do it better,” he said.

Gregory also stressed the importance of habits and understanding what they are. “The cost of your good habits are in the present,” he said. “The cost of your bad ones are in the future.” In essence, it’s important to focus on those good habits and build upon them now, so they can help ensure your strength in the future.

Gregory also talked about cashflow and while it can be good it is also often seductive, and short-term gains can lead to long-term issues. He said that most tire business operators need to be focusing not on the number of sales they generate, but the amount of profit they generate from the sales they have as well as the equity they’re building in the business.

Ultimately, he said, it’s about exiting the business with having the most money you can. “Company ownership is the biggest wealth creator and those that have the most money when they exit, win.”

Retail challenges and opportunities
The second panel discussion of the day focused on the retail end of the business and featured David Byma, Owner, Byma’s Tire & Auto; Brent Morgan, President of Factory Tire and Carla Lindsay, President and owner, OK Tire St. George. Moderated by Charmaine Cavalho, from Chloride Canada, the retail panel discussion generated a huge amount of interest and engagement from the audience and covered a range of topics.

A key topic was the rising cost of goods and services which continue to shrink margins in the retail sector. Brent Morgan noted that the cost of tires from manufacturers is increasing, along with cost of material supplies and the cost of labour. Other challenges include consumers being more prudent when it comes to spending even on essential items like tires.

Carla Lindsay noted that one trend that’s emerged in the last few years is consumers buying more all-weather tires instead of opting for summer/all-season and specific winter tires as in the past. “We’ve been selling more all-weather tires in the last year or two than we ever have before,” said Lindsay.

Another challenge that’s impacting traditional tire retailers is the growth in online tire retailers, who can offer similar products at significant discounts compared to brick and mortar locations because they don’t have the same overhead. And in an economy where nearly everyone is feeling the pinch, those that can offer the most competitive pricing tend to win.

Social media considerations
Social media presence and marketing is becoming ever more important, particularly for Millennials and Generation Z which are becoming an ever more important and influential group of consumers among retailers. David Byma stressed that it was important to inform and educate consumers regarding tires and build relationships with them. Byma noted that if retailers can provide education tips, such as how to best take care of their car, not only does it provide value and engagement opportunities with the audience, it also bolsters Search Engine Optimization and the retailer’s presence online, enabling them to reach a wider audience.

Advocacy and staying on top of trends were also key topics of discussion. Regarding advocacy, Brent Morgan stated that it was hugely important to take an active role in advocacy efforts on behalf of the industry, particularly among smaller retailers, given challenges the industry faces, including consolidation and the growth in large distributors which, if left unchecked could result in monopolistic type practices where a few large players essentially dictate the way in which things are done. Other examples include advocacy in relation to government, such as mandating winter tires for Ontario in a similar fashion to the rules currently enforced in Quebec. Ultimately, leveraging the resources available through associations that represent the industry such as OTDA was seen as a major opportunity to ensure the tire industry and those that operate within it have the support required to ensure a fair and healthy business environment.

There was also discussion on the threat of potential tariffs and the emergence of AI, but ultimately, the message was for tire retailers and the industry to work collaboratively in order to effect change, instead of reacting to it.

Responsible disposal
The final session of the day came from Steve Meldrum, CEO of eTracks Tire Management Systems. Meldrum discussed producer responsibility for tire recycling in Ontario and the regulations and obligations for producers within the province. eTracks manages tire recycling and collection and has contracts with approximately 60 haulers and three re-treading companies. The vast majority of these tires are processed into crumb rubber and 85% of the weight of everything collected goes into new products and materials.

These producer regulations first came into effect in 2019, and have since been revised, with new requirements coming into effect in late 2024. Meldrum stressed the importance of properly disposing of end-of-life tires and how retailers can work with organizations like eTracks to not only reduce their carbon footprint via accurate data measurement and documentation, but how via best practices and collaboration, retailers can dispose of these tires responsibly while also effectively earning revenue from doing it.