STC Tyre Mart Sdn Bhd, was appointed by Sailun as the Malaysian exclusive distributor for its Rovelo brand in April 2014. Since then, the brand had grown steadily over the years.
“The market response is very encouraging with sales increasing every year. Compared to the major brands that had been around for many years, Rovelo is quite new. This showed the acceptance of Rovelo tyres among the general public, “said Sales Manager Ang Beng Loo.
Targeted at the value segment, Ang pointed out that the Rovelo products that the company sold currently were all from Sailun’s Vietnam plant. Rovelo differentiated itself by focusing on quality and durability with reasonable pricing. In addition, he stressed that Sailun was a Chinese manufacturer that was reputable and trustworthy. The company invested significantly on product research and development. Each tyre was tested off the assembly line to ensure quality before being shipped to customers.
“Sailun’s engineers would visit Malaysia at least once or twice every year to collect market information and user feedback for product improvement. Thus, the Rovelo tyres that we bring in are not Chinese tyres designed for the Chinese market, but they are designed according to Malaysia’s climate, road condition and applications to suit local use. In comparing Rovelo UHP tyres to those of competitors, I would say Rovelo’s quality and performance are well worth its value!”
At present, the Rovelo products that STC Tyre Mart carries range from Passenger Car Radial (PCR), Ultra High Performance (UHP) to 4×4/SUV/Light Truck Radial (LTR) tyres.
“For PCR, we have the RHP-A68 and 788 high performance tyres, ranging from 12- to 16-inch that deliver comfort and performance. The Sport A1 UHP tyres, ranging from 15- to 20-inch, feature asymmetrical tread pattern that provides excellent cornering stability while maintaining superior wet traction; wave-like design on the shoulder that helps reduce noise emission and increase cornering capabilities; and groove design that efficiently drains water for safer driving on wet roads. With its efficient self-cleaning performance design, the Road Quest AT off-road light truck/SUV tyre could effectively eject mud, sand, gravel and other debris to improve grip. Its lengthened tread shoulder employs a multi-layered protruding design to improve strength and prevent damage to the carcass, allowing safe off-roading experience. Traction and climbing ability are enhanced through the specially designed tread block pattern that maintains a staggered bite, while traction performance on various road surfaces is increased through a widened running surface.”
Also available are the RCM-601 and RCM-X+ LTR tyres. The former with a rim size of 14- and 15-inch has a multi-directional pattern for strong durability, efficient water drainage and wet traction. It has a buffered sipe design for better driving comfort and unique sidewall design. The latter boasts an optimal sipe design that improves braking and traction performance on wet surfaces, closed shoulder design for better handling and wear performance, and is available in diameter variants of 13- to 16-inch.
The latest pattern that the company introduced is the Road Racer R1 that is suitable for normal road usage as well as drifting or racing. With its big shoulder block design, he said this new semi slick tyre demonstrated increased stability and handling capability. Its sleek and wide shoulder grooves drain water effectively. Greater high speed stability is obtained, thanks to its widen tread and wave-like central rib design. Sizes available are from 15- to 18-inch.
As for the company’s sales channel, Ang said it had established a Rovelo dealer’s network. “Our focus right now is to solidify Rovelo’s brand awareness and the current network. We have plans to bring in more SUV tyres and sizes as well as expand our network, but we would like to do it step by step.”