The annual awards ceremony celebrated product and service excellence in Dunlop’s four tyre retail categories serving unique areas of the market.

Lubin Ozoux, CEO of Sumitomo Rubber South Africa, which manufactures and distributes Dunlop Tyres locally, said: “This year's winners have truly set the benchmark for excellence in the industry, and it was our honour to oat tribute to them for another year of dedication, hard work and exceptional customer service as Dunlop dealers – in essence creating joy through innovation, in line with our corporate purpose.”

Dunlop Zone Awards:

The largest and most hotly contested contest is always the Dunlop Zone category, which is a top end fitment centre that provides the consumer with a multi-branded tyre offering and a range of tyre services.

Dunlop Zone Stores are judged on customer service excellence, revenue and volume growth, participation in Dunlop’s value-added offerings, as well as engagement with marketing and communication campaigns.

Top honours in the Dunlop Zone National Awards went to Renata Tyres in Randfontein, which clinched the Dunlop Zone Diamond Dealer of the Year 2022 award, followed by Trevor's Wheel & Tyre in Kimberley, which took the Dunlop Zone Platinum Dealer of the Year 2022 award, and Stoney's Wheel and Tyre in Bloemfontein which scooped the Gold award in this category.

Dunlop Zone Newcomer of the Year 2022 was Trophy Tyres in Letsitele.

Dunlop Commercial Awards:

Dunlop Commercial dealers provide specialised fitment for fleet owners and transport operators.

Judging criteria in this category included customer service excellence, revenue and volume growth and strategic sales performance.

Tyres & Treads in George was named Dunlop Commercial Dealer of the Year 2022, while runner-up in the Dunlop Commercial category was IC Steel & Tyre in Cape Town.

Dunlop Express Dealer Awards:

Dunlop Express stores, which serve smaller towns in this category was judged on revenue and volume growth.

Kgethogolo Fitment Centre in Virginia, Lejweleputswa District Municipality, was named the Dunlop Express Dealer of the Year 2022. The centre prides itself on customer satisfaction, fast delivery, competitive prices, stock availability, and professional advice and support.

Dunlop Container Awards:

In the Dunlop Container category, also judged on revenue and volume growth, the winner was Kulungwane Tyres, based in Bronkhorstspruit, Gauteng. This 100% black-owned and currently 51% black-youth owned company sells and supplies new tyres for passenger, light commercial vehicles, trucks and buses as well as offroad tyres and tubes.

With the support of a widely recognised brand, the Dunlop Container programme has enjoyed exponential growth and success in the tyre market and has received widespread support from government and other agencies.

Dunlop also offers a Business in a Box plug-and-play solution for informal tyre businesses often trading from makeshift facilities, to be transformed into Dunlop-branded fitment centres operating out of a fully fitted 12m container. The brand is on the lookout for 48 township entrepreneurs who could qualify for start-up support to run their own local Dunlop Container tyre centres.

“Year after year it is gratifying to see the pool of Dunlop dealers growing and the calibre of entries reaching new heights in tyre retail excellence – from our entry-level Dunlop Container stores to the more developed and mature Dunlop Express, Zone and Commercial stores. Congrats to all our winners for their exceptional performance in 2022! We look forward to having them “Take the Road” with us in 2023 and beyond,” Lubin says.