The SEMA Show/Global Tire Expo has come to an end, and Point S Development states the exhibition, where managing director Jürgen Benz and Independent Tire Dealer Group (ITDG) CEO Michael Cox signed a master franchise contract for the U.S., more than met the company’s expectations. 
Commenting on the show, Fabien Bouquet, international operations director at Point S Development, shared: “Our presence at the SEMA Show was a complete success.
“Interest in the Point S system from countless independent dealers and from other chains in the U.S. and bordering countries was immense,” Bouquet added. “We can well imagine that development in the U.S. could run the same course as in England. We first started there in the summer of 2010 and in the meantime can now already count 120 outlets in our European network.”
The master franchise contract signed at SEMA gives ITDG the trademark rights to use the Point S brand name in the U.S., while at the same time ITDG has entered into a contractual obligation to rebrand the outlets in its network within a pre-arranged timeframe.
“One of our first joint acts will be to harmonize both brand portfolios in order to achieve the best possible synergies,” elaborated Point S Development managing director Jürgen Benz. “An additional and considerable task for us is ensuring the availability of our Summer Star and Winter Star private brands across the American network. Which manufacturer we will utilize for production and marketing in the U.S. has not yet been decided, although discussions on this issue are already running at full speed.”
“In addition, in 2012 we will get underway with two exclusive budget brands in Europe and we are already engaged in talks with the respective manufacturers regarding bringing this strategy into the U.S.,” he added.
Concluding, Benz stated that, “Our expansion plans for point S in 2011 have thus been more than fulfilled. In the first half of 2012 we will give the last remaining white areas on the European map our full attention. Our focus in this regard in first and foremost directed towards growth Sweden and Norway.” (Tyres & Accessories)
