THE director of Modern Tyres says they “are only getting started” as the Enniskillen-based independent tyre retailer aims to expand after it recently celebrated 60 years in business.
The late Jimmy Byrne, originally from Dublin, was regarded as a pioneering light in local business.
He took his first steps as an entrepreneur in 1962, when he set-up a remould manufacturing factory in Lisbellaw, which brought some strong employment to the local area.
Modern Tyres was later born in 1965 when Mr Byrne opened his first tyre depot in the Old Railway Yard in Enniskillen in 1965. Sixty years later, it now has 50 branches across Ireland.
With an eye for spotting a business opportunity, Mr Byrne opened a second tyre retail depot in Newry in Down in 1975. That move really sparked the growth of Modern Tyres in the North.
Mr Byrne secured the distribution right for Vredestein tyres in Ireland, setting up D26 tyres to service the wholesaling side of the business which opened an exclusive market on the island.
Up until his death in 2022, the father-of-five was to the fore in the growth of the expanding company which now covers most parts of Ireland..
His son, Connor, is one of the directors of Modern Tyres. He’s full of praise for the creativity and insight of his father who grew the tyre retailer from humble beginnings in Enniskillen.
“Ireland in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s was tough with high interest rates and high unemployment levels,” company director, Mr Byrne, told the ‘Herald.
“We’ve expanded from one depot in Enniskillen in 1965 to having 50 depots across Ireland now.”
Modern Tyres is the largest independent tyre retailer and wholesale company in Ireland.
It opened its first branch in the Republic of Ireland in 2013 and the team at Modern Tyres quickly realised that they’d have to provide a faultless service to stand out from its competitors.
“Our head office is still in Enniskillen, even though we’re supported by a four-story high, 100,000 square-feet warehouse and wheel assembly facility in Newry,” explained Mr Byrne.
“Our five main sectors are Retail, B2B wholesale, Fleet, Car Dealer and online B2C.
“We are predominantly selling tyres, but we’re also carrying out vehicle repair and maintenance through our 50 trading locations in pretty much every county in Ireland, from Cork to Coleraine.
“We have contracts in place to service some of the most prestigious car and truck fleets in Ireland, and provide wholesale supply to tyre shops and car dealer groups,” the director added.
The Enniskillen-based tyre retailer has boasted impressive figures and finances in recent years.
Companies House recently revealed that Modern Tyres’ pre-tax profits for 2023 rose by an impressive 27 per-cent to £4 million, with a welcome 12 per-cent rise in turnover over its 40 sites.
The 2023 period was one of the most successful years to date for Modern Tyres with an overall turnover totalling £56.8 million.
Its turnover in the North was a reported strong £36 million.
The Enniskillen man stressed that the team at Modern Tyres is ‘never complacent’.
“Our business is performing well, but we are never complacent. We have a great team who work very hard every day to keep it that way,” explained Mr Byrne.
“We’re adding new shops almost every year now, mostly coming from acquisitions of existing businesses.
“Our three most recent are Coleraine, Portadown and a second branch in Omagh.”
Modern Tyres has come a long way from his early days at the Old Railway Yard in Enniskillen and the local businessman is looking forward and excited for the next 60 years.
“We are now operating with 320 full time staff, which has grown significantly as the company has grown.
“We are always looking for new growth opportunities. We are only getting started,” added Mr Byrne.
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