GWANGJU, South Korea—Kumho Tire is making headway in its European expansion plans with the planned opening of a sales office in Warsaw, Poland.
The Korean tire maker expects to open the branch in 2022 as part of its preparation to establish a distribution system in Europe, Kumho said in a Nov. 23 statement.
The distribution system will involve "diversifying local sales channels and operating a storage facility in Poland," the tire maker said.
Once operational, the branch will also cover the Czech Republic and Slovakia, and it will aim to expand stock sales as well as Kumho's retail store network.
"Through market fragmentation in Europe and the creation of new sales hubs locally, Kumho Tire is planning to provide services that are better tailored to different consumer groups," the tire maker said.
By selling products in local markets directly, as opposed to through a third party, Kumho said it aimed to raise brand awareness and improve customer satisfaction.
Commenting on the move, Cho Namhwa, president of Kumho Tire Europe GmbH, said the establishment of the Warsaw branch was "an obvious course of action."
The move, he said, will secure "a stable distribution network" and provide tailored services in the central European market.
