Jim Mayfield has seen a lot of changes during his 44-year career. Most – if not all – have been for the better, he told MTD.
Mayfield, who began his tire industry career with Michelin North America Inc., retired last month as president of Ralson Tire North America Inc.
Before joining Ralson in 2021, he held a variety of executive positions at various tire manufacturers and distributors, including Del-Nat Tire Corp., Yokohama Tire Corp. and others.
Perhaps the biggest change Mayfield has seen in the tire industry is “the speed of communication,” which he described as being “so different today.
“When I started, it was prior to cell phones and laptops. Each morning around 10:30, we were expected to call in to the region office from a pay phone somewhere on the side of the road and get our messages.
“Today, communication is instantaneous. Sometimes you feel like you’re inundated with communication.”
Another major change? The quality gap between flag brand products and less-expensive brands has closed dramatically, according to Mayfield.
“When you look at product, there was a clear delineation between tier one, tier two, tier three and tier four. Today, most manufacturers around the world make a decent tire, so the spread in performance isn’t what it once was.
“The new factories around the world have the best equipment and the most modern equipment,” he said. “If the factory is well-run, it will put out a product that will perform. Today, you need products that can touch each price point.
“A lot of customers have a fixed amount of money they can spend on tires, so they have to find the best value for themselves. There was a time when a small tire dealer in his market could have two or three brands and that would be OK. But in today’s market, because some dealers are larger, their customer base has expanded. They need more choices to present.”
Distribution has also changed significantly, which has been a good thing for tire dealers, Mayfield told MTD.
“In today’s world, you have these huge distributors who can service small dealers extremely well. A guy can start a tire dealership without having a huge investment in inventory because in many cases, he can get tires the same day he sells them to somebody.
“The distributors back in the early days of my career were smaller and regional and had their selection of products to offer, so as long as you bought from them, it was fine. Today’s distributors carry a wide variety of products and have them in stock. They can serve the small operator very well.”
Mayfield said that when he began his tire industry career, “I liked the idea of selling a product that you could put your hands on. You could see it, you could track its performance and you could sell the value of it.”
That’s still the case today, he noted. “The tire business is a foundational business. Every person who owns a vehicle has an investment in tires.”
Mayfield believes the future is bright for both existing tire dealers and those who are entering that distribution channel.
“Look at the entrepreneurs in our industry – all of these people who have done incredible things, have built great companies and have given opportunities to hundreds of thousands of people.
“In many cases, it was due to an entrepreneur who had an idea about how they could do something and do it more successfully. And I think that’s going to continue.
“The guys who 20 years from now will be hugely successful may start their businesses next Monday," he said. "It’s still not impossible for this to happen. A new player with the right business plan can grow their business over time.
“When I got into the tire industry, Linda, my wife, and I were expecting our first child. At that time, we were thinking about the future and I said, ‘My goal is to some day become a district manager.’ I thought if I could do that, I’d have a successful career.”
In Mayfield’s case, one opportunity led to more opportunities, enabling him to build a career that far exceeded his initial expectations.
“My advice for young people in our industry today is ‘Don’t limit your aspirations. There are going to be opportunities in the tire industry way beyond what you think there are.’ I believe the tire industry will provide that for a long time to come.”
