Introduction
Through Tehrani International Trading, my own company, I held an exclusive distribution position for Continental and its Matador brand in the Middle East. It sat inside a wider tire business I ran with full P&L: in under two years the network grew from 10 to 54 distributors and locations, with roughly $20M in annual turnover moving through it and 36+ multi-year supply agreements behind it. It was a full commercial operation: supply contracts, distributor relationships, pricing, and the product range that pulled partners in.
How I Drove Growth: Five Pillars of Regional Market Expansion
Negotiated and held the exclusive regional agreement for Continental and its Matador brand. It gave regional buyers a premium name alongside the rest of the range, and it gave me control of the price ladder instead of a thin resale margin.
Securing Exclusive Distribution Rights for the Matador Brand
Widened the basket as the market turned price-sensitive: from OTR into light truck and then passenger tires, with a second, lower-cost sourcing tier from Indonesia and China alongside the premium brands. The range came first, and it is what brought partners to the network.
Widening the Range Before the Network
With more of the demand curve covered, more partners could be served from one book, and the network grew from 10 to 54 distributors and locations in under two years. These were major regional wholesalers carrying several tire brands, with roughly $20M a year moving through the network.
From 10 to 54 Distributors in Under Two Years
Locked pricing and volume commitments on the supply side with 36+ multi-year agreements, while the distributor network grew on the demand side. Margin came from pricing and terms rather than from volume.
36+ Multi-Year Supply Agreements
Holding exclusive appointments across three categories, instead of reselling one, is what moved gross margin from roughly 7% to roughly 20%. The margin sat in the appointment itself, which is why adding lower-priced lines raised it rather than diluting it.
Gross Margin From Roughly 7% to 20%
Secured exclusive regional distribution rights for Continental's Matador brand
01
Tire network grown from 10 to 54 distributors and locations in under two years
02
36+ multi-year supply agreements locking in price and volume
03
Gross margin nearly tripled, from roughly 7% to roughly 20%
04
Expanded brand presence across multiple countries simultaneously within a single commercial operation