Michelin Philippines Distributor Network Splits by Segment

Michelin Philippines adds Bermaz Auto Philippines, BSB Junrose, and Icon Equipment Solutions PH to a distribution model built around who buys the tires, not just where they are sold.

The Bottom Line

• Michelin Philippines appointed Bermaz Auto Philippines, BSB Junrose, and Icon Equipment Solutions PH as new importer distributors, covering passenger cars, commercial mobility, and specialized industrial applications respectively.
• Existing partners were not dropped. Drakester (which operates Team Ridemax), Entire Car Care Centre, Ryco, and Tiara Commercial and Industrial remain part of the network, according to Michelin’s own statement on the appointments.
• Bermaz Auto Philippines already distributes Mazda vehicles, which means Michelin Philippines just tied a tire supply deal directly to an existing dealership network rather than a standalone parts importer.
• The restructuring pushes competition among tire distributors toward technical support and fleet account capability, since retail shelf space alone no longer covers every customer type Michelin wants to reach.
• Michelin has not published specific figures on total distributor count or sales growth tied to this expansion, so treat any such numbers circulating online with caution until the company confirms them directly.

---

For most of its history in the Philippines, Michelin sold tires the way most global tire brands did here: through a small set of generalist importer distributors who carried everything from passenger sedans to hauling trucks under one roof. That model worked when the market was smaller and less specialized. It works less well now that fleet operators want uptime guarantees, mining and construction firms need application specific stock, and dealerships want tires that match original equipment fitment rather than whatever the aftermarket happened to bring in.

Michelin Philippines’ answer, announced in August 2026, is not to replace its existing distributor lineup. It is to build three new, narrower routes to market on top of it.

Three New Partners, Three Different Customer Bases

Bermaz Auto Philippines takes on passenger car tires, with a specific focus on OE fitment and vehicle specific tires sold through dealership networks rather than general retail. BSB Junrose, a 58 year old aftermarket parts distributor already carrying brands like Brembo and Liqui Moly, takes commercial mobility, meaning fleets and logistics operators who need consistent supply and service turnaround more than they need a wide retail footprint. Icon Equipment Solutions PH rounds out the group with the specialized segment: mining, construction, and heavy equipment tires, a category with almost nothing in common with a sedan owner walking into a tire shop.

Each of these three partners already had an existing customer base before Michelin came calling. That is the point. Michelin is not building new sales channels from scratch. It is plugging into channels that already reach the customers it wants.

The Existing Distributor Network Stays Intact

The part of this story that got flattened in early coverage is that nothing about the current Michelin Philippines distributor list changed. Drakester Incorporated, which owns and operates the Team Ridemax storefront, remains part of Michelin’s importer distributor network, alongside Entire Car Care Centre, Ryco, and Tiara Commercial and Industrial. Michelin’s own statement describes the new appointments as complementing that existing network, not replacing any part of it.

That distinction matters for anyone trying to read this as a story about a distributor losing ground. It is not that. It is a story about Michelin deciding that one generalized aftermarket channel, however capable, cannot efficiently serve a fleet manager, a mining contractor, and a car dealership at the same time. The generalist model still exists. It just no longer has to carry the entire weight of Michelin’s Philippine business on its own.

Bermaz’s Mazda Ties Blur the Line Between Tire and Vehicle Distribution

The more interesting thread here involves Bermaz Auto Philippines specifically. Bermaz is not a tire company that happened to win a Michelin Philippines contract. It is a vehicle distributor, tied to Mazda’s dealer network in the Philippines, and its parent group has been actively taking over Mazda dealership operations from other players this same year.

Handing a vehicle distributor the OE fitment and dealership side of a tire brand’s business is a tighter arrangement than the traditional wholesaler relationship. It puts tire supply closer to the point where a car actually gets sold and serviced, rather than routing it through a separate aftermarket chain that has no direct relationship with the dealership floor. For Michelin Philippines, that shortens the distance between a factory fitment decision and a customer’s first replacement set. For Bermaz, it adds a revenue line that did not exist before, built on a customer base it already owns.

Competitive Pressure Moves Toward Technical Support

What this changes for rival tire brands is straightforward. A tire brand competing against Michelin in the Philippines can no longer assume that a strong generalist distributor is enough. Michelin has shown that account specific coverage, backed by a distributor who already understands that customer segment, gets results faster than trying to make one importer good at everything. Fleet operators, industrial buyers, and OEM dealerships are increasingly going to expect the same kind of specialized supply chain from whoever is selling to them, tire brand or otherwise.

None of this required Michelin to walk away from a single existing partner. It required deciding that growth in the Philippine market had outgrown the channel that got it there.

rack the models, market moves, and regulatory forces driving the Philippine automotive landscape in the Automotive section of Hemos PH.