Maxxis is one of the world's Top Ten tyre manufacturers with an international workforce of around 30,000 employees. Their thriving business does not depend on any particular niche of the market; the company produces tyres for both four-wheel and two-wheel users in every size and to every specification. Since 2006, Maxxis has also been involved in motocross sports, and last year they joined the list of official partners to the ADAC MX Masters.

Interview with Tobias Herzberg, Brand Manager at Maxxis

You have been sponsoring the ADAC MX Masters for a year now. What has been the response so far?

So far, the response has been excellent. The public have been aware of Maxxis for quite a while now, but it was important to us to profile the brand in the most prestigious European motocross race series. We now have more than ten years' experience of motocross, and our involvement in the ADAC MX Masters has considerably enhanced the recognition factor for us on the motocross scene. In the coming years, we will be launching several other Maxxis products which will be a good fit for this segment. Consequently, extensive marketing in the ADAC MX Masters makes a lot of sense in supporting the sport, because we want to be a full supplier and service provider to all classes of racing.

What level of service do you offer at the trackside?

We offer a classic racing service, which more or less puts the finishing touch to our sponsorship. Our external partner, Jan Heller from SW-Reifenhandel, is present at every ADAC MX Masters weekend, providing advice, selling tyres and fitting them upon request.

What is it precisely that fascinates you about this race series?

I am fascinated by the speed and by the passion of the riders. Motor racing is not exactly the most affordable of sports, added to which it is also associated with a certain risk to life and limb. Despite that, the motocrossers invest most of their free time to living their sporting dream, which is essentially similar to how people feel about Formula 1. The personal commitment is extreme and the effort is enormous, but its adherents never complain.

You have a major presence at every event with your Maxxis stand and also with the grid girls. What criteria do you employ in the selection process?

Believe it or not, there is real management skill involved. The grid girls are a traditional feature of motorsport. It is important that the Maxxis Babes can identify with motorsport and are willing to make an effort. Appearing on a race weekend is a genuine full-time job which demands a lot from the girls, as they are required to be on hand for the whole day. For some years now, we have been working almost exclusively with professionals who also know what they are getting into. And that can include not only women who are stunning to look at but also the type who embodies the girl next door. The mix must be right, so that ultimately all spectators feel their tastes are being catered for.

You have been active in motocross with Maxxis since 2006, but your company has existed for much longer. What induced you to get involved with extreme sport?

Our commitment to motocross sports is a niche sponsorship which we find very exciting and is also a perfect fit for our brand. Our corporate colour scheme in orange is visually striking. In the mountain bike, crawler and buggy segments, we also offer many extreme sports products, so we were very interested in expanding our product portfolio and placing more new products on the market. We see a huge potential for growth in motocross, so there was no avoiding it.

What makes your tyres so special for motocross?

We at Maxxis pride ourselves on good quality and good prices. Our products are constantly being further developed, so we also work with riders and teams, absorbing their input and expertise. In motocross sports, for example, we are now planning the third generation of tyres.

Who are you currently sponsoring and why?

For the past ten years, we have been following the career of ADAC MX Masters rider Kornel Nemeth, and we've been working intensively with him on optimising our motocross tyres. You obviously stay loyal to someone like that. We also support the German motocross rider Steffi Laier and sponsor the STC Racing Team, as both Steffi herself and team principal Colin Streubel have great ambitions of progressing further, which is something we applaud.

You have a 15,000-square-metre tyre warehouse in Dägeling near Itzehoe in northern Germany. How do you organise the logistics for export, and how many people do you employee for such a big operation?

The motorcycle business runs on a seasonal cycle, peaking once a year, so it's important to prepare for this in a professional and comprehensive manner, planning everything efficiently. We buy our tyres in September and October, and we then take delivery and enter them in our inventory in December. We despatch them in January and February, so until then they are stored in our central warehouse. You could therefore say that each tyre is processed by three different employees.

You are one of the world's Top Ten tyre manufacturers. How did you manage to build such a great international reputation?

Strategic decisions are made by our parent company in Taiwan; they manage everything on a global scale and enter into partnerships. That's how it has developed over the years.

Which is your biggest market segment?

Motocross products account for just one percent of our turnover. The biggest contribution is made by tyres for light commercial vehicles such as Sprinters and vans, as well as for passenger cars.