Michael Welch OBE Announces the Launch of Rolo Tires in Europe

Leading entrepreneur in the tyre industry, Michael Welch OBE, has announced plans to launch Rolo Tires in Europe, supported by advanced agentic technology.

Rolo is a new premium tyre brand founded by Michael Welch, the entrepreneur behind Blackcircles.com, with a mission to make high-quality tyres more accessible to everyday motorists.

Having spent more than two decades building tyre retail businesses across the UK, continental Europe, Asia and the United States, Michael believes the economics of the passenger tyre market have changed. Although motorists continue to favour quality and safety, they no longer accept that premium tyres should sit behind traditional price levels.

Initially, Rolo Tires will be launched in six European markets: France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain and the UK. The brand aims to sell directly to consumers by the first quarter of 2027, whilst a North American expansion is planned for 2028, presenting summer and all-season tyres as part of its core product portfolio.

Rolo 1 is a passenger car tyre, whilst Rolo 2 is a UHP tyre, and Rolo T is a 4×4 and light truck tyre. The brand will launch through a direct-to-consumer model, allowing customers to buy online and have tyres shipped directly to them.

Rolo’s operating model draws on Michael’s thirty years of experience building tyre retail businesses and will include extensively tested agentic systems to support repeatable workflows across the business, helping Rolo operate in a leaner, more responsive and more consistent way from the outset, while positioning it to scale globally.

Rolo is open to selective strategic partnerships with retail, mobility, fleet, digital commerce or market-specific partners in Europe, with a view to accelerating growth while protecting the brand’s customer-first proposition.

Founder Michael Welch said: “I’m really excited to announce the launch of Rolo. Our factory-direct model is designed to give motorists access to premium-quality tyres at a more reasonable price, without asking them to compromise on quality, confidence or value.

“Starting direct-to-consumer is the cleanest way to establish the brand, the value proposition and the customer experience. However, Europe is a diverse market, and we know the right partners can help us move faster in the right places. We are open to conversations with people who understand where the industry is heading.

“The tyre business has a lot of operational complexity, but much of it is repeatable. After thirty years in the industry, I know where that complexity sits. What is different today is that modern technology allows us to define our processes much more precisely and deliver them far more consistently. Rolo is being designed around that idea: use agentic systems to handle repeatable work at scale, while keeping human judgement focused on the decisions that actually need it.”

Rolo’s mission is to build a modern, global tyre brand that makes premium tyre quality more accessible, easier to understand, and better value for motorists.