OF CONSIDERABLE EXPENDITURE AND WHO CONSTANTLY ASK THEIR TYRE DEALERS FOR ADVICE AND LONG-TERM SPECIALIZED SERVICES ADAPTED TO THEIR SPECIFIC NEEDS . ON THE OTHER HAND , FOR THE AVERAGE BUYER OF CAR OR VAN TYRES THE PURCHASE OF TYRES IS AN OCCASIONAL EVENT AND EVEN IF THE BUYER OPERATES A BUSINESS HE DOES NOT EXPECT SUCH SPECIALIZED ADVICE AND SERVICE ADAPTED TO SPECIFIC NEEDS . HENCE THE SALE OF HEAVY-VEHICLE TYRES REQUIRES A PARTICULARLY SPECIALIZED DISTRIBUTION NETWORK WHICH IS NOT THE CASE WITH THE DISTRIBUTION OF CAR AND VAN TYRES .
41 THE FINAL POINT WHICH MUST BE MADE IS THAT THERE IS NO ELASTICITY OF SUPPLY BETWEEN TYRES FOR HEAVY VEHICLES AND CAR TYRES OWING TO SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES IN PRODUCTION TECHNIQUES AND IN THE PLANT AND TOOLS NEEDED FOR THEIR MANUFACTURE . THE FACT THAT TIME AND CONSIDERABLE INVESTMENT ARE REQUIRED IN ORDER TO MODIFY PRODUCTION PLANT FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF LIGHT-VEHICLE TYRES INSTEAD OF HEAVY-VEHICLE TYRES OR VICE VERSA MEANS THAT THERE IS NO DISCERNIBLE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE TWO CATEGORIES OF TYRE ENABLING PRODUCTION TO BE ADAPTED TO DEMAND ON THE MARKET . MOREOVER , THAT WAS WHY IN 1977 , WHEN THE SUPPLY OF TYRES FOR HEAVY VEHICLES WAS INSUFFICIENT , MICHELIN NV DECIDED TO GRANT AN EXTRA BONUS INSTEAD OF USING SURPLUS PRODUCTION CAPACITY FOR CAR TYRES TO MEET DEMAND .
42 THE COMMISSION RIGHTLY EXAMINED THE STRUCTURE OF THE MARKET AND DEMAND PRIMARILY AT THE LEVEL OF DEALERS TO WHOM MICHELIN NV APPLIED THE PRACTICE IN QUESTION . MICHELIN NV HAS ITSELF STATED , ALTHOUGH IN ANOTHER CONTEXT , THAT IT WAS COMPELLED TO CHANGE ITS DISCOUNT SYSTEM TO TAKE ACCOUNT OF THE TENDENCY TOWARDS SPECIALIZATION AMONGST ITS DEALERS , SOME OF WHOM , SUCH AS GARAGE OWNERS , NO LONGER SOLD TYRES FOR HEAVY VEHICLES AND VANS . THIS CONFIRMS THE DIFFERENCES EXISTING IN THE STRUCTURE OF DEMAND BETWEEN DIFFERENT GROUPS OF DEALERS . NOR HAS MICHELIN NV DISPUTED THAT THE DISTINCTION DRAWN BETWEEN TYRES FOR HEAVY VEHICLES , VANS AND CARS IS ALSO APPLIED BY ALL ITS COMPETITORS , ESPECIALLY AS REGARDS DISCOUNT TERMS , EVEN IF IN THE CASE OF CERTAIN TYPES OF TYRE THE DISTINCTIONS DRAWN BY DIFFERENT MANUFACTURERS MAY VARY IN DETAIL .
43 NEVERTHELESS , IT CANNOT BE DEDUCED FROM THE FACT THAT THE CONDUCT TO WHICH EXCEPTION IS TAKEN IN THIS CASE AFFECTS DEALERS THAT MICHELIN NV ' S POSITION OUGHT TO BE ASSESSED ON THE BASIS OF THE PROPORTION OF MICHELIN HEAVY-VEHICLE TYRES IN THE DEALERS ' TOTAL TURNOVER . SINCE IT IS A QUESTION OF INVESTIGATING WHETHER MICHELIN NV HOLDS A DOMINANT POSITION IN THE CASE OF CERTAIN PRODUCTS , IT IS UNIMPORTANT THAT THE DEALERS ALSO DEAL IN OTHER PRODUCTS IF THERE IS NO COMPETITION BETWEEN THOSE PRODUCTS AND THE PRODUCTS IN QUESTION .
44 ON THE OTHER HAND , IN DECIDING WHETHER A DOMINANT POSITION EXISTS , NEITHER THE ABSENCE OF ELASTICITY OF SUPPLY BETWEEN DIFFERENT TYPES AND DIMENSIONS OF TYRES FOR HEAVY