Modern Tire Dealer - July 2020

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HANGING TOUGH Top 100 dealers look to rest of 2020 with ‘cautious optimism’ Tire dealership M&A: What’s the forecast?

Exclusive 2020 industry Buyers’ Guide Setting up shop – the Sullivan Tire way July 2020 | Vol. 101, No. 7 | $10 | www.moderntiredealer.com

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The Industry’s Leading Publication July 2020, Volume 101, Number 7

Nick, Matt and Mike Jensen from Jensen Tire Co.

24

DEPARTMENTS 2 Editorial Tire dealership M&A activity will accelerate: And that’s no exaggeration

4 moderntiredealer.com News and navigation tools for MTD’s website

F E AT U R E S 19 Giving a new location the ‘green’ light

Sullivan Tire shares secrets to successful growth

22 What’s next for GB Auto Service?

6 Industry News

CEO Kneller says company has ‘tremendous’ growth potential

Industry hiring trails overall U.S. recovery: 2020 has been a ‘bumpy ride’ for tire dealers

14 Numbers that Count Relevant statistics from an industry in constant motion

24 Hanging tough

Tire dealers look to second half of 2020 with ‘cautious optimism’

16 Your Marketplace Is the worst over? Dealer sell-out trends show unexpected strength

54 Creating a Buzz You don’t need to wear a cape to be a superhero: ‘Small’ acts of kindness can have the biggest impact

56 Mergers and Acquisitions M&A market update: Points to consider during the current crisis

36 Modern Tire Dealer 100 2020’s 100 largest U.S. independent tire dealers

64 Mergers and acquisitions during downturns Historic trends point to bright future

58 DSP Insight It’s not ‘just’ an oil change: Give your customers options on this critical service

62 Business Insight Being ‘busy’ isn’t enough: Are you making repair recommendations the right way?

Focus on Dealers/Industry 68 Selling high-end products in a down market: Butler Tires & Wheels caters to clients with big ‘wants’

79 2020 Buyers’ Guide

Companies serving the North American tire market

94 State/national/ provincial associations

Tire dealer organizations in the U.S. and Canada

69 W orking through a crisis: Mobile tire installers see increase in demand 70 V redestein rebrands winter tire line: New Wintrac rounds out brand’s winter tire offering 72 TPMS Mazda3 & Mazda2 — 2007-14

76 Products 96 Ad index 98 Classified

Modern Tire Dealer is a proud member of:

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Editorial

Tire dealership M&A activity will accelerate AND THAT’S NO EXAGGERATION By

Mike Manges

T

he reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated,” Mark Twain supposedly once said in response to an unfounded rumor that he was gravely ill. (He was actually on a successful speaking tour of England at the time — not dying in the gutter, as some rascals had speculated.)

In the wake of COVID-19, you might be wondering if merger and acquisition activities at the tire dealership level have kicked the bucket, too. According to MTD research, rumors of that demise have been overstated, as well.

Just compare last year’s MTD Top 100 list of the biggest independent tire dealerships in the United States to this year’s MTD Top 100, which starts on page 36.

Three dealerships on our 2019 list — Raben Tire Co. LLC (number 37 last year), Lamb’s Tire & Automotive Centers (number 62) and Superior Tire and Service (number 66) — have since been purchased by bigger entities.

Raben was acquired by a tire manufacturer, Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. Lamb’s was acquired by GB Auto Service, a unit of Greenbriar Equity Group. Superior was part of an acquisition of 20-plus stores that Monro Inc. announced in October 2019.

Earlier this year, Mavis Tire made headlines when it acquired 112 NTB Tire & Service Center locations in the Chicago, Boston, Philadelphia and Atlanta markets from TBC Corp. — making it the second largest tire store chain in the country.

Other tire dealerships continued to grow through M&A. Snider Tire Inc. acquired Bluegrass Truck and Trailer in Bradenton, Fla. Purcell Tire & Rubber Co. acquired Springfield, Mo.-based Wilson Industrial Tire. Steve Shannon Tire acquired K&K Tire Barn in Tunkhannock, Pa. Jack’s Tire and Oil acquired Denver, Colo.-based A&E Tire.

And the trend of tire manufacturers

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Steve Shannon Tire opened this new store in Mansfield, Pa., in April. It also acquired another dealership in Pennsylvania during the previous month.

unloading locations continued, too. Pete’s Tire Barns, McCarthy Tire & Service and Pomp’s Tire Service all acquired GCR Tires & Service locations from Bridgestone Americas Inc. since last year’s MTD Top 100 was published. Burt Brothers Tire bought a former Bridgestone company-owned outlet in Salt Lake City, Utah.

And I’m sure more transactions have taken place. (Closer to home, MTD itself was acquired by 10 Missions Media last month.)

Will M&A continue through the rest of the year? For more insight, I turned to Michael McGregor, a partner at Focus Investment Banking LLC and one of North America’s most prominent experts on tire dealership M&A. (Make sure you check out his column on page 56.)

Barring additional economic shocks, M&A activities should “accelerate as the year goes on,” McGregor told me. “Companies that have been on the sidelines will get back in the hunt once they see the competition completing deals that they wish they had done.”

The most likely transactions will happen between small- to medium-sized dealerships, he believes — although he notes that there will always be larger, regional tire dealerships that will leap at the chance to

make what he calls “opportunistic, fill-in acquisitions” within current or contiguous geographies.

And don’t count out private equity, which he says “is in fine shape.”

In fact, private equity groups that have acquired tire dealerships “will realize that they were fortunate to have invested in an essential business — one that performed in the downturn almost in the same category as grocery stores and home improvement companies.”

McGregor also believes that Monro will resume its acquisition efforts. (In late-May, the company said it was putting a temporary halt to acquisitions.)

“I think by the first of the year, they’re going to open the pipeline again. The stock market has rewarded them for their growth, so they will return to that path.”

We’ll keep an eye on all of the above — in addition to what happens with Les Schwab Tire Centers, whose owners decided to hit the pause button on the dealership’s sales process right before this issue of MTD went to press. In the wild world of tire dealership M&A, anything can happen.

And that’s no exaggeration. ■ Are you looking to buy another dealership or sell your own? Let me know at mmanges@10missions.com.

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ModernTireDealer.com DIGITAL RESOURCES FOR THE INDEPENDENT TIRE DEALER

MTD website keeps you informed MTD’s website provides you with breaking news, feature articles, links to exclusive MTD research and blogs, new products and much more 24/7. Check it out today!

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eNewsletters Sign up now for Modern Tire Dealer eNewsletters. We’ll send you the latest news and most popular articles.

Go to: www.moderntiredealer.com and scroll to the bottom of the page to sign up. See “Be the First to Know.”

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Tire Discounters is tied for eighth largest independent tire dealership in the U.S., according to the MTD 100.

I’ve got good news, and I’ve got bad news It feels like ages since the tire industry had any positive news to share. The good news is that some of the top 10 news items read on our website, www.moderntiredealer. com, covered positive developments! Accentuating the positive: The tire market is rebounding, a dealership opens new stores, tire execs see rising demand and release new products. Here are our top 10.

1. Walmart to close its tire centers in Canada 2. MTD exclusive: Top tire execs discuss rising demand, new tire buying habits 3. Tire market rebounding at ‘remarkable speed,’ says GfK 4. Craig Myers of Allen Rubber talks impact of COVID-19 on distribution 5. Goodyear still expects 50% volume drop during second quarter 6. Marangoni’s Armstrong sees uptick in demand for retreads 7. Tire Discounters to open five new locations 8. Bridgestone adds sizes to several consumer tire lines 9. Trucking fleets are freezing equipment replacement, says ACT Research 10. President signs Paycheck Protection Flexibility Act

Art Director: Derrick Beasley, (310) 533-2479 Derrick.Beasley@bobit.com krunion@10missions.com

SALES South and Texas: Greg Smith gsmith@10missions.com (330) 899-2200, ext. 2212 Midwest: Bob Marinez bmarinez@10missions.com (330) 899-2200, ext. 2217 West Coast: Marianne Dyal /The Dyal Company mdyal@10missionscom (706) 344-1388, mobile (619) 990-5536 Automotive Aftermarket: Dan Thornton djtinc@gmail.com (734) 626-4950, mobile (313) 410-0945 Classified Sales: Bob Marinez bmarinez@10missions.com (330) 899-2200, ext. 2217 Reprint Sales: Karen Runion krunion@10missions.com (330) 899-2200, ext. 2210

CUSTOMER/SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE (888) 239-2455, fax (888) 274-4580 bobitpubs@omeda.com

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CORPORATE OFFICERS President: Jay DeWitt Vice President & Publisher: Chris Messer Vice President, Content & Events: Bryce Evans

Modern Tire Dealer (ISSN: 0026-8496) is published monthly by 10 Missions Media, LLC, 571 Snelling Ave N, St. Paul, MN 55104-1804. Copyright © 2020 by 10 Missions Media, LLC. All rights reserved. Modern Tire Dealer content may not be photocopied, reproduced, or redistributed without the consent of the publisher. Periodicals postage paid at St Paul, MN and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTERS Send address changes to: Modern Tire Dealer, 571 Snelling Ave N, St. Paul, MN 55104.

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Industry News

Industry hiring trails overall U.S. recovery 2020 HAS BEEN A ‘BUMPY RIDE’ FOR TIRE DEALERS

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ire dealers are well-acquainted with the economic impact of COVID-19. Retail sales plummeted after the initial shock from the pandemic, but then began to recover as stimulus checks were deposited into Americans’ bank accounts and stay-at-home orders were eased. Medium truck tire shipments surged early as fleets worried about supply, but then those, too, dropped off. Tire dealers with whom MTD talked, as well as the quarterly performances of tire manufacturers, painted the portrait of a struggling industry.

Now there’s more data to add to the big picture — specifically, employment figures.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics lumps auto parts, accessories and tire stores into one category. In May 2019, those stores employed 566,000 people.

A year later, employment at those facilities has dropped to 509,100 people — a 10.1% decline year-over-year.

Collectively, employment numbers at those stores hadn’t dropped below 510,000 employees since January 2013, according to historical figures.

Statistics show the retail landscape outside of the tire industry is gaining ground.

In May, employment in retail rose by 368,000, following a loss of 2.3 million jobs in April. The retail category is divided into 17 subcategories, and all but four of those categories improved their employment picture between April and May. The auto parts/accessories/tire stores category is among those still recording employment losses. The industry shed another 35,800 jobs in May. That’s on top of the 43,000 jobs lost during the previous month.

In April, tire dealers had 182,100 employees, down 7.9% from the 197,700 people on payroll in March. Auto parts and accessories stores fared slightly better in April, losing 6.9% of employees compared the previous month.

“It has been a bumpy ride to say the least,” says Mike Cioffi, founder of Tire Talent, a tire industry-focused recruiting firm.

“Most of our clients froze their (job) openings when COVID-19 became ‘real’ in the United States.”

Cioffi follows the numbers and has analyzed what the latest employment figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics mean for three specific segments of the tire industry. Here’s his take:

Employment in U.S. tire dealerships Retail sector

May-19

Auto parts, accessories & tire stores

Jan-20

Feb-20

Mar-20

Apr-20

May-20

566,000 588,900 588,700 587,900 544,900 509,100

Auto parts & accessories stores

379,300 391,700 391,700 390,300 363,400

n/a

Tire dealers

187,100 197,100 197,400 197,700 182,100

n/a

SOURCE: BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS

Tire dealerships, along with auto parts and accessory stores, shed more than 35,000 jobs in May.

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Employment at auto parts, accessories and tire stores has shown a 10.1% decline year-over-year.

Manufacturing: “We see across the board that top 10 tire manufacturers are drastically reducing their workforce and doing more with less,” he says.

“Plants are coming back online, as we know, and production is behind, in some cases, to keep up with fresh original equipment demand. However, roles like regional and key account sales headcount seem to have been decreased.

“The only companies we have seen increase are startups or small companies looking to enter the U.S. and take market share.

This is a perfect opportunity, in our minds, for disruption to occur.

Multinational manufacturers should remain vigilant if they want to protect their market share.”

Wholesale-distributors: “We see the same across this channel, with hyper-sensitivity to headcount and only replacing critical roles within the organizations,” notes Cioffi.

“We know that all channels are facing some issues in lower-income areas in pulling back their hourly workers into the workforce as the extra $600 per week (paid to supplement usual unemployment benefits) is leaving workers the hard option to make less and risk catching COVID-19 versus staying home and getting paid more.

This is also one of the recurring themes we are hearing while consulting with our clients.”

Retailers: “You can see that most retailers are down dramatically in headcount,” he continues.

“When I’m on the phone with a regional retailer, I generally tend to hear, ‘I’m down anywhere from 15% to 25% right now in sales.’ There are some cases where some (retailers) have said they have never been busier due to their competition pulling back and servicing essential business lines.

“Also, as furloughs come to an end, companies are deciding to scale back and consolidate executive roles instead of bringing their employees back,” he says. — Joy Kopcha MTD July 2020 7/9/20 12:20 PM

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Industry News

Bites ITDG adds Double Coin, Tianli Members of Independent Tire Dealers Group LLC (ITDG) will have access to two more brands of tires: Double Coin and Tianli, both from China Manufacturers Alliance LLC. ITDG represents more than 780 independent tire and auto service locations across North America.

Hankook names consumer VP Curtis Brison is Hankook Tire America Corp.’s new passenger car and light truck sales vice president. Brison is responsible for all of Hankook’s passenger/light truck tire sales and corporate accounts in the United States. Earlier in his career, he worked for Michelin North America Inc.

Kumho updates site Kumho Tire USA Inc. has redesigned its website and dealer portal. Both feature easy navigation tools, and the dealer portal also offers an easier way to track points and rewards, as well as a resource center that contains marketing materials and new product images.

Chen returns to Maxxis In a move designed to augment Maxxis International’s global market presence, former Maxxis President Dr. Wally Chen has come out of retirement to become the company’s chairman. Chen assumed his new role in mid-June.

Trump makes PPP flexible President Donald Trump signed the Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act of 2020, which establishes a minimum maturity of five years for a loan with a remaining balance, after forgiveness. It also extends the period during which loan funds can be used.

Cooper is building new D/C Cooper Tire & Rubber Co. will open a one million-square-foot regional distribution center in Whiteland, Ind. Currently under construction, it is expected to open in early 2021. The facility will replace Cooper’s current Franklin, Ind., distribution center.

Alliance expands distribution Alliance Tire Americas Inc. has opened its first Canadian warehouse in the Toronto, Ontario, suburb of Mississauga. The facility will serve tire dealers in Ontario, Quebec and the Maritimes, says Dhaval Nanavati, the company’s president.

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Walmart to close Canadian tire centers

almart Inc. is closing all of its company-owned automotive centers in Canada. The company has operated tire and lube centers in about a quarter of its Canadian locations.

The news was first reported by media outlets in Canada, but Walmart confirmed the details to Modern Tire Dealer.

When asked about the status of its U.S. Auto Care Centers, a spokesperson for Walmart said the decision is specific to the company’s Canadian business.

With 408 stores in Canada, Walmart said it is closing 106 Tire, Lube and Express locations. “In some of our stores, we will continue to have a partnership with Mr. Lube.”

The closure affects approximately 550 employees, and Walmart says it expects to retain “the vast majority” of those workers in its stores.

In the United States, Walmart is closing all 106 of its auto centers in Walmart closed its Auto Care Canada, but the closures won’t impact its 2,500 automotive centers in the U.S. Centers in mid-March while adapting its business to the pressures of COVID-19.

On May 19, when Walmart reported its quarterly financials for the period ended April 30, 2020, executives told investors that the company would begin reopening some of those Auto Care Centers “over the next few weeks” in locations where the company believes it is safe for both consumers and employees.

At the same time, Sam’s Club reported that its tire sales were soft for the three-month period due to the temporary closure of its tire centers.

At least one tiremaker has pointed to Walmart’s automotive shutdown as a partial cause of its troubles. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.’s replacement tire volume was down 33% in May 2020 compared to prior-year levels, Darren Wells, the company’s executive vice president and chief financial officer, noted during the recent Deutsche Bank Global Auto Industry Conference.

Wells said Walmart had not opened its auto centers “as quickly as we had hoped for.”

Walmart “remains our single largest channel,” he said, and represents “a significant part” of Goodyear’s replacement tire business in the United States.

“We feel as they get those (auto service) centers reopened, that volume will come back.” — Joy Kopcha

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Les Schwab puts sales process on hold

he sale of Les Schwab Tire Centers Inc., the fifth largest independent tire dealership in the United States, according to this year’s MTD 100, has been “paused,” according to Dale Thompson, the company’s chief marketing officer. Travel restrictions and other “COVID-19 concerns have made it not a good time to conduct the normal process” of a potential sale, Thompson told Modern Tire Dealer in late-June. “We anticipate resuming the sales process later this year, conditions permitting.” Les Schwab’s board and shareholders put the dealership up for sale in December 2019.

MTD July 2020 7/9/20 12:10 PM

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Industry News

Most repair facilities have cut pay during COVID-19

Bites Vredestein adds sizes Apollo Vredestein has added 27 sizes to its Quatrac Pro product, giving the all-weather tire line 139 total sizes for North American vehicles. The new sizes expand fitment options ranging in size from 17 inches to 20 inches and target vehicles such as the Audi Q7, BMW X3, Porsche Cayenne and Mercedes GLC300.

Former NTDRA head dies Former National Tire Dealers and Retreaders Association (NTDRA) leader Phil Friedlander Jr. died on June 2. He joined the forerunner of the Tire Industry Association in 1954 as editor of the group’s magazine, and moved up the ladder, eventually to executive vice president in 1976 and chief administrative officer.

Ex-MTD Editor Slaybaugh dies Charles Slaybaugh, a former editor of Modern Tire Dealer, recently died on June 28 at the age of 80. Slaybaugh joined MTD in 1964 and was named its editor in 1971.

Four years later, he became MTD’s editorial director and held that post for six more years.

OK names Store of the Year OK Tire Winkler of Manitoba has been named OK Tire Stores Inc.’s National Store of the Year for 2019. “We’re thrilled to be receiving this award and it means so much to our entire team,” says Walter Funk, who started the store with his wife, Alvera, in 1991. They joined the OK Tire network in 2015.

Hunter offers special Hunter Engineering Co. is offering special financing to any automotive service location that purchases at least $10,000 worth of equipment. Financing over 12 months carries no interest, say Hunter officials.

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n updated survey from IMR Inc. shows how COVID-19 has upended the expectations and priorities of independent automotive repair shops and their technicians. The survey also shows the vast majority of providers that responded to the inquiry — 84% — reported a decrease in revenue.

From May 4-29, IMR surveyed 500 independent automotive repair facilities. In addition to the drop in revenue, 54.6% reported they had reduced staff and 86.8% had lowered pay.

Rural shops were more likely to reduce staff (57.9%) compared to 53.7% of suburban and 49.5% of urban shops.

Eighty percent of stores with eight or more bays reduced staff. Smaller businesses fared better as 52.8% of stores with four to seven bays enacted staff cuts, while 46.2% of stores with one to three bays implemented staff reductions.

Technicians are worried about Reducing hours and pay proved to be much more working enough hours and common across all geographies in the industry: 92.6% keeping themselves safe at work, of suburban stores reduced hours/pay, compared to according to the latest survey by 86% of urban stores and 84.2% of rural locations. automotive research firm IMR. The survey also provided a fresh look at what independent repair facilities consider their top challenges for the remainder of 2020: • • • • • • • •

Keeping staff and customers safe via social distancing: 55% Getting customers, keeping the shop running and returning to normal hours: 44% Getting parts on time: 34% Getting parts and finding suppliers with parts in stock: 29.2% Making payroll and keeping techs working: 29% Recovering financially from COVID-19: 21% The rising cost of parts and keeping prices affordable for customers: 15.2% Finding a way to compete with larger chains and dealerships: 9.8%

As a point of comparison, in February, IMR released survey results showing what independent automotive repair providers expected to be their biggest challenges for 2020. At the top of that list: finding time for hands-on training.

For technicians at independent repair facilities, 45.8% said their greatest challenge will be to keep working enough to support their families. This was followed by 37.2% of technicians who said they’re concerned with keeping themselves safe at work due to COVID-19.

In the January survey, 42.6% of technicians said their primary concern was finding time for training.

Maxam promotes Gilland Maxam Tire North America Inc. has named Greg Gilland vice president of its agricultural tire program. Gilland joined Maxam as its North American segment manager in 2018.

Arisun warranty extended Zhongce Rubber Group Co. Ltd. (ZC Rubber) has extended the warranty on Arisun truck tires to six years from the original date of manufacture. The new warranty offers two free retreads for tires made after July 1, 2020.

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GB Auto Service acquires 32 Sun Devil Auto stores

B Auto Service Inc. announced before press time that it has added 32 more locations to its footprint with the acquisition of Sun Devil Auto Service, which has stores in Arizona, Texas and Nevada. Sun Devil Auto Service was founded in 1978 by Joel Higginbotham. Sun Devil Auto Service’s locations do not sell tires currently, but a spokesman from GB Auto Service recently told Modern Tire Dealer that it is planning to add tires to the chain’s offerings.

“We are excited to be joining forces with the Sun Auto team,” says GB Auto Service CEO Frank Kneller. “We are looking forward to investing in Sun Auto’s growth and continuing its terrific success.” An exclusive interview with Kneller can be found on page 22 of this issue of MTD. MTD July 2020 7/9/20 12:10 PM

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5/28/20 12:10 3:08 PM PM 7/9/20

Industry News

SEMA details safety precautions for November show

Bites Federal wins award The Xplora R/T from Federal Tire North America LLC has won a 2020 iF Design Award. The tire won in the automobile/ vehicles category of products. The tire previously received the Good Design Award from Chicago.

Vee recalls LT tires Vee Tyre and Rubber Co. Ltd. is recalling 522 Taiga A/T tires, size LT285/75R16. Due to a manufacturing issue, the sidewall may separate from the tire, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

GRI plants are running Specialty tiremaker Global Rubber Industries (Pvt.) Ltd. says its plants in Sri Lanka are operating at full capacity as the company continues to ensure employee safety. Each factory has an in-house medical treatment facility.

Nokian rewards grads Nokian Tyres Inc. selected two graduates of Rhea County High School near Dayton, Tenn., as the recipients of its inaugural local scholarship. The company plans to support education, fund scholarships and advocate for sustainability in southeast Tennessee.

ALI leader has died E.K. “Chic” Fox, who dedicated 43 years of his life to the Automotive Lift Institute (ALI), died on June 6 after a long illness.

He was named the first president of ALI in 1974 after working 12 years supporting the organization. Fox retired in 2005.

SMP honors good deeds Standard Motor Products Inc. (SMP) named three winners of its Standing Together promotion to support automotive repair businesses that were helping their communities during the pandemic. Cleland Automotive of Listowel, Ontario; Music’s Auto of Brookville, Ohio; and Protech Autocare of Cincinnati, Ohio; each received $1,000.

Tyrexpo Asia set for 2021 The 13th edition of Tyrexpo Asia will be held March 17-19, 2021, in Marina Bay Sands in Singapore, and is expected to welcome more than 200 exhibitors from the tire industry.

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n reference to its early-November show in Las Vegas, Nev., the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) says it is “focused on building the optimal business environment where showgoers will feel safe to congregate.” The association says it is working with “many experts across multiple industries, including health care, facility management, city and state leadership, and event experience and design.”

The 2020 SEMA Show, which features the Global Tire Expo - Powered by TIA, is scheduled to take place Nov. 3-6. SEMA says thousands of attendees and exhibitors have already registered to attend.

Show organizers are “researching and collaborating on” health precautions, including directional traffic flow and distanc- The 2020 SEMA Show is scheduled for ing measures; use of personal protective Nov. 3-6 in Las Vegas, Nev. equipment, like face masks; developing “an efficient health query protocol as showgoers arrive on campus;” encouraging early registration; and more. SEMA officials will provide regular updates “into September.”

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BKT provides COVID-19 support

hrough its Acting Together program, Balkrishna Industries Inc. (BKT) is providing critical assistance to people who have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Since the international COVID-19 crisis began, BKT has distributed: • • • • • • • • • •

More than 600,000 pounds of wheat flour; More than 400,000 cooked food packets; More than 265,000 pounds of rice; More than 132,000 pounds of lentils; More than 132,000 pounds of salt; More than 132,000 pounds of sugar; More than 60,000 packs of food assistance; More than 60,000 spice bags; More than 60,000 bottles of soap; More than 15,800 gallons of cooking oil.

BKT is providing help to people impacted by COVID-19.

BKT, in collaboration with other organizations, also has donated 25,000 single-use personal protective equipment kits, consisting of a protective suit, a face shield, a mask, a pair of gloves and shoe covers, to frontline COVID-19 workers.

And in the United States, BKT’s North American office continues to support Samaritan’s Purse, an independent organization that assists victims of disease, natural disasters and other situations.

Goodyear expects 50% volume drop

G

oodyear Tire & Rubber Co. thought its volume would be down “around 50%” during the second quarter of 2020, Darren Wells, the company’s executive vice president and chief financial officer, said during the recent Deutsche Bank Global Auto Industry Conference. “I think that estimate still holds.

“The downside for us has been a slower-than-originally-expected OE start-up,” he said.

During the presentation, Wells also addressed Goodyear’s manufacturing projections, stating that the company’s production will be down by more than 26 million units during the second quarter versus one year ago. ■ MTD July 2020 7/9/20 12:11 PM

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NumbersThatCount

Relevant statistics from an industry in constant motion

16.6%

54.6% 16.6%

Percent of surveyed technicians at independent automotive repair shops who said finding time for training was their primary concern. This is down from 42.6% who said this was their primary concern in automotive research company IMR Inc.’s January 2020 survey.

SOURCE: SOURCE: IMR INC., AUTOMOTIVERESEARCH.COM

84%

Percent of surveyed independent automotive repair shops that reported staff reductions this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Out of urban, suburban and rural areas, rural shops implemented the largest staff reduction at 57.9%. Eighty percent of shops with eight or more bays reduced staff, in contrast with shops that have one to three bays (42.6%) and shops with four to seven service bays (52.8%).

SOURCE: IMR INC., AUTOMOTIVERESEARCH.COM

12

16.6%

9

Percent of surveyed independent automotive repair shops that reported a decrease in revenue during 2020 due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

6

3

62%

Percent of Americans who are more comfortable traveling by car than by plane due to COVID-19.

SOURCE: HANKOOK TIRE GAUGE INDEX

SOURCE: IMR INC., AUTOMOTIVERESEARCH.COM

47% 37% 61.3%

Males decide which brand of tires to purchase and retailer to frequent more often than women (38.7%).

SOURCE: BRIGHTLINE MARKETING LLC (WWW.BRIGHTLINEMARKETING.COM), MODERN TIRE DEALER JANUARY 2020 FACTS ISSUE.

14 MTD0720_Numbers.indd 14

Percent of Americans who are driving as often or more since the pandemic hit. “Many who are doing so are going to an essential job or to help take care of family members who may not be able to get behind the wheel right now. Others are going on drives to get out of the house,” Hankook notes.

SOURCE: HANKOOK TIRE GAUGE INDEX

Average profit margin for visibility products at tire dealerships. Dealers sell, on average, 35 visibility products (wipers) a month, with an average ticket price of $27.61. Average annual sales are $11,596 and the average annual profit from these products is $5,450.

SOURCE: MTD 2018-2019 AUTOMOTIVE SERVICE SURVEY, MODERN TIRE DEALER JANUARY 2020 FACTS ISSUE

MTD July 2020 7/9/20 2:19 PM

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Is the worst over?

DEALER SELL-OUT TRENDS SHOW UNEXPECTED STRENGTH By

John Healy

A

fter an incredibly difficult March and April, it appears that the worst of the demand destruction caused by the COVID-19 pandemic might be behind us.

Our recent conversations with dealers leave us with the viewpoint that retail sellout trends have shown recent strength on a sequential basis. From a volume standpoint for the month of May, surveyed dealers reported that their unit sales declined 0.2% versus May 2019.

That number followed the worst two months in the history of our index — the direct result of COVID-19’s impact on consumer behavior and driving patterns, as well as the overall economic environment.

We do note that there could be some share shift occurring in the market, as well, which is helping independent tire dealers. Retail giant Walmart kept many of its auto care centers closed over the last three months — at least up until recently. We believe this has provided a share opportunity for independent tire retailers at the local level.

PEOPLE ARE DRIVING AGAIN

With the recent demand shocks prompted

by COVID-19, we also examined a number of data points to measure the health of automobile travel demand, which correlates to tire usage and wear. Most states began to reopen around mid-May, on average.

With the lifting of strict stay-at-home orders, people have started to get out of their houses and are using their personal vehicles for travel, leading to increased tire demand. This is already beginning to be reflected in miles driven trends across the United States.

On a year-over-year basis, a severe reduction in miles driven began to take place the week of March 15, as weekly miles driven plummeted 25.7% on a year-

over-year basis, with the next three weeks seeing declines of 40% or more. Since then, trends have improved sequentially.

It’s interesting to note that Apple’s Mobility Trends Report reveals that people are starting to search more for driving directions, a practice that fell 62% in early April.

As of June 13, driving direction search trends are up 40% as restrictions continue to relax and summer weather brings more people out of their homes.

With the lifting of strict stay-at-home orders, people have started to get out of their houses and use their personal vehicles for travel.

DEMAND BY TIER

In last month’s column, I wrote that tierthree tire brands have experienced the most growth over the last several months.

I also shared our belief that the resurgence of tier-three brands will likely continue, as long as COVID-19-related issues impact the general economy.

Our latest research shows that tier-one and tier-two brands recently experienced growth, as well — which comes as somewhat of a surprise. Despite this, we maintain that customers will continue to flock to tier-three

brands as they will only buy tires if they absolutely need to, opting for value brands.

Looking past COVID-19, we believe more customers will gravitate toward tier-one and tier-two brands. However, given the current environment in which some dealers are unable to push customers toward more expensive brands, we believe customers will choose less-expensive options.

RAWS CONTINUE TO FALL

Our research also shows that raw material costs continue to fall. The “basket” of raw materials used to build a standard consumer tire fell 23.2% on a year-over-year basis in May. Carbon black continues to see its cost pressures subside on a year-over-year basis.

Crude oil prices have experienced extreme cost pressures over the last three months, as March, April, and May saw oil prices come down 50.7%, 74.1%, and 55.9%, respectfully.

Natural rubber prices, which are tied to oil, fell substantially by 29.3% on a yearover-year basis during the month of May. And synthetic rubber costs have remained negative for 14 straight months, while price pressures on reinforcement items continue to track negative on a year-over-year basis at a mid-single-digit rate. ■ John Healy is a managing director and research analyst with Northcoast Research Holdings LLC based in Cleveland, Ohio. Healy covers a variety of subsectors of the automotive industry.

Snapshot of dealers’ PLT tire volumes (year-over-year change) Mar-19

Apr-19

May-19

Mar-20

Apr-20

May-20

Average

Increase

45%

54%

46%

29%

0%

25%

40%

Flat

31%

17%

22%

14%

13%

50%

30%

Decline

24%

29%

32%

57%

87%

25%

30%

Total

100%

100%

100%

100%

100%

100%

100%

SOURCE: NORTHCOAST RESEARCH ESTIMATES

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Modern Tire Dealer 100

Giving a new location the ‘green’ light SULLIVAN TIRE SHARES SECRETS TO SUCCESSFUL GROWTH By By

I

Lori ??????

L. Mavrigian

n a typical year, Sullivan Tire Co. Inc., based in Norwell, Mass., opens two to four new locations. The company currently has 88 locations in the New England area, and is the 15th largest independent tire dealer in the U.S., according to the 2020 MTD 100.

However, this has not been a typical year. The company has put all deals on hold.

“With the pandemic, everything that was in our pipeline, we paused,” says Roy Donlon, the company’s general counsel and director of real estate. “There were certain deals that we were close on, but we backed off from everything for the obvious reasons.

We will remain flexible, and we will wait and see the outcome of the crisis.

“Integrating a new site into a company is complicated enough, but then you add the pandemic and the restrictions now for training, etc., and it’s even more difficult.

However, we’re confident that growth will emerge from this.”

Here are some of the ingredients to Sullivan Tire’s past growth success.

FINDING AN IDEAL LOCATION

As noted, typically the company opens two to four new locations a year. “That number may be up or down a little bit, but we try not to go too far up,” says Donlon. “One of the biggest issues with growth, and I think every company deals with this, is the human resource component of finding employees to staff the location, especially managers.

We always are concerned about that aspect.

You don’t want to grow too fast and deplete the bullpen of managers ready to move up.

“Our signature way of growth is that we find a location and create a relationship with the owner while they are deciding on what to do in the future. If the owner doesn’t have a plan for succession, we get into a conversation.”

He says the company has many relationships with other dealerships. “We feel we are friendly competition. Do I know them?

Sometimes I do. Sometimes I don’t. And if it is a two-bay outlet, we’re not interested.

That’s too small.”

Donlon says Sullivan Tire likes to acquire w w w . M o d e r n T i r e D e a l e r. c o m MTD0720_StoreDesign.indd 19

1

6

5

2

3

4

Clockwise from top left: 1. Let your building be your best advertising, says Donlon. When people pass by a Sullivan Tire store, they immediately recognize the green color scheme, he says. 2. Sullivan Tire showrooms feature a lot of natural light from the large floor-to-ceiling windows. Customers can work while waiting for their cars, thanks to multiple device plug-ins, or just sit, relax and watch television. 3. The service desk is situated so that salespeople can have relatively private conversations with each customer, who is free to discuss their vehicle’s issues without being overheard by waiting clients. 4. A Sullivan Tire location in Augusta, Maine, illustrates the company’s concept of using lots of glass to show off the inside of the showroom and service bays. Especially during the time of year when it gets dark early, being able to gaze into the dealership and see all the activity clearly advertises that the store is open for business. 5. Ideally, Sullivan Tire wants a location to have 10 or more bays.

But they will acquire dealerships that feature fewer. And parking in New England is always an issue, says Donlon. Some locations require creative solutions, such as offsite parking for employees. 6. This Newport, R.I., location sports the company’s green roof. Also note the concrete flower planters. These are a nice landscaping touch and they also prevent trucks from clipping the company’s awnings.

locations with 10 bays, but will buy stores with as few as five.

“If the conversation gets to a certain point — if it passes our tests — we go on to due diligence on the property. We look at it from soup to nuts. If it passes that phase, our finance department starts looking at it. Everything is kept private. Only our top leaders know the details.

“We put a pro forma together, and our leadership and retail department will ask, ‘Does it fit?’ We look at whether or not we can get our hands on existing sales. Other

information we look at has to do with the market, such as (customer) drive times.

In Maine, for example, we usually want a 10-minute drive time for the customer.

We start with a look at the community.

Can we support it?

“We will buy an analysis on the market, which looks at what’s already in supply in the area and what may be missing. We look at the competitors and population.

We look at traffic, we look at accident reports, the ease of getting into and out of the location — we look at everything.

19 7/9/20 2:26 PM

Modern Tire Dealer 100

DEALING WITH ZONING HEADACHES

Every community has zoning laws and regulations, notes Donlon — some more than others. Typically, areas are broken down into three zones: business, industry and residential. “However, some areas have a million zones, and the regulations become very difficult. Sometimes tire dealerships are zoned out of a community.

“When a broker calls, I ask them if they’ve checked the zoning. I ask them to make sure auto service is allowed or if we can get a special permit. A special permit is a town’s way of saying ‘maybe.’ You go and speak in front of a special permit hearing. Sullivan Tire presents its plan, board members ask questions, such as what you do about noise or environmental waste. Sometimes the questions are off the wall. You provide the information, and you may get a special permit.

“You may have to deal with regulations, such as not being allowed to be open on Saturday. You might not be allowed to have trash outside. These are all things to consider when looking at a location.”

GIVING IT A ‘GREEN’ LIGHT

Once a good location is found, the company prepares the location to be a typical Sullivan Tire outlet.

“Sullivan Tire showrooms are open and visible — the more glass, the better,” says Donlon. “Windows let light into the showroom. And the dealership looks more open at night. Some say it’s like working in a fishbowl, but we like it.

“We, as a company, do the best we can to turn our buildings into signage.

Sign laws may limit us, so the more the building sells itself, the better. Our colors are important. We have a green stripe on all our buildings. Where we can, we have green roofs. They look different and people recognize them as a Sullivan Tire outlet.

“However, we want the buildings to look ‘normal’ for the area. Some have a ‘farmhouse’ look. Every community is

20 MTD0720_StoreDesign.indd 20

Learning from mistakes: An ‘ah-ha’ moment Roy Donlon, general counsel and director of real estate for Sullivan Tire Co. Inc., says he had an “ah-ha” moment about 15 years ago.

“There’s an old saying: ‘Measure twice, cut once.’

In developing a new tire store, it’s more like ‘Measure 20 times, cut once.’

We do so much diligence.

We don’t make mistakes.”

Well, not often, anyway.

He says the first time Sullivan Tire did a renovation on a store that stayed open during construction, he took the first service bay

next to the showroom and closed it off, and then put up plywood walls to separate it from the rest of the service area. He put chairs for customers in this space.

The first day of construction, he noticed an elderly woman sitting in the improvised waiting room “with droplets of sweat on her brow,” Donlon says. “There she sat, clutching her handbag, showing extreme signs of discomfort, as she was forced to listen to the loud whirr of the impact gun being used in the next bay.

different, and we want to fit in but also distinguish ourselves.”

OFFERING CREATURE COMFORTS

Sullivan Tire showrooms are alike, too.

The company realizes that customers need access to staff and keeps this in mind when waiting areas are designed. “While customers are sitting in our showrooms, we don’t want them to be able to eavesdrop on other conversations,” says Donlon. “We want distance between customers and staff.”

He knows there are positives and negatives about allowing customers to see into the service department. “Some say there should be full glass windows between the showroom and the service area, so customers can see what is being done on their vehicles.

But our business isn’t always pretty. As an example, if the vehicle has rusted-on lug nuts and the tech needs to use a blowtorch or hammer to get them off, customers don’t want to see this being done to their car!

“We want to have visibility, but not make it too comfortable,” he says. “Our customers have to stand and walk up to a window to look into the service bays. We don’t want them watching 24/7. We have to balance our concerns for our employees and the customers.”

Sullivan Tire locations feature glass bay doors. This is for two reasons. “Our locations look open to the public, particularly in the winter, when it’s dark at 4:30. And we feel the more natural light, the better. All our bay

“Oh my God,’ I thought.

‘What have I done?’ That is so unappealing.”

Now the company leases large, high-end trailers with air conditioning, comfortable lounge chairs and televisions. “Now when a site is under renovation, our customers are escorted to a trailer parked outside the store, where they can sit in quiet comfort.

“Looking back, I (figured) I had thought of everything.

But I remember looking at that woman and thinking, ‘Never again!’”

doors are signage. They say, ‘We’re an auto service facility and we’re open for business.’”

Donlon also points out that the company often places heavy concrete flowerpots around the front of the stores. “This provides nice landscaping, but these strategically placed flowerpots also prevent trucks from clipping our stores’ awnings.

“We do everything we can to be visible to the public. And our interior design, with our large counters, works well, especially now with the pandemic.

“There are similarities between one shop and another,” he notes. “There are two parts to this equation. With the similarities, customers recognize Sullivan Tire. And it also reduces our cost of maintenance. We know everything is the same, from the color of the walls to the material on the floors.”

Changes have been made to the Sullivan Tire showrooms. “Years ago, we had office cubbies where people went to work while they waited. Now those are out, since everything is wireless. In the waiting area, there are high-top tables where people can do work and look out windows. And we have areas with flat screen TVs, with amenities such as tea, coffee and vending machines. All is kept clean and compliant.

“I think one important thing that has changed is we are no longer a ‘garage.’ We are a retail establishment. We should make customers feel just as comfortable walking into our stores as they would walking into another retail establishment.” ■

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“In New England, you’re never going to find the perfect site. Nine out of 10 times, the parking situation is going to be terrible.

We’ll figure it out. Maybe we’ll have off-site parking for employees. You need to decide what you want most. It’s a balancing act.

You’re not going to find a site in Massachusetts that has enough parking unless you have a billion dollars to spend and you are going to buy a whole city block.”

MTD July 2020 7/9/20 2:27 PM

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800.723.2553 MTD0720_StoreDesign.indd 21

Modern Tire Dealer 100

What’s next for GB Auto Service?

CEO KNELLER SAYS COMPANY HAS ‘TREMENDOUS’ GROWTH POTENTIAL

By

Mike Manges

F

rank Kneller is the CEO of GB Auto Service Inc., one of the fastest growing conglomerates of independent tire dealerships in the United States.

A division of Greenbriar Equity Group LP, GB Auto Service, over the last several years, has acquired a number of tire dealerships, including Lamb’s Tire & Automotive Centers, Evans Tire & Service and others.

Today, GB Auto Service occupies the number eight spot on the MTD 100, with 133 locations that sell tires.

In this exclusive interview, Kneller discusses the company’s expansion strategy, what it looks for in potential acquisitions and more.

MTD: GB Auto Service has made a number of major tire store chain acquisitions over the last several years. You now have more than 130 locations that sell tires. Can you elaborate on your acquisition strategy?

Kneller: Greenbriar and I have both believed for many years that the do-it-for-me (DIFM) segment of the aftermarket is a large and growing market with favorable secular trends and cycle-resistant characteristics, given the non-discretionary nature of many of the services.

Our strategy is to partner with the best teams in the industry and assemble a pool of talent that we feel is unmatched. To this end, we believe we offer an attractive and differentiated exit alternative for many owners looking to both preserve their brand/legacy and know their employees will become part of a larger, but supportive and nimble, team organization.

various acquisitions, you have made it a point to maintain your acquisitions’ existing brand identities. Why is this important to your overall strategy?

“While mergers and acquisitions can be unpredictable, we intend to aggressively increase our footprint over the remainder of 2020 and beyond,” says GB Auto Service CEO Frank Kneller.

with attractive demographics, along with pre-existing relationships, helped inform our decision to focus in the west and southwest.

Since establishing our initial footprint in Arizona, Nevada and southern California, we’ve focused on in-market or adjacent acquisitions in Texas and green-fields to drive regional density.

MTD: Many of your acquisitions have been dealerships that had more than a dozen locations when you bought them. And all of your acquisitions, to our knowledge, have been in the western and southwestern U.S. What’s the rationale behind this approach?

MTD: Do you have geographic whitespace within your current footprint that you would like to fill? Do you have plans to acquire chains in other regions of the country, and if so, where?

Kneller: Although there is a great deal of cohesion among our current acquisitions and green-fields, the truth is that we look at a number of factors when determining whether an acquisition is a fit with our overall direction. Without sharing too much of the secret recipe, I will say that we absolutely value companies with strong business fundamentals, community ties, and customer service expertise — not to mention a track record of strong financial performance. Geographic location, while not a non-factor, is less important than the business fundamentals.

Kneller: The combination of large markets

MTD: Over the years and throughout

22 MTD0720_Greenbriar.indd 22

Kneller: We respect the fact that our customers are critical to what made these companies successful in the first place, so in many cases, we believe in maintaining local brand identities.

However, we also recognize the importance of having a cohesive platform behind the scenes, and to that end we have tightly integrated our acquired businesses across a variety of dimensions, including operational best-practices, product and service

“We respect the fact that our customers are critical to what made these companies successful in the first place, so in many cases, we believe in maintaining local brand identities,” says Kneller.

(Pictured, an Evans Tire & Service Center location in Encinitas, Calif.)

screens, point-of-sale and reporting systems, and employee compensation and benefits structures.

The companies with whom we’ve partnered have developed strong connections to their local communities over many decades and in most cases, in-store personnel and area leadership remain the same because we want our customers to have a familiar experience that is enhanced by the technology, training and other resources we can offer them.

“While mergers and acquisitions can be unpredictable, we intend to aggressively increase our footprint over the remainder of 2020 and beyond,” he says. ■ MTD July 2020 7/9/20 11:55 AM

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6/26/20 2:54 PM 7/9/20 11:55 AM

Modern Tire Dealer 100

HANGING TOUGH TIRE DEALERS LOOK TO SECOND HALF OF 2020 WITH ‘CAUTIOUS OPTIMISM’

By

Mike Manges

C

autiously optimistic” describes how many independent tire dealers feel as they enter the second half of what has been an incredibly tumultu-

ous year.

From a strong business start in January and February to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, followed by strict government-imposed lockdowns in many parts of the country, a corresponding drop in tire demand, the relaxation of stay-at-home orders and most recently, a gradual increase in vehicle usage, dealers have managed to stay the course.

But for many, it hasn’t been easy.

Like their peers throughout the country, the tire dealers who make up the 2020 edition of the MTD 100, which starts on page 36, are hoping for better days ahead.

Here’s a look at how several of the nation’s biggest dealerships are navigating the road to recovery.

‘CASH IS KING’

After a few tough months, car count has picked up at Omaha, Neb.-based Jensen Tire Co., dba Jensen Tire & Auto, which, with 21 retail tire locations, is the 54th largest tire dealership on the 2020 MTD 100 list. “We had a pretty good start to June,” says President Matt Jensen. With the relaxation of stay-at-home orders, “I think people are feeling that they need to get out of the house. The weather has helped, too. It’s been warm here.”

Jensen Tire’s store count remained flat in 2019. The dealership plans to add another location next year. “We’ve been looking at land for quite some time,” says Jensen. “Land prices have levelled off.

You’re not paying premium prices like you have over the last five or six years. We’re highly involved with a property right now.

“But it’s like anything else,” he cautions. If COVID-19 infections continue to increase, “things could change real quick. You don’t

24 MTD0720_Top100Feature.indd 24

Jensen Tire has taken a number of steps to enhance working capital “Inventory is a big thing,” says President Matt Jensen (center, with sons Nick and Mike Jensen).

“We’re drawing inventories down and we’re turning rubber into cash.”

want to spend too much if you expect problems down the road. Cash is king.”

Jensen has taken a number of steps to preserve working capital at his company.

“Inventory is a big thing. We normally stock close to 40,000 tires. We don’t do that anymore. We’re drawing inventories down and we’re turning rubber into cash.”

Suppliers understand that strategy, he says. “Their business also is down. I can’t imagine any (tire dealer) being up with a manufacturer. Every supplier has its quarterly objectives and most have decreased those by about 40%. Everyone we deal with has changed the targets they need to hit.

“Our big thing right now is keeping our people motivated. We’re getting them geared up and thinking that good times are right around the corner. But we’re only buying equipment as we need it. We’re repairing (items) as much as possible.

We’re not overdoing things. We’re very, very cautious.”

‘LOOKING AT EVERYTHING’

Brooks Swentzel, president of S&S Firestone Inc., dba S&S Tire Service, which also is ranked number 54 on this year’s MTD 100, says his company is focused on getting its new distribution center in Tulsa, Okla., up and running.

The dealership, which presently has 12 wholesale distribution centers and 21 commercial tire locations, added two former GCR Tires & Service commercial centers in West Virginia last year. (One of those centers came with a retread plant.)

Growing with existing customers also is at the top of S&S Tire’s “to-do” list. “We need to do a better job of gaining shelf space within our network,” says Swentzel.

“There’s a lot of shelf space to be taken.

We just have to go in and be a value to the customer and earn that business.”

Wholesale customers are telling S&S Tire that end users are gravitating toward “tier-three” products. Swentzel says it’s too early to tell if that trend will continue MTD July 2020 7/9/20 11:58 AM

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2M0 o1d9e rMn o Td ier ren DTei ar el e Dr e1a0l e0 r 1 0 0 Swentzel. “The other factor is people. We’ve furloughed some. And we’ve had to look at how we deliver tires to our customers, who – on the wholesale side – have been fantastic.

“We’ve spent the last several months putting metrics, measurements and plans in place to make sure that as we come back, we come back healthier than we were, pre-COVID. By that, I mean truck utilization, route utilization, operations, sales – we’re looking at everything.”

‘A GREAT DEAL OF COMMON SENSE’ S&S Tire Service is focused on getting its recently opened distribution center in Tulsa, Okla., up and running. “We’ve spent the last several months putting metrics, measurements and plans in place to make sure that as we come back, we come back healthier than we were, pre-COVID,” says Brooks Swentzel, the dealership’s president.

into next year. “We have programs with all the top-tier manufacturers,” he notes.

“I think a lot will be predicated on what they do during the second half. I hope the rebound will be shaped like a V-curve. But my crystal ball is broken. I don’t have the answer. Plus, this is an election year – and

26 MTD0720_Top100Feature.indd 26

sometimes in an election year, things can go crazy. There are so many factors.”

With no plans to acquire or build more locations during the second half of 2020, S&S Tire will focus on controlling its costs.

“We have three big expenses: warehouses, a lot of trucks and a lot of inventory,” says

Plaza Tire Service Inc., which has 67 locations and holds the 19th spot on this year’s MTD 100, is applying extra scrutiny to everything it does, according to Mark Rhodes, the Cape Girardeau, Mo.-based dealership’s president. “Instead of monthly goals, we’re doing two-week sales goals – just to keep everybody focused,” he says.

The COVID-19 pandemic and resulting drop in business forced the company to alter how it does other things. “We’ve changed the way we pay our guys. We’ve

MTD July 2020 7/9/20 11:59 AM

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6/8/20 11:59 2:50 PM 7/9/20 AM

2M0 o1d9e rMn o Td ier ren DTei ar el e Dr e1a0l e0 r 1 0 0 modified some of our hours. And with that, we’ve used a great deal of common sense and have stayed within all the COVID-19 rules of engagement.”

Plaza Tire has not pulled back on marketing or advertising. “We’re reaching out to customers in every conceivable way possible, whether it’s email or mailers or our typical TV and radio. We’re still having promotions consistently. We’re treating things like normal. And we were able to do that because we weren’t caught up in a big metro area that was shut down, with the exception of St. Louis, where we have a few stores.

“We’re in the middle part of the country, which got hit last,” he says. “We saw stuff coming and maybe were a little betterprepared than other places were.”

The dealership opened a new, eight-bay store in Rogers, Ark., near the end of 2019. It also built a new location in Springdale, Ark., last year. And the company is rebranding an acquisition that it made in Paducah, Ky. “We just finished remodeling it.”

Rhodes says Plaza Tire has no plans to

28 MTD0720_Top100Feature.indd 28

make additional acquisitions in 2020. “But we have a few pieces of property that we’ve purchased and will start building soon.

They’re in existing markets.”

Overall, he believes that business “will be a little bit down from last year – maybe through August. And I think September will be similar. Then I think later in the year, it should rebound. People are spending money.”

‘FULL STEAM AHEAD’

Cincinnati, Ohio-based Tire Discounters, ranked number eight on this year’s MTD 100 with 133 outlets at press time, is moving ahead with expansion plans for the rest of the year. The dealership opened a retail store in late-May and plans to open more locations in the Knoxville, Tenn.; Huntsville, Ala.; and Indianapolis, Ind., markets by summer’s end.

“We chose to open new stores in existing markets to serve our existing customer base where they are,” says Managing Director Anna Wood. “We’re starting to see (more) demand so we’re full steam ahead.”

Like its peers, Tire Discounters experienced a decline in business after the COVID-19 pandemic hit. “That first week, there was a sudden deflation in car count,” says President Jamie Ward, who adds that the dealership had already put contingency plans in place.

“In February, we were hearing about the virus and knew it was going to come to us,” says Ward. “We gathered our management team together and challenged every department head to come up with what-if and worst-case scenarios. Each team came up with an approach and then went after it. We knew most (competitors) would be going on defense. We knew we had to go on offense.”

During the depth of the COVID-19 crisis, Tire Discounters continued to advertise aggressively “to let people know we were open and we were an essential business.”

Ward says demand has rebounded to such a degree that the dealership has accelerated its hiring efforts. “We’re adding staff in certain locations to keep up with demand.”

MTD July 2020 7/9/20 11:59 AM

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2M0 o1d9e rMn o Td ier ren DTei ar el e Dr e1a0l e0 r 1 0 0 He calls the current talent pool “really good. We’ve heard from a lot of service technicians who are working with other organizations but have either had their pay cut or their labor rate reduced. A lot of them are flat rate, which is challenging.

They’re not making money if they’re not turning wrenches. We have a very fair compensation plan for service techs. We’re also very selective. All of our stores are Automotive Service Excellence-certified.

We’ve made that a focus of our business.

“We’ll continue to be as proactive and forward-thinking as possible,” he says. “We feel good about the back half of the year.”

‘RUNNING NON-STOP’

John McCarthy, president of Wilkes-Barre, Pa.-based McCarthy Tire Service Co. Inc., which is ranked number 21 on this year’s MTD 100, echoes Ward’s sentiment. “I’m an optimistic person. I like to look for the positives. Everything we’re hearing from the manufacturers we do business with is that they are expecting growth in the third quarter and more growth in the fourth

30 MTD0720_Top100Feature.indd 30

Tire Discounters recently opened a retail store in Knoxville, Tenn., and says it will have 135 outlets by summer’s end. The company also is adding technicians in certain locations. “We chose to open new stores in existing markets to serve our existing customer base where they are,” says Managing Director Anna Wood.

quarter.” (McCarthy Tire had 60 outlets at press time.)

The dealership acquired 13 GCR Tires & Service locations from Bridgestone Americas Inc. in 2019 and will spend the rest of this year integrating them into its operations. “Normally, when we look at

our history, we acquire and then bring those operations into our own and make sure their culture and the way they go to market is integrated into how we do things,” he says.

Many existing customers have increased their business with the dealership, which

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Modern Tire Dealer 100

McCarthy Tire Service Co. Inc. recently merged two commercial truck tire operations into a larger facility in Levittown, Pa. “You can’t do everything the same way you did even three months ago,” says President John McCarthy, MTD’s 2019 Dealer of the Year.

operates in eight states. “Home delivery fleets are up, UPS is up – that’s the kind of customer I’m talking about,” says McCarthy, who was the recipient of MTD’s Tire Dealer of the Year Award in 2019.

“Those customers have been extremely busy – not just on the tire side, but on the mechanical side. They’re running all-

out right now. Bottled water companies, beverage distributors, some medical supply customers… we also do business with a lot of supermarket chains. Their trucks have been running non-stop.

“But then there are other companies that have closed down,” he adds. “We have a big customer that’s a dental supply company,

Never waste a good crisis

Four tips to prepare for a better future “It seems like every 10 years, something like (the COVID-19) pandemic happens,” says Don Mead, CEO of Callaghan Tire Inc. in Bradenton, Fla. “There was the early-80’s recession, the early-90’s recession, the tech bubble bust, the Great Recession and now this.” Mead says there are four things tire dealers should do during every crisis: Take care of your people. “Make sure you’re taking care of your employees. You need policies and programs in place.”

Take care of your customers. “Each customer is different. Make sure you know what your customers’ policies and rules are.”

Practice business continuity. “You have a cost structure. And you have to make sure you’re financially capable of getting through this. You have to lower your break-even and

32 MTD0720_Top100Feature.indd 32

look at your costs. Some are unproductive assets. You have to get after them.”

Crack down on loose spending. “I used to call this ‘discretionary spending.’ You have to address what’s leaking out of the bucket.”

Even more important is not losing sight of where you want to be three to five years down the road. “It’s hard because you’re in hand-to-hand combat every single day,” he says. “But a crisis can expose things” that need to be fixed.

“You can finally confront some brutal realities that you might have overlooked during the good times. The best time to make progress is during a crisis. And you want your employees to understand this, too. They want confidence and want to know there is a future beyond this. A crisis can give you courage.”

with 1,500 employees. Eighty percent of their business has gone away. We’ve tasked our sales force with identifying customers that have continued to run.”

McCarthy says tire dealers should use this time to re-evaluate how they approach the market. “You can’t do everything the same way you did even three months ago.

Unfortunately, there are some who think all you need to do to pick up business is cut price.”

The dealership hasn’t succumbed to that temptation. “It’s costing us more money to do business now. We’re paying our frontline associates bonuses every month for what they’ve had to go through. It’s not easy to do that with profits being down.”

“IT’S BEEN PRETTY AMAZING’

Chris Mitsos, vice president of Mountain View Tire & Service Inc., a 31-store chain based in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. – and the number 36 on MTD’s 2020 Top 100 – reports that COVID-19 “wasn’t as critical of a hit as some thought it would be. Our business is 83% back to where we normally are,” he told MTD in late-May. “We were thinking recovery would take six to nine months. It’s been pretty amazing.”

Mitsos says his dealership is not unique in that regard. “I’m hearing the same thing everywhere, so that tells me that as long as companies are able to adjust to having 15% MTD July 2020 7/9/20 12:00 PM

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Modern Tire Dealer 100 to 20% less revenue, they will be fine. And that reduction will manifest itself on the expense side. You just lower your payroll and make adjustments and that’s probably what companies are going to do.”

He believes “there’s more pressure” on dealerships that didn’t have a good handle on their expenses before COVID-19 hit.

“But by and large, I think most companies will come out of this pretty well,” he

explains. “I no longer believe there will be less competition when this is all over.”

Mountain View Tire opened three stores in 2019, which completed a five-location expansion plan that began the previous year.

Two of those locations “have gotten off to a challenging start,” according to Mitsos.

“Back in the early-2000’s, when we would open a store, by the eighth or ninth month (after opening) we would see its numbers

(approach) any pre-existing store we had.

We still feel really good about where we built the stores. It just takes longer these days to get a store cranked up, unless you’re in an area that was really under-served.

In more mature communities that have been around awhile, it takes longer to get your footing – and that’s what we’re experiencing.”

Right now, the dealership “doesn’t see any reason to get bigger,” reveals Mitsos.

“We feel like there is a lot of untapped potential within our 31 stores and that’s probably the best way to grow. As we come upon some more mature stores that are in (structures) that were built in the 1970’s – when those leases come up in the next two, three or four years – we will probably scrutinize them a lot more.

Then, at that point, we would put a plan in place to add more stores.”

‘PEOPLE ARE STARTING TO DRIVE’

John Ziegler, vice president of Massillon, Ohio-based Ziegler Tire & Supply Co., the 39th biggest dealership on this year’s MTD 100, is “cautiously optimistic that things are trending the right way.”

For the month of June, Ziegler Tire was projecting a 10% to 15% decline “from where we were at that time last year – which was better than we had planned for. People are starting to drive and trucks are moving.”

The dealership added three commercial locations last year. The stores, which are in Indiana and Kentucky, “were just opportunities that presented themselves and it made sense to move forward. But I think we have to protect what we have .”

That includes controlling inventory and receivables, he notes. “We have programs for our wholesale customers and we have programs with the major manufacturers for volume purchases. We’re going to buy what we need and not anymore than what we need.

“That’s not to say that manufacturers haven’t come back with some different offerings for different things. We’re always chasing that carrot. But for the most part, it seems like it’s been more of a ‘Let’s take our lumps and see what the second half brings.’”

Ziegler Tire, which opened in 1919, has survived the Great Depression, the disruption caused by World War II and multiple pandemics and recessions. His advice for fellow tire dealers? “You just have to do what you have to do.” ■

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Modern Tire Dealer 100

Warehouse

Total outlets

Commercial

Retail/ commercial

Company

Retail

2020’s 100 largest U.S. independent tire dealers Brands

1

Renault-Thomas Corp., dba Discount Tire/America’s Tire 1,071 Scottsdale, Ariz.

Dean Muglia, CEO www.discounttire.com

0

0

1,071

0

Arizonian, Barum, BFGoodrich, Bridgestone, Carlisle, Continental, Cooper, Dunlop, Falken, General, Goodyear, GT Radial, Hankook, Kumho, Michelin, Nankang, Nitto, Pathfinder, Pirelli, ProComp, Road Hugger, Toyo, Yokohama

2

Mavis Tire Express Services Corp.1 Millwood, N.Y. Stephen and David Sorbaro, co-CEOs www.mavistire.com

904

0

0

904

0

BFGoodrich, Bridgestone, Continental, Cooper, Dunlop, Firestone, Fuzion, General, Goodyear, Hankook, Kelly, Michelin, Pirelli, Uniroyal, Yokohama

3

Monro Inc.2 Rochester, N.Y. Brett Ponton, CEO and president www.monro.com

751

0

11

762

8

Achilles, BFGoodrich, Blacklion, Cooper, Dick Cepek, Dunlop, General, Goodyear, Falken, Hankook, Kelly, Kumho, Laufenn, Michelin, Mickey Thompson, Nokian, Ohtsu, Pantera, Yokohama

4

TBC Corp., dba Tire Kingdom and NTB Tire & Service Centers Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. Erik Olsen, CEO and president www.tbccorp.com

616

0

0

616

0

BFGoodrich, Bridgestone, Continental, Cooper, Cordovan, Crosswind, Dunlop, Firestone, General, Goodyear, Hankook, Kumho, Michelin, Multi-Mile, Nexen, Nitto, Ohtsu, Pirelli, Sumitomo, Toyo

5

Les Schwab Tire Centers Inc.3 Bend, Ore. Jack Cuniff, CEO www.lesschwab.com

0

438

0

438

0

Bridgestone, Caldera, Continental, Cooper, Dean, Double Coin, Falken, Federal, Firestone, Hankook, Mastercraft, Mazama, Michelin, Pirelli, Sailun, Toyo

6

Southern Tire Mart LLC Columbia, Miss.

Thomas and James Duff, owners www.stmtires.com

4

30

108

142

3

API, Bridgestone, Camso, Continental, Double Coin, Firestone, General, Gladiator, GT Radial, Michelin, Mohawk, Toyo, Yokohama

7

Rent A Wheel/Rent A Tire LP * Los Angeles, Calif.

John Bowlin, Don Sabin and Matt Seaburn, partners www.rentawheel.com

136

0

0

136

0

Delinte, Landsail, Nexen, Nitto, Toyo

8

GB Auto Service Inc., dba Ramona Tire, Evans Tire & Service Centers, Tire Works Total Car Care, Lamb’s Tire & Automotive Centers, BRAKEMax Tire & Service Centers, Driver’s Edge, Wilhelm Automotive and Louetta Automotive4 Tucson, Ariz.

Frank Kneller CEO www.greenbriarequity.com

133

0

0

133

0

Achilles, BFGoodrich, Blacklion, Bridgestone, Continental, Dunlop, Falken, Firestone, Fuzion, General, Goodyear, GT Radial, Hankook, Kelly, Kumho, Michelin, Milestar, Pirelli, Uniroyal, Westlake, Yokohama

8

Tire Discounters Inc.5 Cincinnati, Ohio Chip Wood, chairman www.tirediscounters.com

133

0

0

133

0

BFGoodrich, Bridgestone, Calvary, Continental, Cooper, General, Goodyear, GT Radial, Kenda, Mastercraft, Michelin, Milestar, Nankang, Nexen, Pirelli, Thunderer, Toyo, Uniroyal, Venezia, Westlake, Yokohama

10

Pomp’s Tire Service Inc. Green Bay, Wis. Jim Wochinske, CEO www.pompstire.com

4

40

85

130

4

BFGoodrich, Bridgestone, Continental, Dayton, Dunlop, Firestone, Fuzion, General, Goodyear, Hankook, Kelly, Michelin, Uniroyal, Yokohama

11

Belle Tire Distributors Inc. Allen Park, Mich.

Jack Lawless, CEO www.belletire.com

125

0

0

125

1

BFGoodrich, Bridgestone, Continental, Cooper, Dunlop, Falken, Firestone, General, Goodyear, Hankook, Kelly, Kenda, Kumho, Mastercraft, Michelin, Nexen, Ohtsu, Pirelli, Sumitomo, Trailer King, Uniroyal

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Untitle

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Modern Tire Dealer 100

Warehouse

Total outlets

Commercial

Retail/ commercial

Company

Retail

2020â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 100 largest U.S. independent tire dealers Brands

12

ATV Tire, dba American Tire Depot Vernon, Calif.

Ara Tchaghlassian, president www.americantiredepot.com

107

3

2

112

5

Accelera, Achilles, BFGoodrich, Bridgestone, Continental, Delinte, Dunlop, Falken, Federal, Goodyear, Hankook, Kelly, Kumho, Michelin, Nexen, Nitto, Pirelli, Riken, Saffiro, Toyo, Tracmax, Windforce

13

Leeds West Groups, dba Big O Tires6 Greenwood Village, Colo.

Judd Kyle Shader, CEO www.leedswest.com

101

0

0

101

0

BFGoodrich, Big O, Continental, Cooper, Dunlop, General, Goodyear, Hankook, Nankang, Nitto, Pirelli, Sumitomo, Uniroyal, Yokohama

14

Town Fair Tire Centers Inc. East Haven, Conn.

Neil Mellen, CEO and president www.townfair.com

99

0

0

99

4

BFGoodrich, Bridgestone, Continental, Dunlop, Falken, Firestone, General, Goodyear, Hankook, Kelly, Mastercraft, Michelin, Nexen, Pirelli, Toyo, Uniroyal, Yokohama

15

Sullivan Tire Co. Inc. Norwell, Mass.

Robert Sullivan, president www.sullivantire.com

73

0

15

88

13

BFGoodrich, Bridgestone, Continental, Double Coin, Dunlop, Firestone, Gladiator, Goodyear, Hankook, Jetzon, Kelly, Kumho, Michelin, Sailun, Sumitomo, Uniroyal, Yokohama

16

AAA Club Alliance Inc., dba AAA/Bob Sumerel Tire & Service, AAA Car Care and AAA Tire & Auto Service7 Wilmington, Del. Craig Sumerel, president www.bsts.com

84

0

0

84

0

BFGoodrich, Bridgestone, Carlisle, Continental, Cooper, Firestone, General, Goodyear, Kumho, Michelin, Nexen, Pirelli, Uniroyal

17

Snider Tire Inc., dba Snider Fleet Solutions8 Greensboro, N.C. John Snider, chairman and CEO www.snidertire.com

0

0

76

76

0

BFGoodrich, Continental, General, Hankook, Long March, Michelin, Sumitomo, Uniroyal, Yokohama

18

Purcell Tire & Rubber Co. *9 Potosi, Mo. Roger Lucas, CEO and president www.purcelltire.com

7

30

38

75

19

Plaza Tire Service Inc.10 Cape Girardeau, Mo. Mark Rhodes, president www.plazatireservice.com

0

67

0

67

1

Achilles, Atturo, BFGoodrich, Blacklion, Bridgestone, Cordovan, Dick Cepek, Falken, Firestone, Kenda, Kumho, Landsail, Michelin, Nokian, Pantera, Pirelli, Road-X, Summit, Toyo, Uniroyal, Vee, Yokohama

20

VIP Inc., dba VIP Tires & Service Auburn, Maine John Quirk, chairman and CEO www.vipauto.com

59

2

1

62

3

BFGoodrich, Bridgestone, Goodyear, Michelin, Multi-Mile, Pirelli

21

McCarthy Tire Service Co. Inc.11 Wilkes-Barre, Pa. John McCarthy Jr., president www.mccarthytire.com

6

15

39

60

1

Alliance, BFGoodrich, Bridgestone, Camso, Continental, Dayton, Firestone, Galaxy, General, Gladiator, Hankook, Hercules, Maxam, Michelin, Presa, Primex, Titan, Trelleborg, Triangle, Westlake, Uniroyal, Yokohama

22

Western Automotive Ventures Inc., dba Big O Tires * Las Vegas, Nev. Mark Rhee, president www.bigotires.com

56

0

0

56

0

BFGoodrich, Big O, Continental, Cooper, Dunlop, General, Goodyear, Hankook, Michelin, Mickey Thompson, Nitto, Pirelli, Sumitomo, Uniroyal, Yokohama

23

Dunlap & Kyle Co. Inc., dba Gateway Tire & Service * Batesville, Miss., Robert Dunlap, chairman and CEO www.dktire.com

0

54

0

54

16

BFGoodrich, Bridgestone, Carlisle, Deestone, Firestone, Hankook, Kenda, Maxxis, Michelin, Toyo, Uniroyal, Yokohama

23

Peerless Tyre Co., dba Peerless Tyres 4 Less Denver, Colo.

Sam Forbes, president www.peerlesstyreco.com www.buytires4less.com

54

0

0

54

0

Bridgestone, Delta, Firestone, Fuzion, Hankook, Laufenn, Sumitomo

38 MTD0720_Top100Chart.indd 38

3

BFGoodrich, Continental, Dunlop, General, Goodyear, Hankook, Kelly, Kumho, Maxam, Michelin, Samson, Solideal, Sunfull, Toyo, Unicorn, Uniroyal, Yokohama

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Modern Tire Dealer 100

Warehouse

Total outlets

Commercial

Retail/ commercial

Company

Retail

2020’s 100 largest U.S. independent tire dealers Brands

25

Service Tire Truck Centers Inc.12 Bethlehem, Pa. Walter Dealtrey, CEO and president www.sttc.com

0

3

45

48

0

BFGoodrich, Cooper, Goodyear, Kelly, Michelin, Roadmaster, Yokohama

26

Black’s Tire Service Inc., dba Black’s Tire and Auto Service13 Whiteville, N.C. Ricky Benton, president www.blackstire.com

23

22

1

46

5

Alliance, BFGoodrich, Continental, Cooper, Double Coin, Dunlop, Falken, Federal, General, Greenball, Hankook, Kelly, Goodyear, Lexani, Mastercraft, Michelin, Mickey Thompson, Ohtsu, ProMeter, Roadmaster, Uniroyal

26

Commercial Tire Inc. Meridian, Idaho Bob Schwenkfelder, president www.commercialtire.com

9

28

9

46

1

Alliance, Bridgestone, Cooper, Firestone, Galaxy, Primex, Sailun, Sumic, Yokohama

26

Nebraskaland Tire Co. Inc., dba Nebraskaland Tire, Kansasland Tire and Coloradoland Tire Lexington, Neb. Gary Wright, president www.thetirestore.com

17

24

5

46

1

Alliance, Cooper, Dunlop, Goodyear, Kelly, Mastercraft, Michelin, Titan

29

The Tire Guys Inc., dba Tire-Rama Billings, Mont.

David Wehr, CEO and president www.tirerama.com

21

20

1

42

2

Bridgestone, Cooper, Firestone, Yokohama

30

Dobbs Tire & Auto Centers Inc. High Ridge, Mo. David Dobbs, CEO and president www.gotodobbs.com

40

0

0

40

0

BFGoodrich, Bridgestone, Continental, Cooper, Dunlop, Goodyear, Kelly, Michelin, Multi-Mile, Pirelli, Sumitomo

31

Conrad’s Tire Service Inc., dba Conrad’s Tire Express & Total Car Care Cleveland, Ohio Eric Turk, CEO and president www.econrads.com

38

0

0

38

0

Bridgestone, Delta, Doral, Firestone, Goodyear, Mastercraft

32

AKH Co. Inc., dba Discount Tire Centers * Anaheim, Calif.

Andy Andonian, chairman/Sergio Andonian, president www.discounttirecenters.com

36

0

0

36

0

AutoGrip, BFGoodrich, Blacklion, Bridgestone, Continental, Dunlop, Falken, Firestone, Geostar, General, Hankook, Kumho, Michelin, Minerva, Nankang, Nitto, Pantera, Pirelli, Uniroyal

32

Earl W. Colvard Inc., dba Boulevard Tire Center14 Deland, Fla. Earl Colvard, president www.boulevardtire.com

4

4

28

36

0

BFGoodrich, Bridgestone, Continental, Cooper, Dayton, Firestone, General, Gladiator, Hankook, Kumho, Michelin, Nitto, Primewell, Starfire, Uniroyal, Yokohama

32

Jack Williams Tire Co. Inc. Scranton, Pa. Bill Williams, CEO www.jackwilliams.com

36

0

0

36

12

BFGoodrich, Bridgestone, Continental, Cooper, Dunlop, Firestone, General, Goodyear, GT Radial, Hemisphere, Kelly, Kumho, Mastercraft, Michelin, Nexen, Nokian, Toyo, Uniroyal, Yokohama

35

Bauer Built Inc., dba Bauer Built Tire & Service Durand, Wis. Jerry Bauer, chairman and CEO www.bauerbuilt.com

0

12

23

35

0

Ameristeel, BFGoodrich, Bridgestone, Continental, Constellation, Firestone, General, Hercules, Kumho, Uniroyal

36

Graham Tire Co.15 Sioux Falls, S.D./Spencer, Iowa Bob and Tom Graham, owners www.grahamtire.com

8

17

6

31

0

Blacklion, Bridgestone, Dunlop, Firestone, Goodyear, Hankook, Kelly, Nokian, Thunderer, Titan

36

Mountain View Tire & Service Inc. Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.

Nicholas Mitsos, CEO and president www.mountainviewtire.com

31

0

0

31

0

Cooper, Dunlop, Goodyear, Kelly, Nankang, Starfire, Westlake

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Modern Tire Dealer 100

Warehouse

Total outlets

Commercial

Retail/ commercial

Company

Retail

2020’s 100 largest U.S. independent tire dealers Brands

36

SF Tire and Service Central Inc., dba Big O Tires * Benicia, Calif.

Chris Monteverde, owner www.bigotires.com

31

0

0

31

0

BFGoodrich, Big O, Bridgestone, Continental, Cooper, Dunlop, Firestone, General, Goodyear, Hankook, Kumho, Michelin, Nitto, Nokian, Pirelli, Radar, Sailun, Sumitomo, Toyo, Uniroyal, Yokohama

39

Colony Tire Corp. * Edenton, N.C. Scott Creighton, president www.colonytire.com

1

16

11

28

6

Achilles, BFGoodrich, Blacklion, Continental, Cooper, Cordovan, Falken, General, Mastercraft, Michelin, Ohtsu, Pirelli, Toyo, Uniroyal, Yokohama

39

Kost Tire Distributors Inc., dba Kost Tire and Auto Service * Clarks Summit, Pa. Erwin Kost Sr., president www.kosttirepa.com

27

0

1

28

1

Bridgestone, Continental, Firestone, Goodyear, Hankook, Laufenn, Michelin, Pirelli

39

T&W Tire LLC * Oklahoma City, Okla.

Kane Russell, John Theissen and Steve Theissen, owners www.tandwtire.com

0

28

0

28

0

Advance, BFGoodrich, Bridgestone, Carlisle, Continental, Cooper, Dick Cepek, Dynatrac, Falken, Farmboy, Firestone, General, Hankook, Hi-Run, Hercules, Ironman, ITP, Kumho, Michelin, Mickey Thompson, Nexen, Nitto, Pirelli, Regency, Samson, Solideal, Supercargo, Sutong, Toyo, Uniroyal

39

Ziegler Tire & Supply Co., dba Ziegler Tire16 Massillon, Ohio William Ziegler, president www.zieglertire.com

6

21

1

28

2

BFGoodrich, Bridgestone, Carlisle, Continental, Crosswind, Dayton, Firestone, Fuzion, General, Kumho, Mitas, Nokian, Road X, Samson, Sumitomo, Uniroyal, Yokohama

43

Flynn’s Tire Group, dba Flynn’s Tire & Auto Service17 West Middlesex, Pa. Joe Flynn III, president www.flynnstire.com

22

0

5

27

4

BFGoodrich, Bridgestone, Continental, Cooper, Dunlop, Firestone, General, Goodyear, Hankook, Kelly, Michelin, Sumitomo, Uniroyal, Yokohama

43

Grismer Tire Co., dba Grismer Tire & Auto Service, Detroit Tire and Dayton Tire Sales Dayton, Ohio John Marshall, executive vice president (retail) www.grismertire.com

26

0

1

27

0

BFGoodrich, Bridgestone, Carlisle, Continental, Firestone, Fuzion, General, Hankook, Michelin, Nokian, Pirelli, Primewell, Uniroyal

45

Ben Tire Distributors Ltd., dba Neal Tire and Auto Service Toledo, Ill. Terry Carlon, president www.nealtire.com (retail) www.bentire.com (wholesale)

25

0

1

26

6

BFGoodrich, Bridgestone, Cooper, Crosswind, Firestone, Goodyear, Michelin, Mickey Thompson, Multi-Mile, Sumitomo, Yokohama

45

Dunn Tire LLC Buffalo, N.Y. David Simons, president www.dunntire.com

26

0

0

26

0

BFGoodrich, Bridgestone, Continental, Cooper, Dunlop, Firestone, General, Goodyear, Hankook, Kelly, Kumho, Mastercraft, Michelin, Mickey Thompson, Nexen, Pirelli, Prometer, Sailun, Sumitomo, Uniroyal, Yokohama

45

Golden West Tire Centers LLC, dba Big O Tires * Los Alamitos, Calif.

Matthew Greco and Robert Curry, owners/managing members www.goldenwesttires.com www.bigotires.com

26

0

0

26

0

BFGoodrich, Big O, Continental, Cooper, Dunlop, General, Goodyear, Hankook, Michelin, Nitto, Pirelli, Sumitomo, Uniroyal, Yokohama

48

Bob Sumerel Tire Co. Inc. Erlanger, Ky. Bob Sumerel, CEO www.bobsumereltire.com

1

9

15

25

0

Bridgestone, Continental, Cooper, Firestone, General, Goodyear, Yokohama

48

Christensen Enterprises, dba Action Gator Tire Stores Orlando, Fla. Fred Christensen, president www.actiongatortire.com

10

15

0

25

0

BFGoodrich, Bridgestone, Continental, Cooper, Dunlop, Falken, Firestone, Fuzion, General, Goodyear, Hankook, Kumho, Mazzini, Michelin, Nexen, Nitto, Pirelli, Uniroyal, Westlake, Yokohama

42 MTD0720_Top100Chart.indd 42

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Untitle

Untitled-1 1 MTD0720_Top100Chart.indd 43

6/17/20 2:22 PM 7/9/20 12:02 PM

Modern Tire Dealer 100

Warehouse

Total outlets

Commercial

Retail/ commercial

Company

Retail

2020â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 100 largest U.S. independent tire dealers Brands

48

Rental Concepts LLC, dba RNR Custom Wheels & Performance Tires * Fayetteville, Ark. David Harrison, president www.rnrarkansas.com

25

0

0

25

0

BFGoodrich, Bridgestone, Dunlop, Goodyear

48

T.O. Haas Tire Co. Inc. Lincoln, Neb. George Hoellen, owner and president www.tohaastire.com

25

0

0

25

0

BFGoodrich, Bridgestone, Continental, Dick Cepek, Durun, Firestone, General, Goodyear, Hankook, Kumho, Michelin, Mickey Thompson, Nexen, Nitto, Pro Meter, Uniroyal, Westlake

52

Royal Tire Inc. St. Cloud, Minn.

Mick Pickens, president www.royaltire.com

7

0

15

22

0

Blacklion, Bridgestone, Continental, Cooper, Dayton, Falken, Firestone, Fuzion, General, Goodyear, Michelin, Pantera, Road One, Toyo, Triangle, Yokohama

52

Southern Indiana Tire, a wholly owned subsidiary of Best-One Tire Group18 Monroe, Ind. Larry Zurcher and Mark Zurcher, CEOs www.bestonetire.com

4

14

4

22

0

Bridgestone, Firestone, Mastercraft, Roadmaster

54

Big Brand Tire Corp., dba Big Brand Tire & Service Moorpark, Calif.

Greg Robinson, president www.bigbrandtire.com

20

0

1

21

0

Accelera, BFGoodrich, Bridgestone, Continental, Cooper, Delinte, Dunlop, Durun, Falken, Federal, General, Gladiator, Goodyear, Hankook, Kingstar, Kumho, Michelin, Nexen, Nitto, Nokian, Pirelli, Pro Comp, Republic, Toyo, Uniroyal, Wynstar, Yokohama

54

Jensen Tire Co., dba Jensen Tire & Auto Omaha, Neb. Matthew Jensen, owner and president www.jensentireandauto.com

21

0

0

21

0

BFGoodrich, Continental, Cooper, Cordovan, Dunlop, Fierce, General, Goodyear, Kelly, Michelin, Sumitomo, Toyo, Uniroyal

54

Peteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Tire Barns Inc.19 Orange, Mass.

Peter Gerry, CEO and president www.petestire.com

0

21

0

21

0

Ameristeel, BFGoodrich, BKT, Bridgestone, Camso, Carlisle, Continental, Cooper, Double Coin, Firestone, General, Giti, Goodyear, Greenball, Maxam, Michelin, Nokian, Trelleborg, Uniroyal

54

Steve Shannon Tire Co. Inc.20 Bloomsburg, Pa. Steve Shannon, CEO and president www.steveshannon.com

0

21

0

21

5

Bridgestone, Cooper, Delta, Firestone, GT Radial, Hankook, Otani

54

S&S Firestone Inc., dba S&S Tire21 Lexington, Ky. Brooks Swentzel, president www.sstire.com

0

0

21

21

12

Alliance, Bridgestone, Caraway, Carlisle, Continental, Cooper, Dayton, Dunlop, Firestone, Fuzion, Galaxy, Goodyear, General, Kelly, Mastercraft, Mastertrack, Michelin, Nexen, Roadmaster, Road One, Pirelli, Primex, Supercargo, Toyo, Westlake

59

MFA Oil Co., dba Big O Tires in Missouri, Arkansas and Oklahoma * Columbia, Mo. John Ihler, CEO and president www.mfaoil.com

20

0

0

20

0

BFGoodrich, Big O, Continental, Cooper, Goodyear, Michelin, Nitto, Pirelli, Sumitomo, Uniroyal, Yokohama

59

Tireman Auto Service Centers LLC Toledo, Ohio Randy Jones, president ww.thetireman.com

20

0

0

20

0

BFGoodrich, Bridgestone, Continental, Cooper, Delta, Firestone, General, Goodyear, Hankook, Kelly, Michelin, Uniroyal, Yokohama

61

Northwest Tire Inc. Bismarck, N.D. Dan Pearson, president www.nwtire.com

10

5

4

19

4

Bridgestone, Delta, Firestone, Goodyear, Nexen, Nokian, Titan, Toyo, Yokohama

44 MTD0720_Top100Chart.indd 44

MTD July 2020 7/9/20 12:02 PM

Untitle

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Untitled-5 1 MTD0720_Top100Chart.indd 45

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6/23/20 10:47 PM PM 7/9/20 12:03

Modern Tire Dealer 100

Warehouse

Total outlets

Commercial

Retail/ commercial

Company

Retail

2020’s 100 largest U.S. independent tire dealers Brands

61

Rims USA LLC, dba RNR Tire Express * Spartanburg, S.C. Chris Raffo, owner www.rnrtire.com

19

0

0

19

0

Bridgestone, Continental, Cooper, Dayton, Delta, Falken, Firestone,Fuzion, Goodyear, GT Radial, Hankook, Kelly, Kumho, Mastercraft, Michelin, Nankang, Nexen, Nitto, Pirelli, Primewell, Yokohama

63

Chabill’s Tire Service LLC, dba Chabill’s Tire & Auto Service Morgan City, La. Beth Barron, CEO www.chabillstire.com

14

3

1

18

0

Armstrong, BFGoodrich, Bridgestone, Firestone, Goodyear, Kelly, Michelin, Sailun, Toyo, Uniroyal

63

CJ’s Tire & Automotive Inc. Birdsboro, Pa. Paul Levengood Jr., president www.cjtire.com

18

0

0

18

5

Achilles, BFGoodrich, Blacklion, Carlisle, Continental, Dunlop, Falken, Firestone, Goodyear, Hankook, Kumho, Laufenn, Michelin, Ohtsu, Nokian, Pirelli, Power King, Uniroyal, Yokohama

65

Allen Tire Co. Lakewood, Calif.

Fred Allen Jr., president www.allentire.com

17

0

0

17

0

BFGoodrich, Continental, Cooper, Goodyear, GT Radial, Michelin, Toyo

65

Delta World Tire Co. of N.O. Inc. New Orleans, La. Paul Bernstein, president www.deltaworldtire.com

16

1

0

17

0

BFGoodrich, Bridgestone, Continental, Cooper, Goodyear, Michelin, Starfire, Sumitomo, Toyo, Uniroyal, Vanderbilt

65

East Bay Tire Co. Fairfield, Calif.

George Pehanick, CEO www.eastbaytire.com

0

4

13

17

3

Alliance, BFGoodrich, BKT, Carlisle, Continental, Dawg Pound, Duro, General, Goodyear, Maxam, Michelin, Titan, Toyo, Trelleborg, Uniroyal

65

Jack’s Tire and Oil Management Co. Inc.22 Logan, Utah Bob Feldbauer, CEO and president www.jackstireandoil.com

1

12

4

17

0

BFGoodrich, Continental, Falken, General, Goodyear, Hankook, Kelly, Marathon, Michelin, Sailun, Sumitomo, Toyo, Uniroyal, Yokohama

65

Nelson Tire Inc., dba Gill’s Point S23 The Dalles, Ore. Eric Gill, CEO and president www.gillspointstire.com

9

8

0

17

0

Continental, Falken, Goodyear, Nexen, Nokian, Hankook, Toyo

65

Virginia Tire & Auto LLC24 Fairfax, Va. Mike and Julie Holmes, co-CEOs www.vatire.com

17

0

0

17

0

Bridgestone, Continental, Firestone, General, Goodyear, Michelin

71

Heartland Tire Inc. Ramsey, Minn.

Dave Mitchell, owner www.heartlandtireservice.com

11

3

2

16

0

BFGoodrich, Bridgestone, Continental, Cooper, Dunlop, Firestone, General, Goodyear, Kelly, Kumho, Michelin, Nitto, Toyo, Uniroyal, Yokohama

71

St. Lucie Battery & Tire Co. * Fort Pierce, Fla. Doug Miller, president www.slbattery.com

10

5

1

16

0

Americana, BFGoodrich, Boto, Bridgestone, Carlisle, Cashland, Centara, Continental, Cooper, Cordovan, Crosswind, Delinte, Delta, Eldorado, Falken, Firestone, Freestar, Fullrun, Galaxy, General, Giti, Goodyear, Harvest King, Ironman, Kleber, Maxam, Maxxis, Michelin, Milestar, Multi-Mile, Nanco, Nankang, Nexen, Nokian, Power King, TBC Brands, Toyo, Trac Gard, Trailer King, Trazano, Uniroyal, Westlake, Yokohama

71

Valley Tire Co. Inc. Charleroi, Pa. Jim Stankiewicz, president www.valleytireco.com

1

5

10

16

0

BFGoodrich, Continental, Firestone, General, Michelin, Sumitomo, Uniroyal, Yokohama

46 MTD0720_Top100Chart.indd 46

MTD July 2020 7/9/20 12:03 PM

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Untitled-1 1 20ATO005 MTD0720_Top100Chart.indd MTD Independence47 Print Ad_final.indd 1

6/22/20 6/18/20 7/9/20 11:15 11:41 12:03 AM AM PM

Modern Tire Dealer 100

Warehouse

Total outlets

Commercial

Retail/ commercial

Company

Retail

2020â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 100 largest U.S. independent tire dealers Brands

74

Custom Bandag Inc. * Linden, N.J. Fred DeJesus Sr., CEO and president www.custombandag.com

0

15

0

15

0

Bridgestone, Continental, Cooper, Firestone, General, Goodyear, Michelin, Yokohama

74

Wm. J. Cassidy Tire & Auto Supply Co., dba Cassidy Tire & Service * Addison, Ill. Ahern family members, owners www.cassidytire.com

0

15

0

15

0

Continental, General, Toyo

74

Holyoke Tire Group * West Springfield, Mass.

Peter Kearing, president www.springfieldtire.net

9

3

3

15

0

BFGoodrich, Bridgestone, Dunlop, Firestone, Goodyear, Kelly, Kenda, Michelin, Nokian, Uniroyal

74

P.R. Walker Inc., dba Tire Tracks USA * Joliet, Ill. Frank Shipla, president www.tiretracksusa.com

15

0

0

15

0

BFGoodrich, Bridgestone, Continental, Cooper, Firestone, Fuzion, Goodyear, Hankook, Michelin, Nankang, Nitto, Sumitomo, Westlake

74

Shrader Tire & Oil Co. Toledo, Ohio Joe Shrader, CEO and president www.shradertireandoil.com

15

0

0

15

0

BFGoodrich, Continental, Dynacargo, General, Kumho, Michelin, Uniroyal

74

SPF MGT CO LLC, dba RNR Tire Express Tampa, Fla. Larry Sutton, president www.rnrtires.com

15

0

0

15

0

AMP, BFGoodrich, Bridgestone, Continental, Cooper, Delinte, Dunlop, Falken, Firestone, Fuel, Fuzion, General, Goodyear, Hankook, Kelly, Kumho, Lexani, Michelin, Nexen, Nitto, Pirelli, Thunderer, Toyo, Uniroyal, Vogue, XF Offroad, Yokohama

74

Stratham Tire Inc. * Brentwood, N.H. Denise Littlefield, president www.strathamtire.com

0

14

1

15

2

BFGoodrich, Bridgestone, Double Coin, Firestone, Goodyear, Hankook, Michelin, Summit, Uniroyal, Westlake

81

Burt Brothers Tire & Service *25 Bountiful, Utah Brandon, Cory, Jake, Jason and Jeremy Burt, co-owners www.burtbrothers.com

14

0

0

14

0

BFGoodrich, Bridgestone, Continental, Dunlop, Firestone, Fuzion, Goodyear, Hankook, Kelly, Laufenn, Michelin, Nokian, Pirelli, Sumitomo, Toyo

81

Daniels Tire Service Inc. * Santa Fe Springs, Calif.

Douglas Daniels, chairman and CEO www.danielstireservice.com

6

3

5

14

0

BFGoodrich, Dunlop, Falken, Goodyear, Kelly, Michelin, Uniroyal, Yokohama

81

Gulf Coast L&P Inc., dba RNR Custom Wheels & Tires * Moss Point, Miss.

Shannon Strunk, owner www.mrwheels.com

14

0

0

14

0

AMP, BFGoodrich, Bridgestone, Continental, Cooper, Delinte, Dunlop, Falken, Firestone, Fuel, Fuzion, General, Goodyear, Hankook, Kelly, Kumho, Lexani, Michelin, Nexen, Nitto, Pirelli, Thunderer, Toyo Uniroyal, Vogue, X Offroad, Yokohama

81

Mock Beroth Tire Inc. * Winston-Salem, N.C. Carey Mock, president www.mockberothtire.com

14

0

0

14

0

BFGoodrich, Bridgestone, Carlisle, Continental, Cooper, Firestone, Fuzion, General, Goodyear, Kumho, Michelin, Mickey Thompson, Nexen, Uniroyal, Vogue, Westlake, Yokohama

81

Western Tire Centers Inc., dba Jack Furrier Tire & Auto Care Tucson, Ariz.

Jack Furrier, president www.jackfurriers.com

13

0

1

14

1

BFGoodrich, Bridgestone, Capitol, Carlisle, Continental, Cooper, Falken, Firestone, General, Goodyear, Greenball, GT Radial, Hankook, Kumho, Michelin, Mickey Thompson, Nankang, Nexen, Nitto, Pirelli, Primewell, Sailun, Sumitomo, Toyo, Uniroyal, Yokohama

48 MTD0720_Top100Chart.indd 48

MTD July 2020 7/9/20 12:03 PM

Untitle

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Untitled-1 1 MTD0720_Top100Chart.indd 49

7/1/20 12:03 9:13 AM 7/9/20 PM

Modern Tire Dealer 100

Warehouse

Total outlets

Commercial

Retail/ commercial

Company

Retail

2020â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 100 largest U.S. independent tire dealers Brands

86

Associated Tire Stores Inc., dba Discount Tire and Automotive, Plains Tire Co. and Bargain Tire * Logan, Utah Christie Stock, president www.webtires.net www.plainstire.com www.bargaintire.net

13

0

0

13

0

Advance, Alliance, BFGoodrich, Bridgestone, Camso, Capitol, Carlisle, CMA, Continental, Delta, Dropstars, Dunlop, Dyanatrac, Focal, General, Goodyear, Harvest King, Helo, Interco, Ironman, Kelly, Lexani, Linglong, Michelin, Mickey Thompson, Multi-Mile, Nitto, Omni, Pace, Pacemark, Power King, Primex, Rolling Big Power, Sailun, Samson, Sigma, Sumic, Sumitomo, TBC Brands, Toyo, Uniroyal, YKS

86

Callaghan Tire Inc. Bradenton, Fla. Don Mead, CEO www.callaghantire.com

1

2

10

13

0

BFGoodrich, Bridgestone, Continental, Falken, Firestone, General, Michelin, Yokohama

86

McGriff Tire Co. Inc., dba McGriff Tire Pros and McGriff Tire Cullman, Ala. Barry McGriff, president www.mcgrifftirepros.com www.mcgrifftire.com

1

0

12

13

0

BFGoodrich, Bridgestone, Continental, Dayton, Firestone, General, Michelin, Yokohama

86

Pueblo Tires Ltd., dba Pueblo Tires & Service, Slik Pitt * McAllen, Texas Ricky Ivey, general manager www.pueblotires.com

11

2

0

13

1

BFGoodrich, Bridgestone, Firestone, Michelin, Uniroyal

86

Redburn Tire Co. Phoenix, Ariz.

J.D. Chastain, president www.redburntireco.com

0

0

13

13

0

BFGoodrich, Bridgestone, Continental, Cooper, Double Coin, Falken, Firestone, General, Gladiator, Michelin, Roadmaster, Uniroyal, Yokohama

86

Robertson Tire Co. Inc. * Tulsa, Okla.

Mark Robertson, president and COO www.robertson-tire.com

13

0

0

13

1

BFGoodrich, Bridgestone, Carlisle, Continental, Cooper, Dean, Del-Nat, Delta, Dick Cepek, Dunlop, Duraturn, Dynatrac, Eldorado, General, Goodyear, Falken, Farmboy, Federal, Fierce, Firestone, Greenball, Hercules, Hi-Run, Ironman, ITP, Kelly, Kumho, Mastercraft, Mickey Thompson, Nexen, Nitto, Pirelli, Roadmaster, RoadOne, Samson, Solideal, Starfire, Starmaxx, Supercargo, Sutong, Toyo, Trivant, Uniroyal, Vanderbilt, Westlake, Yokohama

86

Ted Wiens Tire & Auto Centers Las Vegas, Nev. Ted Wiens Jr., president www.tedwiens.com

10

0

3

13

0

BFGoodrich, Bridgestone, Dunlop, Firestone, Goodyear, Kelly, Michelin

93

Clark Tire Co. Versailles, Mo. Bill Clark, president www.clarktireco.com

11

1

0

12

0

Bridgestone, Cooper, Firestone, Kenda, Yokohama

94

Appalachian Tire Products Charleston, W.Va. Jennifer Dyal, president www.apptire.com

0

11

0

11

0

BFGoodrich, Carlisle, Dunlop, Dynacargo, Falken, Goodyear, Kelly, Michelin, Sailun, TBC Brands, Uniroyal

94

F&F Tire & Service Co., dba F&F Tire World and Service Center * Janesville, Wis. Jeff DeVries, president www.tiredeals.com

11

0

0

11

0

BFGoodrich, Bridgestone, Capitol, Continental, Cooper, Dick Cepek, Dunlop, Falken, Federal, Firestone, Fuzion, General, Goodyear, Hankook, Hercules, Kelly, Kumho, Mastercraft, Michelin, Mickey Thompson, Nexen, Nitto, Pirelli, Primewell, Pro Comp, Sunny, Toyo, Uniroyal, Yokohama

50 MTD0720_Top100Chart.indd 50

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Untitle

Untitled-1 1 MTD0720_Top100Chart.indd 51

6/18/20 8:31 AM 7/9/20 12:03 PM

Modern Tire Dealer 100

Warehouse

Total outlets

Commercial

Company

Retail/ commercial

Retail

2020’s 100 largest U.S. independent tire dealers Brands

94

Bruneel Point S Auto & Tire * Boise, Idaho Craig Bruneel, president www.bruneel.com

11

0

0

11

0

Hankook, Kenda, Kumho, Mastercraft, Milestar

94

Donald B. Rice Tire Co., dba Rice Tire Frederick, Md. Chris Chase, president www.ricetire.com

0

11

0

11

1

BFGoodrich, Bridgestone, Firestone, Continental, Doral, Dunlop, Eldorado, Falken, Firestone, General, Goodyear, Hankook, Kelly, Michelin, Uniroyal, Yokohama

94

Parkhouse Tire Inc. * Bell Gardens, Calif.

Jim Parkhouse, CEO www.parkhousetire.com

0

0

11

11

0

Aeolus, Bridgestone, Continental, Cooper, Double Coin, Duraturn, Firestone, General, Globestar, Michelin, Sentry, Solideal, Titan, Yokohama

99

Tulare Firestone, dba TF Tire & Service Tulare, Calif.

Lionel Pires, president www.tftire.com

2

9

0

11

0

BFGoodrich, Cooper, Firestone, Fuzion, Michelin, Sumitomo

100

Wonderland Tire Co. * Byron Center, Mich.

Jon and Dave Langerak, owners www.wonderlandtire.com

8

0

2

10

0

BFGoodrich, Bridgestone, Continental, Cooper, Eldorado, Falken, Firestone, Fuzion, General, Goodyear, Hankook, Mastercraft, Maxxis, Michelin, Mickey Thompson, Milestar, Nexen, Nokian, Pirelli, Sailun, Starfire, Sumic, Sumitomo, Uniroyal, Westlake

Footnotes

Inc. in 2016 to create the AAA Club Alliance Inc.

distribution center in Columbia, S.C.

1 Mavis Tire bought 112 NTB Tire & Service Center locations in Philadelphia, Boston, Chicago and Atlanta from TBC Corp. in early 2020.

8 Snider Tire opened new locations in North Tampa and Cocoa, Fla., last year. It also acquired Bluegrass Truck and Trailer in Bradenton, Fla., which now operates as a Snider Fleet Solutions location.

14 Boulevard Tire acquired 10 GCR Tires & Service locations from Bridgestone Americas Inc.

9 Purcell Tire acquired Springfield, Mo.-based Wilson Industrial Tire in May 2020.

16 Ziegler Tire expanded commercial locations in Evansville, Ind.; Greenville, Ky.; and Bowling Green, Ky.

2 Monro Inc. converted more than 70 stores to a more tire-oriented model during its fiscal 2020.

3 Les Schwab’s store count does not include member-dealers.

4 GB Auto Service says it has added tire sales at all of its locations, minus its latest acquisition.

5 Tire Discounters opened 15 stores last year and says it will have 135 total locations by end of summer 2020.

6 Leeds West Group’s total store count includes both its Big O and Midas franchise locations.

7 The AAA Group merged with AAA Mid-Atlantic

I

10 Plaza Tire opened a new store in Rogers, Ark., in late-2019.

11 McCarthy Tire acquired 13 GCR Tires & Service locations from Bridgestone Americas Inc. 12 STTC has broken ground on a 40,000-squarefoot building that will replace one of its current locations.

13 Black’s Tire opened a 60,000-square-foot

15 Graham Tire is remodeling and updating locations.

17 Flynn’s Tire opened a store in North Canton, Ohio, in 2019.

18 Southern Indiana Tire’s former wholesale locations now operate under the Zurcher Tire banner.

19 Pete’s Tire Barns acquired a GCR Tires & Service outlet in Manchester, N.H., and another GCR center in South Windsor, Conn., from Bridgestone Americas Inc.

20 Steve Shannon Tire acquired Tunkhannock, Pa.-based K&K Tire Barn in March 2020 and opened a new store in Mansfield, Pa., the following month.

21 S&S Tire added a distribution center in Tulsa, Okla., and acquired two GCR Tires & Service locations.

22 Jack’s Tire acquired Denver, Colo.-based A&E Tire in April 2020.

23 Gill’s Point S added two stores.

24 Virginia Tire & Auto added stores in Vienna and Herndon, Va., in late 2019.

25 Burt Brothers acquired a former Firestone company-owned location in late 2019. *MTD estimate

Independent dealers continue to dominate replacement channel

ndependent tire dealers account for approximately 63% of the U.S. consumer tire retail market, according to MTD’s 2020 Facts Issue, versus 62.5% in 2018 and 61.5% the previous year. Mass merchandisers (10.5%), auto dealerships (9.5%), warehouse clubs (8.5%), tire company-owned stores (6%) and miscellaneous outlets (2.5%) make up the rest of the consumer tire channels in the U.S. Of the five non-independent tire dealer channels, four – mass merchandisers, warehouse clubs, auto dealerships and miscellaneous outlets – remained flat versus 2019. Tire company-owned stores lost a half-point of share between 2018 and 2019.

As in previous years, the 2020 MTD 100 represents the independent side of consumer and commercial tire sales in the U.S., including franchise locations like Midas and Big O. Here’s a snapshot of where non-independent dealer tire sales channels were at the beginning of 2020, according to MTD’s Facts Issue: Mass merchandisers: Walmart Auto Care Centers (2,584 locations. Note: In June 2020, Walmart announced it will close 106 Tire Lube and Express operations in Canada); Sears Auto Centers (199 locations) Warehouse clubs: Sam’s Club (599 locations); Costco Wholesale (546 locations); BJ’s Wholesale (219 locations) Tire manufacturer-owned retail tire stores: Bridgestone Retail Operations (2,200 locations); Goodyear Auto Service Centers (580 locations); Nokian/ Vianor (11 locations) Retail chains: Pep Boys (1,000 locations) On the wholesale distribution side, at press time, there are more than 140 American Tire Distributor (ATD) locations; more than 110 NTW locations; and 70 TireHub locations.

More consumer tires are being sold through e-commerce platforms, including Amazon, eBay, Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. (via www.goodyear.com); onlinetires.com; Simple Tire; Tirebuyer.com, which is owned by ATD; Tirescanner.com and others. In April 2020, MTD reported that Michelin North America Inc. made the decision to shut down its e-commerce platform.

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MTD July 2020 7/9/20 12:04 PM

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6/17/20 2:24 PM 7/9/20 12:04 PM

Creating a Buzz

You don’t need to wear a cape to be a superhero

‘SMALL’ ACTS OF KINDNESS CAN HAVE THE BIGGEST IMPACT By

Dan MacDonald

W

hen it comes to taking care of your customers, you really don’t need a cape to be a superhero.

Just ask my wife, Heather. She’s now the president of the fan club for Tire Discounters General Manager Roderick Bell. (Roderick runs the Tire Discounters store in Bellevue, Tenn.) How did he make such a big impression? He and his team performed a small act of kindness when it really mattered to her, and it made all the difference. She is now a customer for life.

Here’s the story. A few weeks ago, Heather and my son, Ian, were taking a very long road trip to Florida to pick up her parents and drive them back home to Michigan. Her folks are snowbirds, but since they’re both in their 80s, they didn’t think that flying during the COVID-19 pandemic was a such a good idea.

On the morning of the big trip, Heather and Ian hustled out bright and early to our rented Chevy Tahoe, only to find a flat tire on the left rear. There was a large nail puncture visible on the top of the tire. We pumped up the tire and she took it about four miles away to the Bellevue Tire Discounters location. The store was swamped. Roderick was very nice, but said he was slammed, and it would probably be about a four to five-hour wait. Not fun.

A four-hour delay was not part of Heather’s plan. She went home “I realized that with one tire, I could actually jump in and fix to wait and also let her parents know that she might have to push it myself and not even tie up a bay and get her on her way pretty quickly,” says Roderick Bell, general manager of the Tire the trip back a day. Everyone was very disappointed.

Discounters store in Bellevue, Tenn., with Heather MacDonald.

That’s when Roderick swung into action. “Her story got to me,” he later said. “I knew how much it meant to her to get on the road. I realized that with one tire, I could actually jump in the experience. And Heather didn’t stop there. She went to our and fix it myself and not even tie up a bay and get her on her local Moe’s Southwest Grill, picked up several taco meals and way pretty quickly. I was really happy we could do that for her.” brought the food over to the store to surprise Roderick’s team So he just made it happen. He moved some things around, with a huge feast for lunch. They were pumped. “The team loved pushed her to the top of the list and fixed the flat. She was over the it,” he said.“They were really overwhelmed.” moon. He didn’t even charge her for the work!

Heather is now a raving fan of the Tire As an ultra-busy store, “we’re calling Discounters store in Bellevue and the people We view every customer’s audibles all day to meet the needs of our who work there. I am, too. time as being just as valuable customers,” said Bell. “They’re all important Sometimes the little things make the bigto me. We’ve built a culture of customer gest difference. as our own. service and it’s based on a simple principle: Roderick certainly didn’t leap a tall buildwe view every customer’s time as being just as ing in a single bound. He just fixed a flat tire valuable as our own. When you do that, customers know you’re quickly, did it with a smile and got a daughter on the road so really hustling to take care of them and that we are grateful for she could take care of her parents. Pretty simple, really. No cape their business.” required — and everybody emerges as a winner. ■ Heather and Ian got on the road and after a long slog, eventually arrived at her parents’ home, safe and sound. She was so Dan MacDonald is a freelance writer and former public relations director for grateful to Roderick and the team at Tire Discounters that she Bridgestone Americas Inc. Dan founded MacDonald Communications, which posted the story on her Facebook and Instagram pages. She also focuses on public relations and digital marketing. He can be reached at (615) 681-5381 or dan@maccomm.net, website: www.maccomm.net. posted positive reviews on Google. She told her friends about

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MTD July 2020 7/9/20 2:36 PM

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5/28/20 AM 7/9/20 11:16 2:36 PM

Mergers and Acquisitions

M&A market update

POINTS TO CONSIDER DURING THE CURRENT CRISIS

By

Michael McGregor

A

re mergers and acquisitions still going on during this very strange time, you ask? The short answer is yes.

While some of the larger players in the space like Monro Inc. have publicly stated that all acquisitions are on hold, below the level of the largest strategic acquirers, activity is still chugging along.

How can this be? Let’s examine some reasons why from both the buyer and the seller’s perspectives.

If a buyer was interested in expanding via acquisition before the COVID-19 pandemic, they’ll still be interested now, albeit a bit more cautiously.

Private equity has backed companies like Mavis Tire, which went through with its deal to acquire 112 TBC stores in the Atlanta, Chicago, Boston and Philadelphia markets even during the pandemic.

Mavis is chasing revenue and profitability to improve its value and is looking to do this in as short of a period as possible.

While I have no doubt that Mavis and other dealerships who are in positions to make acquisitions are managing their cash flow and debt ratios with extra caution right now, they also have to be looking beyond the summer to when things get closer to normal and their expansion plans can continue or even speed up.

Speaking of normal, one bright spot that every tire dealer needs to look at has to be the Dow Jones Industrial Average, which, as of this writing, was up 35% from its lowest point on March 23. That’s a leading indicator that things may be getting better down the road a bit.

In addition to a buyer’s strategic determination to grow, there is still a good amount of money that lenders can provide in order to make deals happen. Many

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lenders are flush with cash and trillions of dollars from the United States Treasury have just flooded the economy, so there is no widespread liquidity crisis for many businesses.

No buyer puts in all cash on M&A transactions. Available leverage enhances deal valuations and greases the M&A wheels.

While buyers can and still want to buy tire businesses, expect them to chase quality or good value in the short term. Quality is represented by one tire dealership that I know which experienced a better April 2020 than April 2019 or by a tire chain that I’m currently representing which has a solid footprint, well-maintained stores,

If you have a division within your business that is not core to your mission, you still might want to sell it. loyal employees and good customers.

Value is represented by transactions not being in the lofty multiple ranges of just last year. If a multi-store chain was expecting a certain multiple before the unprecedented economic shock that took place earlier this year, they should be lowering their expectations.

In other words, a transaction in which the seller has reasonable valuation expectations is one that is more likely to attract a buyer in this market.

Expectations of finding fair values are attracting new buyer entrants that have been on the sidelines, waiting to get in.

For example, some private equity companies looking for that platform investment

that they can use to bolt on acquisitions are snooping around the market. Another example is my overseas client that is looking for commercial tire distribution companies in the U.S. to invest in.

Both of these types of buyers have either long-held strategic objectives or interest in the space that you play in and they see a window of opportunity to get the attention of sellers who want to, or have to, sell right now.

Now let’s look at M&A from the seller’s perspective in this strange time. First, if you are an aging tire dealer with no family to take over your business, retirement still beckons and at some point, you may want to sell.

The reality is that it takes a while to make a sale happen, so you might want to think about starting the process now.

If you are a tire dealer whose business has been hurt during this downturn to the point where you really need to sell, don’t wait. Do it now, while you still have something to sell.

And if you have a division within your business that is not core to your mission, you still might want to sell it in order to focus your attention and resources on what benefits you the most.

In terms of regional activity, M&A activity is good in the northeastern U.S., as of this writing. However, it’s a little quiet right now in the central and southern regions, but this could change as the year proceeds. ■ Michael McGregor is a partner at Focus Investment Banking LLC (focusbankers.com/tire-and-service) and advises and assists multi-location tire dealers on mergers and acquisitions in the automotive aftermarket. For more information, contact him at michael.mcgregor@focusbankers.com.

MTD July 2020 7/9/20 12:06 PM

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DSP Insight

It’s not ‘just’ an oil change GIVE YOUR CUSTOMERS OPTIONS ON THIS CRITICAL SERVICE By

Jeff Morgan

T

hroughout my career of leadership coaching, I have been trying hard to help people remove a phrase from their vocabulary because I believe it sets limits on possibilities.

That term is “just a…”

When referring to positions within a business, I sometimes hear people referred to as “just a salesperson,” “just a lube or tire tech” or even “just a small business owner.”

Let me assure you: the term “just a” does not apply to any of those roles. Each employee plays an integral part in the success of your business. Let me give you an example to ponder. Who typically sees more cars in your shop on a typical day: a master technician or a lube/tire tech? I’m sure you recognized that it’s your lube or tire tech. Now, think of the impact on your business when this person is performing at a high and consistent level versus someone who’s simply going through the motions.

When you treat that person like he or she is “just a lube/ tire tech,” you guarantee some uninspired, unproductive and ultimately damaging work.

The same thing applies to the services that you perform. How do you and your employees view an oil change? Is it “just” an oil change? Or is it viewed as the key customer count and service expectation driver that it truly is?

Think about it. What is the single most common service that your customers are going to have performed on their cars? I’m willing to bet that most drivers today recognize the need to change their oil regularly. They know this needs to be done.

The next question is, “Where will they have this performed?”

It makes sense to think that the first opportunity you will have to earn a new customer will be at the delivery of the most requested service. What will their experience be? Will they feel important to your business or will they feel like they were “just” another oil change?

There’s an old saying that if you treat customers special, they become special customers. Conversely, if you treat that customer like “just an oil change customer,” that’s all they will ever be.

So, I hope that you understand how important this service is to your customers and to gaining customer loyalty. But do you truly recognize how the oil change business can impact your bottom line? Having the right approach and attitude to this service can increase your sales and gross profit.

How many of you have taken your car to the drive-through car wash? When you pull up, you typically have a menu of service options like basic wash, plus wash and premium wash.

The basic wash lists minimal things: wash, rinse, dry. The plus wash adds some additional, desirable-sounding things: triple foam soap, spot free rinse and wax shine. The premium wash adds (or

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There is no such thing as “just an oil change.” It should be viewed as a “service expectation driver.”

at least what sounds like) the gold star treatment: bug removal pre-soak, wheel bright, hot clear coat protectant and more!

The reality is that many people will upgrade at least one level on their car wash, just because they feel it is the right thing to do for their car, based on what the menu explained. If the car wash provider looked at the service as “just” a car wash, and did MTD July 2020 7/9/20 2:40 PM

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5/26/20 PM 7/9/20 12:10 2:40 PM

DSP Insight not explain the benefits of the upgrade options, which option would most customers choose?

The same goes with your business and the oil change service. How you market your options and explain the benefits to customers will determine your success in increasing oil change revenue. And it all starts with the attitude that the oil change is a valuable service in your repertoire.

Your employees should treat oil change customers as equally as customers who are buying a set of tires or having major repairs preformed. Recognize that if you provide the right experience to those oil change customers, they could become those other customers.

In pricing, you want to be competitive, but you do not need to necessarily be the cheapest. Consider the entire value equation that you offer, including speed, quality and added, free services like vehicle inspections, windshield cleaning, a comfortable waiting area and others. Again, it is about the experience. Customers will likely pay a little bit more for a better experience.

There’s an old saying that if you treat customers special, they become special customers The next key is to not just have oil change options for the customer. You must present those options consistently, along with their benefits, every time someone comes in for an oil change. Have point-of-sale material, such as posters or counter cards that you can refer to, with each oil change customer. Do not leave it to chance that the customer will see or be aware of the options and benefits. Take the time, each time, to explain. Even if a customer has visited you before, do not initially assume that he or she is aware of the options. If you are consistent in your approach, before you know it, return customers will ask for the upgrade option when they walk in the door.

Are you offering high-mileage oil as an option? Make sure to include more information beyond the fact that this type of oil has been designed for vehicles with around 75,000 miles or more. Explain why this is the case. These oils typically contain

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Just as you try to position yourself as a tire professional who is able to explain the features and benefits of any given tire, you should be just as dedicated to becoming an oil service professional. This will help build customer trust and loyalty.

additives and conditioners that help shore up seals, which can deteriorate over time.

This, in turn, reduces oil consumption and leaks. And it can help reduce engine wear. Taking the time to explain this to a customer with a high-mileage vehicle may be all it takes for them to be willing to step up. While the customer will pay more for this service, they now will recognize the value that goes with it. And you typically will enjoy better margins with this product, as opposed to conventional oil.

Another potential step-up service is the use of synthetic oil. Granted, many vehicles today require the use of synthetic oils. And it can be a great upgrade for those that do not. While many customers just think you can go longer between oil changes with synthetic oil because it is more resistant to deterioration than conventional oil, that is not the reason they should consider it.

The best reason is performance. Synthetic oil typically offers better engine lubrication, especially in temperature extremes. This can improve overall fuel economy, as well as reduce engine wear.

The long-term value of using synthetic oil can be very important to your customers, making the increased cost to them well worth the investment. Again, you will realize better margins with this service, as well, making it a win-win proposition.

Also, think about how customers perceive you and your business. Just as you try to position yourself as a tire professional who is able to explain the features and benefits of any given tire, you should be just as dedicated to becoming an oil service professional. The more your customers recognize your knowledge in this area, the more trust they will have in your business and your dealership’s ability to service their needs. Once they recognize your professionalism and have a positive experience on top of that, they will trust you to perform other vehicle services. That’s the kind of loyalty that makes a business thrive.

A loyal customer will spend thousands upon thousands of dollars with you throughout the years. But it takes time to create loyal customers. And they can be lost in a matter of seconds. Remember that the next time customers reach out to you about an oil change. Will they be treated like the multiple thousand-dollar stream of revenue that they are or could become? Or will they be treated like “just another oil change customer?” The choice is yours. ■ Tire industry veteran Jeff Morgan is the Executive Director of Dealer Strategic Planning, the DSP Group.

He can be reached at jeff.morgan@20dsp.com or (310-533-2576) See the website www.20DSP.com.

MTD July 2020 7/9/20 2:40 PM

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6/19/20 1:35 PM PM 7/9/20 2:40

Business Insight

Being ‘busy’ isn’t enough

ARE YOU MAKING REPAIR RECOMMENDATIONS THE RIGHT WAY? By

Dennis McCarron

S

ome days, it may seem like you were busier than all get-out, but you didn’t make any money. Other days seemed slow, but you were stunned at how much cash you generated. Sometimes the retail world doesn’t make any sense, does it?

Being “busy” isn’t a good indicator of how much money, cash or profit a business makes. “Busy” is actually a four-letter word.

I think everyone knows that simply increasing sales is the most difficult way to increase profit. You must increase car count and take on more customers. You must spend money on advertising and maybe increase store hours, too.

If your store is doing $1.2 million in sales, making $60,000 a year in profit, and you increase to $1.3 million in sales, you get, Let’s continue to look at our original example of the store wait for it, $65,000 in net profits. that sells $1.2 million a year and makes $60,000 in net profit. If Woo. Hoo. This is a ton of work for an extra $5,000. And that’s before taxes. we were to increase that store’s gross profit margin by just two What you need to do is change the things that you sell — and percentage points on the same sales, we would make $72,000 in preferably to customers who are already coming in the door. net profit or a $12,000 increase.

For the rest of your business-owning Our business exists between two guardrails. life, please remember this phrase: “The least One is failure to inform customers of needed profitable thing you sell is what customers services. Invasive vehicle inspections occupy Being ‘busy’ isn’t a good walk in the door to buy. The most profitable the other extreme. thing you sell is what you recommend in “Failure to inform” means that if you indicator of how much money, connection to that item.” discover that a customer’s car is visibly unsafe cash or profit a business When I ask tire dealers, “What is the least without taking parts off, as a professional, profitable thing you sell?” the usual answers you are obligated to inform the customer. makes. are tires and oil changes, which is often true, “Invasive inspection” is defined as removing but that scope is too narrow. Other than parts from a customer’s vehicle, without their flat repairs, you must heavily advertise (high expense) and be permission, to find items to upsell. ferociously competitive (low margin) on most of the services The simple solution to all of this is having a conversation with that customers request. the customer at the beginning. Tell the customer, “While your vehicle is in, we will inspect belts, fluids, bulbs and filters. If we If a customer walks in the front door and asks for a price on tires, there is a high probability he or she has been “researching” find anything that needs to be addressed, we will let you know.” prices and will engage in a discount conversation. And what about If the customer declines and you later find a “failure to inform” that customer who brings his or her car in because the vehicle’s issue, simply say, “While raising your vehicle up in the air, we found an obvious safety failure. You didn’t ask for an inspection, brakes are “squeaking?”

There is no surefire, singular customer interaction, but if you but under the law, if a safety failure is in plain view, I have to tell look at your conversations with customers at the sales counter you about it. If you’d like, I can estimate the cost to repair.” and your conversations with customers following a good vehicle Proper recommendations are critical to your business’ success. inspection, I am positive you will come to the same conclusion: As long as you’re doing it for the customer’s benefit and present there is simply more profit margin in the things that you recomit that way, everyone should be happy. ■ mend, like air filters, cabin filters, wheel balancing, alignments, fluid exchanges and maintenance interval services.

Vehicle inspections and service recommendations are the Dennis McCarron is a partner at Cardinal Brokers Inc., one of the leading lifeblood of your business. You simply won’t thrive without them. brokers in the tire and automotive industry (www.cardinalbrokers.com).

To contact McCarron, email him at dennis@cardinalbrokers.com.

(Many businesses won’t even survive without them.)

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MTD July 2020 7/9/20 2:41 PM

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M e r g e r s a n d A c q u i s i t i o n s : H i s t o r i c Tr e n d s

Mergers and acquisitions during downturns HISTORIC TRENDS POINT TO BRIGHT FUTURE

By

William J. O’Flaherty

I

ncluding the current, COVID-19-based economic downturn, the United States has experienced three recessions in the past two decades, including the post2001 dot com bubble burst and the Great Recession of 2008. All three have provided merger and acquisition takeaways that can be useful to independent tire dealers who are managing through the present crisis.

BUY NEW OR KEEP-AND-FIX?

The automotive aftermarket tends to enjoy recession-resistant and arguably countercyclical demand. While all businesses confront unique challenges during recessionary periods, the automotive aftermarket, including tire dealerships, often benefits from consumers more closely managing their expenses during economic downturns.

Both over the long-term and particularly in times of hardship, prospective new car buyers continue to repair existing vehicles for a fraction of the cost of buying new. In addition to the personal financial situation of each consumer, the new car decisionmaking process can also be influenced by several external factors. Chief among them are dealer incentives, including cash rebates and advantageous financing terms.

During most of the 2001 recession, the automotive aftermarket grew at a steady rate. While the depth of this recession was fairly shallow, the long-term theme of consumers repairing versus replacing vehicles during downturns held true.

In the face of tepid demand for new vehicles, in September 2001 new car dealers began introducing a wealth of incentives to consumers. Prior to these types of incentives being offered, new vehicle sales had stalled significantly.

Not surprisingly, this been the case for nearly every major recessionary period.

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While vehicles are a necessity for many, upgrading or buying a new vehicle is viewed as a luxury purchase that is usually deferred during periods of economic hardship.

Instead, consumers turn to maintaining and repairing their existing vehicles. Later, as economic concerns begin to subside and maintained growth becomes realistic, typically a pent-up burst of dealer sales occurs.

Unlike the 2001 recession, in which consumer spending was not as significantly impacted, the 2008 economic downturn had parallel declines in both consumer spending and private business investments. And new vehicle sales decreased consistently for an

The nature of the COVIDled economic downturn is extremely unique as social distancing has significantly impacted both consumer and business behavior in unprecedented ways. extended period of 18 months.

Automotive aftermarket revenues, specifically auto parts retail, have generally been resilient throughout recessionary periods, even increasing during some of the most severe months. However, the shift in consumer sentiment and purchasing trends at the tail-end of the 2008 recession caused a significant uptick in new vehicle sales, and auto parts retail revenue declined sharply. The most significant declines were in performance parts and accessories, which can typically be delayed.

BUSINESS VALUATIONS

A recurring market theme, and one that becomes pronounced in periods of economic uncertainty, is the increase in valuation multiples for large, publicly traded automotive aftermarket businesses versus the broader S&P 500 Index, which either decreases or stays flat.

Valuation multiples measure the market value of a business relative to a core financial metric of that business. The higher the valuation multiple, the more “valuable” that business is relative to the underlying financial metric.

If we assume that, as a whole, these publicly traded automotive aftermarket businesses represent a sub-segment of top-tier operators in their market, then the appreciation of relative value should also extend to exceptional privately held enterprises.

This phenomenon is indicative of investor interest in the automotive aftermarket, and the recognition of the growth opportunities that exist in the market both during and after a recession.

It should also be noted that this is not a universal principal across the industry.

However, successful operators can expect significant interest on the part of investors and capital providers both during and in the wake of recessions.

Performance of the automotive aftermarket index in 2008 largely mirrored the effects seen in 2001. As the recession progressed and stretched over an 18-month period, well-run automotive aftermarket companies benefitted due to consumers’ reliance on older vehicles that required routine maintenance. However, some companies were forced to consolidate through layoffs and store closures, and even file for bankruptcy. This disparity of operating performance and valuation MTD July 2020 7/9/20 2:45 PM

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6/15/20 8:22 PM AM 7/9/20 2:45

M e r g e r s a n d A c q u i s i t i o n s : H i s t o r i c Tr e n d s Valuation Trends Over Each Recessionary Period

1. SOURCE: CAPITAL IQ 2. CHART MEASURES THE CHANGE IN THE AVERAGE RATIO OF THE ENTERPRISE VALUE TO TRAILING-TWELVE-MONTH EBITDA OF THE COMPANIES THAT COMPRISE EACH INDEX. 3.DATASETS INDEXED TO 1.0 AS OF MARCH 1, 2001, DECEMBER 1, 2007, AND FEBRUARY 1, 2020; DATA AS OF MAY 31, 2020.

4. AUTOMOTIVE AFTERMARKET INDEX: ALL PERIODS INCLUDE AN, AZO, CTB, DORM, GPC, GT, KMX, MNRO, MTOR, ORLY, PAG, SAH, SMP, SUP, TEN, UNS. 2001 INDEX INCLUDES CAO, MDA, PBY, TBCC. 2008 INDEX INCLUDES AAP, ABG, LKQ, MDS, MPAA, PBY, PRTS. 2020 INDEX INCLUDES AAP, ABC, LKQ, MPAA.

for individual businesses within the same marketplace creates an environment wellsuited for consolidation.

THE IMPACT OF COVID-19

To date, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a fairly adverse impact on the automotive aftermarket as a whole, and will have lasting impacts on the industry for quite some time.

The nature of the COVID-led economic downturn is extremely unique as social distancing has significantly impacted both consumer and business behavior in unprecedented ways. Vehicle miles traveled decreased dramatically due to the temporary closure of non-essential businesses and widespread stay-at-home orders. This initially dampened the need for both routine maintenance work and tire purchases.

However, the consumer automotive aftermarket retail experience is likely to remain somewhat positive in the nearterm, as the deferred maintenance and ongoing needs of consumers will be met with a refreshed business infrastructure that will be organized around safe, but limited, interpersonal interactions.

Our expectation is that these combined factors will cause aftermarket retail sales and repair expenses to lag the traditional recovery curve somewhat. But long-term, we anticipate the automotive aftermarket to be more robust than when we entered the current economic downturn.

WHAT’S NEXT?

Signs indicate that the economic disruption caused by COVID-19 will mirror the impact of the 2008 Great Recession more

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so than the 2001 financial crisis. Many economic contributing factors will influence consumers to continue to maintain older vehicles rather than purchase newer models. Moreover, the heightened societal awareness of shared, enclosed spaces could depress the enthusiasm for these consumers to pursue public transportation alternatives, at least for the short-term.

The pent-up demand for vehicle repair work is expected to release into the marketplace as society eases back into relative normalcy.

Operational considerations will inevitably begin to manifest themselves in the form of business valuations. In the near-term, we do expect the valuation gap between the automotive aftermarket and other sectors to widen, just as it did during prior downturns.

Given the expected magnitude and duration of the pending recession, the value appreciation for the automotive aftermarket index will more closely resemble that of the 2008 Great Recession. This dynamic will likely drive a number of privately held businesses, including tire dealerships, to consider liquidity options and therefore create consolidation opportunities for larger industry players.

What does all of this mean for private business owners in the auto aftermarket, including tire dealers? First, it’s still an opportune time to consider a sale. There will consistently be buyers or investors that are willing to explore transactions with businesses in aftermarket sales and repair.

The middle and latter stages of a recession are also good times to consider rein-

forcing management and other employee ranks. While labor markets today are soft across many retail and service sectors, we believe employment demand in the aftermarket will recover quickly. COVID-led unemployment won’t be the only driver of turnover, as the fear of changing retail/ service experiences and other factors will cause many operators to potentially lose good managers and mid-level employees and flood the market with potential candidates.

These workers will be looking for economic upside and stability in future, long-term employment.

As the result of every market disruption, winners and losers emerge. There will unfortunately be some fall-out for select operators, but history has proven that growth-oriented, exceptionally managed businesses, including tire dealerships, have an opportunity to thrive as a result of recessions.

Most importantly, tire dealers should absorb the lessons learned from prior recessions to inform their decision-making in both addressing current market conditions and preparing for the potential growth period that could soon follow. ■ William O’Flaherty is a director with Matrix Capital Markets Group Inc. and is actively involved in the firm’s Automotive Group. This article is an abridged version of Matrix’s Capital Markets Perspective: Volume 9, Issue 3 – “What Past Recessions Have Taught Us About the Automotive Aftermarket: Operational and M&A Considerations for Business Owners in Today’s Environment.” For more information, contact woflaherty@matrixcmg.com.

MTD July 2020 7/9/20 2:45 PM

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7/1/20 7/9/20 9:04 2:45 AM PM

Focus on Dealers

Selling high-end products in a down market BUTLER TIRES & WHEELS CATERS TO CLIENTS WHO ‘WANT’ MORE THAN ‘NEED’ By

Mike Manges

A

customer walks into your store, hands you a credit card and says, “This is what I want for my vehicle.

Just run the card and we’ll discuss the price later.”

Now imagine that happening during the worst economic situation since the Great Recession.

Craig Dobrin, vice president of operations at Marietta, Ga.-based Butler Tires & Wheels, says this type of interaction has become a regular occurrence at the four-location dealership.

In fact, the company’s custom wheel sales have climbed 15% to 20% since the COVID-19 pandemic started — an unexpected amount.

NEEDS VS. WANTS

“We deal with two very distinct ultra-high performance (UHP) markets,” says Dobrin. He calls them “needs” and “wants.” “‘Needs’ include the mostly European vehicles that we normally service. The owners of those vehicles are going to come in and buy a premium UHP replacement tire if UHP tires are already on their cars. That hasn’t slowed down.

“The ‘wants’ side is made up of people who come in for a custom wheel package with a plus-one, plus-two or plus-three fitment.”

A customer in the latter category recently dropped more than “five figures” on a UHP tire/custom wheel package at Butler’s store in Atlanta.

“That’s four tires and four wheels only,” says Dani Freedman, the dealership’s vice president of marketing.

“Certain customers simply didn’t feel the impact of the crash of the economy” after COVID-19 hit, he notes.

“They were able to go through the pandemic in an economically strong position, whereas I think customers in the entry- to mid-level segments went into cash conservation mode.”

Stay-at-home orders played a role, as well.

“Many of our high-end customers were sitting at home, knocking out a couple of projects,” says Dobrin.

“A lot brought in their Ford F-150s for lift kits and a new set of tires and wheels. It was almost like something for them to do.

They would drop $4,000 or $5,000 like you and I would buy a hamburger.”

“There was a touchy period for a short while where you wondered if these customers were going to start hoarding their money,” says Freedman. “But a lot of them didn’t skip a beat.”

RECORD YEAR EXPECTED

After stay-at-home orders were enacted in Georgia, Butler’s management team quickly drew up a game plan to ensure the well-being of customers and employees.

68 MTD0720_FocusOnButler.indd 68

The COVID-19 government stimulus program “was a huge shot in the arm for us,” says Dobrin.

“I don’t see our UHP tire and wheel sales slowing down at all,” says Freedman. “In fact, we’re pretty confident we might have a record year, especially in wheel sales.”

“We had a strategy from the very first day,” says Freedman.

“As we reached certain milestones, we implemented different phases — making sure our customers knew what we were doing.

That built confidence that they could still do business with us.”

“They knew we were doing everything we could to protect them,” says Dobrin.

Both Dobrin and Freedman believe that Butler’s UHP tire and wheel sales will increase through the rest of the year, especially as local economies continue to reopen.

“We were waiting for the curve to flatten, for lack of a better term — but it’s not going to,” says Freedman.

“I don’t see our UHP tire and wheel sales slowing down at all.

In fact, we’re pretty confident we might have a record year.” ■ MTD July 2020 7/9/20 2:46 PM

Focus on Industry

Focus on Dealers

Working through a crisis MOBILE TIRE INSTALLERS SEE INCREASE IN DEMAND By

Mike Manges

S

trict stay-at-home orders and social distancing recommendations imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic have proven to be beneficial for several mobile tire installation services.

“I’ve never seen this much excitement” around mobile installation, says Joe Flores, co-owner of GoMobile Tires, a Portland, Ore.-based mobile tire installation company with franchise operations throughout the United States.

“I can’t even put a percentage on it without sounding over-the-top.

“So much attention was brought to online sellers” during the pandemic, according to Flores.

“You’re cooped up at home, you have money still coming in and you’re going to shop online.”

And those online buyers will always need professionals to install their tires, he notes.

“It’s all about convenience. And it’s another layer of service a tire dealership can buy into.”

Flores reports that many GoMobile franchisees are expanding their fleets as a direct result of the extra demand they’re experiencing.

“We have a guy in Las Vegas who has stepped up to two vans. We have a guy in St. Louis who’s ready to order another one. Our franchise in Pittsburgh is ready to order another.

“By the end of summer, we may very well be in up to 20 different cities.”

At the same time, ensuring technician and customer safety will remain a high priority at GoMobile, according to Flores.

“Our techs maintain social distancing, with six feet of separation, and wear their masks, whenever possible.

“Techs avoid entering customers’ cars, whenever possible. They ask customers to place wheel lock keys on windshields.”

GoMobile technicians do not require physical customer signatures and instead send out invoices electronically, taking payments online or over the phone. w w w . M o d e r n T i r e D e a l e r. c o m

MTD0720_FocusOn_Mobility.indd 69

“The more I started thinking about mobile tire installation, the more I realized that it’s something that sounds simple but nobody else really had it in our area,” says Sarkis Ohanian (right), owner of Sarkis Motors in Midway City, Calif., with GoMobile co-owner Joe Flores. Sarkis Motors operates a GoMobile van.

Jeremy James, who operates a mobile tire installation service in the Leesport, Pa., area, says the no-contact aspect of his business “is very attractive to most people in times like this.

“There is little-to-no outside influence from a safety concern — no other people in close contact and no other clients getting their vehicles worked on.

“I don’t need to get in a vehicle to move it to a lift, like some brick-and-mortar shops do.”

James is convinced that the COVID-19 pandemic “will change the market for mobile tire installers in a positive way.”

“Prior to COVID-19, we were growing quite well on the backs of saving people time and making unwanted chores more palatable,” says Jack Benzacar, president

of Tire Butler, a mobile tire installation company based in Toronto, Ontario. “People who value time will pay a premium.

“At the same time, everyone values health.

Protecting one’s health has become another driver in our growth.

“No one is afraid of staying in their own home,” he notes.

Tire Butler, which operates a dozen vans, has offered mobile installation for nearly 10 years.

“We were contact-less before it ever became a buzzword in our industry,” according to Benzacar.

“Nothing will be the same” after COVID19, he says.

“Just like restaurants have had to adapt to outsourcing deliveries, so will the tire business.” ■

69 7/9/20 2:47 PM

Focus on Industry

Vredestein rebrands winter tire line NEW WINTRAC ROUNDS OUT WINTER TIRE OFFERING By

Mike Manges

A

pollo Vredestein has rebranded its Snowtrac winter tire family as Wintrac and has introduced a new Wintrac product line.

According to Vredestein officials, the new Wintrac “is even more suitable for current North American winters, as it will have improved performance in all types of wet conditions, while continuing to drive superbly on snow.”

The Wintrac “represents a significant change of perspective from a tire intended mainly for driving on snow to an all-around winter tire, hence the rebranding. Corresponding even better to North American winter conditions, in particular, the tire will join the Wintrac Pro, its ultra-high-performance counterpart, in a new Vredestein Wintrac family.”

Featuring a new structure and new materials, the Wintrac boasts an enhanced tread design that includes a dedicated V-groove structure with a guaranteed “through-hole, ensuring optimal water drainage in both longitudinal and lateral directions.

“Shoulder blocks contain patented, ‘adaptive’ 3D sipes, extending the total sipe length and ensuring excellent winter performance throughout the lifetime of the tire.

“An inter-locking mechanism in the shoulder blocks provides additional stability and considerably enhances dry and wet handling performance.”

Vredestein says the Wintrac achieves “improved performance over its predecessor in a range of ways, including 10% better water evacuation, 5% more sipe length and 5% more rubber in contact with the road, leading to enhanced grip on wet and snow surfaces.

“Moreover, the unique blend of polymers and resin particles in the next-generation high-density silica compound — combined with an oval-shaped footprint for even pressure distribution — enables

70 MTD0720_FocusOn_Vredestein.indd 70

The new Wintrac joins the Vredestein Wintrac Pro to round out the Vredestein brand’s winter tire portfolio, with more than 130 sizes available in North America.

equal wear and better performance,” say company officials.“These features allow the tire to provide 20% greater lifespan mileage, with even better performance, than the latest Snowtrac 5. Last, but certainly not least, a lower rolling resistance translates into substantial fuel consumption savings.”

The first phase of the line’s production has started at both of Apollo Vredestein’s European plants.

The new tire will initially be available in 27 sizes in 15 and 16 inches, one of which has already been chosen by Volkswagen for its VW Golf 8 in Europe.

Additional sizes will follow in 2021.

The new Wintrac joins the Vredestein Wintrac Pro to round out the Vredestein brand’s winter tire portfolio, with more than 130 sizes available in North America. (The Wintrac is available in T, H and V speed ratings. The Wintrac Pro is designed to fit rims 17 inches in diameter and higher and is available in W and Y speed ratings.)

The introduction of the new Wintrac follows the launch of the Vredestein Hypertrac all-season ultra-high performance tire earlier this year. The unveiling of the Hypertrac kicked off “a new product cadence that will continue through 2020,” according to Vredestein officials.

At the time of the Hypertrac’s launch, company officials said that the product “demonstrates Apollo Vredestein’s commitment to research and development and delivery of superior products tailored to North American driver preferences and environments, especially in the U.S. market.” ■ MTD July 2020 7/9/20 2:50 PM

Untitle

NOVEMBER 3â&#x20AC;&#x201C;6, 2020 LAS VEGAS CONVENTION CENTER

SEMASHOW.COM/REGISTER

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5/14/20 7/9/20 8:47 2:50 AM PM

TPMS

Mazda3 & Mazda2 — 2007-14

IS THE ONLY

COMPLETE

COURTESY OF MAZDA CORP. OF AMERICA

T

he tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) on Mazda2 vehicles, model years 2011- 2014, and Mazda3 vehicles, 2007- 2013, monitors the pressure for each tire. If tire pressure is too low or too high in one or more tires, the TPMS will turn on a warning light on the instrument panel and sound a warning beep for about three seconds.

If there is a system malfunction or a spare tire is in use, the warning light will flash. Tire pressure sensors installed on each wheel send tire pressure data by radio signal to the receiver unit in the vehicle.

This system may not function properly under the following conditions: • When there is equipment or a device near the vehicle using the same radio frequency as that of the tire pressure sensors.

• When using a digital device (such as a

On 2007-2014 Mazda2 and Mazda3 vehicles, a tire pressure issue will cause a warning light to turn on accompanied by a three-second warning beep.

personal computer) or a current converter device that may cause radio interference with the receiver unit.

• When a large metallic object (i.e., a

TPMS MANUFACTURER TO OFFER A

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OE QUALITY SENSORS

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TS508KMV-1 • Read & Relearn All Known Sensors • 4 MX-Sensor Programming Methods • Download FREE Software Updates • Exclusive TPMS Status Screen

CONTACT YOUR AUTEL DISTRIBUTOR FOR MORE TPMS KIT OPTIONS Phone: (855) 288-3587 • USSUPPORT@AUTEL.COM AUTEL.COM • MAXITPMS.COM • MAXISYSADAS.COM © 2020 Autel U.S. Inc., All Rights Reserved

72 MTD0720_TPMS.indd 72

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large electric household appliance or a desktop computer) is placed on the right side of the rear seat, it may block radio signals from the tire pressure sensor to the receiver unit.

• When excess snow or ice adheres to the vehicle, especially around the wheels.

• When tire pressure sensor batteries are exhausted.

• When using a wheel with no tire pressure sensor installed (i.e., a spare tire).

• When using tires with steel wire reinforcement in the sidewalls.

• When using tire chains.

TIRE PRESSURE MONITOR WARNING LIGHT CAUTION: Do not tilt or use excessive side force when checking the air pressure or inflating the tire, or the tire pressure sensor may be damaged.

When the tire pressure warning light illuminates and the warning beep sound is heard (about three seconds), check tire pressure and adjust as necessary. When pressure is adjusted on hot tires to the cold inflation pressure, the warning light/ beep may turn on after the tires cool and pressure drops below specification. Also, an illuminated warning light resulting from the tire air pressure dropping due to cold ambient temperature may go out if the ambient temperature rises. In this case, it also will be necessary to adjust the tire air pressure. If the warning light illuminates again even after the tire pressures are adjusted, the tire may be punctured.

NOTE: After adjusting the tire air presMTD July 2020 7/9/20 2:17 PM

TPMS sures, it may require some time for the warning light to go out. If the warning light remains illuminated, drive the vehicle at a speed of at least 16 mph (25 km/h) for 10 minutes, and then verify that it goes out.

If the warning light is flashing and a spare tire is not in use, there is a malfunction in the TPMS. See the appropriate manufacturer service information.

RESET PROCEDURES

NOTE: Whenever the tires or wheels are changed (including changing to and from winter tires) where a new sensor is installed, the tire pressure sensorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s unique ID signal code must be registered with TPMS. Tire pressure sensor ID registration is achieved automatically once the vehicle has been stationary for 15 minutes or more, and then driven at a speed of at least 16 mph (25 km/h) for 10 minutes or more.

When the tire pressure warning light illuminates and the warning beep sound is heard, check tire pressure and adjust as necessary. After adjusting the tire air pressures, it may require some time for the

w w w . M o d e r n T i r e D e a l e r. c o m MTD0720_TPMS.indd 73

warning light to go out. If the warning light remains illuminated, drive the vehicle at a speed of at least 16 mph (25 km/h) for 10 minutes, and then verify that it goes out.

TIRE PRESSURE SENSOR REGISTRATION

NOTE: There is no practical difference between the M-MDS scan tool method of registration and the non-scan tool method. The M-MDS scan tool method simply provides the ability to read the tire pressure sensor ID changes directly. With both methods, the vehicle must remain stationary for 15 minutes and then be driven for 10 minutes.

Without M-MDS scan tool: 1) Turn the ignition switch to the ON position, then turn it back to the LOCK position.

2) Leave the vehicle with the engine off and wait for 15 minutes or more.

NOTE: If the vehicle is driven before 15 minutes of changing tires, the TPMS warning light will flash because the sensor

ID signal code will not have been registered yet. If this happens, park the vehicle for 15 minutes or more, after which sensor ID signal code will register upon driving the vehicle for 10 minutes or more.

3) After 15 minutes, drive the vehicle at a speed of at least 16 mph (25 km/h) for 10 minutes or more. Tire pressure sensor ID registration is completed when the TPMS warning light turns OFF. With the M-MDS scan tool: NOTE: Use the LDS (laptop PC). The PDS (pocket PC) does not support wheel unit ID registration and monitoring wheel unit ID. NOTE: When using the M-MDS scan tool to perform the ID registration, record the initial ID data and verify the data has changed after driving for 10 minutes or more.

1) Turn the ignition switch to the ON position, then turn it back to the LOCK position.

2) Connect the M-MDS scan tool and identify the vehicle.

73 7/9/20 2:17 PM

AUTOMOTIVE INTELLIGENCE

TPMS

TPMS KITS COURTESY OF MAZDA MOTORS CORP.

Ask Your Autel Distributor for Details

Figure 1: An exploded view of the tire pressure sensor.

TS508/TS508WF

COURTESY OF MAZDA MOTORS CORP.

PLUS

Figure 2: Positioning the tire pressure sensor.

COMPLETE

SOLUTION

Phone: (855) 288-3587 • USSUPPORT@AUTEL.COM AUTEL.COM • MAXITPMS.COM • MAXISYSADAS.COM

© 2020 Autel U.S. Inc., All Rights Reserved

74 MTD0720_TPMS.indd 74

3) After the vehicle is identified, select the following items from the initial screen of the M-MDS. 4) Select “BODY,” then “TPMS FUNCTION,” then “WHEEL UNIT ID REGISTRATION.” NOTE: Before driving, record the initial ID data stored in the scan tool, to verify the data has changed.

5) Select “WU_ID REGISTRATION.” 6) Leave the vehicle with the engine off and wait for 15 minutes or more.

7) Verify the TPMS warning light turns ON and OFF in 0.5 second repeat cycles.

8) After 15 minutes or more, drive the vehicle at a speed of at least 16 mph

(25 km/h) for 10 minutes or more. Tire pressure sensor ID registration is complete when the TPMS warning light turns OFF.

DEMOUNTING/MOUNTING

CAUTION: The tire should be demounted from the wheel using the tire changer manufacturer’s instructions. Use the following information to avoid damage during the demounting/mounting procedures.

NOTE: Whenever tires or wheels are changed (such as changing to and from winter tires) where a new sensor is installed, the tire pressure sensor’s unique ID signal code must be registered with TPMS. See “Reset procedures.”

MTD July 2020 7/9/20 2:17 PM

July Modern Tire Dealer Ad 2020.pdf 1 17/06/2020 14:36:03

COURTESY OF MAZDA MOTORS CORP.

TPMS

Figure 3: Positioning the tire changer.

• Remove the sensor from the old wheel and install it to the new wheel. Keep the same wheel with tire pressure sensor and replace only the tire.

• Use a new wheel and sensor (the new sensor will need to be registered).

2) Remove the wheel. Remove the valve cap (see Figure 1). Remove the valve core and bleed the air from the tire.

3) Remove the nut. Push the tire valve completely into the tire.

4) Position the shoe (bead breaker) of the tire changer 0.40-0.78-inch (10-20 mm) from the outer edge of the wheel, and break both tire beads.

5) Remove the bead from one side of the wheel.

6) Remove the tire pressure sensor.

7) Remove the seal washer and seal.

Installation 1) Install the seal washer and seal.

NOTE: While maintaining contact between the sensor and the rim, manually start to screw the valve nut for a few turns.

2) Insert the tire pressure sensor valve into the valve hole so that the polyurethane foam side faces the rim (see Figure 2).

CAUTION: Do not retighten the valve nut after the initial operation.

3) Install the nut from the outer side of the wheel.

4) Tighten the valve nut slowly (15 rpm maximum) to 71 in.-lbs. (8 N.m) in one rotation.

5) Set the tire changer so that it is 45 degrees away (point “A”) from the valve hole (see Figure 3).

6) Fill the tire with air. Verify valve nut tightening torque.

7) Install the valve core and cap.

8) Install the tire and wheel assembly on the vehicle.

9) When a new sensor is installed, the ID code will need to be registered. See “Reset procedures.”

C

Tire pressure will vary according to the tire temperature (approximately 1.5 psi (10 kPa) change for every 10 degrees. Let the vehicle stand for one hour or only drive it 1.6 km (1 mile) or less before adjusting the tire pressures.

TIRE PRESSURE SENSOR

CAUTION: The use of non-genuine tire sealants is strictly prohibited for vehicles equipped with TPMS. Other tire sealants can clog tire pressure sensors.

CAUTION: When reinstalling a previously removed tire pressure sensor to a wheel, replace the grommet for the tire pressure sensor.

Removal 1) When replacing a wheel or tire, the tire pressure sensors must be set up in one of the following ways:

Torque specifications Component Wheel nut

Ft.-lbs. (N.m) 65-87 (88-118)

Tire pressure sensor nut¹

In.-lbs. (N.m) 171 (8)

1 Tighten the valve nut slowly (15 rpm max.) to specification in one rotation. Do not retighten the valve nut after the initial operation. w w w . M o d e r n T i r e D e a l e r. c o m MTD0720_TPMS.indd 75

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

CMY

K

Information for this column comes from the tire pressure monitoring systems data in ProDemand®, Mitchell 1’s auto repair information software for domestic and import vehicles. Headquartered in Poway, Calif., Mitchell 1 has provided quality repair information solutions to the automotive industry since 1918. For more information, visit www.mitchell1.com. To read archived TPMS articles, visit www.moderntiredealer. com. ■

75 7/9/20 2:17 PM

Products Vredestein Quatrac Pro gets new sizes Apollo Vredestein has added 27 more sizes to the Quatrac Pro, giving the all-weather tire 139 sizes for vehicles throughout North America.

The new sizes expand the options for fitments ranging in size from 17 inches to 20 inches, and the company says the additions include vehicles such as the Audi Q7, BMW X3, Porsche Cayenne and Mercedes GLC300. An ultra-high performance tire with all-weather capabilities, it features a specialized silica compound and wide longitudinal grooves to provide performance in rain and snow. The tire is one of four products in Vredestein’s UHP lineup, supplying full coverage across the winter, all-weather, all-season and summer segments. Collectively, Vredestein offers more than 300 sizes of ultra-high performance tire options.

APOLLO VREDESTEIN www.vredestein.com

Yokohama launches all-position truck tire Yokohama Tire Corp.’s new all-position truck tire, the 504C, is “engineered with a sturdy undertread to handle the punishment of on- and off-highway applications,” according to Yokohama officials. Available in 11R22.5 (H) and 11R24.5 (H), the tire features a wide tread that provides a more stable footprint for extended tread life, improved traction, enhanced wet braking and easy retreadability; three circumferential grooves with a deep center groove for better water evacuation; a wide casing that is backed by a six-year, three-retread casing warranty; funnel-shaped “step grooves” that prevent stone drilling; high-strength belt construction that protects against rust and minimizes heat generation; and more.

YOKOHAMA TIRE CORP. www.yokohamatire.com

Alliance unveils all-steel VF tire Alliance Tire Americas Inc. has expanded its ag tire lineup with the introduction of the Alliance Agriflex+ 881, a new, all-steel very highflexion (VF) tire for heavy farm implement applications. The tire, which is rated for road speeds up to 40 miles per hour, is available in three popular sizes — VF 295/75R22.5, VF 255/70R22.5 and VF 445/65R22.5 — with four more on the way soon. Alliance’s Agriflex+ product line uses extremely flexible sidewall technology to improve load-carrying capacity and reduce soil compaction, according to Alliance officials. “The VF tires designated as Alliance Agriflex+ radials can carry as much of a load as a conventional radial tire at 40% less inflation pressure, reducing soil compaction force by about 40%.”

ALLIANCE TIRE AMERICAS INC. www.atgtire.com

Arnott offers more than 350 SKUs With over 350 SKUs for more than 800 applications, Arnott air suspension is sold by leading distributers worldwide. The company’s aftermarket products offer OE form, fit and function, demonstrated engineering, manufacturing and management expertise and best-in- class support. Arnott’s product categories include air springs; new and remanufactured air struts; and compressors that meet OE specifications, are extensively lifecycle tested and are fitted with application specific components. Those components include thermal overload protection and coil spring conversion kits that feature custom-valved shock absorbers and durable powder-coated coil springs that are preassembled for easy, safe installation and OE fit without modifications.

ARNOTT INDUSTRIES www.arnotindustries.com

76 MTD0720_Products.indd 76

Armstrong adds to consumer line The Armstrong Blu-Trac PC Flex and Armstrong Tru-Trac SU Flex tires both combine the best of summer and winter tread design for all-weather performance, according to Zafco officials. Summer sipes provide stability for effective dry braking, while winter sipes increase surface area traction for better control in snow. Inner grooves provide safe performance during challenging conditions throughout the seasons. Coverage for both tires includes a 50,000-mile warranty, round-the-clock roadside assistance, two-year road hazard coverage and a 30-day money back guarantee.

ARMSTRONG TIRE NORTH AMERICA www.armstrongtire.com

Vipal expands tread offering Vipal Rubber has introduced a new tread, the VT560, to the North American market. The VT560 “was developed to obtain high adhesion,” according to Vipal officials.

The product features Vipal’s proprietary Eye Control Technology, which helps end users identify its wear level. “Through this system, it is possible to identify anomalies in alignment, balance and geometry and the suggested time of use, as well as when to remove the tire for a new retreading process.” It is designed for severe service applications, such as snow and mud, and “offers great traction power.”

VIPAL RUBBER www.vipal-usa.com MTD July 2020 7/9/20 12:09 PM

L8415

Thunderer continuously delivers the kind of product your customers want in a replacement tire. High quality with great value, it is a brand you can trust. Thunderer tires are backed by our No Questions Asked, 25/365 Free Replacement Limited Protection Policy. Contact us to learn more about the Ranger Series by Thunderer.

Complete lineup includes more than 290 sizes from 15â&#x20AC;? to 20â&#x20AC;? including Rugged All-Terrain, All-Terrain, Mud-Terrain, SUV, Touring CUV and Specialty Commercial fitments Aggressive sidewall and tread patterns No Questions Asked, 25/365 Free Replacement Policy Exceptional quality at an excellent value

L841508.indd 1 MTD0720_Products.indd 77

1/3/20 12:09 2:14 PM 7/9/20 PM

Products Giti introduces all-season tire The new GT Radial Adventuro HT highway all-season tire from Giti Tire (U.S.A.) Ltd. has been designed to provide long mileage and a smooth, quiet ride for North American SUV and pickup truck owners. The M+S-rated tire features a dual sidewall design; full-depth wave sipes with extra biting edges for enhanced wet and snow traction; chamfered tread edges for optimal water displacement; a continuous center rib for improved braking performance and stability; harmonically pitched sequencing to reduce road noise; and more. The Adventuro HT is available in 32 sizes and fits rims that are 15 inches to 20 inches in diameter.

GITI TIRE (U.S.A.) LTD. www.gtradial-us.com

New Firestone tire targets CUVs/SUVs The new Firestone Destination LE3 tire from Bridgestone Americas Inc. offers broad coverage of the CUV, SUV and light truck market, and is backed with a 70,000-mile limited warranty. Bridgestone says the tire is engineered for long-lasting performance and delivers on-highway dependability, plus off-road durability. The Firestone Destination LE3 includes the brand’s Hydro-Grip Technology package. Its specially designed tread pattern cuts through water to reduce the risk of hydroplaning. Full-depth 3D sipes in the tread also give the tire improved snow performance. The product is available in 66 sizes and covers 87% of the light trucks, SUVs and CUVs on the road, according to Bridgestone officials.

BRIDGESTONE AMERICAS INC. www.firestonetire.com

Ascot fogger cleans surfaces Ascot Supply Corp. is offering its Low Volume Compact Fogger paired with its Environmental Protection Agencyregistered, fast-acting and odorless sanitizing solution as a powerful and effective, all-in-one disinfecting and sanitizing solution. The fogger, with a reach of up to six feet, atomizes the solution into small- to medium-sized particles to clean surfaces with ease. It only requires up to 1.2 cfm at 90 psi, so it allows for use with smaller consumer-grade air compressors, including some battery-operated models.

ASCOT SUPPLY CORP. www.ascotsupply.com

Nama expands Eco Fighter truck tire line Nama Tires Inc.’s new steer tire targets both regional and long-haul applications and comes with a five-year warranty. The tire, which belongs to the company’s Eco Fighter series, features 18/32-inch tread depth for long life; stone ejectors to protect against drilling; a unique traction groove to enhance grip and braking performance; an optimized shoulder profile and shoulder wall grooves to deliver excellent resistance to uneven rib wear; and more. It is available in three sizes: 295/75R22.5, 255/70R22.5 and 11R24.5.

NAMA TIRES INC. www.namatire.com

Michelin unveils BFGoodrich truck tires Michelin North America Inc. has rolled out two new BFGoodrich brand truck tires for regionalhaul applications. The BFGoodrich Route Control S, which is a SmartWay-verified steer/ all-position tire, has been engineered to provide long tread life and exceptional, even-wear performance. The tire features optimized microsiping technology, which Michelin says fights the onset of irregular wear across the tread, as well as zig-zag, flow-through grooves, which provide outstanding water evacuation and grip. The BFGoodrich Route Control D, which is a drive tire, “offers the traction and long-wearing tread necessary in regional applications. The tire has an open-shoulder directional tread pattern to deliver maximum all-weather traction.”

MICHELIN NORTH AMERICA INC. www.bfgoodrichtrucktires.com

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Matco rolls out joint adapter kit Matco Tools has released a versatile Connected Ball Joint Adapter Kit (BJPXR9) with seven adapters to cover 235 of the most popular models of sedans, light trucks and SUVs. The adapters aid in the removal and installation of ball joints, U-joints, wheel studs and more. There are no O-rings to manage, as the adapters click in for easy use. The extra-large C frame is usable on cars, trucks, SUVs and up to F-550 and 5500 series trucks. The kit is fully compatible with ball joint cups and adapters from MST6529, MBJA20, LUBJP, BJP7025C, MST6539 kits and more.

MATCO TOOLS www.matcotools.com MTD July 2020 7/9/20 12:09 PM

Buyersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Guide

2020 Buyersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Guide ADVICS North America Inc.

AME Intl.

www.advicsaftermarket.com

www.ameintl.net

1650 Kingsview Dr., Lebanon, OH 45036.

(513) 696-5450.

OEM Wheels

1-800EveryRim OEM Wheels

12078 Florence Ave., Santa Fe Springs, CA 90670. (562) 692-0109 or (800) 383-7974.

Text Wheel Pics: 951-RimText (951-746-8398) sales@1800EveryRim.com

www.EveryRim.com/MTD www.1-800everyrim.com

Products: Brokers of OEM wheels; used, new take-offs, reconditioned.

Buy/sell alloy and steel.

Products: Brake products.

Aftermarket Auto Parts Alliance

2706 Treble Creek, Suite 100, San Antonio, TX 78258. (210) 492-4868.

Products: Supplier of automotive parts, tools, equipment and related services, including sales, marketing, online sales and training support.

Agora Tire

www.omni-united.com

Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires.

100 Enterprise Dr., Newcomerstown, OH 43832. (740) 498-8324 or (800) 438-3302.

FAX: (740) 498-8325.

www.31inc.com

Akebono Brake Corp.

310 Ring Rd., Elizabethtown, KY 42701.

(866) 253-2666.

www.akebonobrakes.com Products: Brake products.

6200 Grand Pointe Dr., Grand Blanc, MI 48439. (800) 606-2350.

American First Finance

P.O. Box 565848, Dallas, TX 75356.

(866) 738-7089.

Email: sales@americanfirstfinance.com

www.americanfirstfinance.com

Products: Consumer credit and financing, financing and credit programs.

American Pacific Industries

8320 E Hartford Dr., Scottsdale, AZ 85255.

(480) 387-5980.

www.apitire.com www.gladiatortires.com www.zennatires.com

Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, medium/heavy truck tires, ag/farm tires, industrial tires, specialty tires.

Products: Professional tire repair materials, tire pressure monitoring (TPMS) sensors and tools, tire valves, tire gauges, tire repair tools, air hose and accessories and tire mounting lubricants.

ACDelco

Products: TPMS sensors, tire valves, lifts and jacks, service trucks and associated equipment, shop maintenance equipment, tire handling equipment, tools and tool accessories.

www.autovalue.com www.bumpertobumper.com

9900 Two Lakes Trial, Charlevoix, MI 49720.

(855) 906-6646.

31 Inc.

2347 Circuit Way, Brooksville, FL 34604.

(352) 799-1111.

American Tire Distributors Allen Rubber Company Inc. DBA ARW/ITW

7259 Hasbrook Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19111.

(215) 745-1400.

12200 Herbert Wayne Ct., Huntersville, NC 28070. (800) 632-1897 or (800) 222-1167.

FAX: (704) 992-1280.

www.atd-us.com

Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, medium/heavy truck tires, advertising & marketing programs, consulting, POS/ retailing, roadside assistance programs, tire disposal/recycling/shredding, tire exporter/ importer, tire retailer support programs, training programs, tire repair materials, tire valves, tire display racks, wheel weights

Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, medium/heavy truck tires, ag/farm tires, TPMS sensors, tire repair materials, wheel weights, wheels and accessories, air compressors, tire display racks, tire handling equipment, tire mounting and balancing equipment, TPMS diagnostic/programming tools, tire repair equipment, tools and tool accessories, advertising/marketing programs, computer systems, online sales systems, POS/retailing, training programs.

15791 Rockfield Blvd., Suite B, Irvine, CA 92618. (949) 445-1370.

Alliance Tire Americas Inc.

American Tourer

Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires.

www.atgtire.com

www.acdelco.com

Products: Antifreeze, batteries, bearings, gaskets and seals, belts and hoses, brake products, chemicals, cleaners and polishes, cooling/air conditioning products, electrical/ ignition products, filters/filtration systems, fuel system products, gloves, spark plugs, steering components, suspension components, transmission/drive line products, wipers blades.

Achilles Tires USA, Inc.

www.achillestiresusa.com

Acima Credit

www.arwtire.com

201 Edgewater Dr., Suite 285, Wakefield, MA 01880. (339) 900-8080.

Products: Ag/farm tires, industrial tires, medium/heavy truck tires, specialty tires.

9900 Two Lakes Trial, Charlevoix, MI 49720.

(855) 906-6646.

www.omni-united.com

Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires.

9815 S Monroe St., Sandy, UT 84070.

(801) 297-1984.

www.acimacredit.com

Products: Consumer credit and financing.

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Buyers’ Guide Arnott Inc. Air Suspension Products

100 Sea Ray Dr., Merritt Island, FL 32953.

(800) 251-8993.

www.arnottinc.com

Andreoli Software

Products: Suspension components, air compressors, suspension equipment.

13801 Reese Blvd. W, Suite 200, Huntersville, NC 28078. (704) 895-2780 ext. 32 or (800) 438-4487 ext. 32. FAX: (704) 895-2985.

B&J Rocket America, Inc.

325 N Main St., Middlebury, IN 46540.

(574) 825-5802. FAX: (574) 825-7972.

www.hitstiresoftware.com

Products: Computer software, online sales systems, POS/retailing, website and other online assistance.

AOT (American Omni Trading Co. LLC)

1221 Park West Green Dr., Katy, TX 77493.

(281) 600-8473.

www.american-omni.com

Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, medium/heavy truck tires, ag/ farm tires, industrial tires, specialty tires, antique/classic tires.

APC Automotive Technologies

10822 W Toller Dr., Suite 370, Littleton, CO 80127. (720) 899-3507

www.apcautotech.com

Products: Brake products, exhaust system components, steering components, suspension components.

Apollo Vredestein Tires Inc.

Colony Square, 1175 Peachtree St. NE, Atlanta, GA 30361. (770) 302-2163.

ASA Automotive Systems, Inc.

800 S Industry Way, Suite 150, Meridian, ID 83642. (Offices in Illinois and New Hampshire too). (800) 657-6409.

www.asaauto.com

Products: ASA offers ‘All-in-One’ Pointof-Sale (POS), accounting and inventory software for independent tire dealers and automotive service providers in retail, wholesale, commercial and retreading enterprises. We also offer retailer support and loyalty programs, websites, digital marketing services and integrations to help single and multi-site stores improve operations, reduce costs and increase profitability.

ATEQ TPMS Tools LC

35990 Industrial Rd., Livonia, MI 48150.

(734) 838-6119.

www.ateq-tpms.com

Products: Diagnostic equipment, TPMS diagnostic/programming tools.

Atturo Tire Corp.

Products: Light truck, Jeep, SUV and CUV tires.

Autel Diagnostics

Products: Studdable passenger, SUV/light truck winter tires.

Armstrong Tire

44231 Phoenix Dr., Sterling Heights, MI 48314. (855) 877-9732.

www.bartecusa.com www.whytpms.com www.revivecleaner.com

Products: TPMS diagnostic and repair tools, tread depth inspection tools, quick service tools, revive turbo cleaner.

Bee Line Co.

2700 62nd St. Ct., Bettendorf, IA 52722.

(563) 332-4066.

www.beeline-co.com

Products: Alignment equipment, lifts and jacks, shop maintenance equipment, tire mounting and balancing equipment.

www.bendpak.com

www.atturo.com

4300 TBC Way, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410. (866) 822-4968. FAX: (800) 467-4638.

Bartec USA

1645 E Lemonwood Dr., Santa Paula, CA 93060. (805) 933-9970.

3250 N Oak Grove Ave., Waukegan, IL 60087.

(224) 637-1110 or (855) 632-8031.

FAX: (847) 589-8446.

Arctic Claw

Products: Retreading materials, tire repair materials, retreading equipment, tire repair equipment, tools and tool accessories.

BendPak

www.apollotyres.com www.vredestein.com

Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, medium/heavy truck tires, ag/ farm tires, industrial tires, specialty tires, antique/classic tires.

www.bj-rocket.com

175 Central Ave., Suite 200, Farmingdale, NY 11735. (855) 288-3587.

www.autel.com www.maxitpms.com www.maxisysadas.com

Products: Air compressors, alignment equipment, brake service equipment, hoses, reels, lifts and jacks, service trucks and associated equipment, shop heating/cooling equipment, tire mounting and balancing equipment, tire repair equipment, tools and tool accessories, work benches.

BFGoodrich, a brand of MNA, Inc. 1 Parkway S, Greenville, SC 29615.

www.bfgoodrichtires.com

Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, medium/heavy truck tires.

Products: TPMS sensors, tire valves, diagnostic equipment, TPMS diagnostic/ programming tools, tools and tool accessories.

6745 NW 36th Street, Suite 260 Miami, FL 33166. (877) 57RHINO.

www.armstrongtire.com

Products: Passenger tires, light truck, medium/heavy truck tires.

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Branick Industries Inc.

4245 Main Ave., Fargo, ND 58103.

(800) 437-4394.

Big O Tires LLC

4280 Professional Center Dr., Unit 400, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410. (561) 383-3000 or (800) 321-2446.

www.bigotires.com

Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, specialty tires, batteries, chemicals, fuel system products, oil products and lubricants, tire gauges, tire pressure monitoring systems, tire repair materials, tire studs, tire valves, wheel weights, wheels and accessories, wiper blades, air compressors, alignment equipment, battery charging and testing equipment, brake service equipment, diagnostic equipment, hoses, reels, lifts and jacks, nitrogen inflation equipment, oil/lubrication equipment, ride control/shocks and struts, suspension equipment, tire display racks, tire mounting and balancing equipment, tire pressure monitoring system equipment, tire repair equipment, tools and tool accessories, promotional and online marketing, financing and credit programs, tire retailer support programs, Web and other online assistance.

www.branick.com

Products: Retreading equipment, diagnostic equipment, lifts and jacks, nitrogen inflation equipment, service trucks and associated equipment, suspension equipment, tire handling equipment, tire repair equipment.

Bridgestone Americas, Inc.

200 4th Ave. S, Nashville, TN 37201.

(877) 201-2373.

CEMB USA

2873 Ramsey Rd., Gainesville, GA 30501.

(678) 717-1050.

www.cemb-usa.com

Products: Automotive wheel balancers, alignment systems, tire changers, industrial OEM balancing & vibration equipment division.

www.bridgestoneamericas.com

Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, truck tires, ag/farm tires, motorcycle tires, OTR tires, specialty tires, bus tires, aircraft tires, retreading: medium/heavy truck tires, OTR tires, casings, equipment and materials, building products, suspension components, tubes, tire display racks, tire repair equipment, company-owned retail tires and service, air springs, rubber tracks, fleet management, advertising/marketing programs, consumer credit and financing, financing and credit programs, online sales systems, POS/retailing, roadside assistance programs, tire retailer support programs, training programs.

Century Wheels

4300 TBC Way, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410. (866) 822-4968. FAX: (800) 467-4638.

www.tbccommercialtires.com

Products: Steel truck and trailer wheels.

ChampionÂŽ/DRiV Incorporated

27300 11 Mile Rd., Southfield, MI 48034.

(248) 354-7700.

www.championautoparts.com

Products: Batteries, electrical/ignition products, filters/filtration systems, spark plugs.

Chevron Lubricants

6001 Bollinger Canyon Rd., San Ramon, CA 94583. (866) 354-4476.

BKT USA, Inc.

202 Montrose West Avenue, Suite 240, Copley, Ohio 44321. (330) 836-1090.

Carlisle TyrFil

Products: Ag/farm tires, industrial tires, specialty tires.

www.CarlisleTyrFil.com

www.bkt-tires.com

140 Sheldon Rd., Berea, OH 44017.

(800) 821-4147 Products: Tire fills and sealants.

CarMD

17352 Von Karman Ave., Irvine, CA 92614.

(888) 692-2763.

www.carmd.com

Products: Diagnostic equipment, shop maintenance equipment.

1001 Paster Court, Macedonia, OH 44056.

(800) 981-8321.

1815 Clubhouse Rd., Rock Hill, SC 29730.

(803) 817-7000.

www.cp.com

Products: Tools and tool accessories.

China International Tire Expo (Shanghai) â&#x20AC;&#x201C; CITEXPO

Products: Trade show representation.

Products: Wheels and accessories and wheel repair.

www.otctools.com www.robinair.com www.boschdiagnostics.com www.boschautoparts.com

Chicago Pneumatic

www.citexpo.com.cn

www.blackburnwheels.com

28635 Mound Rd., Warren, MI 48092.

(800) 533-6127.

Products: Antifreeze, chemicals, oil products and lubricants, transmission/ drive line products, advertising/marketing programs, training programs.

Rm. 1702, Bldg. 6, SOHO New Town, 88 Jianguo Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, P.R. China 100022. +86-10-8589-8181.

Blackburn OEM Wheel Solutions

Bosch Automotive Service Solutions

www.chevronlubricants.com

CEAT Specialty Tires Inc.

525 N Tryon Street, Suite 1600, Charlotte, NC 28202. (980) 616-1931.

Email: CSTI@ceat.in

www.ceatspecialty.com

Products: Ag/farm tires, OTR tires, specialty tires.

Products: Batteries, brake products, cooling/air conditioning products, filters/filtration systems, fuel system products, spark plugs, battery charging and testing equipment, brake service equipment, lifts and jacks, TPMS diagnostic/ programming tools, tools and tool accessories.

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Buyersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Guide Delphi Technologies

300 University Dr., Auburn Hills, MI 48326.

(877) GO-DELPHI.

www.DelphiAftermarket.com

Products: Batteries, cooling/air conditioning products, electrical/ignition products, fuel system products, steering components, suspension components, training programs.

CIMS Tire Registration

P.O. Box 1610, Akron, OH 44309-1610.

(330) 794-9190 or (855) 444-5120.

FAX: (330) 784-6900.

www.cimstireregistration.com

Cosmo Tires

7500 NW 35th Terrace, Miami, FL 33122.

(844) COSMO-GO (26766-46).

Products: Tire registration and recall systems for tire dealers, tire manufacturers and tire importers.

www.cosmotires.com

clicklease

Counteract Balancing Beads

www.clicklease.com

www.counteractbalancing.com

1182W 2400S, West Valley City, UT 84119.

(801) 208-5589 Products: Equipment, financing and credit programs.

Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, medium/heavy truck tires.

70 Watson Pkwy. South, Unit 8, Guelph, ON, Canada N1L 0C3. (800) 572-8952.

Products: Wheel weights.

Clore Automotive

8735 Rosehill Rd., Suite 220, Lenexa, KS 66215. (913) 310-1050.

www.cloreautomotive.com Products: Battery charging and testing equipment.

Coker Tire

1317 Chestnut St., Chattanooga, TN 37402.

(800) 251-6336.

www.cokertire.com

Crosswind Tires

4300 TBC Way, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410. (866) 822-4968. FAX: (800) 467-4638.

www.tbcbrands.com/tire-brands/ crosswind.com

Products: High performance tires, passenger tires, SUV/CUV/light truck tires, Web and other online assistance, tire retailer support programs.

Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, truck tires, ag/farm tires, antique/classic tires, motorcycle tires, specialty tires, brake products, cleaners and polishes, tire flaps, tire valves, tubes, wheels and accessories.

Continental Tire the Americas LLC

1830 MacMillan Park Dr., Fort Mill, SC 29707.

(704) 583-3900.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/ continentaltire Twitter: @continentaltire Instagram: @continental_tire Website: www.continentaltire.com

Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, truck tires, motorcycle tires, OTR tires, specialty tires, financing and credit programs, roadside assistance programs, tire retailer support programs, trade show representation.

Continental Tire the Americas LLC - Commercial Specialty Tire Div.

1830 MacMillan Park Dr., Fort Mill, SC 29707.

(877) 235-0102.

www.continental-specialty.com Products: Ag/farm tires, industrial tires, specialty tires.

Cooper Tire

Delta Tire

4300 TBC Way, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410. (866) 822-4968. FAX: (800) 467-4638.

www.deltatire.com

Products: Advertising/marketing programs, radial and bias agricultural tires, ATV tires, industrial tires, lawn and garden tires, SUV/ CUV/light truck tires, medium/heavy truck tires, bias light truck tires, off-the-road tires, passenger tires, trailer tires, specialty tires, tire tubes, tire valves, tire pressure monitoring systems, wheel weights, steel truck wheels, trailer wheels, alignment equipment, brake service equipment, lifts and jacks, tire display racks, tire mounting and balancing equipment, Web and other online assistance, tire retailer support programs, roadside assistance programs, road hazard protection plan.

DENSO Products and Services Americas Inc.

3900 Via Oro Ave., Long Beach, CA 90810.

(310) 834-6352.

www.densoautoparts.com www.densoaftermarket.com

Dawg Pound Tires

2200 Huntington Dr., Unit C, Fairfield, CA 94533. (707) 437-4700 or (800) 831-8473.

FAX: (707) 437-4800.

www.dawgpoundtires.com

Products: Commercial truck tires, construction tires/OTR tires, material handling tires, agricultural tires, specialty tires, tire flaps and tire tubes.

Products: Electrical/ignition products, filters/filtration systems, fuel system products, spark plugs, tire pressure monitoring systems, wiper blades.

Dick Cepek Tires & Wheels

4651 Prosper Dr., Stow, OH 44224.

(330) 928-9092.

www.dickcepek.com

Products: Light truck tires, wheels and accessories.

Dill Air Controls Dealer Strategic Planning - 20 Group

571 Snelling Ave. N, St. Paul, MN 55104.

(314) 409-4436.

Email: jeff.morgan@20dsp.com

www.20DSP.com

Products: Consulting, management programs, tire dealer 20 Groups.

1500 Williamsboro St., Oxford, NC 27565.

(919) 692-2300 or (800) 815-3455 (TPMS Tech Line). FAX: (919) 692-2304.

www.dillvalves.com

Products: Dill Air Controls Products continues to provide the automotive, RV, fleet, offroad, and trucking industry with leading valve stems and hardware, tire inflation devices, TPMS and hand tools. Many products are proudly made in the USA.

701 Lima Ave., Findlay, OH 45840.

(419) 423-1321.

www.coopertire.com www.coopertrucktires.com

Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, medium/heavy truck tires.

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Double Coin Tires

Ferodo®/DRiV Incorporated

406 E Huntington Dr., Suite 200, Monrovia, CA 91016. (888) 226-5250.

www.doublecointires.com

Products: Medium/heavy truck tires, OTR and industrial tires.

Duraturn Tire

27300 11 Mile Rd., Southfield, MI 48034.

(248) 354-7700.

Eldorado Tire

4300 TBC Way, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410. (866) 822-4968. FAX: (800) 467-4638.

Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, ag/farm tires, industrial tires, specialty tires, motorcycle tires.

DynoMax®/DRiV Incorporated

Epicor Software Corporation

www.duraturntires.com

Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, truck tires, specialty tires.

Duro Tire and Wheel

14290 Lochridge Blvd., Covington, GA 30014.

(770) 788-2060.

www.durotire.com

27300 11 Mile Rd., Southfield, MI 48034.

(248) 354-7700.

www.dynomax.com

Products: Exhaust system components, truck & SUV accessories.

East Bay Tire Co.

2200 Huntington Dr., Unit C, Fairfield, CA 94533. (707) 437-4700 or (800) 831-8473.

FAX: (707) 437-4800.

www.eastbaytire.com

Products: Major brand passenger, light truck, commercial and heavy truck, industrial, earth mover, agricultural, ATV, lawn and garden, golf cart, trailer tires, specialty tires, tire flaps, tire tubes, and wheels.

804 Las Cimas Pkwy., Austin, TX 78746.

(512) 328-2300.

www.epicor.com

Products: Truck bed products, air compressors, hoses and reels, lifts and jacks, material handling equipment, service trucks and associated equipment, tire handling equipment, tools and tool accessories.

Foreign Tire Sales, Inc.

2444 Morris Ave., Suite 206, Union, NJ 07083.

(908) 687-0559.

www.foreigntire.com

Fury Tire

www.falkentire.com

www.furytires.com

8656 Haven Ave., Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730. (800) 723-2553.

Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, truck tires.

9010 North Royal Lane, Suite 100, Irving, TX 75063. (855) 575-3879.

Products: Light truck, SUV, M/T, M/T2, R/T, X/T UTV, Off-road, All-Terrain, Jeep, Lifted Truck.

Federal Tire North America LLC

Gabriel Ride Control

www.federaltireusa.com

www.gabriel.com

370 Amapola Ave., Suite 215, Torrance, CA 90501. (310) 328-1888.

Federated Auto Parts/The Group

39300 Country Club Dr., Farmington Hills, MI 48331. (800) 251-5932.

Products: Suspension components.

508 Greenville Ave., Staunton, VA 24401.

(540) 885-8460.

www.federatedautoparts.com

Products: Supplier of automotive parts, tools, equipment and related services, including sales, marketing, online sales and training support.

Fel-Pro®/DRiV Incorporated

27300 11 Mile Rd., Southfield, MI 48034.

(248) 354-7700.

www.felpro.com

Products: Bearings, gaskets and seals, transmission/drive line products.

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www.FECTRUCKS.com

Falken Tire Corporation

www.easypayfinance.com

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567 Commerce Street, Franklin Lakes, NJ 07417. (800) 631-0873.

Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, medium/heavy truck tires, ag/farm tires, industrial tires, specialty tires.

EasyPay Finance

Products: Consumer credit and financing.

Fleet Equipment Corporation

Products: Computer software, POS/retailing.

Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, tire exporter/importer, trade show representation, training programs, website and other online assistance.

P.O. Box 2549, Carlsbad, CA 92018.

(866) 337-2537.

Products: Brake products.

www.eldoradotire.com

Products: Advertising/marketing programs, radial and bias agricultural tires, ATV tires, high performance tires, industrial tires, lawn and garden tires, SUV/CUV/light truck tires, medium/heavy truck tires, bias light truck tires, off-the-road tires, passenger tires, trailer tires, specialty tires, tire tubes, tire valves, tire pressure monitoring systems, wheel weights, steel truck wheels, trailer wheels, alignment equipment, brake service equipment, lifts and jacks, tire display racks, tire mounting and balancing equipment, Web and other online assistance, tire retailer support programs, roadside assistance programs, road hazard protection plan.

150 S Los Robles Ave., Suite 400, Pasadena, CA 91101. (626) 513-8989. Fax: (626) 513-2080.

www.ferodo.com

Gaither Tool Co. Inc.

2255 W Morton Ave., Jacksonville, IL 62650.

(217) 245-0545 or (800) 452-5010.

FAX: (217) 245-0940.

www.gaithertool.com www.winntec.net

Products: Lifts and jacks, tire handling equipment, tire mounting and balancing equipment, tire repair equipment, tools and tool accessories.

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Buyers’ Guide Garage Gurus®/DRiV Incorporated

27300 11 Mile Rd., Southfield, MI 48034.

(888) 771-6005.

Harvest King

www.fmgaragegurus.com

Greenball Corp.

Products: Training programs.

General Tire

1830 MacMillan Park Dr., Fort Mill, SC 29707.

(704) 583-3900.

Twitter: @generaltire Instagram: @general_tire Facebook: www.facebook.com/ generaltire Website: www.generaltire.com

222 S. Harbor Blvd., Suite 700, Anaheim, CA 92805. (714) 782-3060 or (800) 946-9412.

FAX: (714) 782-7075.

www.greenballtires.com

Products: Special trailer, light truck, ATV & UTV, lawn and garden, golf cart, mobile home, farm and other OTR tires.

4300 TBC Way, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410. (866) 822-4968. FAX: (800) 467-4638.

www.tbccommercialtires.com

Products: Advertising/marketing programs, radial and bias agricultural tires, tire tubes, tire valves, TPMS, wheel weights, steel Ag wheels, alignment equipment, brake service equipment, lifts and jacks, tire display racks, tire mounting and balancing equipment, Web and other online assistance, tire retailer support programs.

Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, truck tires, OTR tires, tire retailer support programs, trade show representation.

GT Radial

10404 Sixth St., Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730. (909) 980-0968 or (866) 488-4737.

FAX: (909) 476-4028.

www.gtradial.com

Giti Tire (USA) Ltd.

10404 Sixth St., Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730. (909) 980-0968 or (866) 488-4737.

FAX: 909-476-4028.

www.giti.com

Products: Passenger tires, truck tires, specialty tires.

Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, truck tires, specialty tires.

3508 Avenue F, Arlington, TX 76011.

(866) 442-9352.

www.haweka-usa.com

Products: Alignment equipment, lifts and jacks, tire mounting and balancing equipment.

GTC North America Inc.

4580 Stephen Circle NW, Suite 202, Canton, OH 44718. (330) 498-5000.

Products: Truck tires, ag/farm tires, OTR tires, specialty tires.

Haltec Corporation

32585 N Price Rd., Salem, OH 44460.

(800) 321-6471.

www.haltec.com

Global Rubber Industries (PVT) Ltd.

Haweka USA/Allpart Supply

Products: Tire valves, tools and tool accessories, shop maintenance equipment.

Hennessy Industries, LLC

1601 J.P. Hennessy Dr., LaVergne, TN 37086.

(800) 688-6359.

www.hennessyind.com

Products: Tire changers, wheel balancers, brake lathes, lifts and wheel weights.

Hercules Tire

1995 Tiffin Ave., Suite 205, Findlay, OH 45840.

(844) 432-9729.

28, Joseph’s Lane, Colombo 4, Colombo 00400. +94 112598831.

www.herculestires.com

www.gritires.com

Products: Light truck tires, ag/farm tires, industrial tires, specialty tires, trade show representation

Hamaton Inc.

Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, medium/heavy truck tires, industrial tires, specialty tires.

The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company

www.hamaton-tpms.us.com

Hofmann Power Weight

200 Innovation Way, Akron, OH 44316.

(330) 796-2121.

www.goodyear.com

Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, medium/heavy truck tires, retreading: medium/heavy truck tires, OTR tires and equipment, advertising/marketing programs, financing and credit programs, online sales systems, POS/retailing, roadside assistance programs, tire retailer support programs.

47815 West Rd., Suite D-109, Wixom, MI 48393. (248) 308-3856 Products: Tire gauges, TPMS sensors, tire valves, TPMS diagnostic/programming tools, tools and tool accessories.

Hankook Tire America Corp.

1715 Joe B. Jackson Pkwy., Murfreesboro, TN 37127. (615) 893-0643.

www.hofmann-powerweight.com Products: Wheel weights

333 Commerce St., Suite 600, Nashville, TN 37201. (615) 242-8709.

www.hankooktire.com/us

Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, medium/heavy truck tires.

Horizon Tire

4818 4th St., Irwindale, CA 91706.

(323) 622-1920. FAX: (323) 622-1927.

www.horizontire.com logo_layout4.indd 1

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Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, snow tires, medium truck tires, OTR tires, AG tires, specialty tires, steel/ aluminum wheels, tire tubes and flaps.

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Hunter Engineering Co.

K&M Tire Inc.

www.hunter.com

www.kmtire.com

11250 Hunter Dr., Bridgeton, MO 63044.

(314) 731-0000.

965 Spencerville Rd., Delphos, OH 45833.

(419) 695-1061.

Products: Alignment systems, alignment lift racks, wheel balancers, tire changers, brake service and inspection lane equipment.

Interstate Tires

4300 TBC Way, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410. (866) 822-4968. FAX: (800) 467-4638.

www.interstate-tires.com

IMI

3183 Black Gap Rd., Chambersburg, PA 17202. (800) 233-7086. FAX: (717) 496-0608.

www.imiproducts.com

Products: Aluminum wheel cleaning, internal wheel-end balancing, steel wheel refinishing and powder coating, high heat tire sealant, all-purpose tire sealant, low RPM tire sealant, high RPM sealant, OTR sealants and conditioner, loose lug nut indicator.

Products: Advertising/marketing programs, radial and bias agricultural tires, ATV tires, high performance tires, industrial tires, lawn and garden tires, SUV/CUV/light truck tires, medium/heavy truck tires, bias light truck tires, off-the-road tires, passenger tires, trailer tires, specialty tires, tire tubes, tire valves, tire pressure monitoring systems, wheel weights, steel truck wheels, trailer wheels, alignment equipment, brake service equipment, lifts and jacks, tire display racks, tire mounting and balancing equipment, Web and other online assistance, tire retailer support programs.

John Bean

309 Exchange Ave., Conway, AR 72032.

(800) 362-4618.

Independent Tire Dealers Group LLC (ITDG) P.O. Box 3651, Tequesta, FL 33469.

(561) 630-8737. FAX: (561) 630-8657.

www.itdgusa.com

Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, truck tires, ag/farm tires, antique/classic tires, OTR tires, specialty tires, tire flaps, tire tubes, antifreeze, batteries, bearings, gaskets and seals, belts and hoses, brake products, chemicals, cleaners and polishes, cooling/ air conditioning products, electrical/ignition products, exhaust system components, filters/ filtration systems, fuel system products, gloves, oil products and lubricants, personnel protection and safety products, retreading materials, spark plugs, steering components, suspension components, tire fills and sealants, tire gauges, tire identification, tire marking products, tire pressure monitoring systems, tire repair materials, tire studs, tire valves, transmission/drive line products, truck and SUV accessories, truck bed products, wheel weights, wheels and accessories, wiper blades, air compressors, alignment equipment, battery charging and testing equipment, brake service equipment, diagnostic equipment, hoses, reels, lifts and jacks, material handling equipment, nitrogen inflation equipment, tire handling equipment, tire mounting and balancing equipment, tire pressure monitoring system equipment, tire repair equipment, tools and tool accessories, work benches, consulting, financing and credit programs, insurance programs, roadside assistance programs, tire retailer support programs, website and social media, as well as other computer and software and online related support.

Independent Tire Sales

3150 Jacob St., Wheeling, WV 26003.

(800) 624-6908.

www.johnbean.com

Products: Alignment equipment, brake service equipment, lifts and jacks, tire handling equipment, tire mounting and balancing equipment

Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, medium/heavy truck tires, ag/farm tires, industrial tires, specialty tires, exhaust system components, tire fills and sealants, tire marking products, TPMS sensors, tire valves, tubes, wheel weights, air compressors, alignment equipment, battery charging and testing equipment, brake service equipment, diagnostic equipment, hoses, reels, lifts and jacks, tire mounting and balancing equipment, TPMS diagnostic/programming tools, tire repair equipment, tools and tool accessories, advertising/marketing programs, consumer credit and financing, financing and credit programs, Website and other online assistance.

Kelsey Tire Inc.

P.O. Box 564, Camdenton, MO 65020.

(800) 325-0091.

www.kelseytire.com

Products: Antique/classic tires, tubes,

Kenda USA

7095 Americana Pkwy., Reynoldsburg, OH 43068. (614) 866-9803

www.kendatire.com

Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, motorcycle tires, specialty tires.

JohnDow Industries

151 Snyder Ave., Barberton, OH 44203.

(330) 753-6895.

www.johndow.com

Products: Chemicals, exhaust system components, fuel system products, TPMS sensors, tire repair materials, tire studs, tire valves, hoses and reels, material handling equipment, oil/ lubrication equipment, shop maintenance equipment, tire handling equipment, TPMS diagnostic/programming tools, tire repair equipment, tools and tool accessories.

JS Products

6445 Montessouri St., Las Vegas, NV 89113.

(702) 212-1300.

www.jsproducts.com

Products: Brake service equipment, diagnostic equipment, hoses and reels, lifts and jacks, oil/lubrication equipment, gloves, personnel protection and safety products, tire gauges, tire marking products, TPMS sensors, tire repair materials, tire valves, wheel weights, tire handling equipment, TPMS diagnostic/ programming tools, tire repair equipment, tools and tool accessories, work benches.

Ken-Tool

768 E North St., Akron, OH 44305.

(330) 535-7177 or (888) 536-8665.

FAX: (330) 535-1345.

www.kentool.com

Products: Tire mounting and balancing equipment, tools and tool accessories.

Kumho Tire U.S.A. Inc.

133 Peachtree St. NE, Suite 2800, Atlanta, GA 30303. (800) 445-8646.

www.kumhotireusa.com

Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, medium/heavy truck tires, advertising/ marketing programs, POS/retailing, tire exporter/importer, tire retailer support programs, trade show representation, training programs, Website and other online assistance.

KYB Americas Corp.

850 N Graham Rd., Suite C, Greenwood, IN 46143. (630) 620-5555.

www.kyb.com

Products: Suspension components.

Lakin Tire West

15305 Spring Ave., Santa Fe Springs, CA 90670. (562) 802-2752.

www.lakintire.com

Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires.

Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires.

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Buyers’ Guide Laufenn Tires

Martins Industries

McGard LLC

www.laufenn.com/us

www.martinsindustries.com

www.mcgard.com

333 Commerce St., Suite 600, Nashville, TN 37201. (615) 432-0700.

Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires.

Launch Tech USA

1820 S Milliken Ave., Ontario, CA 91761.

(562) 463-1580.

www.launchtechusa.com

Products: Alignment equipment, diagnostic equipment, TPMS diagnostic/programming tools, TPMS sensors, computer systems, computer software, POS/retailing.

1200 Industrial Blvd., Farnham, Quebec, Canada J2N 3B5. (450) 293-9000 Products: Personnel protection and safety products, truck bed products, wheel weights, wheels and accessories, lifts and jacks, material handling equipment, nitrogen inflation equipment, tire display racks, tire handling equipment, tire mounting and balancing equipment, tire repair equipment.

Mastercraft Tires

701 Lima Ave., Findlay, OH 45840.

(419) 423-1321.

www.mastercrafttires.com

Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires.

3875 California Rd., Orchard Park, NY 14127.

(716) 662-8980.

Products: Truck bed products, wheel accessories.

Michelin, a brand of MNA Inc.

1 Parkway S, Greenville, SC 29615.

(864) 458-5000.

www.michelinman.com

Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, medium/heavy truck tires, ag/farm tires, industrial tires, specialty tires, antique/classic tires, motorcycle tires, retreading: medium/ heavy truck and OTR tires, wiper blades, tire retailer support programs, training programs.

Mickey Thompson Tires & Wheels 4651 Prosper Dr., Stow, OH 44224.

(330) 928-9092.

www.mickeythompsontires.com

Linglong Americas, Inc.

1484 Medina Rd., Suite 118, Medina, OH 44256. +86-18705355362

www.linglongtire.com

Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, medium/heavy truck tires, ag/farm tires, industrial tires, specialty tires.

MAHLE Aftermarket Inc.

23030 Mahle Dr., Farmington Hills, MI 48335.

(248) 347-9700.

www.mahle-aftermarket.com

Products: Bearings, gaskets, filters, valves.

www.ModernT ireDealer.com

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MAM Software Inc.

Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, specialty tires, wheels and accessories.

Matrix Capital Markets Group, Inc.

1021 East Cary Street, Suite 1150, Richmond, VA 23219. (804) 780-0060.

www.matrixcmg.com

Company Description: Matrix Capital Markets Group, Inc. is an independent, advisory focused, privately-held investment bank. Since 1988, Matrix has provided merger & acquisition and financial advisory services to privatelyheld, private-equity owned and publicly traded companies. Matrix professionals are dedicated and experienced in serving the investment banking needs of all segments of the automotive marketplace, including: tire and automotive service center chains, consumer and commercial automotive warehouse parts distributors, tier one component and vehicle accessories manufacturers, part inspection and staffing services, quick lube chains, and automotive parts retail.

512 Township Line Rd., Two Valley Square, Suite 220, Blue Bell, PA 19422. (610) 336-9045.

www.mamsoftware.com

Products: Computer systems, computer software, POS/retailing. MAM Software provides both cloud and on-premise point of sale and management system software designed for both single and multi-location tire dealers and auto service shops. VAST Enterprise and VAST Online have been developed by specialists with many years’ experience of working with tire dealers, franchises, chains and independent service dealers. Additionally, MAM offers an integrated parts catalog and labor guide, VAST Commerce, which helps to accelerate the estimating process and electronically order parts from within the work order process.

Marangoni Tread N.A.

708 Myatt Dr., Madison, TN 37115.

(615) 868-4050. FAX: (615) 868-0402.

www.na.marangoni.com

Products: Retreading – medium/heavy truck tires, equipment, materials.

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MAXAM Tire North America

300 Rosewood Dr., Suite 102, Danvers, MA 01923. (844) 629-2662.

www.maxamtire.com

Products: Ag/farm tires, construction tires, forestry tires, industrial/port tires, off-the-road tires, specialty tires.

Maxxis International - U.S.A.

545 Old Peachtree Rd., Suwanee, GA 30024.

(678) 407-6771.

www.maxxis.com

Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, medium/heavy truck tires, specialty tires, motorcycle tires.

Midas International, LLC

4280 Professional Center Dr., Unit 400, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410. (561) 383-3000.

www.midas.com

Products: Light truck tires, passenger 57 tires, specialty tires, truck tires, antifreeze, batteries, bearings, gaskets and seals, belts and hoses, brake products, chemicals, 6/28/19 10:07 AM cleaners and polishes, cooling/air conditioning products, electrical/ignition products, exhaust system components, filters/filtration systems, fuel system products, oil products and lubricants, spark plugs, steering components, suspension components, tire gauges, tire pressure monitoring systems, tire repair materials, tire studs, tire valves, transmission/drive line products, wheels and accessories, wiper blades, financing and credit programs, tire disposal/recycling, Web and other online assistance.

Mighty Distributing System (Mighty Auto Parts)

650 Engineering Dr., Norcross, GA 30092.

(770) 448-3900.

www.mightyautoparts.com

Products: Supplier of automotive parts, tools, equipment and related services, including sales, marketing, online sales and training support.

Milestar Tires

500 W 190th St., Suite 600, Gardena, CA 90248. (800) 227-8925.

www.milestartires.com

Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, truck tires, specialty tires.

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Mitas Tires

MRF Ltd.

www.mitas-tires.com

Products: Light truck tires, medium/heavy truck tires, ag/farm tires, industrial tires.

107 Audubon Rd. Bldg.2, Suite 205, Wakefield, MA 01880. (864) 595-2205.

Products: Ag/farm tires, industrial tires, specialty tires, motorcycle tires.

4637 Allen Rd., Stow, OH 44224.

(330) 374-1000.

NAMA Tires, Inc.

Mitchell 1

939 S. Atlantic Blvd., Suite 212, Monterey Park, CA 91754.

16067 Babcock St., San Diego, CA 92127.

(888) 724-6742.

www.mitchell1.com

Products: Advertising/marketing programs, computer software, management programs, training programs, website and other online assistance.

Mohawk Lifts

65 Vrooman Ave., P.O. Box 110, Amsterdam, NY 12010. (518) 842-1431.

www.mohawklifts.com Products: Lifts and jacks.

MonroeÂŽ/DRiV Incorporated

27300 11 Mile Rd., Southfield, MI 48034.

(248) 354-7700.

www.monroe.com

Products: Suspension components.

MOOGÂŽ/DRiV Incorporated

Multi-Mile Tires

4300 TBC Way, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410. (866) 822-4968. FAX: (800) 467-4638.

www.multimiletires.com

Products: Advertising/marketing programs, radial and bias agricultural tires, ATV tires, high performance tires, industrial tires, lawn and garden tires, SUV/CUV/light truck tires, medium/heavy truck tires, bias light truck tires, off-the-road tires, passenger tires, trailer tires, specialty tires, tire tubes, tire valves, tire pressure monitoring systems, wheel weights, steel truck wheels, trailer wheels, alignment equipment, brake service equipment, lifts and jacks, tire display racks, tire mounting and balancing equipment, Web and other online assistance, tire retailer support programs, roadside assistance programs, road hazard protection plan.

27300 11 Mile Rd., Southfield, MI 48034.

(248) 354-7700.

MW Company

Products: Bearings, gaskets and seals, steering components, suspension components.

www.momotires.com

www.moogparts.com

Email: info@namatire.us www.namatire.us

Products: RT, MT, UHP, HT, TOURING Made in Vietnam, TBR made both in Vietnam and Thailand.

Nankang Tires

500 W 190th St., Suite 600, Gardena, CA 90248. (800) 227-8925.

www.nankangusa.com

Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires.

NAPA Auto Parts

2999 Wildwood Pkwy., Atlanta, GA 30339.

(678) 934-5000.

www.napaonline.com

Products: Supplier of automotive parts, tools, equipment and related services, including sales, marketing, online sales and training support.

6600 Stadium Dr., Kansas City, MO 64129.

(800) 749-MOMO

National Pronto Association/The Group

Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires.

www.pronto-net.com

2601 Heritage Ave., Grapevine, TX 76051.

(800) 477-6686.

Products: Supplier of automotive parts, tools, equipment and related services, including sales, marketing, online sales and training support.

Morgan Marketing Solutions Inc. 16814 Park Hill, Dallas, TX 75248.

(972) 931-7993.

www.morganmarketingsolutions.com Products: Advertising/marketing programs, consulting, management programs, tire retailer support programs.

Motorcraft

16800 Executive Plaza Dr., Dearborn, MI 48126.

www.motorcraft.com

Products: Batteries, bearings, gaskets and seals, belts and hoses, brake products, chemicals, cooling/air conditioning products, electrical/ignition products, exhaust system components, filters/filtration systems, fuel system products, oil products and lubricants, spark plugs, steering components, suspension components, TPMS sensors, wiper blades.

MOV-IT Tire Products, Inc.

13600 W. Volunteer Dr., Bellemont, AZ 86015.

(800) 645-1123.

www.movitire.com

Products: Tire gauges, lifts and jacks, service trucks and associated equipment, tire handling equipment, tire repair equipment, tools and tool accessories.

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Myers Tire Supply Co.

1293 S Main St., Akron, OH 44301.

(330) 253-5592 or (800) 998-9897.

FAX: (330) 761-6133.

Email: sales@myerstiresupply.com

www.myerstiresupply.com

Products: Chemicals, cleaners and polishes, cooling/air conditioning products, gloves, oil products and lubricants, personnel protection and safety products, retreading materials, tire fills and sealants, tire gauges, tire identification, tire marking products, tire pressure monitoring systems, tire repair materials, tire studs, tire valves, wheel weights, wiper blades, air compressors, alignment equipment, battery charging and testing equipment, brake service equipment, diagnostic equipment, hoses, reels, lifts and jacks, material handling equipment, nitrogen inflation equipment, oil/ lubrication equipment, retreading equipment, service trucks and associated equipment, shop maintenance equipment, tire display racks, tire handling equipment, tire mounting and balancing equipment, tire pressure monitoring system equipment, tire repair equipment, tools and tool accessories, work benches.

National Tire

4300 TBC Way, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410. (866) 822-4968. FAX: (800) 467-4638.

www.nationaltire.com

Products: Advertising/marketing programs, radial and bias agricultural tires, ATV, industrial, lawn and garden, SUV/CUV/light truck, medium/heavy truck, bias light truck, OTR, passenger, trailer and specialty tires, tire tubes, tire valves, tire pressure monitoring systems, wheel weights, steel truck wheels, trailer wheels, alignment equipment, brake service equipment, lifts and jacks, tire display racks, tire mounting and balancing equipment, Web and other online assistance, tire retailer support programs, roadside assistance programs, road hazard protection plan.

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Buyersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Guide

Navitrac

4300 TBC Way, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410. (866) 822-4968 FAX: (800) 467-4638

www.tbccommercialtires.com

Products: Medium/heavy truck tires, ST trailer tires, steel truck wheels, web and other online assistance.

Net Driven

201 Lackawanna Ave., 2nd Floor, Scranton, PA 18503. (877) 860-2005.

www.netdriven.com

Products: Advertising/marketing programs, Web and other online assistance.

Nexen Tire America Inc.

21073 Pathfinder Rd., Suite 100, Diamond Bar, CA 91765. (909) 923-4011 or (800) 576-3936 (NEXEN). FAX: (909) 923-3991.

www.nexentireusa.com

Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, roadside assistance programs.

Nitto Tire U.S.A. Inc.

5665 Plaza Dr., Suite 250, Cypress, CA 90630.

(714) 252-0007 or (800) 648-8652.

www.nittotire.com

Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires.

NTB Tire & Service Centers

4280 Professional Center Dr., Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410. (561) 383-3000 or (800) 926-8473.

www.ntb.com

Products: Light truck tires, passenger tires, specialty tires, truck tires, antifreeze, batteries, bearings, gaskets and seals, belts and hoses, brake products, chemicals, cleaners and polishes, cooling/air conditioning products, electrical/ignition products, exhaust system components, filters/filtration systems, fuel system products, oil products and lubricants, spark plugs, steering components, suspension components, tire gauges, tire pressure monitoring systems, tire repair materials, tire studs, tire valves, transmission/drive line products, wheels and accessories, wiper blades, financing and credit programs, tire disposal/recycling/ shredding, Web and other online assistance.

Ohtsu Tire

8656 Haven Ave., Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730. (800) 723-2553.

Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires.

Omni-United USA

www.otrwheel.com

Products: Ag/farm tires, industrial tires, specialty tires, tire disposal/recycling/ shredding, tire flaps, tubes, wheel weights, wheels and accessories, wheel repair and chrome plating.

Patch Rubber Co.

100 Patch Rubber Rd., Weldon, NC 27890.

(252) 536-2574. FAX: (252) 536-4940.

www.patchrubber.com

Products: Chemicals, retreading materials, tire repair materials, tire repair equipment.

Patriot Tires

Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires.

www.omni-united.com

www.omni-united.com

Omnicraft

16800 Executive Plaza Dr., Dearborn, MI 48126.

Products: Brake products, cooling/air conditioning products, electrical/ignition products, filters/filtration systems, fuel system products, spark plugs, suspension components, TPMS sensors.

501 Union St., Suite 200A, Nashville, TN 37219. (800) 565-2525

Omnisource United Inc.

Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, truck tires, Ag/farm tires, OTR tires, specialty tires.

E-mail: info@omnisourceusa.com www.omnisourceusa.com

www.nokiantires.com

195 Chatillon Road, Rome, GA 30161.

(706) 235-9781

9900 Two Lakes Trial, Charlevoix, MI 49720.

(855) 906-6646.

www.omnicraftautoparts.com

Nokian Tyres, Inc.

OTR Wheel Engineering, Inc.

3750 S Watson Rd., Suite 100, Arlington, TX 76014. (214) 630-1482.

Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, truck tires.

9900 Two Lakes Trial, Charlevoix, MI 49720.

(855) 906-6646.

Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires.

Perfect Equipment

1715 Joe B. Jackson Pkwy., Murfreesboro, TN 37127. (615) 893-0643. www.perfectequipment.com Products: Wheel weights

Pirelli Tire LLC

100 Pirelli Dr., Rome, GA 30161-3538.

(706) 368-5800.

www.us.pirelli.com

Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, specialty tires, antique/ classic tires, motorcycle tires.

Plasteel

66 Edmond, Valleyfield, Quebec, Canada J6S 3E8. (800) 611-7074.

www.plasteelwheelweights.com Products: Wheel weights

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Prinx Chengshan Tire North America, Inc. 5757 W Century Blvd., Suite 752, Los Angeles, CA 90045. (310) 205-8355.

Plus Sizing Guide

2537-D Pacific Coast Hwy., Suite 330, Torrance, CA 90505. (310) 357-7293.

www.plussizingguide.com

Products: The Ultimate Wheel and Tire Plus Sizing Guide. Tire and wheel fitment information in print and digital formats.

Data for OE and Plus Size applications for both current and vintage vehicles.

Podium

1650 W Digital Dr., Lehi, UT 84043.

(801) 758-0580.

www.podium.com

Products: Advertising/marketing programs, computer software.

Point S USA DBA Point S Tire & Auto Service

6102 N. Marine Dr., Portland, OR 97203. (503) 283-6494.

www.Pointstire.com www.JoinPointStire.com

Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, medium/heavy truck tires, ag/farm tires, advertising & marketing programs, computer software, consumer credit and financing, online sales systems, POS/ Retailing, roadside assistance programs, tire retailer support programs, training programs, website and other online assistance.

Point S Canada

235, J-A Bombardier St., Boucherville, Quebec, Canada J4B 8P1. (844) 378-7377.

www.point-s.ca

Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, medium/heavy truck tires, ag/farm tires, industrial tires, specialty tires, advertising/ marketing programs, management programs, online sales systems, POS/retailing, tire retailer support programs, training programs.

Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, medium/heavy truck tires.

Quick Pressure, LLC

4181 Brewmaster Dr., Suite 5, Ceres, CA 95307. (909) 263-7152.

RNR Tire Express

Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, medium/heavy truck tires, ag/farm tires, industrial tires, motorcycle tires, retreading – passenger tires, light truck tires, medium/heavy truck tires, equipment, tire gauges, TPMS sensors, tire valves, wheels and accessories.

www.rnrtires.com www.rnrfranchise.com

www.quickpressure.com

Radar Tires

9900 Two Lakes Trial, Charlevoix, MI 49720.

(855) 906-6646.

www.omni-united.com

Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, truck tires.

Rancho®/DRiV Incorporated

27300 11 Mile Rd., Southfield, MI 48034.

(248) 354-7700.

www.gorancho.com

Products: Suspension components, truck & SUV accessories.

Raybestos Brakes/Brake Parts Inc

4400 Prime Pkwy., McHenry, IL 60050.

(800) 323-0354.

www.raybestos.com

Products: Brake products.

REGITAR USA Inc.

2575 Container Dr., Montgomery, AL 36109.

(334) 244-1885.

www.regitar.com

Products: Cooling/air conditioning products, electrical/ignition products, exhaust system components, fuel system products, TPMS sensors, TPMS diagnostic/programming tools, tools and tool accessories.

RideStyler Power King

4300 TBC Way, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410. (866) 822-4968. FAX: (800) 467-4638.

www.tbccommercialtires.com

Products: Advertising/marketing programs, ATV tires, industrial tires, lawn and garden tires, medium/heavy truck tires, bias light truck tires, OTR tires, trailer tires, specialty tires, tire tubes, tire valves, tire pressure monitoring systems, wheel weights, steel truck wheels, trailer wheels, alignment equipment, brake service equipment, lifts and jacks, tire display racks, tire mounting and balancing equipment, tire pressure monitoring system equipment, Web and other online assistance, roadside assistance programs.

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19767 SW 72nd Ave. Suite 105, Tualatin, OR 97062. (844) 394-8994.

www.ridestyler.com

13922 Monroe’s Business Park, Tampa, FL 33635. (800) 449-8744.

Products: RNR Tire Express is a franchisor.

The company provides a franchising system that provides advertising/marketing programs, computer software, consumer credit and financing, consulting, employment services, financing and credit programs, management programs, online sales systems, POS/ retailing, roadside assistance programs, tire retailer support programs, training programs, website and other online assistance.

RoadLux

9900 Two Lakes Trial, Charlevoix. MI 49720.

(855) 906-6646. logo_layout9.indd 1

www.omni-united.com Products: Truck tires.

Roadmaster Tires

701 Lima Ave., Findlay, OH 45840.

(419) 423-1321.

www.roadmastertires.com

Products: Medium/heavy truck tires.

Rotary Lift

2700 Lanier Dr., Madison, IN 47250.

(812) 273-1622.

www.rotarylift.com

Products: Alignment equipment, lifts and jacks, shop maintenance equipment, tire mounting and balancing equipment, tools and tool accessories, wheel repair equipment.

Saffiro Tires

14350 Macaw St., La Mirada, CA 90638.

(562) 340-6252.

www.saffirotires.com

Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, truck tires.

Products: Computer software, consulting, website and other online assistance.

Sailun Tires

4300 TBC Way, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410. (866) 822-4968. FAX: (800) 467-4638.

www.gosailun.com

Products: Advertising/marketing programs, passenger tires, performance tires, SUV/ light truck tires, radial medium/heavy truck tires, HD ST radial tires, tire tubes, tire valves, tire pressure monitoring systems, wheel weights, steel truck wheels, trailer wheels, alignment equipment, brake service equipment, lifts and jacks, tire display racks, tire mounting and balancing equipment, tire pressure monitoring system equipment, Web and other online assistance.

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Buyers’ Guide Schrader TPMS Solutions

1960 Research Dr., Suite 100, Troy, MI 48083.

(800) 288-1804.

Sumitomo Tires

www.SchraderTPMS.com www.TPMSAcademy.com

Products: TPMS sensors, tire valves, TPMS diagnostic/programming tools, training programs.

4300 TBC Way, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410. (866) 822-4968. FAX: (800) 467-4638.

TBC Brands

Products: Advertising/marketing programs, passenger tires, performance tires, high performance tires, SUV/CUV/light truck tires, radial medium/heavy truck tires, tire tubes, tire valves, tire pressure monitoring systems, wheel weights, steel truck wheels, trailer wheels, alignment equipment, brake service equipment, lifts and jacks, tire display racks, tire mounting and balancing equipment, tire pressure monitoring system equipment, Web and other online assistance, roadside assistance programs, road hazard protection plan.

www.tbcbrands.com

www.sumitomotire.com

Sentury Tire USA

3850 W. 108th St., Suite 1, Hialeah, FL 33018.

(305) 621-5101.

www.senturytireusa.com

Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, specialty tires, advertising/marketing programs, tire retailer support programs.

Shamrock Marketing Inc.

11206 Bluegrass Pkwy., Louisville, KY 40299.

(800) 354-4495.

www.shamrockmarketinginc.com

Products: Retreading: equipment and materials, tire repair materials, tubes, air compressors, lifts and jacks, shop maintenance equipment, tire handling equipment, tire repair equipment, tools and tool accessories.

Snap Finance

1193 W 2400 S, West Valley City, UT 84119.

(855) 808-4727.

www.snapfinance.com

Products: Snap Finance is a consumer leaseto-own financing program built to support the wheel and tire industry. Their lease-to-own product allows your customers to get the services and goods they need NOW, while making affordable payments over time. When you partner with Snap, your customers get an EASY application and approval in seconds, while you get the customer what they need, higher close rates, and lightning-fast funding.

Offering your customers flexible lease-toown financing options generates loyalty and repeat visits and increases your tire business up to 30%. Partner with Snap today!

Solera/Identifix

700 N. 5th Street, Minneapolis, MN 55401.

(877) 697-1491.

www.identifix.com

Products: Advertising/marketing programs, computer software, tire retailer support programs, training programs, website and other online assistance.

Specialty Tires of America

1600 Washington St., Indiana, PA 15701.

(724) 349-9010.

www.stausaonline.com

Products: Ag/farm tires, industrial tires, specialty tires, antique/classic tires.

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4300 TBC Way, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410. (866) 822-4968. FAX: (800) 467-4638.

Products: Advertising/marketing programs, radial and bias agricultural tires, ATV tires, high performance tires, industrial tires, lawn and garden tires, SUV/CUV/light truck tires, medium/heavy truck tires, bias light truck tires, off-the-road tires, passenger tires, trailer tires, specialty tires, winter tires, tire tubes, tire valves, tire pressure monitoring systems, wheel weights, steel truck wheels, trailer wheels, alignment equipment, brake service equipment, lifts and jacks, tire display racks, tire mounting and balancing equipment, Web and other online assistance, tire retailer support programs, roadside assistance programs.

Synchrony Financial

950 Forrer Blvd, Kettering, OH 45420.

(866) 209-4457.

www.synchronybusiness.com/auto

Products: Synchrony Car Care™, a leading auto industry consumer finance program, provides easy and convenient 6 or 12 month financing for your customers that in turn, enables you to perform the services and repairs they want and need. Offering your customers Synchrony Car Care™ is proven to help you drive repeat business and create customer loyalty.

Enroll today! Call toll free: (844) 880-2009.

TBC International

4300 TBC Way, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410. (866) 822-4968. FAX: (800) 467-4638.

www.tbc-international.com

Products: Radial and bias agricultural tires, ATV tires, high performance tires, industrial tires, lawn and garden tires, SUV/ light truck tires, medium/heavy truck tires, bias light truck tires, off-the-road tires, passenger tires, trailer tires, specialty tires.

w . M Service odernT ireDealer.com TAw wTruck

24601 Center Ridge Rd., Westlake, OH 44145.

www.ta-petro.com

Products: Casings, OTR tires, truck tires, used tires, antifreeze, batteries, bearings, gaskets and seals, belts and hoses, brake products, cleaners and polishes, cooling/ air conditioning products, electrical/ignition products, exhaust system components, filters/ filtrations systems, fuel system products, gloves, oil products and lubricants, spark plugs, steering components, suspension components, tire fills and sealants, tire gauges, tire repair materials, tire studs, tire valves, transmission/drive line products, truck and SUV accessories, wheels and accessories, wiper blades, air compressors, alignment equipment, battery charging and testing equipment, brake service equipment, diagnostic equipment, oil/ lubrication equipment, service trucks and associated equipment, tire repair equipment, tools, consulting, roadside assistance programs, tire retailer support programs.

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TECH

200 E Coshocton St., Johnstown, OH 43031.

(740) 967-9015 or (800) 433-TECH. FAX: (740) 967-3583.

www.techtirerepairs.com

Products: Tire repairs & chemicals, tire & tube valves, TPMS sensors, valves & programmers, wheel weights, balance beads, garage equipment, hand & power tools, carbide cutters & buffers, wire brushes & abrasive pads, pneumatic tools, adaptors & chucks, impact sockets, torque extensions, air inflating hoses, gauges & chucks, retreading enveloping systems, rubber extruder guns, mount & demount tools, tire inflation cages, bottle & floor jacks, brake lathe products, lug nuts, tire spreaders, safety & protection equipment, hand cleaners, steering wheel covers, gear shift covers, paper floor mats, instructor lead & on-line tire repair training

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Tecnica Tires

Titan International, Inc.

www.omni-united.com

www.titan-intl.com

9900 Two Lakes Trial, Charlevoix, MI 49720.

(855) 906-6646.

2701 Spruce St., Quincy, IL 62301.

(800) 872-2327.

Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires.

Products: Ag/farm tires, antique/ classic tires, industrial tires, specialty tires, tire flaps and tubes.

The TireJobs Company

8007 Captains Ct., Frederick, MD 21701.

(301) 662-7223.

www.tirejobs.com

Products: Consulting, employment services.

Tianli Tires

406 E Huntington Dr., Suite 200, Monrovia, CA 91016. (888) 226-5250.

www.tianlitires.com

Products: Ag/farm tires, industrial tires, specialty tires.

Tire Profiles

3010 Story Rd. W, Irving, TX 75038.

(844) 654-6230.

www.tireprofiles.com

Products: Alignment equipment, diagnostic equipment, tools and tool accessories.

Towmax

Tire Pros

www.towmaxtires.com

12200 Herbert Wayne Court, Huntersville, NC 28078. (800) 632-1897.

www.TirePros.com

Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, wheels and accessories, advertising/ marketing programs, consulting, online sales systems, training programs.

Tire Service International Tire Group International LLC

7500 NW 35th Terrace, Miami, FL 33122.

(305) 696-0096. FAX: (305) 696-5926.

www.tiregroup.com

Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, truck tires, ag/farm tires, motorcycle tires, off-the-road tires, specialty tires, tire flaps, tire tubes, wheel weights, wheels and accessories, consulting, financing and credit programs, insurance programs, tire exporter/importer, tire retailer support programs, trade show representation, Web and other online assistance.

3451 S 40th St., Phoenix, AZ 85040.

(602) 437-5020 or (800) 223-4540.

4300 TBC Way, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410. (866) 822-4968. FAX: (800) 467-4638.

Products: Specialty tires, ST radial tires, roadside assistance programs, road hazard protection plan.

Toyo Tire U.S.A. Corp.

5665 Plaza Dr., Suite 300, Cypress, CA 90630.

(800) 442-8696.

www.toyotires.com

Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, medium/heavy truck tires.

www.buytsi.com

Products: Tire gauges, tire handling equipment, tire mounting and balancing equipment, tools and tool accessories.

TIRECO Inc.

500 W 190th St., Suite 600, Gardena, CA 90248. (800) 227-8925.

www.tireco.com

Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, truck tires, specialty tires, tire flaps and tubes, wheels and accessories.

TR Wholesale Solutions

7015 Vorden Pkwy., South Bend, IN 46628.

(574) 287-2316 or (800) 445-0179.

FAX: (574) 236-7700.

www.trwholesalesolutions.com

Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, truck tires, brake products, suspension components, tire gauges, tire pressure monitoring systems, truck and SUV accessories, wheel weights, wheels and accessories, wiper blades, tire display racks, trade show representation.

Tracer Products

956 Brush Hollow Rd., Westbury, NY 11590.

(516) 333-1254.

Tire Kingdom Service Centers

4280 Professional Center Dr., Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410. (561) 383-3000 or (800) 926-8473.

www.tirekingdom.com

Products: Light truck tires, passenger tires, specialty tires, truck tires, antifreeze, batteries, bearings, gaskets and seals, belts and hoses, brake products, chemicals, cleaners and polishes, cooling/air conditioning products, electrical/ignition products, exhaust system components, filters/filtration systems, fuel system products, oil products and lubricants, spark plugs, steering components, suspension components, tire gauges, tire pressure monitoring systems, tire repair materials, tire studs, tire valves, transmission/drive line products, wheels and accessories, wiper blades, financing and credit programs, tire disposal/recycling/ shredding, Web and other online assistance.

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www.tracerproducts.com

TireConnect by Bridgestone

254 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 30 Via Renzo Dr., Richmond Hill, ON, Canada L4S 0B8. (888) 792-7072, ext.101.

www.tireconnect.ca

Products: Chemicals, cooling/air conditioning products, oil products and lubricants, diagnostic equipment, oil/lubrication equipment, tools and tool accessories.

Products: Computer software, online sales systems, POS/retailing, tire retailer support programs, website and other online assistance.

tirescanner.com, Inc.

Trailer King

www.tirescanner.com

www.trailerkingtires.com

78 SW 7th St., Miami, FL 33130.

Email: interest@tirescanner.com

4300 TBC Way, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410. (866) 822-4968. FAX: (800) 467-4638.

Products: POS/retailing, tire retailer support programs, website and other online assistance.

Products: Specialty tires, ST radial tires.

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Buyers’ Guide Transamerica Tire Co. Ltd.

Vee Tyre and Rubber Co., Ltd.

Westlake Tires

www.transamericatire.com

www.veerubber.co.th

www.westlaketireusa.com

3181 Poplar Ave., Suite 218, Memphis, TN 38111. (702) 576-1651.

924 Rama 9 Road, Bangkapi, Huay Kwang, Bangkok, Thailand 10310. +66 2-719-6644.

Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, specialty tires.

Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, medium/heavy truck tires, ag/farm tires, industrial tires, specialty tires, antique/ classic tires, motorcycle tires, tubes.

Trelleborg Wheel Systems Americas, Inc. 107 Audubon Rd., Bldg. 2, Suite 205, Wakefield, MA 01880. (800) 548-8473.

Vehicle Inspection Systems (VIS)

6317 McCoy Rd., Suite 110, Orlando, FL 32822.

(800) 219-6256

www.trelleborg.com/wheels

Products: Ag/farm tires, industrial tires, specialty tires, motorcycle tires, TPMS sensors, tubes.

www.vischeck.net

Products: Brake service equipment, shop maintenance equipment, wheel repair equipment, wheel repair and chrome plating.

500 W 190th St., Suite 600, Gardena, CA 90248. (800) 227-8925.

Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires.

Wheel Consultants Inc.

See listing for Plus Sizing Guide.

Yokohama Tire Corp.

1 MacArthur Pl., Suite 800, Santa Ana, CA 92707. (800) 423-4544.

www.yokohamatire.com

Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, medium/heavy truck tires, industrial tires.

ZAFCO International

Triangle Tire USA

6745 NW 36th Street, Suite 260 Miami, FL 33166. (305) 406-3811.

117 Seaboard Lane, Suite F100, Franklin, TN 37067. (615) 610-5050 or (888) 847-3745.

FAX: (615) 610-5051.

Vipal Rubber Corp.

Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, truck tires, OTR tires, specialty tires.

www.vipal-usa.com

www.triangletireus.com

www.zafcointernational.com

Tyres International Inc.

Products: Retreading – passenger tires, light truck tires, medium/heavy truck tires, OTR tires, equipment, materials.

www.tyresinternational.com

Vogue Tyre & Rubber Co.

4637 Allen Rd., Stow, OH 44224.

(330) 374-1000.

Products: Ag/farm tires, industrial tires, light truck tires, medium/heavy truck tires, specialty tires, tubes.

Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, medium/heavy truck tires.

2601 NW 89th Court, Miami, FL 33132.

(305) 546-2902.

1101 Feehanville Dr., Mount Prospect, IL 60056. (800) 323-1466.

ZC Rubber Group Co., LTD

Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, wheels and accessories.

www.zc-rubber.com

www.voguetyre.com

Wagner®/DRiV Incorporated

27300 11 Mile Rd., Southfield, MI 48034.

(248) 354-7700.

www.wagnerbrake.com

Products: Brake products, chemicals.

Unicorn Tire

4660 Distriplex Dr. W, Memphis, TN 38118.

(901) 361-4240.

Walker®/DRiV Incorporated

Products: Passenger, light truck and trailer tire selections.

www.walkerexhaust.com

#2, Street 10, Qiantang New Area, Hangzhou 310018, Zhejiang, China +86 571 86815901 Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, medium/heavy truck tires, ag/farm tires, industrial tires, specialty tires, antique/classic tires, motorcycle tires, retreading – medium/ heavy truck tires, materials, belts and hoses, chemicals, tire flaps, TPMS sensors, tubes, tire retailer support programs, tire display racks, TPMS diagnostic/programming tools.

27300 11 Mile Rd., Southfield, MI 48034.

(248) 354-7700.

www.unicorntire.com

Products: Exhaust system components.

Uniroyal, a brand of MNA Inc.

1 Parkway South, Greenville, SC 29615.

www.uniroyaltires.com

Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, medium/heavy truck tires.

.com

West Creek

Unverferth Mfg. Co., Inc.

P.O. Box 357, Kalida, OH 45853. (419) 532-3121

www.unverferth.com

Products: Agricultural wheels and accessories

VDO TPMS Replacement Parts

6755 Snowdrift Rd., Allentown, PA 18106.

(610) 289-0488.

www.redi-sensor.com Products: TPMS sensors.

P.O.B ox 5518, Glen Allen, VA 23058.

(844) 238-6500.

www.westcreekfin.com

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Products: Rev up your revenue with lease-toown financing from West Creek! Our dealer partners can expect industry-leading approval rates, 24/7/365 dealer support, and marketing communications sent to your customers to drive repeat traffic at no additional cost.

Don’t let your customers compromise on safety. Give them the financial flexibility they need to drive home on a safer set of tires. Become a West Creek dealer today!

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Associations National Associations ASE (National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence)

1503 Edwards Ferry Rd., NE, Suite 401, Leesburg, VA 20176 (703) 669-6600 Email: contactus@ase.com

www.ase.com

Auto Care Association

7101 Wisconsin Ave., Suite 1300, Bethesda, MD 20814 (301) 654-6664 Email: info@autocare.org

www.autocare.org

Automotive Lift Institute Inc.

3699 Luker Rd., Cortland, NY 13045 (607) 756-7775 Email: info@autolift.org

www.autolift.org

Automotive Service Association

8209 Mid Cities Blvd., North Richland Hills, TX 76182-4712 (817) 514-2900 Email: asainfo@ASAshop.org

www.asashop.org

The Tire Society Inc.

810 E 10th St., Lawrence, KS 66044 (785) 865-9402 or (800) 627-0326.

Email: tst@allenpress.com

www.tiresociety.org

Tire and Rim Association Inc. 175 Montrose West Ave., Suite 150, Copley, OH 44321 (330) 666-8121 Email: tra@us-tra.org

www.us-tra.org

Tire and Rubber Association of Canada A19-260 Holiday Inn Dr., Cambridge, Ontario, Canada N3C 4E8 (519) 249-0366 Email: info@tracanada.ca www.tracanada.ca

www.betiresmart.ca

Tire Industry Association (TIA) 1532 Pointer Ridge Pl., Suite G, Bowie, MD 20716-1883 (301) 430-7280 or (800) 876-8372 Email: info@tireindustry.org

www.tireindustry.org

Tire Retread and Repair Information Bureau (TRIB)

State Associations Alabama Tire Dealers Association Exec. Dir.: Randal Ward, 11245 Chantilly Parkway Court, Montgomery, AL 36117 (256) 616-3587 Email: alatiredealers@cs.com

www.alatiredealers.com

Arkansas Independent Tire Dealers Association

Charlie Edens, Sherwood Tire Pros, 2201 Miramonte Dr., Sherwood, AR 72120 (501) 940-5979 Email: chucky1938@gmail.com

www.aitda.net

California Tire Dealers Association

Exec. Dir.: Marc Connerly, Connerly & Associates, 2235 Park Towne Cir., Sacramento, CA 95825 (650) 357-0600 or (916) 214-6495 Email: mconnerly@connerlyandassociates.com

www.catiredealers.com

Georgia Tire Dealers & Retreaders Association

1013 Birch St., Falls Church, VA 22046 (703) 533-7677 Email: info@retread.org

Admin. Assist.: Stacy Jarrett, P.O. Box 801378, Acworth, GA 30101 (770) 947-2323 Email: ga_tiredealers@bellsouth.net

www.retread.org

www.gtdra.com

Tread Rubber & Tire Repair Materials Manufacturers Group (TRMG)

Mid-America Tire Dealers Association — Kansas/Nebraska/Oklahoma

P.O. Box 6, Pacific Grove, CA 93950 (831) 620-5345 Email: info@retreadtire.org

U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association

www.matda.org

Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA)

www.ustires.org

Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA)

79 TW Alexander Dr., 4501 Research Commons, Suite 200, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709-3966 (919) 549-4800 Email: info@mema.org

www.mema.org

Retread Tire Association (RTA)

www.retreadtire.org

1575 S Valley Vista Dr., Diamond Bar, CA 91765-0910 (909) 610-2030 Email: info@sema.org

www.sema.org

Marangoni Tread N.A. Inc., 708 Myatt Dr., Madison TN 37115 (615) 868-4050

1400 K St. NW, Suite 900, Washington, DC 20005 (202) 682-4800 Email: info@ustires.org

Exec. Dir.: Shawn Herrick, 7321 NW Rochester Rd., Topeka, KS 66617 (785) 286-1110 Email: herrick.shawn@gmail.com

Louisiana Independent Tire Dealers Association

P.O. Box 82531, Baton Rouge, LA 70884 (225) 767-7640 or (800) 887-9806 Email: LITDA@tatmangroup.com

www.litda.org

Maryland - Chesapeake Automotive Business Association

President: Dave Wastler, Wastler Auto Service, 4174 Ridge Rd., Westminster, MD 21157 (410) 264-1163

www.caba.biz

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Michigan Tire & Vehicle Service Association

Pres.: James Hallan, 603 S. Washington Ave., Lansing, MI 48933 (517) 372-5656 Email: jhallan@retailers.com

www.retailers.com

Minnesota - North Central Tire Dealers & Suppliers Association (serving Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota) Exec. Dir.: Bonnie McCleary, 13304 Stone Rd., Minnetonka, MN 55305 (952) 544-6805 Email: bonniemccleary@ northcentraltiredealers.com

www.northcentraltiredealers.com

Missouri Tire Industry Association

Exec. Dir.: David Overfelt, P.O. Box 1326, Jefferson City, MO 65102 (573) 636-2292 or (573) 616-2065 Email: dsoverfelt@gmail.com or motireindustry@gmail.com

www.mtia4u.org

Montana Tire Dealers Advisory Council, part of the Montana Retail Association Exec. VP: Bradley Griffin, 1645 Parkhill, Suite 6, Billings, MT 59102 (406) 256-1005 or (800) 388-0236 Email: brad.griffin@mtretail.com

www.mtretail.com

New England Tire & Service Association (serving Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Vermont, New Hampshire and Connecticut) Exec. Dir.: Tony DeSimone, 3 Lefevre Dr., Kingston, NH 03848 (855) 638-7248 Email: netsapros@aol.com

www.netsa.org

New Jersey State Tire Dealers Association Pres. & Dir.; Al Breese, Velocity Tire & Wheel (732) 887-7281 Email: abreese@jwtire.com

New York Tire Dealers Association Inc. President: Ernie Caramanico, Amityville Firestone, 258 Broadway, Amityville, NY 11701 (631) 789-3373 Email: ecaramanic@aol.com

www.nytda.com

North Carolina Tire Dealers Association

Virginia Automotive Association

www.nctda.com

www.vaauto.org

Exec. Dir.: Reece Hester, P.O. Box 17046, Raleigh, NC 27619 (919) 784-0111 Email: reece.hester@nctda.com

Ohio Tire & Automotive Association Exec. Dir.: Alex Boehnke, 50 W. Broad St., Suite 1111, Columbus, OH 43215 (614) 221-7950 Email: info@ohiotire.org

www.ohiotire.org

Oregon/Washington - Northwest Tire Dealers Association

Exec. Dir.: Dick Nordness, 93705 E Grenada Court, Kennewick, WA 99338 (509) 948-2433 Email: rnordness@nwtiredealers.org

Exec. Dir.: Steve Akridge, P.O. Box 13428, Richmond, VA 23225-0428 (804) 739-1400 Email: sakridge@vaauto.org

Wisconsin Automotive Care Association

Exec. Dir.: Gary Manke, 5330 Wall St., Suite 100, Madison, WI 53718 (608) 240-4700 or (800) 856-9282 Email: gmanke@mseda.com

www.wiaca.com

Canada Atlantic Tire Dealers Association

www.nwtiredealers.org

Exec. Dir.: Frank Connor, 93 Henderson St., Riverview, New Brunswick E1B 4B6 (506) 386-4306 Email: connorfrank57@gmail.com

Pennsylvania - Tire Dealers Association of Western Pennsylvania Inc.

Ontario Tire Dealers Association

P.O. Box 31, Wendell, PA 15691 (412) 294-8973 Email: wptda@gmail.com Exec. Dir.: Ron Fisher, Myers Tire Supply (412) 469-6269 Email: fish822@aol.com

www.tdaofwpa.org

South Carolina Tire Dealers & Retreaders Association Inc.

President: Darrell Cobb, Cobb Tire & Auto Repair, 2101 Wade Hampton Blvd., Greenville, SC 29615 (864) 268-2588

Facebook: www.facebook.com/pg/SouthCarolina-Tire-Dealers-and-RetreadersAssociation

Tennessee Tire Dealers Association (serving Tennessee and Kentucky) 4002 Memorial Blvd., Springfield, TN 37172 (615) 669-0098

www.atda.ca

Exec. Dir.: Adam Moffatt, 4 Oakwood Crescent, Port Dover, Ontario N0A 1N4 (888) 207-9059 Email: amoffatt@otda.com

www.otda.com

Tire Dealers Association of Canada Exec. Dir.: Bob Bignell, 22 John St., Box 516, Drayton, Ontario N0G 1P0 (519) 741-7595 Email: bbignell@otda.com

www.tdacanada.ca

Western Canada Tire Dealers Association Exec. Dir.: Ray Geleta, 65 Woodbine Rd., Sherwood Park, AB T8A 4A7 (780) 554-9259 Email: rayg@wctd.ca

www.wctd.ca

www.tktdra.org

Texas Tire and Automotive Association Exec. Dir.: Chuck Space, 4600 Spicewood Springs Rd., Suite 103, Austin, TX 78759 (512) 343-8604 or (800) 844-8748 Email: space@ecpi.com

www.texastiredealers.org

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Ad Index WHEN YOU CONTACT ONE OF OUR ADVERTISERS PLEASE BE SURE TO MENTION YOU SAW THEIR AD IN MODERN TIRE DEALER ADVERTISER

PAGE

WEBSITE

1-800EveryRim OEM Wheels

28

www.everyrim.com/MTD

Aftermarket Auto Parts Alliance Inc.

61

www.perfectstopsummerpromo.com

American Omni Trading

33

www.veneziatires.com

American Omni Trading

77

www.thunderertireusa.com

Atturo Tires

47

www.atturotire.com/mtd

AUTEL

63, 72, 74

www.autel.com

BendPak Inc. Ranger Products

57

www.mybendpak.com

BKT USA Inc.

11

www.bkt-tires.com

Blackburn OEM Wheel Solutions

37

www.blackburnswheelfinder.com

CEAT Specialty Tires Inc.

26

www.ceatspecialty.com/us

Chevron U.S.A. Inc.

59

www.havoline.com/profitlight

Continental Automotive Systems Inc.

73

www.autodiagnostpms.com

Continental Tire

5

www.continentaltire.com/offers

Cosmo Tires

29

www.cosmotires.com

DSP 20 Group

97

www.20dsp.com

Falken Tires

21

www.falkentire.com

Federal Tires

41

www.federaltire.com

Firestone Tire

25

www.firestonetire.com

Fury Tires

51

www.furytires.com

GT Radial

23

www.gtradial.com

Hamaton

75

www.hamaton-tpms.us.com

Hunter Engineering Company

34

www.hunter.com

K & M Tire Inc.

43

www.kmtire.com

Kenda Tires USA

IBC

www.kendatraction.com

Kumho Tire USA Inc.

3, 17-18

www.kumhotireusa.com

Linglong Americas Inc.

7

www.linglongtire.com

Matrix Capital Markets Group

65

www.matrixcmg.com

Maxxis Tires

35

www.maxxisaccelerate.com

Michelin North America Inc.

9

www.michelintruck.com/crossclimate

Mighty Auto Parts

45

www.mightyautoparts.com/ppe

Mr. Tire/Big 3 Tire

55

www.mrtirebig3tirectd.com

Nexen Tire America Inc.

IFC

www.nexentireusa.com

NitroFill LLC

31

www.nitrofill.com

Nitto Tire U.S.A. Inc.

OBC

www.nittotire.com

Opus IVS

49

www.opusivs.com

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