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Firestone Ag hikes prices

Bridgestone Americas Inc.’s Firestone Ag division raised prices on select products in the United States and Canada up to 10% on Sept. 1. The hike is in response to “market dynamics and conditions, including increasing costs of raw materials and logistics,” according to Bridgestone of cials.

OK franchisees expand

OK Tire franchisees Michael Coggins and Brent MacNeil have opened their fourth OK Tire store — a location in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. There are more than 325 OK Tire locations across Canada.

BendPak makes changes

BendPak Inc. has made several changes to its executive team. President Don Henthorn, who has led the company since 1965, has become chairman emeritus. Jeff Kritzer has succeeded Henthorn as president and CEO.

ASA, Sonsio join forces

Under a new agreement between ASA Automotive Systems and Sonsio Vehicle Protection, ASA software users will be able sell Sonsio road hazard protection plans. Sonsio plans are offered at the time of tire purchase.

LWG adds Big O stores

Leeds West Groups (LWG) has acquired three Big O Tires locations in Altoona, Ankeny and Urbandale, Iowa, from Willis Automotive, which is based in Clive, Iowa. These outlets are LWG’s rst Big O Tires locations in Iowa.

Chicago’s Charlie Cohen dies

Longtime Chicago, Ill.-based industrial tire dealer Charlie Cohen recently died at the age of 76. Cohen was one of Chicago’s most successful industrial tire brokers for decades. In 1978, he founded Industrial Tire Brokers, which quickly became one of the city’s most successful industrial tire dealerships. In 2006, Cohen formed Industrial Tire Solutions with partner Mike Pollini.

Stokes Tire owner dies

Thomas Beroth Jr., who owned and operated King, N.C.-based Stokes Tire & Automotive for more than four decades, recently died at the age of 65. “He was an excellent businessman who was known for running a tight ship,” according to his obituary.

North Country Tire opens distribution center in Winnipeg

In addition to a new warehouse in Winnipeg, Manitoba (pictured), North Country Tire has facilities in Calgary, Alberta, plus Langley and Kelowna, British Columbia.

Photo: North Country Tire

Edmonton, Alberta-based wholesale distributor North Country Tire (NCT) has opened a 50,000-square-foot warehouse in Winnipeg, Manitoba. e new facility “represents an extension of NCT’s commitment to excellence,” say NCT o cials. It opened on July 1 so customers in Manitoba could have “the opportunity to evaluate NCT’s service in the slower summer months, giving them con dence to rely on consistent deliveries as the industry moves into the winter rush.”

NCT was established in 2015 by Cory and Chad Davis. It has warehouses in Calgary, Alberta, plus Langley and Kelowna, British Columbia.

All Star Auto Lights acquires Blackburn OEM Wheel

All Star Auto Lights, a distributor of alternative automotive parts and a portfolio company of Atlantic Street Capital, has acquired Blackburn OEM Wheel Solutions. e deal marks All Star Auto Lights’ third acquisition in the wheel category in the last year.

All Star Auto Lights o cials say the purchase signals a transformation beyond its traditional auto lights business “into a leading automotive a ermarket equipment supplier.”

Blackburn provides steel and alloy OEM wheels, wheel covers and center caps. Its headquarters is in Macedonia, Ohio, a suburb of Cleveland.

EV expert Van Batenburg joins MTD

MTD welcomes its new columnist, Craig Van Batenburg, who will write MTD’s EV Intelligence column. Van Batenburg is the CEO of Van Batenburg’s Garage Inc., dba Automotive Career Development Center (ACDC), which is based in Worcester, Mass.

A 50-year automotive service industry veteran, Van Batenburg provides training for facilities that service — or want to service — electric and hybrid vehicles.

“Craig is a noted expert in the eld of electric and hybrid vehicle service, with decades of experience,” says MTD Editor Mike Manges. “ e goal of his column is to educate MTD’s readers about electric vehicles and hybrids, including how they can service these vehicles e ectively and pro tably.” ■