Modern Tire Dealer - July 2024

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6/26/24 8:09 AM

TIRE INDUSTRY BUYERS’ GUIDE DEBUNKING COMMON MYTHS ABOUT EVs THE 2024 MTD 100 THE NATION’S LARGEST TIRE DEALERSHIPS

NO QUICK FIX MTD 100 DEALERS FACE COMMON, COMPLEX CHALLENGES

July 2024 | Vol. 105, No. 7 | $10 | www.moderntiredealer.com

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626-536-2339 @PREDATORTIRES WWW.PREDATORTIRES.COM TRANSAMERICA TIRE CO.,LTD. marketing@transamericatire.com 5118 PARK AVE., SUITE 601, MEMPHIS, TN 38117

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The Industry’s Leading Publication July 2024, Volume 105, Number 7

DEPARTMENTS 4 Editorial

You’re not alone MTD 100 dealers face the same challenges that you do

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

8 Industry News

Zhongce wants to become top five tiremaker ‘We are willing to compete in all areas,’ says Shen

18 Numbers That Count Relevant statistics for an industry in constant motion

20 Your Marketplace

Retail sellout starts to soften Consumers continue to trade down

58 Business Insight

22 Despite challenges in the market, independent tire dealers are still growing their businesses. Read how the nation’s largest dealers are adapting, beginning on page 22.

Photo: Commercial Tire Inc.

How to overcome customer objections Present the issue, then discuss the solution

60 Mergers and Acquisitions

Thinking about trying dynamic pricing?

Take baby steps and don’t upset customers

62 Dealer Development

TV show vulgar, insulting — and thought provoking Netflix series highlights what to avoid

64 EV Intelligence

Debunking common myths about EVs Have you heard any of these before?

66 Focus on Industry

A feast of best practices MaddenCo customers gathered to learn and share

90 Products 93 TPMS 2023 Chevrolet Equinox

98 Ad index On the cover: 1184415625 | StudioM1 | Getty Images Modern Tire Dealer is a proud member of:

FE AT UR ES 22 No quick fix

MTD 100 dealers face common, complex challenges

34 Growth mode

Expansion is the name of the game for MTD 100 dealers

40 Modern Tire Dealer 100

The 100 largest independent tire dealerships in the U.S.

56 High-tech formulations and longer intervals

Need-to-know trends in oil and lube service

68 2024 Buyers’ Guide

Companies serving the North American tire market

88 Association roundup

Tire dealer organizations in the U.S. and Canada

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Editorial

You’re not alone

MTD 100 DEALERS FACE THE SAME CHALLENGES THAT YOU DO By

Mike Manges

D

oes it ever feel like you’re “all alone” — that nobody else understands what you’re going through? It’s easy to feel that way when times are tough.

And let’s be honest. Despite what the mainstream media keeps telling us, life — for both business owners and consumers — isn’t exactly a cakewalk at the moment.

If it’s any consolation, you aren’t on an island.

Regardless of size, scope and vocation, independent tire dealerships throughout the country are grappling with many of the same challenges.

Many MTD 100 dealers cited technician recruitment as a significant challenge.

Photo: Ben Borchert

We found that out when surveying them for the 2024 edition of the MTD 100, which begins on page 40 of this issue.

When we contacted the country’s largest tire dealerships as part of the MTD 100 research process, we asked, “What are the biggest challenges facing your business right now?”

Here are some verbatim responses.

While reading them, keep in mind that we contacted both consumer and commercial tire dealers. I’ve also removed the respondents’ names to preserve anonymity.

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“One of the biggest challenges ... is the recruitment of qualified employees. As we continue to grow, finding and retaining talented individuals becomes increasingly critical, particularly in an industry already facing a shortage of qualified workers.”

“For the first time in several years, sales is the biggest challenge. We have many customers who don’t have work themselves and are running through fewer tires than in previous years.”

“Tire margins versus national online competitors. Cost of cash flow (while) carrying inventory. Cost of trucks, etc.”

“Car count and economic challenges.”

“Supply chain disruptions continue to cause delays and interrupt accurate forecasting.”

“Shortage of experienced technicians.”

“Keeping our inventory in line with demand. We’re not where we want to be, but have worked closely to get there.”

“Finding opportunities for location expansion.”

“Our biggest challenge is the slow start to fleet purchases.”

“As longtime employees leave, retire or begin to slow down, there isn’t a strong group behind them to step in.”

“High interest rates are costing us more money to operate and (are) slowing our investments in some assets and acquisitions.”

“Current political climate is affecting the overall economy, which is slowing consumer spending.”

“With the rise of technologies like autonomous driving, connected vehicles and advanced driver assistance systems, technicians need specialized training and resources to work on certain vehicles.” “ Te c h n i c i a n r e c r u i t m e n t a n d investment.”

“Inflationary environment and staffing.”

“Finding good people.”

“The current economic environment, characterized by inflation and high interest rates, continues to exert pressure on consumers’ disposable income.”

“We are observing a shift in tiers among tire brands, if not a delay in purchasing entirely.”

“Human capital.”

“We continue to battle rising costs. What it costs to open our doors each day is significantly up compared to previous years.”

Do any of the above remarks sound familiar? I bet they do.

These problems aren’t going away anytime soon. So how do you cope in the meantime?

There certainly is strength — and support — in numbers.

Organizations like 20-groups provide the opportunity to swap best practices and benchmark against your peers. (MTD columnist Randy O’Connor’s D2D Development Group comes to mind.)

Though not as many in number as they once were, state and regional tire dealer associations offer a wide range of resources and the ability to discuss mutual challenges and solutions with other tire dealers.

Supplier meetings present another avenue where you can discuss issues and answers.

Many of your counterparts have found assistance through program groups.

And of course, MTD will continue to serve as a forum for the exchange of ideas, concepts, best practices, recommendations and hard-won advice.

“You cannot tell from appearances how things will go,” Winston Churchill said in 1941.

“Sometimes imagination makes things out far worse than they are. Yet without imagination, not much can be done.”

Independent tire dealers are nothing if not imaginative and resourceful.

I have no doubt that your business will continue to grow and thrive, despite the challenges of today and whatever comes your way next. ■ If you have any questions or comments, please email me at mmanges@endeavorb2b.com.

MTD July 2024

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ModernTireDealer.com DIGITAL RESOURCES FOR THE INDEPENDENT TIRE DEALER

Stay tuned to MTD’s podcast!

The Modern Tire Dealer Show is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music, Audible and MTD’s website.

Sign up for Modern Tire Dealer’s eNewsletters to receive the latest tire news and our most popular articles. Go to www.moderntiredealer.com/subscribe.

3515 Massillon Rd., Suite 200 Uniontown, OH 44685 (330) 899-2200, fax (330) 899-2209 www.moderntiredealer.com PUBLISHER Greg Smith gsmith@endeavorb2b.com (330) 598-0375 EDITORIAL Editor: Mike Manges, (330) 598-0368, mmanges@endeavorb2b.com Managing Editor: Joy Kopcha, (330) 598-0338, jkopcha@endeavorb2b.com Associate Editor: Madison Gehring, (330) 598-0308, mgehring@endeavorb2b.com PRODUCTION Art Director: Erin Brown Production Manager: Karen Runion, (330) 736-1291, krunion@endeavorb2b.com

With its recent acquisition of Caliber Auto Care, Sun Auto Tire & Service Inc. continues to expand its footprint. See how Sun Auto Tire and other dealerships on the MTD 100 are investing in continued growth, starting on page 34.

Photo: Sun Auto Tire & Service Inc.

Watching the leaders Independent tire dealers are always interested in what their tire suppliers are doing and what they’re seeing and planning for in the months ahead. That’s proven especially true with MTD’s exclusive Mid-Year Q&A series of executive interviews, which kicked off online last month and will continue through July. Catch every word at www.moderntiredealer.com and in MTD’s weekly newsletters.

1.

Les Schwab acquires CMC Tire

2. ‘Tires’ TV show vulgar, insulting — and thought-provoking?

3. Matthew Cabe to replace Alexis Garcin as Michelin NA CEO 4. Bridgestone Chairman Paoli Ferrari talks 2024 performance, priorities 5. Sun Auto Tire acquires Caliber Auto Care

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Darrell Bruggink dbruggink@endeavorb2b.com (608) 299-6310 Marianne Dyal mdyal@endeavorb2b.com (706) 344-1388 Sean Thornton sthornton@endeavorb2b.com (269) 499-0257 Kyle Shaw kshaw@endeavorb2b.com (651) 846-9490 Martha Severson mseverson@endeavorb2b.com (651) 846-9452 Chad Hjellming chjellming@endeavorb2b.com (651) 846-9463 MTD READER ADVISORY BOARD Rick Benton, Black’s Tire Service Inc. Jessica Palanjian Rankin, Grand Prix Performance John McCarthy Jr., McCarthy Tire Service Co. Inc. Jamie Ward, Tire Discounters Inc. CUSTOMER/SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE (877) 382-9187 moderntiredealer@omeda.com ENDEAVOR BUSINESS MEDIA, LLC CEO: Chris Ferrell President: June Griffin COO: Patrick Rains CRO: Paul Andrews Chief Digital Officer: Jacquie Niemiec Chief Administrative and Legal Officer: Tracy Kane EVP Transportation: Kylie Hirko VP Vehicle Repair: Chris Messer VRG Editorial Director: Chris Jones

6. Monro taking action to combat weak tire market 7.

Pirelli CEO details growth plans

8. Toyo CEO discusses ‘new normal’ 9. Discount Tire tops 1,200 store mark 10. Tire sellout shows ‘greatest monthly gain in three years’

DIGITAL EDITION Check out MTD’s digital edition at the top of our website’s homepage.

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SOCIAL MEDIA Like us Facebook: facebook.com/ModernTireDealer Follow us X: twitter.com/MTDMagazine

Modern Tire Dealer (USPS Permit 369170), (ISSN 0026-8496 print) is published monthly by Endeavor Business Media, LLC. 201 N Main St 5th Floor, Fort Atkinson, WI 53538. Periodicals postage paid at Fort Atkinson, WI, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Modern Tire Dealer, PO Box 3257, Northbrook, IL 60065-3257. SUBSCRIPTIONS: Publisher reserves the right to reject non-qualified subscriptions. Subscription prices: U.S. ($81.25 per year). All subscriptions are payable in U.S. funds. Send subscription inquiries to Modern Tire Dealer, PO Box 3257, Northbrook, IL 60065-3257. Customer service can be reached toll-free at 877-382-9187 or at moderntiredealer@omeda.com for magazine subscription assistance or questions.

Printed in the USA. Copyright 2024 Endeavor Business Media, LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopies, recordings, or any information storage or retrieval system without permission from the publisher. Endeavor Business Media, LLC does not assume and hereby disclaims any liability to any person or company for any loss or damage caused by errors or omissions in the material herein, regardless of whether such errors result from negligence, accident, or any other cause whatsoever. The views and opinions in the articles herein are not to be taken as official expressions of the publishers, unless so stated. The publishers do not warrant either expressly or by implication, the factual accuracy of the articles herein, nor do they so warrant any views or opinions by the authors of said articles.

MTD July 2024

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Industry News

Zhongce wants to become top five tiremaker ‘WE ARE WILLING TO COMPETE IN ALL AREAS,’ SAYS SHEN

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TD Publisher Greg Smith was recently in China and had the opportunity to meet with top executives of Zhongce Rubber Group Co. Ltd. (ZC), China’s largest tire manufacturer, including the company’s vice president, Hao Yu (Henry) Shen.

Shen, who did his post-graduate work at Columbia University, said the company achieved revenues of 35.2 billion yuan ($4.528 billion) in 2023, making it the ninth largest tire manufacturer in the world.

The goal is to be a top five producer within five years, said Shen.

But revenue is just one aspect of what Shen is striving to achieve.

To do this, the company continually pushes for efficiency in all aspects of its operation. Shen emphasized that the company does continue to invest heavily in research and development, higher than many competitors.

The company recently announced plans for new factories in Indonesia and Mexico, which Shen said will increase the company’s capacity by 15% when the first stage of each plant is completed.

Shen said the Indonesia plant will be open yet this year, while the Mexico plant should be running in 12 to 15 months.

In both cases, the company is only using 40% of the land it purchased to allow for future expansion.

“To grow, we want to show the world that we are willing to compete in all areas,” said Shen.

ZC currently has nine factories, with eight of them in China and the other plant in Thailand.

In late-2023, the company’s highly automated 5G factory next to its corpo-

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rate headquarters in Hangzhou produced its first passenger tire.

In 2022, the company bought Tianjin United Tire & Rubber International Co. Ltd. (Tutric), which manufactures the Tianli tire brand. This producer of OTR and ag tires is an area of growth for the company. Shen said they aim to have 25% to 30% of the company’s current revenues come from the company’s OTR tire, ag tire and rubber track business.

ZC currently has 53% of its sales within China, with the other 47% coming from outside the country. Shen would like to see this change to 40% in China and 60% outside the country within the next three years. Right now, 25% of ZC’s international business is coming from the U.S. Of the U.S. PLT and TBR business, Shen said the business is split about 50/50 between PLT and TBR. Right now, OTR is a very small portion of the total, but the company is targeting that segment for growth, leading with its Tianli brand.

In looking at how ZC positions its products, Shen said, “Today, people are buying our tires (PLT) because they are good at an affordable price.”

He added that the new generation of ZC tires have won awards in different tests in worldwide.

“We wish to offer customers tier-one and tier-two quality products with tiertwo and tier-three pricing,” Shen said.

Shen does see a big difference with the EV tire buyer, particularly in the fast-growing Chinese market. The vehicles are not cheap, but those buyers do care about price when it comes to buying tires for these vehicles. Toward that end, Shen said the company “is in serious development of several different fea-

“To grow, we want to show the world that we are willing to compete in all areas,” said Zhongce Rubber Group Co. Ltd. Vice President Hao Yu (Henry) Shen, left, with Greg Smith.

Photo: MTD

tures, especially noise levels and rolling resistance.”

Looking at TBR tires, “fleet managers think the same throughout the world and we must be at the highest level,” said Shen. “We must have the performance of a tier-one brand, but not at the tier-one pricing level.”

ZC sells tires worldwide under the Arisun, Westlake, Tianli, Trazano, Goodride and Chao Yang brands, as well as producing private label tires.

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Industry News

Bites Wholesalers report wins In MTD’s exclusive State-of-the-Industry Survey, 43% of wholesalers reported their tire unit sales were up by an average of 14.3% during the first quarter of 2024. More than half — 52% — said their dollar sales increased by an average of 9.36% during the period.

Sun Auto Tire expands Sun Auto Tire & Service Inc. has expanded its presence in Texas via the acquisition of 33 Caliber Auto Care locations. The facilities previously were owned by body shop giant Caliber Collision.

Bosch store opens Bosch Auto Service recently opened its first franchise location — a store in Salinas, Calif. The store, Bosch Auto Service Salinas, is the first location in the new Bosch Auto Service franchise program. It’s owned by 50-year auto service veteran Jim Adams.

Leeds West buys stores Leeds West Groups has purchased sole ownership of six Big O Tires locations in Texas. The stores include four in San Antonio, one in Leon Valley and one in Selma.

Distribution Stox grows Distribution Stox is acquiring the passenger and light truck distribution division of Techno Pneu Inc. The added business will help Distribution Stox expand in the eastern regions of Quebec.

Rubber Inc. adds capacity Rubber Inc. has moved its Chicagoland headquarters and warehouse to a larger space in Romeoville, Ill., which the company says will allow it to expand its capacity.

Curlee gets promoted Tire Discounters Inc. has named Charles Curlee senior vice president and chief operating officer.

Curlee started with Tire Discounters seven years ago.

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Cabe to replace Garcin as Michelin NA CEO

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ichelin North America Inc. will get a new president and CEO, effective Oct. 1, 2024, when Matthew Cabe replaces Alexis Garcin.

“Matthew has represented the voice of Michelin customers with dependable passion in our organization for more than 19 years, along Matthew Cabe with a leadership approach that directly reflects the Group’s core val- (pictured) will ues,” says Scott Clark, executive vice president of automotive, motor- replace Alexis Garcin as sport and two wheels, supervising Michelin’s Americas Regions.

“His prior experience leading businesses in both North Amer- Michelin North ica and globally will facilitate the Group’s continued growth and America Inc.’s president and success in this important region.”

CEO in October.

Cabe succeeds Alexis Garcin, whose next position within Photo: Michelin North Michelin will be announced at a later date.

America Inc. As president and CEO role, Cabe will be responsible for all key customer-facing functions of Michelin North America, including the sales and marketing, services and solutions, quality and supply chain units, along with other functions, such as corporate and business services, communications, finance, personnel, information technology and legal, according to Michelin officials.

Concurrent with his new appointment, Cabe also joins the board of the U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association.

“I am confident in the future of our company as we continue to focus on bringing our sustainable mobility strategy to life — the critical balance of customer centricity, financial results, respect for the environment and empowerment of our people,” says Cabe. “This is an exciting opportunity to work with our team in the North American region to serve our customers and drive the business forward.”

Since 2021, Cabe has served as senior vice president of the Michelin Group’s automotive regional brands business line, which is based in Budapest, Hungary. From 2017 to 2021, he served in a number of marketing leadership positions within Michelin’s North American passenger car and light truck business.

“Across his 19-year tenure with Michelin, he has held various leadership roles in engineering, manufacturing, marketing and other commercial functions in North America and at the global level,” according to Michelin officials.

Gray’s Tire opens seventh location

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ray’s Tire & Service Center Inc. celebrated the opening of its seventh location in Clanton, Ala., with a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by local dignitaries, community members and staff.

The new location offers services, such as Gray’s Tire & Service Center Inc. has tire replacement, wheel alignment, brake ser- opened a store in Clanton, Ala. vices, oil changes and comprehensive vehicle Photo: Gray’s Tire & Service Center Inc. inspection and others.

“We are thrilled to open our seventh service center here in Clanton, Ala.,” says David Gray, founder and CEO of Gray’s Tire.

“This expansion reflects our commitment to providing the highest-quality service and convenience for our customers. We look forward to continuing our tradition of excellence and supporting the community with all their automotive needs.”

Gray’s Tire & Service Center has been serving the central Alabama area for more than 26 years.

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A LONG WAY

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AGRIMAX TERIS is BKT’s response for combined harvesters providing best performance without damaging your crops.

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Industry News

Bites NetDriven expands Net Driven has acquired CarCareCONNECT. The acquisition gives CarCareCONNECT customers access to Net Driven’s suite of digital storefronts and marketing solutions, including industry-tailored websites, search engine marketing, social media management and reputation management.

Hankook wins OE fitment Hankook Tire America Corp.’s iON evo electric vehicle (EV) tire is now original equipment tire on the latest version of the Porsche Taycan. The EV tire is derived from Hankook’s iON race tire and has been ISCC PLUS-certified for sustainability.

Pre-Q hits the road Representatives from Pre-Q Galgo Corp. and officials from several tire dealership recently promoted the value and quality of retreads during the Tennessee Association of Pupil Transportation show in Pigeon Forge, Tenn.

OTR Solutions has portal OTR Engineered Solutions has launched a new customer portal for online ordering. The site, otrb2b.com, gives aftermarket customers the opportunity to place orders any time of day.

Caterpillar picks Conti Continental Tire the Americas LLC has expanded its partnership with Caterpillar Inc. with the approval of its RDT-Master OTR tire for Caterpillar truck machine models. The range includes three tire sizes and spans several Caterpillar fitments.

Yokohama goes green Yokohama TWS is combining the use of renewable resources with advanced tire production techniques to reduce the carbon footprint of its tires. Products feature a mix of bio-based and recycled materials, as well as casings that support retreading.

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Les Schwab acquires CMC Tire

With the addition of CMC Tire, Les Schwab Tire Centers Inc. has just under 500 company stores.

Photo: Les Schwab Tire Centers Inc.

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es Schwab Tire Centers Inc. has acquired CMC Tire, a commercial tire dealership with 11 locations throughout Utah, Nevada and Colorado.

CMC Tire, which was founded by Michael Morast and Tommy Servine in 2014, also operates a Continental retread plant in Hurricane, Utah.

The dealership “brings particular expertise in the commercial, mining and construction fields,” according to Les Schwab officials.

CMC Tire will continue to operate as an independent business using the CMC Tire brand under Les Schwab’s ownership.

“CMC Tire is a high-quality company with a fantastic track record and impressive growth over the last 10 years,” says Les Schwab Tires CEO Mike Broberg. “We look forward to continuing that growth and achieving new things as a result of the strength of our combined team.

“We are two customer-centric brands coming together,” he adds. “We share a culture of excellent service and a commitment to supporting and creating opportunities for our employees. This is an exciting opportunity to expand our commercial business alongside our continued retail growth.”

“After 10 years of successful expansion, the time was right for new ownership”, says Morast. “With more than 70 years of its own successful growth, Les Schwab Tires has the resources and knowledge to fuel the next stage of growth for CMC.”

Straightaway Tire names new CEO

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2 Investment Partners, the owner of Straightaway Tire & Auto, has hired John Teddy to be Straightaway Tire’s new CEO. Teddy joins the company “with over 15 years of experience at industry-leading consumer retail and services brands,” according to a statement from O2 Investment Partners.

Most recently, he served as president of Take 5 Car Wash, a division of Driven Brands.

O2 Investment Partners’ Joe Vallee says that Teddy “is a proven leader with considerable experience scaling auto service businesses and will be instrumental to our next phase of growth.”

VIP Tires opens a new store

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IP Tires & Service has opened its newest location in Brockton, Mass.

The company held a grand open- VIP Tires’ new location spans more than 6,000 ing and ribbon-cutting ceremony square feet and includes eight service bays.

Photo: VIP Tires & Service on June 18.

“At VIP Tires, we’re committed to going the extra mile for the communities we serve,” says Tim Winkeler, president and CEO. “This means fostering a well-educated workforce, creating local jobs and ensuring the safest driving experience possible. By partnering with local educational programs and offering cutting-edge technology, we believe we can make a real difference in Brockton.”

The new location covers more than 6,000 square feet with eight service bays and will create eight to 10 new jobs.

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17 to 22”

FROM SUMMER TO ALL-WEATHER Whatever weather your journey throws at you, Vredestein has you covered.

18 to 24”

www.vredestein.com contact.us@apollotyres.com The Ultrac Pro and Quatrac Pro+ will be available in 100 sizes. 45 sizes of Ultrac Pro will be available in 2024, while the remaining sizes will be available in 2025.

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Industry News

Bites TIA training continues The Tire Industry Association Inc. (TIA) will offer its Advanced Automotive Tire Service Instructor 400 level class in August, October, November and December 2024 in Seattle, Wash., Columbus, Ohio, Charlotte, N.C. and Baltimore, Md., respectively. Registration details are available on TIA’s website.

Scott’s U-Save expands

Scott’s U-Save Tires & Auto Repair has acquired Knight Automotive in Crown Point, Ind. The Chicago, Ill.-based dealership now has two stores in Indiana for a total of four locations across its footprint.

Chapel Hill Tire honored Two Chapel Hill Tire locations have earned the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) Blue Seal of Excellence. To achieve the honor, at least 75% of a shop’s technicians must be ASE-certified.

RNR celebrates dads RNR Tire Express offered a Father’s Day grand prize to one dad and his family that included an all-expenses paid trip to a NASCAR race.

AACF leader retires The Automobile Aftermarket Charitable Foundation has announced that Joel Ayres, its executive director, retired at the end of April after more than nine years with the organization.

Hankook attends expo Hankook Tire America Corp. displayed its full line of electric vehicle (EV) tires at the recent Electrify Expo Long Beach event. The tiremaker also sponsored the event’s Demo District, which provided hands-on experiences with EVs.

Gray leads Goodyear HR Nicole Gray has replaced Gary VanderLind as chief human resources officer at Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.

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Tube & Solid Tire doubles warehouse count

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ube & Solid Tire Ltd. has rebranded and is dba Dobermann North America. And the company is in expansion mode, as the second of two Dobermann North America opened this new warehouses began shipping prod- distribution center, which is located in Davenport, Iowa, in April. ucts to tire dealers at the end of June.

Photo: Dobermann North America Tony Garrett, vice president of operations, told MTD that the new warehouses — in Davenport, Iowa, and Greenville, S.C. — both represent new markets.

“We decided to expand due to the recent challenges of high freight costs, freight carrier issues and demand on quicker turnaround times from our customer base. We believe we can add business in each new market by being closer to those areas.”

The Davenport location is open for business and spans 20,000 square feet. Garrett notes it is outfitted with tall, five-shelf racks that reach to the ceilings, which “should provide us a stocking opportunity of $3 million in inventory.”

The Greenville location was adding inventory to its 40,000 square-foot space in June and should hold between $5-6 million in inventory, he said.

Both sites will eventually stock the company’s full product offerings, which include tires for K9 lawn and garden, ATV, UTV, skid steer, forklift and construction applications, as well as bias-ply farm tires, bias trailer tires and radial and all-steel trailer tires.

The warehouses will also include the Dobermann lineup of solid forklift tires, solid skid steer tires and solid OTR assemblies, as well as butyl and natural rubber tubes.

Garrett said both warehouses provide expansion opportunities in surrounding states.

“We believe the new Davenport market location will provide an opportunity to serve a broader area in the Midwest, which will include Iowa, Nebraska, Minnesota, Wisconsin, North Dakota and South Dakota, for example.

“As far as (the) Greenville market, we will be able to extend into Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland (and) Pennsylvania, which are new growth opportunities.

“Market conditions are excellent for our K9 and Dobermann product lines because of rural areas that have a need for our specialty tire/tube solutions.”

Previously, customers in any of those markets would have been served by the company’s existing warehouse in San Antonio, Texas. (The company has a fourth warehouse in Hialeh, Fla.) “Our main concern from new customers would be shipping lead times and freight minimum requirements.”

Dobermann North America is part of Covencaucho, a company in Venezuela that manufactures retreads and has 30 retail and commercial outlets in that country.

Garrett said the company’s K9 line of products has grown in recent years to represent more than 50% of overall sales.

“We have focused our sales efforts in recent years for the agricultural market to achieve growth. I think over time we want to stock the popular SKUs in all of our lines and streamline our inventory to achieve better, faster turns of the lineup.

“I see ATV/UTV as (a) real focus because of how many areas are legalizing (in-town, on-street use.) We have a special heavy duty run-flat ATV tire that has been a fantastic tire for our customers since we introduced it. The goal is to market it and get the word out to more dealers and end users so they can benefit from that technology.

“In regards to inner tubes, we have always had the strongest warranty in the business and our warranty ratio is less than 0.10%,” said Garrett.

As for the current market, Garrett said business has picked up since the middle of March.

“Our 2024 plan is to make sure we serve our existing customers better and create opportunities for new customers by the efficiency of our warehouses, which are equipped with real-time technology. The time and effort are critical to (make) our inventory ordering, receiving and shipping so streamlined that it will be a huge sales advantage.”

—Joy Kopcha MTD July 2024

6/28/24 2:27 PM

2407MT

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Industry News

Bites Omni United goes racing The Radar brand from Omni-United (S) Pte. Ltd. will partner with Milhausen Motorsports for the Amsoil Off-Road Championship 2024. The Milhausen team will compete in eight races during the season.

McCarthy moves location

McCarthy Tire Service Co. Inc., which is based in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., recently relocated its Williamsport, Pa., location to a larger facility.

McCarthy Tire closed its former location in Williamsport.

New World Class tech A seventh technician at VIP Tires & Service Inc. has earned World Class Technician status from the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE). John Bemis works at the Bangor, Maine, VIP location.

Nokian completes ramp-up at Tennessee facility

Nokian opened its U.S. plant with 60 employees. The factory now employs more than 500 people.

Photo: Nokian Tyres Inc.

N

okian Tyres Inc. has marked the completion of the five-year ramp-up process at its production facility in Southeast Tennessee and has opened a new distribution center there.

The 350,000-square-foot warehouse can hold hundreds of thousands of tires produced at the Dayton, Tenn., factory, which first opened in October 2019 and began commercial production the following January. It expanded operations in 2020 and has since added light truck tire production and increased capacity.

Nokian ships tires from the finished goods warehouse in Dayton to its nine-warehouse network across North America. All-season and all-weather tires are made in the Dayton factory and are exclusively distributed to North American customers.

“The opening of our finished goods warehouse marks the completion of a five-year growth process that took us from a 60-member launch team to a 500-colleague workforce,” says David Korda, Dayton factory operations director for Nokian.

“We could not have reached this point without great dedication from our employees, and we are also grateful for the support we have received from the community, our customers and our colleagues around the globe.”

The Dayton factory possesses ISO 9001, 14001 and 45001 certifications for quality, sustainability and safety.

“Nokian Tyres has made North America a priority and the Dayton Factory is the center of those efforts,” says Lauri Halme, vice president of passenger car tires for Nokian.

Sun adds TGK locations Shortly before press time, Sun Auto Tire & Service Inc. opened two TGK Tire & Auto locations in Minnesota. The stores are in Lakeville and Savage and join a TGK Tire & Auto store that opened in Arden Hills, Minn., two months ago.

Tyrexpo draws big crowd More than 4,000 people from 72 countries recently attended the Tyrexpo Asia event in Bangkok, Thailand. The expo included more than 90 exhibitors. The 2025 version of the show is scheduled to take place in Singapore.

Pirelli teams with Audi The new Audi RS 4 Avant has two tire options: the Pirelli P Zero Trofeo RS and the Pirelli P Zero Corsa.

The latter tire is equipped with Pirelli Cyber Technology, which features sensors.

Goodyear unveils service Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. has introduced its “tires-as-a-service” program for commercial trucking and delivery fleets.

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Former Firestone executive dies

F

The late Kimball ormer Firestone Tire & Rubber Co. exFirestone held ecutive Kimball Firestone has died. He a variety of was 90 years old. positions at the The grandson of Harvey Firestone, he tire manufacturer was born in Los Angeles, Calif., to Leonard his grandfather founded.

Firestone and Polly Curtis Firestone in 1933.

Photo: Bob Troyer Leonard was president of Firestone’s California division at the time.

After earning a degree from Stanford University, Kimball served in the U.S. Army and joined Firestone in 1964 at the company’s Akron, Ohio, headquarters.

Starting in real estate and finance, he moved to Firestone’s Washington D.C. government affairs office in 1969, becoming manager of government affairs the following year and then vice president of government relations in 1973.

Kimball served on Firestone’s board from 1974 through 1988, when the company was acquired by Bridgestone Corp.

He also served as president of his family’s Firestone Foundation from 1974 until 1983.

While an Akron resident, Kimball was active in a number of community organizations, including the Akron Child Guidance Center, the YMCA, Junior Achievement of Akron and other groups.

He continued his extensive community involvement after moving to Maryland, where he resided until his death.

Kimball is survived by his daughter, Carey (Tim) Romer, and sons, William Curtis (Terrie) Firestone, Leonard (Nicole) Firestone and Christopher (Whitney) Firestone; Laurie Firestone; 13 grandchildren and two great-granddaughters. He was preceded in death by his daughter, Kimberley.

Funeral services took place on June 13.

MTD July 2024

6/28/24 2:27 PM

2407MT

WORKS AS HARD AS YOU DO

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NumbersThatCount

Relevant statistics from an industry in constant motion

23%

Share of tire retailers who said unit sales increased by 10% in the first quarter Source: MTD State-of-the-Industry Survey Photo: MTD

10.8%

43%

The share of EVs among all new vehicle registrations in Canada

Tire dealers who pay their technicians by the hour Source: MTD Tire Dealer Automotive Service Study

Source: Statistics Canada

Photo : MTD

Photo: Pirelli Tire North America Inc.

SC

11

62%

Source: Tire & Rim Association

Source: MTD Facts Issue

Photo: MTD

Photo: MTD

New LT metric tire sizes introduced in 2023

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Tire dealerships that are single-store operations.

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MTD July 2024

6/28/24 2:27 PM

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SEVERE SNOW RATED

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BY ROGUE OVERLANDER JAMIE ORR ON THE BANDIT A_T

SCAN FOR THE SERIES!

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Yo u r M a r ket p l a ce

Retail sellout starts to soften CONSUMERS CONTINUE TO TRADE DOWN By

John Healy

O

ur recent check-ins with tire dealers indicate that retail sellout trends were somewhat softer in May 2024, following a robust April. Independent dealers highlighted average sellout declines of 1.3% in May compared to gains of 5.1% in April, with trends flat-to-slightly-down during the first quarter of 2024.

Looking more closely at volume for the month of May on a regional basis, the Midwest and the Northeast saw negative volumes. Other regions saw flat or positive volume trends, with the Southwest seeing the strongest trends, up slightly year-over-year.

From our view, it appears that the changing of the seasons in much of the country in May and April brought consumers into shops for tire replacement following a period of deferment.

Given volatile industry conditions due to cost inflation and other macroeconomic factors, we look at several data points to access the health of automobile travel demand, which correlates to tire usage and wear.

Looking at miles driven over the last month, which has a significant correlation with the need for a new set of tires, trends were down low single digits during May, following a flat-to-slightly positive first quarter. More specifically, our Miles Driven Momentum Index registered a 1.2% year-over-year decline in May, which followed a 4% decline in April.

While on the surface this may appear troublesome, we note the month of May was up against a difficult year-ago comparison, as May 2023 miles driven grew by a healthy 3.2%. The trend in May remains above pre-pandemic levels. Thus, the month’s miles driven data is largely a function of difficult comps, rather than the start of a decline.

RAW MATERIAL TRENDS

The cost of raw materials to make a basic replacement tire grew 10.2% year-over-year in May and was up 0.7% from April levels.

This follows a 3.1% year-over-year increase during the first quarter.

Our raw material index fell 9.7% in 2023 from 2022 levels, while our index is up 5.2% on a year-to-date basis in 2024.

Given the rapid price deceleration in 2023 following two years of price increases, we are not surprised to see raw material costs moderate and increase slightly on a year-over-year basis. In fact, we see this stability as a positive for the tire industry given the volatility experienced since 2020.

When examining the landscape from a longer-term view, we have heard of multiple dealers experiencing price decreases and promotional updates from several tire manufacturers, which we did not expect but were not entirely surprised to hear, given year-over-year raw material price declines in 2023.

We hear that tier-two and upper tierthree manufacturers are aggressively

Snapshot of Dealer’s PLT Tire Volumes (Year-Over-Year Change) Mar-23

Apr-23

May-23

Mar-24

Apr-24

May-24

Average

Increase

0%

0%

29%

43%

46%

36%

40%

Flat

29%

17%

0%

7%

31%

28%

26%

Decline

71%

83%

71%

50%

23%

36%

34%

Total

100%

100%

100%

100%

100%

100%

100%

SOURCE: NORTHCOAST RESEARCH ESTIMATES

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chasing tier-three and tier-four products in an attempt to remain cost-competitive in a consumer trade-down environment.

We note that as we see price decreases alongside consumer trade-down, there is a risk to some manufacturers’ profitability.

TIER-THREE IN HIGH DEMAND

Respondents to our latest survey point to tier-three brands as the most in-demand from consumers in May 2024. This is different from our observed long-term trend, as tier-two brands have historically been the most in-demand segment.

Tier-two brands moved into second place in our tier rankings during May, while tier-one brands remained in last place during the month.

This is consistent with the trend that closed 2023 as tier-one brands placed last for six consecutive months from September 2023 through January 2024.

We believe the May 2024 result is an indication of the type of tire buyer in the marketplace, as customers are trading down to less-expensive tires for the summer months.

To us, this aligns with tier-two and tier-three brands being among the most in-demand during May, as consumers who have deferred necessary auto maintenance re-enter the marketplace with fewer tax refund dollars left over and opt for more value-oriented tires.

While our tire tier rankings can be volatile from month to month, we continue to expect tier-two brands to be the most in-demand segment on a long-term basis as consumers continue the trend of attempting to strike a balance between cost and performance. ■ 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. If you would like to participate in the monthly dealer discussions, contact him at john.healy@ northcoastresearch.com.

MTD July 2024

6/28/24 2:27 PM

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MT D 10 0

NO QUICK FIX

MTD 100 DEALERS FACE COMMON, COMPLEX CHALLENGES By

Mike Manges

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rom employee recruitment and retention to the rising cost of — well, just about everything — stacked on top of many other issues, the nation’s largest tire dealerships are not immune to the challenges that impact their smaller counterparts.

Leeanne Bolger, director of marketing for CJ’s Tire & Automotive, an 18-location dealership based in Birdsboro, Pa., echoes the concerns of many MTD 100 dealers when she says that supply chain, while improving, remains a challenge.

“It’s definitely gotten a lot better since COVID-19, specifically when we’re talking about imports, but at least in our area, we’re still having issues with everything that’s going on in the Red Sea” and other parts of the world, she explains.

“One of our biggest issues is we have so many tires that we’re having to hold them at port, which is costing a lot of money. We have so many tires on order, we’re unable to take them.

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6/28/24 2:27 PM

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CJ’s Tire & Automotive, an 18-store dealership based in Birdsboro, Pa., is addressing the challenge of employee retention by investing in its staff. “When we get ahold of employees, we try to build careers for them,” says Leeanne Bolger, the company’s director of marketing.

Photo: CJ’s Tire & Automotive

Due to a variety of factors, WilkesBarre, Pa.-based McCarthy Tire Service Co. Inc. has had “to just get back to the basics of Sales 101,” says Daniel Horn, the dealership’s vice president of sales. “Just because you answer the phone and have the product doesn’t mean you’re going to sell the tire anymore.”

Photo: McCarthy Tire Service Co. Inc.

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“I know it’s not just us,” she continues.

“We have a lot of other tire companies calling us and saying, ‘Hey, we have too many tires and we can’t facilitate them in our warehouse. Would you be willing to take any?’

“We’re retail and wholesale. We’re hybrid. So we have a lot more tires coming in.” (In addition to its 18 retail stores, CJ’s Tire & Automotive has “seven-and-a-half” distribution centers, including a busy mixing warehouse, notes Bolger.)

Consumer trade-down to less-expensive tires is another trend that has changed how CJ’s Tire & Automotive does things.

Due to budget constraints and other issues, “typically, the tier-one customers coming in are shifting to tier-two and we see a lot of tier-two customers shifting to tier-three. That presents a challenge for us,” specifically when it comes to achieving targets set by bigger suppliers’ “share of account” programs.

“It makes it harder to hit the programs when consumers are coming in and tiering-down to tier-two or tier-three,” says Bolger.

Ever-evolving vehicle technology has emerged as a significant challenge. Bolger says vehicles are becoming more complex and technicians need specialized training to work on them.

This includes electric vehicles (EVs) and cars equipped with sophisticated advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS.) CJ’s Tire & Automotive has been able to obtain training for its technicians, “but it’s costly.”

The dealership also has invested “in an ADAS machine,” which came at a significant cost, says Bolger, who adds that ADAS service is “expensive for the consumer, as well.”

Another challenge for CJ’s Tire & Automotive is employee retention. “When we get ahold of employees, we try to build careers for them. We don’t have a high turnover rate for salespeople or techs.

“We fully pay for their training — any type of training they want. We do tool allowances. We have all types of incentives.

We’re also trying to make sure they’re being paid correctly. But I think the main thing we try to do is that when they start here, we build a career path for them, so they know this isn’t a dead-end job.”

Finding new technicians is also a challenge for Holyoke Tire Group, a 15-outlet dealership that’s headquartered

‘A lot of guys, as they hit their late-50s and early-60s, are bailing when they can. And we’ve put in good retirement systems, so they can.’

Pete Kearing, president, Holyoke Tire Group

in West Springfield, Mass., especially as veteran workers “age out” into retirement, according to Pete Kearing, the company’s longtime president.

“Replacing the aging workforce is a big problem right now,” he says.

Holyoke Tire has lost “several key guys” over the last few years. “A lot of guys, as they hit their late-50s and early-60s, are bailing when they can. And we’ve put in good retirement systems, so they can.”

Kearing, who says he has no plans to retire, is finding replacements by “bringing guys up through the ranks. But it’s still a tough, tough business. It’s a lot of work.”

Managing employee turnover is a universal concern, says Daniel Horn, vice president of sales at Wilkes-Barre, Pa.-based McCarthy Tire Service Co. Inc. He cites road service as being a particularly tough job, as technicians are “typically working in either hot environments or cold environments, rain, snow — you name it. And it’s a job that takes a long time and (a lot of) onsite training to get techs up to speed on how to do it and how to do it safely.”

Price hikes and in some cases, decreases from tire manufacturers have had a consequential impact on McCarthy Tire Service’s business over the last few years, according to Horn. Supply fluctuations have proven to be challenging, too.

“When you compare it to prior years, there were pricing changes and pricing realignments and that made it difficult to operate,” he explains. “When prices go up, you don’t have to worry about it as much because the average cost is lower, but when prices come down, your average price is higher than what you’re buying it at. That creates a lot of challenges for us as dealers to try to create sellout to customers.

“If you go back to the end of 2022 and the beginning of 2023, product became MTD July 2024

6/28/24 2:27 PM

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“As we talk to our accounts, I think one of the challenges they have is uncertainty, not only in the market, but because of the election year,” says Adrian Rodriguez, vice president of marketing and retail sales for Meridian, Idaho-based Commercial Tire Inc. Photo: Commercial Tire Inc.

“We’re blessed to be in a good financial position, but we still have to go to the bank when we want to grow,” says Logan Wilks, vice president of Albertville, Ala.-based Wilks Tire & Battery Service, which acquired two stores and built a new location within the past year. “Inflation has put the brakes on things just a little bit.”

Photo: Wilks Tire & Battery Service

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much more available. Tires that we had ordered (long before) started showing up and if you didn’t catch it quickly enough, you had a lot of product in stock that wasn’t moving at the clip it had been.

“Manufacturers would come in and (do) what they called ‘pricing realignments’ and would bring certain SKUs and sizes down. And as much as that helped to a certain point, you’re not protected on the backside. So we now had product in our inventory that was substantially overvalued. It was just one of those headwinds.

“This year, everything kind of tightened up,” which means the McCarthy Tire Service team has had “to just get back to the basics of Sales 101,” says Horn. “Just because you answer the phone and have the product doesn’t mean you’re going to sell the tire anymore.”

Looking back on the first half of 2024, “I think every dealer would agree that the first quarter was not the best quarter. It wasn’t bad — just not what we’ve come to expect over the last couple of years. I think we’ve seen a little bit of an uptick” since then, “but still not where we need it.

“Also knowing that it’s an election year, there always seems to be a little bit of a lull,” says Horn, who also cites “the threat of tariffs and how that’s going to shake out” as additional concerns. “We’re very optimistic that we’ll have a good year as a company and as an industry. It’s just not at the increased rate we’ve seen over the last couple of years.”

“The market has been soft,” says Adrian Rodriguez, vice president of marketing and retail sales for Commercial Tire Inc., which is based in Meridian, Idaho, and has 52 outlets.

“Our expectation is that it will pick up.

Whether that makes up for the first half of the year, I think that’s to be determined.

As we talk to our accounts, I think one of the challenges they have is uncertainty, not only in the market, but because of the election year.

“We’ve talked to some of our big accounts and they’ve said, ‘We’re going to do maintenance-level purchasing until we know what’s next,’” he says.

Fortunately, the region where Commercial Tire operates “is still growing, so we have an advantage. People are moving to Idaho. People are moving to Utah, which is putting in what they call ‘inland ports’ — basically, massive distribution hubs.

So there’s a lot of opportunity,” especially

‘What we’re seeing now, especially the large fleets that have the resources, is that their finance people are putting their thumbs down on some stuff. They’re not doing the big bulk purchases that they were a year ago. They are managing their tire programs more stringently.’

Logan Wilks, vice president, Wilks Tire & Battery Service

on the commercial truck tire side of the dealership’s business.

“We’ve seen an uptick in (sales of) Bandag retreads. And that value proposition is looking a lot better... the (ability to) retread a tire two or three times.”

Like other MTD 100 dealerships, Commercial Tire has witnessed a consumer “downshift” to less-expensive brands, “from tier-one to tier-two and from tiertwo to tier-three. I think there’s more flight from tier-two to tier-three.

“What we’re seeing in our market — and all of this is market-specific — is that if you’re a tier-one buyer,” you will continue to buy tier-one tires, “but tier-two buyers are downshifting to tier-three,” he notes.

“The thing that has supported that shift is the quality of tier-three tires. The quality has come up so much that the lines are blurred between tier-one, tier-two and tier-three, in my opinion. We’ve definitely had to reposition our product line to meet the market.

“Previously, we didn’t sell a lot of opening price point tires,” says Rodriguez. “We didn’t have a big product line offering.

But as we’ve seen that shift, we have now brought in a broader line to meet those needs and in fact, for us, that’s been a big win. And when you look at tire units, we’re actually up year-over-year.”

Like many of his counterparts, Logan Wilks, vice president of Wilks Tire & MTD July 2024

6/28/24 2:27 PM

Battery Service, an 11-outlet dealership that’s based in Albertville, Ala., is keeping an eye on the general political situation, including this November’s presidential election.

“A lot of people say they could care less but at the end of the day, it’s affecting the stock market,” he says. “It’s affecting investment. It’s even affecting the central bank and how it’s manipulating money.

It’s a big deal and it just trickles down to us, the companies we sell to and even to the end user.”

Trucking f leets, in particular, are carefully managing their expenses. “What we’re seeing now, especially the large fleets that have the resources, is that their finance people are putting their thumbs down on some stuff. They’re not doing the big bulk purchases that they were a year ago. They are managing their tire programs more stringently.

“A lot of fleets sometimes forget that casings have value, but now they want to make sure they have accountability on their casings. That’s something we didn’t

see during the fast-paced years of 2021 and 2022.”

Other economic factors, like inflation, are influencing Wilks Tire & Battery’s expansion plans.

In the past year, the dealership acquired two stores and built a new one. All required substantial capital investments.

“We’re not sitting on a bunch of cash. We’re blessed to be in a good financial position, but we still have to go to the bank when we want to grow.”

“Inf lation has put the brakes on things just a little bit. It’s also making us more conscious of our inventory. Our philosophy is, ‘If you don’t have it, you can’t sell it.’ We still believe in keeping things in stock, so it’s causing us to watch our inventory a little more closely.

“Obviously, commercial tires cost a lot more than consumer tires. The vast majority of over-the-road fleets” that Wilks Tire & Battery services “are not buying that tier-one product anymore. They just

Brandon Burt, vice president of corporate development for North Salt Lake, Utahbased Burt Brothers Tire & Service Inc., which has 24 stores, says his company’s most significant challenge is balancing “smart growth with the high caliber of people we need.”

Photo: Ben Borchert

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Employee development isn’t easy How Sun Auto Tire approaches this task

W

ith more than 400 locations, Sun Auto Tire & Service Inc., which is based in Mesa, Ariz., is one of the five biggest dealerships on the MTD 100. Despite its size, Sun Auto Tire says finding qualified technicians is a challenge.

“It’s not a new dynamic,” says Chris Ripani, the company’s chief operating officer.

“But it becomes a more exponential dynamic as we grow and the talent pool continues to shrink.”

The increasing complexity of vehicles only compounds the problem, he notes.

“What it means to be a technician today is different than what it was 40 years ago. There’s a lot more variation to vehicles.

“There’s more diagnostics — and a lot more specialization and advanced tools required.

“Finding someone who has the mechanical skill set and wants to invest in themselves is not an easy task.

“Companies that have great technicians hold onto them dearly and it’s one of the biggest industry challenges for recruiting.”

Employee retention also is crucial, says Ripani.

“One of the things we’re doing is investing in training programs and processes.

“We created my Sun University,” an online and inclass program that was introduced last year.

“It’s designed around building learning tasks by role for each key role within the company.

“It outlines the learning path we want them to take and the content we’ve assigned to each role.

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Sun Auto Tire & Service Inc. introduced Sun University last year. The program includes online and in-class courses.

“We’ve designed it to ensure our peoPhoto: Sun Auto Tire & Service Inc. ple can continue to increase their skills while investing in their career development.

“We’ve also launched a system called SunPro. It’s our way of doing things in the back of the shop.

“It’s all about the quality control of our service standards and how we build an operating model to do preventive maintenance service, repair and tire replacement consistently across our entire network.

“In addition, it outlines our training templates that we then build into Sun University,” he adds.

Both Sun University and SunPro are employee development programs.

Photo: Sun Tire Auto & Service Inc.

MTD July 2024

6/28/24 2:27 PM

can’t pay $600 to buy a steer tire. In the commercial world, it’s becoming very challenging to push the top-tier products.”

Brandon Burt, vice president of corporate development for North Salt Lake, Utah-based Burt Brothers Tire & Service Inc., which has grown to encompass 24 stores, says his company’s biggest challenge is balancing “smart growth with the high caliber of people we need. It’s a big task.”

When the dealership, which was founded in 1991, “was younger, there was a Burt (family member) at every location, almost all of the time. That’s not to say (customers) don’t have easy access to us anymore, but we’re not at the front lines because there are so many things we have to manage as we grow.

“Until I was in my early-30s I was managing a store and then after that, I’ve been on the corporate side of things.

My partners and I then chipped away at bigger responsibilities as we grew our leadership team.

“We still go into our stores a lot, but we’re not working the front counter six

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days a week like we used to,” says Burt, which means that finding and cultivating employees who “have that ownership mentality” has become a bigger priority.

“One of our core values is ‘behaving like you own the place,’ so no matter who they are or what they do in our organization, they understand their role is important. In the last 18 months, we’ve grown by 10 locations and that’s a lot for us. It took darn near 37 years before we had 13 locations!”

Burt Brothers Tire & Service has introduced training programs that immerse new employees in the dealership’s culture. “My brother, Cory, heads our sales team and he has weekly training. It’s all about customer service (and) knowing the customer, the mix of our product offerings and knowing how to help qualify customers.

“Jason, one of my cousins and partners, oversees the operations side and he’s trying to do the same thing with tire

Marc Pons, president of Chapel Hill (N.C.) Tire, says finding opportunities for new locations is an ongoing challenge. “We’ve been trying to expand as aggressively as we can for the last eight years or so.”

Photo: Chapel Hill Tire

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teams and mechanics. Even if they don’t talk to the customer, their job is just as important. They have to have that same ownership mentality.

“Then we have some of our seasoned veterans who have been with us for 15-plus years who are working under Cory and Jason to help instill that throughout the company.”

There are other, equally practical concerns as Burt Brothers Tire & Service continues to add to its footprint.

“We run all of our potential acquisitions and new-build stores through some heavy metrics and filters to verify they are (in areas) where we feel Burt Brothers can win,” says Burt.

“Anytime you grow, there’s a chance you could be wrong and your plan isn’t correct. We have to do it right and make sure our payroll is dialed in and we control some of those costs that can come up and bite you. That’s a big challenge. We can’t have losing (stores) on the card.”

Marc Pons, president of Chapel Hill (N.C.) Tire, which has 11 locations, says finding opportunities for new locations is an evergreen challenge.

“We’ve been trying to expand as aggressively as we can for the last eight years or so and our preference is to do it by acquisition. There’s a lot of baby boomer (tire store owners) out there with no succession plan and it’s a great opportunity for us.

‘Anytime you grow, there’s a chance you could be wrong and your plan isn’t correct. We have to do it right and make sure our payroll is dialed in and we control some of those costs that can come up and bite you.’

Brandon Burt, vice president of corporate development, Burt Brothers Tire & Service Inc.

“But the challenge is the private equity guys have gobbled up a lot of folks with maybe three stores.”

Another problem is that “a lot of businesses, owners said 10 or 12 years ago, ‘I’m not putting another dime into it,’” says Pons. “Because of that mindset, the facilities have gotten away (from them) and they don’t have much to sell.

“When you do an acquisition, a lot of times you’re buying that customer base and the goodwill that’s been built up over the years. But when (exiting store owners) haven’t done anything to differentiate themselves from a professional standpoint — maybe they’ve offered cheap

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oil changes or low-cost alignments — that’s not a great customer base to be buying. And the mindset of their staff has been degraded,” in some cases. “It’s more, ‘Let’s just hold on,’” instead of “striving for excellence.”

Pons says he stays connected with specific dealers who might want to sell. “We reach out. We do emails and letters. If someone’s not interested” in selling at the moment, “but has a great business, I might ask them to get coffee or lunch and say, ‘I know you’re not thinking

about selling now. But if you are in the future, please keep our name in the hat.’ The last two acquisitions we did took two years, from initial contact to them being ready to sell.”

In addition, building stores from scratch has become cost-prohibitive, according to Pons. (Only two of his stores were new construction. The rest have come to Chapel Hill Tire via acquisitions.)

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, “we were geared up to do more ground-up locations. But postCOVID-19, inflation just took off, plus materials, labor and the cost of projects.

It’s (also) going to take at least 18 months to get something through with municipalities and the development process — permits and those things.”

Pons also spends a great deal of time and energy on refining his dealership’s culture.

This includes strengthening the sense of accountability for its success among employees, he explains.

“Accountability is an incredibly complex topic. We’re a 71-year-old family business and I would say that family part has played a big role — so big sometimes that we were afraid to have tough conversations about performance” in the past.

“We had a habit of recognizing that maybe an employee or a location wasn’t performing well, but it was more comfortable to sort of divert our eyes and change the subject. We all wanted to be friends and that hurt the business.

“Everyone has a different definition of accountability,” says Pons. “To some people, accountability is an incredibly negative term. It means punishing people and firing people.

“So we’ve worked a long time on getting a common definition of what accountability means at Chapel Hill Tire.

“One of the things I’m really proud of, though, is that the Chapel Hill Tire version of accountability is very supportive.

We want to help each other get over our obstacles.

“What it requires from the individual is vulnerability — saying ‘I’m stuck and I need help.’ That’s where we are in the process now — getting the team to say that ‘I’m stuck’ is an act of courage and strength.”

Pons has put resources in place to help.

“It can be in the form of paid training.

In a lot of cases, it’s bringing in someone who’s either dealt with what (struggling employees) are dealing with” or someone who “can see the problem differently.” ■

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MT D 10 0

GROWTH MODE EXPANSION IS THE NAME OF THE GAME FOR MTD 100 DEALERS By

M

Mike Manges

any of the country’s largest independent tire dealerships have invested in new locations since the last edition of the MTD 100 was published in July 2023.

According to MTD research, Mavis Tire Express Services Corp., the largest independent tire dealership in the United States, went from reporting 2,029 locations at this time last year to having 2,115 stores.

Mavis made headlines in June 2023 when it acquired nearly 600 Tire Kingdom Service Centers and NTB Tire and Service Centers stores from TBC Corp., which also marked TBC’s exit from company-owned retail.

Discount Tire recently topped the 1,200-store mark, adding nearly 70 stores in the past 12 months, including

34

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21 during 2024. In 2024, Discount Tire has added locations in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina, Texas, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

The Scottsdale, Ariz.-based retailer acquired Buffalo, N.Y.-based Dunn Tire Corp.’s retail stores — 25 in all — in September 2023. The purchase, which did not include Dunn Tire’s wholesale division, then known as Exxpress Tire Delivery, marked Discount Tire’s entry into the New York market and expanded the company’s presence in Pennsylvania.

The acquisition also marked a noteworthy departure from Discount Tire’s traditional “tires-only” model since all 25 former Dunn Tire retail stores offer auto service.

MTD July 2024

6/28/24 2:27 PM

Around the same time, Discount Tire also acquired Ellisville Tire & Service, a single-store dealership in Ellisville, Mo., part of the St. Louis metro area.

In April 2024, Discount Tire acquired another independent tire dealership, Suburban Tire Auto Repair Centers, a longtime Chicago, Ill., market mainstay with six locations that, like Dunn Tire and Ellisville Tire, offer auto service.

Discount Tire officials said that both Dunn Tire and Suburban Tire Auto Repair Centers will continue to operate under their historic names.

Bend, Ore.-based Les Schwab Tire Centers Inc. added nearly 30 stores in the last 12 months and made a major acquisition in June 2024 when it purchased CMC Tire, a commercial tire dealership with 11 locations throughout Utah, Colorado and Nevada.

CMC Tire, which was founded in 2014 by Michael Morast and Tommy Servine, also operated a Continental retread plant in Hurricane, Utah.

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According to Les Schwab officials, CMC Tire, which “brings particular expertise in the commercial, mining and construction fields,” will continue to operate under the CMC banner Sun Auto Tire & Service Inc. has added 50 locations since the 2023 edition of the MTD 100 was published.

During the second half of 2023, the Mesa, Ariz.-based chain opened five stores in the Houston, Texas, market.

Sun Auto Tire kicked off 2024 by acquiring Boyd’s Tire & Service, a seven-location dealership located in central Ohio, which marked Sun Auto Tire’s entry into that state.

In March, Sun Auto Tire continued its push into Texas by acquiring Carrollton Complete Automotive, a 13-year-old dealership in the Dallas/ Fort Worth metro area. The acquisition gave Sun Auto Tire 436 locations throughout 21 states.

Several months later, Sun Auto Tire expanded its footprint in Minnesota by opening a new TGK Tire & Auto store in Arden Hills, which had been

Scottsdale, Ariz.-based Discount Tire has topped the 1,200-store mark, adding nearly 70 locations in the past 12 months.

Photo: Discount Tire

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Les Schwab Tire Centers Inc., which is based in Bend, Ore., added nearly 30 stores since last summer. It acquired CMC Tire in June 2024.

Photo: Les Schwab Tire Centers Inc.

Based in Mesa, Ariz., Sun Auto Tire & Service Inc. now has more than 470 stores, including this Arden Hills, Minn., TGK Tire store that opened a few months ago.

Photo: Sun Auto Tire & Service Inc.

36

2407MTD_34-39_MTD100Expansion.indd 36

a Big O Tires outlet. Sun Auto Tire acquired TGK in 2022, which marked its Minnesota debut.

Last month, Sun Auto Tire acquired 33 Caliber Auto Care locations in Texas from body shop giant Caliber Collision. Sixteen of those stores are in Dallas, 13 are in Houston and four are in San Antonio.

The Best-One Tire Group, which is based in Monroe, Ind., grew over the last 12 months.

In August 2023, Cullman, Ala.based McGriff Tire, which operates 18 locations throughout Alabama and Tennesse, joined Best-One. This development further extended BestOne’s reach into the southeastern U.S. Big Brand Tire & Auto Service, which is based in Moorpark, Calif., and is owned by Percheron Capital, increased its number of stores from 202 in July 2023 to 207 stores.

Columbia, Miss.-based Southern Tire Mart LLC, the largest independent commercial tire dealership in the U.S., has expanded its footprint to 208 stores, a 30-store increase from July 2023, when the company acquired two dealerships in California: Country Tire & Wheel and Tulare Firestone.

Country Tire & Wheel had four locations, including two in Bakersfield, Calif., one in Fresno and another store in Taft, Calif. The dealership, which was founded in 1983, had been owned

by Tommy Castro and Randy Scholl.

Headquartered in Tulare, Calif., Tulare Firestone operated under the name of TF Tire & Service and had nine locations, including a wholesale division. It was owned by Lionel and Kevin Pires.

The two dealerships jointly owned Eco-T Tire & Retreading, a Bandag retread operation established in 2015.

All Country Tire & Wheel, Tulare Firestone and Eco-T locations now do business under the Southern Tire Mart banner.

Tire Discounters Inc., which is based in Cincinnati, Ohio, continued to add locations, reaching 214 stores at press time.

During the first half of 2024, the dealership added locations in Ohio, Georgia and Tennessee and continues “to look for family-owned businesses

that share our core values” as potential acquisitions.

Green Bay, Wis.-based Pomp’s Tire Service Inc. and Allen Park, Mich.based Belle Tire Distributors Ltd., also added locations, with Pomp’s expanding its reach by more than 50 outlets versus what was reported in the 2023 MTD 100 and Belle Tire adding four stores as it continues to strengthen its presence in the greater Chicago market.

Greenwood Village, Colo.-based Leeds West Groups increased its store count to 124 with the acquisition of six Big O Tires locations in Texas last month. Four of those stores are in San Antonio, one is in Selma, Texas, and the other is in Leon Valley, Texas.

Norwell, Mass.-based Sullivan Tire Co. Inc. added 11 locations during the last 12 months, boosting its footprint to 103 outlets. Last year, the company reopened its store in Damariscotta, Maine. In June 2024, Sullivan Tire acquired the assets of seven Stratham Tire locations located in Bangor and Auburn, Maine, and in Portsmouth and Brentwood, N.H. The Stratham Tire locations have since been rebranded as Sullivan Tire stores. They will continue to provide auto service, while the Bangor, Auburn and Brentwood locations will also sell commercial truck tires.

AAA Club Alliance Inc., which does business as AAA/Bob Sumerel Tire & Service, AAA Care and AAA Tire & Service, increased its store count to 101 locations, a 12-store gain based on what was reported in the 2023 MTD 100.

Potosi, Mo.-based Purcell Tire & Rubber Co. added one location within the last 12 months, increasing its count to 78 stores.

McCarthy Tire Service Co. Inc., which is based in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., added a greenfield store in Newark, N.J., and in August 2023 acquired Dice’s Tire Service, a single-location dealership in Carlisle, Pa., from its owners, Trey Wible and Sherrie Fisher.

The Dice Tire acquisition also gave McCarthy Tire another Bandag retread plant for a total of 14 retread shops. Excluding retread plants and distribution centers, McCarthy Tire now has 73 locations.

MTD July 2024

6/28/24 2:27 PM

Auburn, Maine-based VIP Tires & Service opened a new store Lowell, Mass., in August 2023 and in March 2024 acquired Joe’s Tire Shop in Westbury, Conn., which marked VIP Tires & Service’s entry into Connecticut. VIP Tires & Service also opened a store in Brockton, Mass., last month. The dealership now has 70 locations.

Black’s Tire Service Inc., which is celebrating its 95th year in business, brought four new locations into its fold: Lugoff Tire, which is based in Lugoff, S.C.; Raynor Tire, based in Fayetteville, N.C.; Calabash Auto, based in Calabash, N.C.; and Columbia Commercial, which is based in Columbia, S.C. Black’s Tire, which is headquartered in Whiteville, N.C., now has nearly 60 locations.

Merdian, Idaho-based Commercial Tire Inc. added three stores in the last 12 months — one in Idaho, one in Utah and another in Washington — bringing its store count to 52 locations.

Based in The Dalles, Ore., Gills Point S Tire & Auto Service boosted its store count from 43 as of July 2023 to 71 locations by adding stores in Utah, Montana, New Hampshire, Idaho and Michigan.

Fort Worth, Texas-based Texas Tires LLC now has 49 locations, according to MTD research.

Bloomsburg, Pa.-based Steve Shannon Tire Co. Inc. added six locations in the past year, which boosted its store count to 43.

MTD research shows that Anaheim, Calif.-based AKH Co. Inc., which does business as Discount Tire Centers, now has 40 stores, and Northern Rock Automotive now has 58 locations. MFA Oil Co., which does business as Big O Tires in Missouri, Arkansas and Oklahoma, now has 36 locations.

Rental Concepts LLC, which is based in Fayetteville, Ark., and does business as RNR Tire Express, now has 32 stores, up from 29 stores reported

Webster Groves, Mo.-based Telle Tire & Auto Service Inc. has made a number of acquisitions. It now has 26 locations.

Photo: Telle Tire & Auto Service Inc.

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Auburn, Maine-based VIP Tires & Service has 70 locations, including this new store in Brockton, Mass., which opened last month.

Photo: VIP Tires & Service

Norwell, Mass.-based Sullivan Tire Co. Inc. added 11 locations during the last 12 months, boosting its footprint to 103 outlets.

Photo: Sullivan Tire Co. Inc.

Based in The Dalles, Ore., Gills Point S Tire & Auto Service has crossed the 70-store threshold. It has added locations in Utah, Montana, New Hampshire, Idaho and Michigan.

Photo: Gills Point S Tire & Auto Service

38

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in the 2023 MTD 100.

Day ton, Oh io based Grismer Tire Co., which does business as Grismer Tire & Auto Service, Detroit Tire and Dayton Tire Sales, opened a retail store in Lewis Center, Ohio, this past March. The greenfield outlet operates under the Grismer Tire banner and gives the dealership 28 total locations.

Goodturn Tire & Auto, which is based in Wellington, Fla., now has 27 locations. It acquired Naples, Fla.-based Collier Car Care this past April.

Another Big O Tires franchisee, SF Tire and Service Central Inc., which is based in Benicia, Calif., increased its store count from 25 to 27.

Webster Groves, Mo.-based Telle Tire & Auto Service Inc. increased its store count to 26. In July 2023, after the 2023 MTD 100 was published, Telle Tire opened a new store in Webster Groves, followed by the acquisition of Auto Clinic, a twostore business in Lee’s Summit, Mo. In August 2023, Telle Tire acquired the assets of Car-Doc Automotive & Tire in Maryland Heights, Mo., and in

November 2023, Telle Tire purchased Rasch Automotive Service Center in Kirkwood, Mo., which had operated in the St. Louis, Mo., suburb since 1944.

North Salt Lake, Utah-based Burt Brothers Tire & Service Inc. added four stores. They are located in Eagle Mountain, Utah; Coalville, Utah; Tooele, Utah; and Roy, Utah. The additions bring the dealership’s store count to 24.

Pete’s Tire Barns Inc., which is based in Orange, Mass., added a location and now has 24 outlets.

Northwest Tire Inc., which is based in Bismarck, N.D., added a location, taking its current store count to 21. The dealership is building a commercial location in West Fargo, N.D., that will open in December or January.

Summit Capital Partners Automotive Services LP, an RNR Tire Express franchise, now has 22 locations, according to RNR Tire Express, up from 19 stores as listed in last year’s MTD 100.

Birdsboro, Pa.-based CJ’s Tire & Automotive Inc. now has 18 locations, one more than reported in the 2023 MTD 100. Columbus, Ohio-based Katz Tire & Wheel also increased its number of stores from 17 to 18.

In addition, Central Arizona Automotive Group, a Mesa, Ariz.-based Big O Tires franchise, has 18 locations, a two-store increase from one year ago.

And Addison, Ill.-based Cassidy Tire & Service now has 18 locations.

Lexington, Ky.-based S&S Firestone now has 15 non-warehouse locations, all of them commercial tire outlets.

Wonderland Tire Co., which is headquartered in Byron Center, Mich., acquired Carter Tire & Automotive in Elkhart, Ind., located between Wonderland Tire’s stores in western Michigan and its Chicago store. Wonderland Tire reports that it currently has 14 locations in total.

Bluewell, W. Va.-based King Tire Service Inc., Tulsa, Okla.-based Robertson Tire Co. Inc. and McAllen, Texas-based Pueblo Tires Ltd. now have 14 stores each, according to MTD research.

Bruneel Point S Auto & Tire, which is based in Boise, Idaho, now has 13 non-warehouse locations. Frederick, Md.-based Rice Tire Co. also has 13 locations, having added a store in Camp Hill, Pa., during the last year. ■

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Commercial

Total outlets

Warehouses

2024’s LARGEST U.S. INDEPENDENT TIRE DEALERSHIPS 1

Mavis Tire Express Services Corp., dba Dekalb Tire, Famİly Tire & Auto Service, Jack Williams Tire Co., Kauffman Tire, Mavis Discount Tire/Cole Muffler & Brake, NTB Tire & Service Centers, Savannah Tire, STS Tire & Auto Center, Tire Engineers, Tire Kingdom, Town Fair Tire, Weldon Tire 1 Millwood, N.Y. Stephen and David Sorbaro, co-CEOs www.mavistire.com

2,115

0

0

2,115

0

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

2

Monro Inc., dba Allen Tire Co., Car-X Tire & Auto, Free Service Tire & Auto Centers, Ken Towery’s Tire & Auto Care, Monro Auto Service and Tire Centers, Mountain View Tire & Auto Service, Mr. Tire Auto Service Centers, Tire Barn Warehouse, Tire Choice Auto Service Centers, Tires Now, Tire Warehouse Tires for Less Rochester, N.Y., MIchael Broderick, CEO and president www.monro.com

1,296

0

0

1,296

0

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

3

Reinalt-Thomas Corp., dba Discount Tire, America’s Tire, Dunn Tire, Ellisville Tire & Service, Suburban Tire Auto Repair Centers, Tire Rack 2 Scottsdale, Ariz.

Dean Muglia, CEO www.discounttire.com

1,206

0

0

1,206

0

Arisun, Arizonian, Atlas, Atturo, Barum, BFGoodrich, Braven, Bridgestone, Carlisle, Coker, Continental, Cooper, Corsa, DWT, Dick Cepek, Dunlop, E-Z-GO, Falken, Firestone, GBC Motorsports, General, Giti, Gladiator, GMZ, Goodyear, GT Radial, Hankook, Hartland, Interco, Ironman, Kanati, Kumho, Laufenn, Maxxis, Michelin, Mickey Thompson, Milestar, Mohave, Journey, Nankang, Nexen, Nitto, Nokian, Ohtsu, Pathfinder, Phantom, Pirelli, Pitbull, ProComp, Radar, Rage, Road Hugger, Rocky Mountain, STI, Sentury, Sumitomo, Taskmaster, Tensor, Toyo, Trailfinder, Uniroyal, Vogue, Westlake, Yokohama, Zenna

4

Les Schwab Tire Centers Inc. Bend, Ore. Mike Broberg, CEO www.lesschwab.com

0

491

0

491

1

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

5

Sun Auto Tire & Service Inc., dba BrakeMax Tire & Service Centers, Bruce’s Tire, Caliber Auto Care, Carrollton Complete Automotive, Coopers Auto Repair Specialists, Delta World Tire, Driver’s Edge, Evans Tire & Service Centers, Family Auto Service, Friendly Car Care, Gaynors Automotive, Goodguys Tires & Auto Repair, Greg’s Japanese Auto, Hogan & Sons, Jeff’s Auto Repair, Lamb’s Tire & Automotive Centers, Martin Tire, Parra Car Care, Plaza Tire Service, Ramona Tire, Reliable Automotive, Sun Auto Service, Sun Devil Auto Service, Tate Boys Tire & Service, TGK Automotive, Tire Outlet, Tire Works Total Car Care, T.O. Haas Tire & Auto, Wilhelm Automotive Mesa, Ariz.

Tony Puckett, CEO www.sun.auto

474

0

0

474

12

Achilles, BFGoodrich, Blackhawk, Bridgestone, Continental, Cooper, Dunlop, Falken, Firestone, Freedom Hauler, Fuzion, General, Goodyear, GT Radial, Hankook, Kelly, Kumho, Lemans, Michelin, Mickey Thompson, Milestar, Nexen, Nitto, Nokian, Ohtsu, Paragon, Pirelli, Sumitomo, Toyo, Uniroyal, Westlake, Yokohama, Zeetex

6

Best-One Tire Group 3 Monroe, Ind. Mark and Larry Zurcher, co-owners www.bestonetire.com

60

68

115

243

0

Bridgestone, Carlisle, Continental, Double Coin, Falken, Firestone, Fuzion, General, Goodyear, Hankook, Ironhead, Mastercraft, Michelin, Nexen, Roadmaster, Sailun, Thunderer, Toyo, Uniroyal, Yokohama

7

Tire Discounters Inc. 4 Cincinnati, Ohio Chip Wood, chairman www.tirediscounters.com

202

7

5

214

5

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

8

Southern Tire Mart LLC 5 Columbia, Miss.

Thomas and James Duff, owners www.stmtires.com

4

40

164

208

12

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

9

Percheron Capital, dba Big Brand Tire & Service Moorpark, Calif.

Joe Buscaglia, CEO www.bigbrandtire.com

207

0

0

207

0

Achilles, BFGoodrich, Bridgestone, Continental, Cooper, Dunlop, Falken, Hankook, Michelin, Nexen, Nokian, Pantera, Pirelli. Summit, Toyo, Uniroyal

Company

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2024’s LARGEST U.S. INDEPENDENT TIRE DEALERSHIPS

10

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

4

83

106

193

4

BFGoodrich, Bridgestone, Continental, Double Coin, Firestone, Fuzion, General, Gladiator, Goodyear, Hankook, Kelly, Michelin, Uniroyal, Yokohama

11

Belle Tire Distributors Inc. Allen Park, Mich.

Jack Lawless, CEO www.belletire.com

181

0

0

181

1

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

12

Leeds West Groups, dba Big O Tires and Midas Greenwood Village, Colo.

Derek Wessels, CEO www.leedswest.com

124

0

0

124

0

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

12

RAW Wheel & Tires* Los Angeles, Calif.

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

124

0

0

124

0

AMP, BFGoodrich, Continental, Cooper, Falken, General, GT Radial, Hankook, Hercules, Ironman, Kumho, Laufenn, Michelin, Nexen, Nitto, Pirelli, Toyo, Uniroyal, Yokohama

14

Sullivan Tire Co. Inc. 6 Norwell, Mass.

Joe Zaccheo, CEO www.sullivantire.com

83

0

20

103

14

Arisun, BFGoodrich, Bridgestone, Continental, Cooper, Dunlop, Firestone, General, Goodyear, Hankook, Kelly, Kumho, Michelin, Nexen, Nokian, Pirelli, Sailun, Starfire, Sumitomo, Uniroyal, Yokohama

15

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

101

0

0

101

0

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

16

Snider Tire Inc., dba Snider Fleet Solutions Greensboro, N.C. Marty Herndon, president, CEO and chairman www.snidertire.com www.sniderfleet.com

0

0

80

80

0

BFGoodrich, Continental, General, Michelin, Sailun, Sumitomo, Triangle, Uniroyal, Yokohama

17

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

1

30

47

78

5

BFGoodrich, Bridgestone, Continental, Firestone, General, Goodyear, Hankook, Kelly, Maxam, Michelin, Toyo, Unicorn, Uniroyal, Yokohama

18

McCarthy Tire Service Co. Inc. 7 Wilkes-Barre, Pa. John McCarthy Jr., president www.mccarthytire.com

2

19

52

73

12

Alliance, BFGoodrich, Bridgestone, Camso, Continental, Double Coin, Firestone, Galaxy, General, Gladiator, Hankook, Hercules, Maxam, Michelin, Primex, Titan, Trelleborg, Vitour, Westlake, Uniroyal, Yokohama

19

Nelson Tire Inc., dba Gills Point S Tire & Auto Service 8 The Dalles, Ore. Eric Gill, CEO and president www.gillspointstire.com

12

57

2

71

1

Blackhawk, Bridgestone, Falken, Firestone, Fortune, Goodyear, Hankook, Nexen, Nokian, Toyo

20

VIP Inc., dba VIP Tires & Service Auburn, Maine Tim Winkeler, president and CEO www.vipauto.com

70

0

0

70

2

BFGoodrich, Bridgestone, Celimo, Falken, Goodyear, Michelin, Milestar, Vredestein

21

Black’s Tire Service Inc., dba Black’s Tire and Auto Service/BTS Tire & Wheel Distributors Whiteville, N.C. Ricky Benton, president www.blackstire.com

29

29

1

59

10

Alliance, Americus, BFGoodrich, Continental, Cooper, Double Coin, Dunlop, Falken, Galaxy, Hankook, Kelly, Goodyear, Lexani, Mastercraft, Michelin, Mickey Thompson, Nexen, Roadmaster, Uniroyal

22

Northern Rock Automotive dba Main Street Auto* Atlanta, Ga. Logan Leslie, CEO www.nrockusa.com www.mainstreetauto.com

57

0

1

58

0

BFGoodrich, Continental, Cooper, Dick Cepek, Falken, General, Hankook, Hercules, Ironman, Kumho, Michelin, Mickey Thompson, Nexen, Nitto, Ohtsu, Pirelli, Toyo, Uniroyal, Yokohama

23

O2 Investment Partners, dba Straightaway Tire & Auto Bloomfield, Mich.

John Teddy, CEO www.gostraightaway.com

54

0

0

54

0

Bridgestone, Goodyear

Company

42

2407MTD_40-55_MTD100List.indd 42

Brands

MTD July 2024

6/28/24 2:27 PM

2406MT

TRY THEM RISK-FREE 100% SATISFACTION GUARANTEE AGRI STAR II RADIAL You’ve seen the specs on the Alliance Agri Star II that make it a top performer—and top value— among ag radials. Stratified-Layer Technology for more biting edges and more stable lugs. Hexagonal bead for extra grip. Premium polyester casing and belts for great dimensional stability. More rubber for your customer’s dollar. A 7-year warranty and 3-year field hazard protection...and now a 1-year, 100% satisfaction guarantee.

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5/28/24 2:27 8:30 PM AM 6/28/24

Retail

Retail/ commercial

Commercial

Total outlets

Warehouses

2024’s LARGEST U.S. INDEPENDENT TIRE DEALERSHIPS

24

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

20

28

5

53

1

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

25

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

9

32

11

52

3

Alliance, Bridgestone, Cooper, Firestone, Galaxy, Goodyear, Milestar, Westlake, Yokohama

25

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

0

3

49

52

0

Apollo, Cooper, Double Coin, Goodyear, Michelin, Roadmaster, Yokohama

27

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

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

50

0

0

50

1

Bridgestone, Firestone, Fuzion, Hankook, Laufenn, Sumitomo

28

Texas Tires LLC* Fort Worth, Texas Omar Alwahban, owner texastiresllc.com

49

0

0

49

0

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

29

Dobbs Tire & Auto Centers Inc. 9 High Ridge, Mo. Dustin Dobbs, president and COO www.gotodobbs.com

43

0

0

43

0

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

29

Steve Shannon Tire Co. Bloomsburg, Pa. Herb, Jesse and Steve Shannon, co-CEOs www. steveshannon.com

0

36

7

43

9

Blackhawk, Bridgestone, Continental, Firestone, General, Goodyear, GT Radial, Hankook, Kumho, Otani

31

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

32

Bergey’s Tire and Automotive Centers* Souderton, Pa. Mark Bergey, owner www.bergeys.com

20

0

21

41

6

BFGoodrich, Continental, General, Michelin, Uniroyal, Toyo

33

AKH Co. Inc. dba Discount Tire Centers Anaheim, Calif., Andy Andonian, chairman/Sergio Andonian, president www.discounttirecenters.com

40

0

0

40

0

BFGoodrich, Blackhawk, Bridgestone, Continental, Evoluxx, Falken, Goodyear, GT Radial, Hankook, Kumho, Michelin, Nexen, Nitto, Pirelli, Uniroyal, Yokohama

33

Dunlap & Kyle Co. Inc, dba Gateway Tire & Service* Batesville, Miss.

Robert Dunlap, chairman and CEO www.dktire.com

0

40

0

40

16

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

33

Left Lane Auto, dba Auto Plus, Clark Warehouse Tire & Auto, Clay Dooley Tire & Auto Service, DeRe Tire & Auto, Gipson’s Tire Pros, Jim Grizzle Tire & AutoLogan Tire Service Inc., Mike Smith Tire & Auto, Modica Bros. Tire & Wheel, Norris Tire & Auto Center, Pepper’s Lamont Auto Care, Scott’s Tire Center, Sexton Tire Pros & Service Center, Woods Tire & Auto Champaign, Ill. Parham Parastaran, CEO www.leftlaneautollc.com

40

0

0

40

0

Bridgestone, Cooper, Continental, Firestone, Goodyear, Michelin

36

Conrad’s Tire Service Inc., dba Conrad’s Tire Express & Total Car Care 10 Cleveland, Ohio Erik Turk, CEO and president www.econrads.com

38

0

0

38

0

Bridgestone, Delta, Doral, Firestone, Goodyear, Mastercraft

Company

44

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Brands

MTD July 2024

7/22/24 3:56 PM

2404MT

2404MTD_Tireco.indd 1 2407MTD_40-55_MTD100List.indd 45

3/26/24 2:27 1:22 PM PM 6/28/24

Retail

Retail/ commercial

Commercial

Total outlets

Warehouses

2024’s LARGEST U.S. INDEPENDENT TIRE DEALERSHIPS

37

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

5

4

28

37

0

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

38

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

36

0

0

36

0

BFGoodrich, Big O, Bridgestone, Carlstar, Cooper, Crosswind, Dunlop, Firestone, Goodyear, Hankook, LC Radial, Michelin, National, Nexen, Nitto, Pirelli, Power King, Sailun, Sumitomo, Toyo, Uniroyal, Vogue

39

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

0

10

23

33

1

Apollo, BFGoodrich, Bridgestone, Continental, Cooper, Galaxy, General, Falken, Firestone, Hercules, Kumho, Michelin, Uniroyal

40

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

32

0

0

32

0

BFGoodrich, Bridgestone, Dunlop, Goodyear

41

Colony Tire Corp.

Edenton, N.C. Scott Creighton, president www.colonytire.com

1

18

12

31

9

Achilles, BFGoodrich, Blackhawk, Continental, Cooper, Cordovan, Falken, General, Mastercraft, Michelin, Nokian, Ohtsu, Pirelli, Radar, Toyo, Uniroyal, Yokohama

42

Flynn’s Tire Group, dba Flynn’s Tire & Auto Service 11 West Middlesex, Pa. Joe Flynn III, president www.flynnstire.com

29

0

0

29

4

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

42

T&W Tire LLC* Oklahoma City, Okla.

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

0

29

0

29

0

BFGoodrich, Bridgestone, Carlisle, Continental, Cooper, Falken, Firestone, General, GT Radial, Hankook, Hercules, Ironman, Kumho, Laufenn, Michelin, Mickey Thompson, Nexen, Nitto, Ohtsu, Pirelli, Samson, Toyo, Uniroyal, Yokohama

44

Grismer Tire Co., dba Grismer Tire & Auto Service, Detroit Tire and Dayton Tire Sales 12 Dayton, Ohio John Marshall, executive vice president (retail) www.grismertire.com

27

0

1

28

0

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

44

Heartland Tire Inc. Ramsey, Minn.

David Mitchell, owner www.heartlandtireservice.com

12

13

3

28

0

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

44

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

26

0

2

28

1

Bridgestone, Cooper, Continental, Firestone, Goodyear, Hankook, Michelin, Pirelli, Toyo

44

Purple Square Management, dba RimTyme Custom Wheels and Tires* Tampa. Fla. Vik Patel, president and CEO www.purplesquaremgmt.com

28

0

0

28

0

Accelera, Americus, Arroyo, Atlas, Atturo, Bridgestone, Continental.

Cooper, Delinte, Dick Cepek, Dunlop, Eldorado, Falken, Firestone, FullRun, General, Goodyear, Hankook, Hercules, Ironman, Kelly, Kenda, Kumho, Landspider, Laufenn, Lexani, Lionhart, Mastercraft, Maxxis, Michelin, Mickey Thompson, Multi-Mile, Nexen, Nitto, Nokian, Ohtsu, Pirelli, Predator, Radar, Rolling Big Power, Saffiro, Starfire, Sumitomo, Thunderer, Toyo, Uniroyal, Venom Power, Venezia, Vercelli, Versatyre, Vogue, Westlake

44

Ziegler Tire & Supply Co., dba Ziegler Tire Massillon, Ohio John Ziegler Jr., vice president www.zieglertire.com

5

14

9

28

3

Apollo, Ascenso, BFGoodrich, Blackhawk, Bridgestone, Carlisle, Continental, Falken, Firestone, Fuzion, General, GT Radial, Hankook, Michelin, Mitas, Nokian, Prinx, RoadX, Samson, Sumitomo, Uniroyal, Yokohama

49

Goodturn Tire & Auto, dba Apex Automotive, Great Bear Automotive, Hal’s Auto Clinic, The Detroit Garage, Atlantic Tire & Service, Scott’s Tire Service Center, Chuck’s Garage Wellington, Fla. Seth Sands and David Manning, co-CEOs www.goodturnauto.com

27

0

0

27

0

BFGoodrich, Bridgestone, Continental, Cooper, Firestone, Goodyear, Hercules, Michelin, Nokian, Pirelli, Yokohama

Company

46

2407MTD_40-55_MTD100List.indd 46

Brands

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2407MT

STAND TALL L Atlas SLP9K Full-Rise Scissor Lift 9,000 lb. Capacity

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2407MTD_IntegratedSupplyNetwork.indd 1 2407MTD_40-55_MTD100List.indd 47

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6/18/24 2:27 3:01 PM PM 6/28/24

Retail

Retail/ commercial

Commercial

Total outlets

Warehouses

2024’s LARGEST U.S. INDEPENDENT TIRE DEALERSHIPS

49

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

Chris Monteverde, owner www.bigotires.com

27

0

0

27

0

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

51

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

25

0

1

26

6

BFGoodrich, Bridgestone, Cooper, Falken, Firestone, Goodyear, Michelin, Multi-Mile, Sumitomo, Yokohama

51

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

0

17

9

26

2

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

51

Telle Tire & Auto Service Inc. Webster Groves, Mo. Aaron Telle, president and CEO www.telletire.com

26

0

0

26

0

Continental, General, Kumho, Milestar, Toyo, Yokohama

54

Burt Brothers Tire & Service Inc. North Salt Lake, Utah Brian Maciak, CEO www.burtbrothers.com

23

0

0

24

1

BFGoodrich, Bridgestone, Continental, Falken, Firestone, Fuzion, General, Goodyear, Hankook, Kelly, Laufenn, Michelin, Multi-Mile, Mickey Thompson, Nokian, Pirelli, Sumitomo, Toyo, Uniroyal

54

Pete’s Tire Barns Inc. Orange, Mass.

Peter Gerry, CEO www.petestire.com

0

24

0

24

0

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

54

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

24

0

0

24

0

AMP, BFG, 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

57

Summit Capital Partners Automotive Services LP, dba RNR Tire Express* Anderson, Ind. Robert Behr, owner www.rnrtires.com

22

0

0

22

0

AMP, Atturo, Bridgestone, Cooper, Delinte, Dunlop, Falken, Firestone, Fuel, General, Goodyear, Hercules, Kumho, Lexani, Michelin, Nexen, Nitto, Ohtsu, Pirelli, Roadmaster, Toyo, Venom Power, Versa, Yokohama

57

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

Jack Furrier, president www.jackfurriers.com

20

1

1

22

1

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

59

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, Multi-Mile, Sumitomo, Toyo, Uniroyal

59

Northwest Tire Inc. 13 Bismarck, N.D. Dan Pearson, president www.nwtire.com

12

4

5

21

4

Advance, Blackhawk, Bridgestone, Firestone, Goodyear, Nexen, Nokian, Road-X, Sumitomo, Titan, Toyo

59

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

21

0

0

21

0

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

62

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

15

3

1

19

0

Bridgestone, Cooper, Firestone, Goodyear, Kelly, Michelin, Nitto, Sailun, Toyo, Uniroyal

63

Central Arizona Automotive Group, dba Big O Tires* Mesa, Ariz.

Tony Williams, co-owner www.bigotires.com

18

0

0

18

0

BFGoodrich, Big O, Goodyear, Michelin, Uniroyal, Yokohama

63

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

18

0

0

18

7

BFGoodrich, Blackhawk, Bridgestone, Carlisle, Continental, Falken, Firestone, General, Goodyear, GT Radial, Hankook, Heritage ,Kelly, Kumho, Laufenn, Michelin, Ohtsu, Nexen, Nokian, Pirelli, Prinx, Uniroyal, Yokohama

Company

48

2407MTD_40-55_MTD100List.indd 48

Brands

MTD July 2024

6/28/24 2:27 PM

2407MT

RADIAL MEDIUM TRUCK TIRES

NOVEMBER 5-8, 2024

BOOTH # 42207

D751 DRIVE BUSINESS FORWARD Embrace the advantages of Factory Direct purchasing and services.

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2407MTD_DRCTires.indd 1 2407MTD_40-55_MTD100List.indd 49

6/20/24 2:27 8:43 PM AM 6/28/24

Retail

Retail/ commercial

Commercial

Total outlets

Warehouses

2024’s LARGEST U.S. INDEPENDENT TIRE DEALERSHIPS

63

Katz Tire & Wheel * Columbus, Ohio Tarik Hamed, owner www.katztires.com

18

0

0

18

0

AMP, Bridgestone, Continental, Cooper, Firestone, Fortune, General, Hankook, Hercules, Ironman, Kenda, Kumho, Landsail, Maxxis, Mickey Thompson, Nexen, Nitto, Ohtsu, Pirelli, Toyo, Uniroyal, Venom Power, Vogue, Yokohama

63

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

0

17

1

18

1

BFGoodrich, BKT, Bridgestone, Carlisle, Continental, Cooper, Dayton, Falken, Firestone, Fortune, Fuzion, General, Gladiator, Goodyear, GT Radial, Hankook, Kelly, Kumho. Mastercraft, Michelin, Nexen, Nokian, Thunderer, Toyo, Uniroyal, Yokohama

67

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

17

0

0

17

0

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

67

Perfection Tire & Auto Repair * Spokane, Wash.

Terry Schillinger, owner www.perfectiontire.com

17

0

0

17

0

Cooper, Falken, Nokian, Starfire, Toyo

67

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

10

6

1

17

0

BFGoodrich, Continental, Cooper, Firestone, Kumho, Pirelli, Michelin, Toyo, Yokohama

70

Farmers Cooperative, dba Nebraska Tire* Plymouth, Neb. Allan Zumpfe, CEO www.farmerscooperative.com

0

0

16

16

0

Alliance, Cooper, Galaxy, GBC, Goodyear, Leao, Mastercraft, Primex, Samson, Sumitomo, Titan, Yokohama

70

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

1

11

4

16

0

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

70

Southside Tire dba Southside Tire, Garrett Tires & Treads, Platte Retreaders * Antigo, Wis. Tim and Craig Husnick, owners www.southsidetire.com

16

0

0

16

0

BFGoodrich, Bridgestone, Continental, Falken, Firestone, Michelin, Uniroyal

73

Custom Bandag Inc. * Linden, N.J. www.custombandag.com

0

15

0

15

0

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

73

Graham Tire Co. Sioux Falls, S.D. David Mickelson, president www.grahamtire.com

6

9

0

15

0

Blacklion, Bridgestone, Cooper, Dunlop, Firestone, Goodyear, Hankook, Kumho, Nokian, Thunderer, Titan

73

Holyoke Tire Group West Springfield, Mass.

Peter Kearing, president www.springfieldtire.net

9

3

3

15

4

Advanta, BFGoodrich, Bridgestone, Camso, Continental, Dunlop, Firestone, General, Goodyear, Kelly, Kenda, Michelin, Milestar, Nokian, Uniroyal

73

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

0

0

15

15

13

Alliance, Bridgestone, Caraway, Carlisle, Continental, Cooper, Double Coin, Dunlop, Dynatrail, Firestone, Freedom Hauler, Fuzion, Galaxy, Goodyear, General, Hankook, Kelly, Laufenn, Mastercraft, Mastertrack, Maxxis, Michelin, Roadmaster, Road One, Pirelli, Primex, Supercargo, Toyo, Westlake, Yokohama

73

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

1

6

8

15

2

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

73

Virginia Tire & Auto LLC 14 Fairfax, Va. Mike and Julie Holmes, co-CEOs www.vatire.com

15

0

0

15

0

Bridgestone, Continental, Firestone, Goodyear

Company

50

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Brands

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Retail

Retail/ commercial

Commercial

Total outlets

Warehouses

2024’s LARGEST U.S. INDEPENDENT TIRE DEALERSHIPS

73

Warren Tire Service Center Inc. Queensbury, N.Y. Bob Kellogg, president www.warrentiresvc.com

11

4

0

15

2

Americus, BFGoodrich, Bridgestone, Carlisle, Continental, Cooper, Double Coin, Dunlop, Falken, Firestone, Fuzion, General, Goodride, Goodyear, GT Radial, Kelly, Kenda, Kumho, Michelin, Ohtsu, Pirelli, Roadmaster, Starfire, Sumitomo, Uniroyal, Venezia, Vercelli, Wind Power, Yokohama

80

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

Doug Daniels, chairman and CEO www.danielstireservice.com

4

2

8

14

0

Cooper, Goodyear, Hankook, Michelin, Pirelli

80

East Bay Tire Co. Fairfield, Calif.

George Pehanick, CEO www.eastbaytire.com

0

14

0

14

0

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

80

Gulf Coast L&P Inc., dba RNR Tire Express * Moss Point, Miss.

Shannon Strunk, owner www.mrtires.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

80

King Tire Service Inc.* Bluewell, W. Va. Matt King, owner www.kingtireservice.com

0

14

0

14

0

Bridgestone, Carlisle, Continental, Firestone, General, Mastercraft, Michelin, Uniroyal, Yokohama

80

Parkhouse Tire Inc. Bell Gardens, Calif., Jim Parkhouse, CEO www.parkhousetire.com

0

0

14

14

0

Bridgestone, Continental, Cooper, Double Coin, Firestone, General, Globestar, Michelin, Sentury, Solideal, Yokohama, Zenna

80

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

14

0

0

14

0

BFGoodrich, Bridgestone, Continental, Firestone, Michelin, Uniroyal

80

Robertson Tire Co. Inc.* Tulsa, Okla.

Mark Robertson, president www.robertson-tire.com

14

0

0

14

0

BFGoodrich, Bridgestone, Continental, Fierce, Firestone, General, Goodyear, GT Radial, Hankook, Hercules, Ironman, Kenda, Laufenn, Michelin, Mickey Thompson

80

Van’s Auto Service & Tire Pros* Akron, Ohio Joshua Baughman, owner www.vanstirepros.com

14

0

0

14

1

Atturo, Bridgestone, Continental, Cooper, Falken, General, GT Radial, Mastercraft, Nexen, Yokohama

80

Wonderland Tire Co.15 Byron Center, Mich.

Jon Langerak, chairman and CEO www.wonderlandtire.com

0

9

5

14

0

BFGoodrich, Bridgestone, Carlisle, Continental, Cooper, Falken, Firestone, Fuzion, General, Goodyear, Hankook, Mastercraft, Maxxis, Michelin, Mickey Thompson, Nexen, Nokian, Sumitomo

89

Action Tire Co.* Forest Park, Ga. Rick Stewart, president www.actiontireco.com

0

13

0

13

1

Double Coin, Falken, Goodyear, Ironhead, Michelin, Titan, Trelleborg

89

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

13

0

0

13

1

Blacklion, Falken, Goodyear, Hankook, Laufenn, Nokian, Pantera, Toyo

89

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

0

13

0

13

1

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

89

Greatwater360 Auto Care, dba Tire Tracks USA* Joliet, Ill. James Dykstra, CEO www.tiretracksusa.com

13

0

0

13

0

BFGoodrich, Bridgestone, Continental, Dunlop, Falken, Firestone, Goodyear, Hankook, Kelly, Michelin, Mickey Thompson, Nexen, Sierra, Sumitomo, Suretrac, Toyo, Vogue

89

Meekhoff Tire Sales & Service Inc.* Grand Rapids, Mich.

Calvin Meekhoff, president www.meekhofftire.com

0

13

0

13

1

BFGoodrich, Falken, General, Hankook, Michelin, Sailun, Yokohama, Uniroyal

Company

52

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Brands

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Retail

Retail/ commercial

Commercial

Total outlets

Warehouses

2024’s LARGEST U.S. INDEPENDENT TIRE DEALERSHIPS

89

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

0

0

13

13

1

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

95

Adirondack Tire & Service Co.* Colonie, N.Y. Larry O’Shea, owner www.adirondacktire.com

12

0

0

12

0

BFGoodrich, Cooper, Continental, General, Michelin, Yokohama, Uniroyal

95

Barnwell House of Tires Central Islip, N.Y. Jim, Kevin and Bill Gorman, owners www.barnwelltire.com

1

11

0

12

2

BFGoodrich, Bridgestone, Carlisle, Continental, Cooper, Falken, Firestone, Galaxy, General, Goodyear, Hankook, Kumho, Maxam, Michelin, Roadmaster, RoadX, Sailun, Setco, Sumitomo

95

Forrest Tire Co.* Carlsbad, N.M. Richard Forrest, owner www.forresttire.com

11

0

1

12

0

BFGoodrich, Bridgestone, Cooper, Firestone, Michelin, Uniroyal, Yokohama

98

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

0

11

0

11

0

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

98

Chapel Hill Tire Chapel Hill, N.C. Marc Pons, owner www.chapelhilltire.com

11

0

0

11

0

BFGoodrich, Continental, Michelin, Sailun, Uniroyal

98

Eastern Iowa Tire* Davenport, Iowa Gary VanBlaricom, president and CEO www.eitire.com

0

11

0

11

0

Bridgestone, Falken, Firestone, Kumho

98

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

98

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

0

11

0

11

0

BFGoodrich, Bridgestone, Michelin, Uniroyal

98

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

9

0

2

11

2

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

98

Victor’s Tires* Salt Lake City, Utah Victor Galindo, owner www.victorstires.com

11

0

0

11

0

BFGoodrich, Bridgestone, Continental, Goodyear, Michelin

98

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

11

0

0

11

0

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

98

Wilks Tire & Battery Service Albertville, Ala. Shane Wilks, president www.wilkstire.com

4

4

3

11

0

BFGoodrich, Bridgestone, Cooper, Dunlop, Falken, Goodyear, Hankook, Kelly, Kumho, Michelin, Nitto, Toyo, Uniroyal, Yokohama

Company

* Estimated This year’s list slightly exceeds 100 dealerships as there is a nine-way tie for the final spot.

1.Mavis acquired nearly 600 Tire Kingdom and NTB Tire & Battery stores from TBC Corp. in June 2023.

2.Discount Tire’s Dunn Tire, Ellisville Tire & Service and Suburban Tire Auto Repair Centers locations all provide automotive repair.

3.MTD consolidated all of Best-One Tire Group’s prior listings into a single listing this year.

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Brands

4. Tire Discounters Inc. officials say the dealership is looking for “family-owned businesses” in Georgia, Virginia, Tennessee and Kentucky.

8.Gills Point S Tire & Auto Service has added locations in Utah, Montana, Idaho, New Hampshire and Michigan.

5.Southern Tire Mart LLC’s store count total does not include Southern Tire Mart at Pilot Flying J locations.

9.Audax Private Equity acquired an ownership stake in Dobbs Tire & Auto Centers last year.

6.Sullivan Tire Co. Inc. implemented an employee stock ownership plan last fall.

10.Conrad’s Tire Service Inc. is planning to open a store in North Canton, Ohio, this summer.

7.McCarthy Tire Service Co. Inc. opened a wheel refinishing facility in April 2024.

11.Flynn’s Tire Group sold its commercial tire division to Bob Sumerel Tire Co. last year.

12. Grismer Tire Co. opened a new retail store in Lewis Center, Ohio, several months ago.

13. Northwest Tire is planning to open a new commercial tire location in West Fargo, N.D., in December or January.

14.Virginia Tire & Auto recently sold two gas stations it had owned.

15.Jon Langerak, CEO and president of Wonderland Tire Co., was MTD’s 2024 Tire Dealer of the Year.

MTD July 2024

6/28/24 2:27 PM

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Auto service

High-tech formulations and longer intervals NEED-TO-KNOW TRENDS IN OIL AND LUBE SERVICE By

Kim Klimas

A

s engine technologies evolve, critical engine components will continue to come under increasing amounts of stress.

Bill Beyerle, automotive installed manager for Chevron Corp., says “newer engines are smaller, have tighter tolerances between engine parts and run at higher temperatures.”

These advancements are ideal for increasing fuel efficiency and providing maximum power to drivers, but they cause “incredibly high stressors inside the engine,” he adds.

As a result, there’s a need for engine oil to perform better to keep motors well-protected and working optimally.

Experts say tire dealers should take note of shifting trends in engine oil technology, interval times between oil and lube changes

Brian Yates, product engineering director at Mann+Hummel, says low-viscosity engine oils “reduce the energy required to pump lubricant through the engine.”

Photo: Mann+Hummel

and best practices for customer communication. (Seventy-two percent of respondents to MTD’s latest Tire Dealer Automotive Service Survey offer engine oil and lube services to customers.)

INFLUENCING FACTORS

Evolving engine technologies have spurred a strong shift toward full-synthetic formulations, according to Beyerle. There also has been a big push toward smaller engines.

“Today’s six-cylinder engines produce as much power as eight-cylinder engines from the previous generation and the current four-cylinder engines outperform earlier six-cylinder counterparts,” says Beyerle.

“Improved engine oils can protect all parts of a small, turbo-charged (gasoline direct injected) engine that runs hotter, experiences more stress and has a high-power density. That is why OEMs have started using and recommending synthetic oils .”

OTHER KEY TRENDS

Brian Yates, product engineering director at Mann + Hummel, the makers of WIX Filters, Purolator and Mann-Filter, says low-viscosity engine oils “reduce the energy required to pump lubricant through the engine, while at the same time dissipating heat and contaminants and improving fuel efficiency.”

Shawn Swaverly, senior marketing manager at Amsoil, shares insight into these other market patterns: Lower ash content. “Along with fuel economy regulations, tailpipe emissions continue to tighten,” he notes. “To help meet these increasingly strict requirements, industry standards have reduced the allowable ash content in engine oils.”

Low-speed pre-ignition (LSPI). This is a relatively new concern, according to Swaverly. “It’s a catastrophic event that can occur in modern turbo-charged, direct injection engines operating under low-speed, high-load conditions, such as accelerating from a stoplight. This form of pre-ignition is particularly destructive as cylinder pressures continue to increase with forced induction.

Some engine oil chemistries can actually promote pre-ignition, so choosing the right engine oil is important to help prevent LSPI.” Segmentation. “Not all powertrains are the same nor do they experience the same conditions. Ensuring the longest life for (vehicles) requires using specialized lubricants.”

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THE NEXT BIG THING

Donald Chilton, director of product management at Mann + Hummel, says tolerances in engines have grown tighter “and you see the movement of 0W oils becoming the go-to for engine manufacturers.”

He expects this will continue. “Lower weights will still grow in popularity and synthetics, as well. The oil packages will continue to see refinement.

“Battery electric vehicles are not taking off as fast” as originally expected. “And hybrid (vehicle) investments are now ramping up.”

Bo Barnhill, engine oil product development engineer at Chevron, adds that “there is an increasing demand for products that are environmentally sustainable and eco-friendly. The immediate next big thing is to develop better oils to not only provide longer protection of engine parts, but also provide better fuel economy.

“This is what synthetic and lower-viscosity oils are doing today,” he explains.

“Next-gen engine oils will need to stand up to the rigorous requirements of newly developed engines and specifications, while also minimizing environmental impact.

“The introduction of premium, bio-based oils and the increasing quality of re-refined oils will have a significant positive impact on the environment.

“Additionally, these next-gen engine oils must be compatible with new exhaust after-treatment systems, like gasoline particulate filters, to enable significant reduction of harmful exhaust particulates.”

Swaverly says he expects “more of the same” in terms of new

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“It used to be normal to change oil every 3,000 miles,” says Bo Barnhill, engine oil product development engineer at Chevron Corp. But oil change intervals have extended up to 7,500 miles in some cases, he notes.

Photo: Chevron Corp.

“Engine oils are more of an evolution than a revolution due to their backward compatibility” says Shawn Swaverly, senior marketing manager, Amsoil.

Photo: Amsoil

technology and future developments, adding that “engine oils are more of an evolution than a revolution due to their backward compatibility. Therefore, maintaining protection with lower viscosities and lower ash levels will continue to be the theme.”

New engine oil formulas also are extending interval times, according to Barnhill. “It used to be normal to change oil every 3,000 miles, but with modern lubricants most engines today have recommended oil change intervals of 5,000 to 7,500 miles.”

Yates says that extended intervals make it “important from a filter selection process perspective to utilize high-grade elastomers and medias versus using the lowest-cost replacement.” ■

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Business Insight

How to overcome customer objections PRESENT THE ISSUE, THEN DISCUSS THE SOLUTION By

Dennis McCarron

I

n a downturn economy — and I’m not an economist, but I am finely tuned to the automotive aftermarket — certain sales become more difficult as customers’ disposable income gets tighter and tighter.

Most of you have probably heard a version of “no” or “not right now” from customers and that is perfectly OK. In our world, you work with the customer to achieve the best possible outcome, while dealing with the reality of what they can afford.

What’s not acceptable is to not inform the customer of their vehicle’s condition because you think they will say “no.”

The process is simple: at write-up, ask the customer if they want a paid, comprehensive vehicle inspection.

If they say no, inform them of a basic courtesy inspection of fluids, filters, bulbs, wipers and tire tread depth.

If the customer declines that, respect the decision, but understand that any unsafe, plainly visible condition must be brought to their attention.

Also understand that presenting them with a cost estimate is the wrong way to go.

Remember, they clearly told you they don’t want to hear about it. But you are obligated by law — in most states — to convey the message.

Having said all that, good salespeople must get comfortable with hearing the word “no.” That means respecting the customer’s decisions, while still trying to offer a professional opinion of the condition of his or her car.

Certain jobs will be harder to get to a “yes.” Alignments, fuel system services and other non-essential jobs or jobs that can be delayed will yield a higher “no” ratio.

Understand that the more you talk to the customer about what they want out of their service today will help a service advisor understand what’s important to the customer and what they are willing and able to do to keep their car running longer.

Some customers are unfazed by a downturn in the economy.

Some are hard-hit. Talk to them.

You don’t have to ask outright, “How much money do you have to spend today?” That’s obnoxious. But get to know their needs and wants and then craft a message that respects that.

Sometimes they will surprise you and give you the green light just because you weren’t trying to push a service onto them.

Also keep in mind that the three things every customer has a hard time declining work on are the three things they expect their vehicle to do for them: start, stop and be comfortable.

Vehicle starting is easy. A functioning electrical system is a requirement for customers to get to work or to take their kids to soccer practice.

The battery, the alternator or the starter are straightforward sales.

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‘Don’t forget to read your customer’s position and align yourself with their concerns.’

Yes, it can get complicated with fuel injection and computers, but keep the discussion simple for now. It’s hard for a customer to decline a replacement if one of these items isn’t working.

Brakes are another simple sale. Most customers understand that when they push down on the brake pedal, they need a reliable reaction to occur.

If that reaction doesn’t occur or if there’s terrible noise associated with that reaction, then they will be at your doorstep.

Yes, a brake flush with that pad and rotor replacement will be a harder sell.

But a simple “Replacing the pads and rotors will return your brake system to their proper working condition” is a reassuring statement that most customers can relate to.

This also applies to other jobs, like front end work, that can make stopping more difficult or scary.

Being comfortable is the most complicated aspect of the three things customers want out of their vehicles. It’s not overly complicated, just the most out of the three.

Being comfortable can sometimes mean a working air conditioning system in the summer or a working heater in the cold.

It can also mean minimizing vibrations at high speeds, wipers that clear efficiently and even the ability to see at night.

It’s a broad brush, but again, a simple statement of “replacing that headlight will make it easier to see at night” or “rebalancing the tires will take away that shimmy” will more times than not elicit a positive response.

In today’s economy, regardless of whether you think we are in a recession or heading into one, don’t forget to read your customer’s position and align yourself with their concerns.

Then you can present to them relevant options to fix those concerns and wrap it around what they told you at the initial write-up.

Remember, if they have hesitation about any kind of vehicle inspection, first present the issue, not the solution.

If they are open to learning about the solution, then present that to them. ■ Dennis McCarron is a partner at Cardinal Brokers Inc., one of the leading brokers in the tire and automotive industry (www.cardinalbrokers.com.) To contact McCarron, email him at dennis@cardinalbrokers.com.

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6/28/24 2:27 PM

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Mergers and Acquisitions

Thinking about trying dynamic pricing?

TAKE BABY STEPS AND DON’T UPSET CUSTOMERS By

Michael McGregor

D

o you remember hearing about Martin Shkreli, also known as “The Pharma Bro?” He was the guy who took over a small company, Turing Pharmaceuticals, and raised the price of the life-saving drug, Daraprim, from $13.50 per pill to $750 a pill.

This raised such an uproar that he was investigated and eventually convicted of securities fraud and forced to disgorge $40 million in profits and forfeit $7.4 million in personal assets. He served about four years in jail and is forever barred from running a pharma company and a public company.

I bring this up only to provide context for the rest of this column. My first reaction when I heard about Pharma Bro was, “Why didn’t I think of that?” You see, I’m firmly in the camp of charging what the market will bear. As I’ve said before, life is easier with higher margins.

In my time in the tire industry, I’ve observed up close the power of pricing. Company stores losing money? Hmm, let’s organize regular price increases across all regions. Tire sales district losing money? Hmm, let’s get those labor rates way higher.

Tire store with good traffic not making money? Hmm, let’s put higher prices in the point-of-sale system and tell salespeople they cannot — under any situation — change them. (And the store breaks even for the first time ever!)

I’m by no means an expert anymore on pricing in the tire and auto service business, but I recall the service side being particularly conducive to testing price elasticity. For example, what’s a good price for a radiator hose? And how much should you charge to install it? How about what the market will bear?

The tire side does not seem to have this same level of elasticity, particularly with branded products and the ability to check prices on the internet. But I guess that’s why God invented private label tires.

With inflation still being above the Fed’s target rate, every tire dealer needs to be regularly raising prices. Either look at your prices periodically or raise them when you are confronted with increases yourself. And think about how you might integrate dynamic pricing into your business.

You’ve likely heard of the bad press Wendy’s restaurants recently received. On an earnings call with analysts, Wendy’s CEO boasted of a $20 million investment in new menu boards to be followed by a $10 million investment in artificial intelligence and other technologies to enable dynamic pricing — the raising and lowering of prices on menu items — along with the ability to offer customized food combos.

The media picked up on it and described it as “surge-pricing,” which many consumers hate. Wendy’s was on the defensive for a bit and offered $1 hamburgers to distract consumers, but they are still going ahead with their investments and plans to implement dynamic pricing in 2025.

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While they share similarities, there are key differences between dynamic and surge pricing.

Dynamic pricing is where prices are adjusted in real-time based on factors such as demand, supply, weather, day of the week, competition and customer behavior. It’s currently used in retail, hospitality, transportation and entertainment.

The goal is to optimize revenue by charging the highest price customers are willing to pay at any given moment, while still remaining competitive and attractive.

‘Applications of dynamic pricing in the tire and service business could be used during this summer’s travel season.’

In comparison, surge pricing is typically associated with ridesharing platforms like Uber and Lyft. Surge pricing occurs during periods of high demand, when the supply of available drivers is insufficient to meet rider requests. Prices are automatically increased to encourage more drivers to come online and fill the demand. Surge pricing is often triggered by external factors, such as rush hour, bad weather or special events.

If you choose to experiment with dynamic or surge pricing, whatever you do, take baby steps, don’t upset your customers and avoid bad press like the plague. People will remember a bad experience and make alternative choices. For example, I’m back to renting cars when I travel now since an Uber ride in Denver this year at 6 a.m. in minus-15-degree weather surged from $30 to over $150 after six drivers canceled and I almost missed my flight.

Applications of dynamic pricing in the tire and service business could be used during this summer’s travel season. If you see a big uptick in demand at the start of summer, you might experiment with dynamic pricing by charging one rate for people who make appointments and a higher rate for drop-ins who want service on demand.

Dynamic pricing could also be used for personalized pricing strategies tailored to individual customer segments. Keep it simple to start and think about what you might do with new customers who have never been into one of your stores, lapsed customers who have not been in for more than 18 months and your best customers who come back regardless. ■ Michael McGregor is a partner at Focus Investment Banking LLC (focusbankers.com/automotive/tire-and-service). He advises and assists multi-location tire dealers on mergers and acquisitions. For more information, contact him at michael.mcgregor@focusbankers.com.

MTD July 2024

6/28/24 2:27 PM

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STARTs

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Dealer Development

TV show vulgar, insulting — and thought-provoking

O

NETFLIX SERIES HIGHLIGHTS WHAT TO AVOID By

Randy O’Connor

B

y the time the journalist in the first episode of the new Netflix series, “Tires,” said, “No. Look, I have my story, OK?” I knew I had mine, too. Admittedly, I wasn’t as excited about the launch of a satire centered on a tire shop as other people were. I pretty much knew the stereotypes presented on the show would enrage me.

And at first, they did — until they didn’t.

Some scenes were blown out of proportion and were offensive, profane and vulgar, which sadly, is all-too common on TV today.

The writers of “Tires” did a fantastic job of dumbing down a segment of the industry — namely, you and your peers — who care deeply about the needs and well-being of customers.

But after watching episode one, I realized the show’s writers had done a fair amount of research or may even know “one of us.” The script was clearly written based on some experience. I realized there was much more at play here than just an offensive presentation.

The bits and pieces of each scene weren’t simply satire. They presented some version of what some dealers have allowed themselves to be thought of as.

Don’t get me wrong. The show’s portrayal of tire dealers is absolutely disgusting and by and large, completely unfounded.

Once again, mass media harvests it viewership on the negative, which today sells.

I mentioned that the show’s writers did some research and brought some issues forward. Here’s my take on the topics they presented that — in one way or another — I’ve seen at some poorly run tire dealerships.

My goal is to give you a motivational takeaway of things to avoid. All of us in the tire and/or service segment have a responsibility to the spirit of our work.

If any of these representations or themes that “Tires” puts forth are part of your business’ culture, then you need to change: • nepotism and succession planning, or lack thereof; • lack of will; • poor procurement/purchasing decisions; • moving problems, including employees, from one place to another; • lack of customer communication; • terrible waiting rooms; • inappropriate conversations in the workplace; • lackluster leadership/coaching; • price cutting to sell a job and offering the wrong loss leader.

Sadly, I can trace a line from most of the above to one topic or another that I’ve written about over the years.

All told, if “Tires” was simply satire without so many traceable elements to what is a reality in some bad shops, we all might be able to take the show at face value and laugh a bit.

This series may represent some of the things that are wrong in bad shops, but it doesn’t accurately represent how those who work in the majority of tire dealerships feel about their roles, as well as their customers and co-workers. We are truly passionate about keeping our customers’ cars and their families safe. But we are often misunderstood. (“Tires” certainly does not help.)

Sometimes, though, we fall victim to the stereotypes and become part of the problem, rather than drivers of the solution. Don’t let the daily grind engender you to ignore how impactful both positive and negative customer and employee experiences really are.

Today’s a great day to elevate our industry and rewrite the script. ■ Tire and auto industry veteran Randy O’Connor is the Owner/Principal of D2D Development Group (Dealer to Dealer Development Group.) He can be reached at randy@d2ddevelopmentgroup.com. For more information, please visit www.d2ddevelopmentgroup.com.

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EV Intelligence

Y

Debunking common myths about EVs HAVE YOU HEARD ANY OF THESE BEFORE? By

Craig Van Batenburg

E

lectric vehicles (EVs) have come a long way from the 2011 Nissan Leaf. In this article, I will discuss — and in some cases, debunk — 10 common myths about EVs, using what I’ve learned over the last 24 years of owning, driving, fixing, teaching and writing about them.

You can use these as talking points when customers express their concerns about EVs. Myths are listed in descending order: Myth 10. You will lose 50% of your range in cold weather This is slightly true. A modern EV has a heat pump for heating and air conditioning. At zero degrees, you will lose 25%. But at 40 degrees, you will only lose about 10%.

Myth 9. If you get stuck in a blizzard, you will freeze to death.

False. Most EVs are charged overnight, so you leave every morning with a “full tank” of electrons. EVs are very efficient and when you are stopped, the cabin can be heated for more hours than a gas car with a full tank. Plus, we all own cell phones for emergencies.

Myth 8. You will have to wait for hours on a road trip to charge your EV. This is false. If you use a D/C fast charger rated at 150 kW or higher, most EVs will do OK. A Tesla can add 100 miles of range every 10 minutes. Some 800-volt systems are even faster.

Myth 7. There are not enough fast chargers.

This is mostly true. Tesla is the leader here, but that is changing as you read this. Tesla is opening up their “super chargers” to other OEMs. Myth 6. High-voltage packs only last five years or 100,000 miles.

False. The Nissan Leaf gave EVs a bad reputation because its pack lacked a cooling system and lost range quickly. The truth is that 200,000 miles or 15 years is normal on newer electric vehicles.

Myth 5. New EVs lose their value quickly.

This was mostly false. Now it is mostly true. Tesla sales slowed a year ago and a price war has been going on since then. This lowered the value of all used EVs. Myth 4. EVs will catch fire and explode by themselves.

This is almost entirely false. Some recalls on a few EV models have fixed this issue. The few fires on those models that made the headlines have been repaired.

Myth 3. EVs are unsafe in an accident.

False. Side impact protection on EVs has improved as the large battery pack is a frame member. And there is no gasoline to ignite.

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Myth 2. EVs are too expensive to buy new.

This is false. All internal combustion engine (ICE) or electric cars and trucks are expensive today. Base models still exist. Without any incentives, an EV, such as a Nissan Leaf, can be bought for just over $28,000.

Myth 1. EVs pollute more than gasoline vehicles.

This is false, unless you total your EV before it has 35,000 miles on the odometer. It is true that it takes more energy to build an EV than a gas car. If your mix of electric power generation is 100% fossil fuels, which is very rare, or 100% renewable (hydro, wind and solar), which is also rare, then the distance you will need to drive will vary. Once an EV reaches 35,000 miles, on average, it will use less carbon-based fuels than ICE vehicles of similar size.

‘Life will continue to move into a new mobility age. Make sure you move with it.’

BATTERY MYTHS

My company, Automotive Career Development Center, has a fleet of EVs and plug-in hybrid vehicles.

Presently, we have a 2013 Tesla Model S with over 200,000 miles on it. The owner bought it new. The car’s high-voltage battery pack is no longer useful. We are now looking for a good used pack. Prices vary from $7,000 to $12,000. Most likely, this Tesla will get fixed as the rest of it has held up pretty well. And battery prices, in general, will continue to come down.

It’s also important to know that replacing a high-voltage battery pack is much faster than replacing a gas engine or transmission.

The drive motors and final drive gear boxes are simple and wellmade. In the future, you may even be able to buy the EV and lease the battery pack.

The era of EVs is here. You can believe the myths and negative news and stay away or you can get involved. As with any new technology, EVs will have their problems that engineers will solve and life will continue to move into a new mobility age. Make sure you move with it. ■ Craig 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. For more information, see www.fixhybrid.com or email him at craig@fixhybrid.com.

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Focus on Industry

During the MaddenCo Inc. user conference, the company showed customers the newest features of its software. MaddenCo leaders and customers alike said a big benefit of the sessions was the expertise of long-time users who shared tips during the discussion.

Photo: MaddenCo Inc.

A feast of best practices MADDENCO CUSTOMERS GATHERED TO LEARN AND SHARE By

Joy Kopcha

M

addenCo Inc. recently hosted 145 customers in Nashville, Tenn., for two days of training sessions during the company’s 2024 user conference.

With 25 classes that focused on different modules and capabilities of MaddenCo’s software, the event offered users thorough training so they can best utilize and maximize the system. Sessions covered all sorts of back-end operations in a tire dealership, from accounts payable and receivable to inventory and pricing, as well as specific modules related to things like retreading and road service call management. Each session showed users how to unlock tips and tricks.

Jay Adams, president of MaddenCo, said the sessions began with presentations from company personnel, but “evolved into a ‘best practices’ group discussion, often initiated by users who have been on the system for many years.”

He said user participation was heavily encouraged in every session, which allowed attendees to hear not just the official presentation on enhancements, but “also get the real world, how-to user version” from other attendees.

“They (received) that shared experience in using our software and the many ways it 66

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can be used to enhance a user’s business,” which Adams said keeps customers coming back to the conference year after year.

Throughout the event, customers also shared their greatest needs and pain points. Adams said that in 2024, there were two overarching themes: artificial intelligence and how to gain more realtime connections to third parties. Adams said MaddenCo is working on both.

“We are investing heavily in building real-time connections to third parties.

As for AI, we are evaluating how best to use that technology in-house first. The most likely result of that will be enhanced support services for our customers.”

In addition to sessions designed around MaddenCo’s software offerings, the company also hosted other vendors that offered additional training sessions to attendees.

Bruce Chamblee, chief operating officer at Dorsey Tire Co. Inc., said his company has used MaddenCo software since 2014 and called it “essential to our businesses.”

Dorsey Tire uses MaddenCo software for its accounting, inventory management, customer relationship management and point-of-sale.

“What’s the most remarkable is how well MaddenCo listens to their dealers and works to enhance the system to benefit the

efficiency and productivity of its users,” Chamblee said. A significant enhancement has been the ability to upload files in the system. “The ability to upload attachments to a customer’s invoice has been a game changer for us.”

Chamblee said attending the conference was helpful because it gave him and his team face time with the MaddenCo team and other vendors who attended.

But it also was a time to learn.

“Each time we attend, we learn more about how to use the software to benefit our system utilization.”

Lori Swain is the chief financial officer at Resley Tire Co. Inc. and said her dealership has used MaddenCo software for about 18 years. Swain said the conference served as its own tool in that Resley Tire learned tips from others.

“There is always something to learn from not only the MaddenCo employees but the other users as well,” said Swain.

“You have access to talk to support programmers, you can use the lab they set up to ask questions — it is definitely a valuable experience. I never come home not learning something from a MaddenCo employee and/or other users. There is so much knowledge that the users have gained over the years. We all share our knowledge, so if (another user does) something that is a little bit different from me but will save me time, then it was definitely worth my trip.”

Southern Tire Mart LLC is another longtime user of MaddenCo software. Joe Stevenson said “the number of integrations MaddenCo has with other software is (its) most valuable component.”

Just like those integrations, Stevenson said the MaddenCo conference was valuable. He was part of a team of Southern Tire Mart employees who attended. The biggest benefit, he said, was “to keep up with the latest technology and to maintain relationships with our partners and other companies in our industry.”

Morgan Vercimak is the government/ fleet coordinator at Northwest Tire Inc. and has been the tire dealership’s MaddenCo administrator for nearly 19 years.

Vercimak has been to many of the conferences in that timespan and called the 2024 “our best conference yet.”

“As a Bandag retreader and national account supplier, no other platform has all the integrations we currently have and need. MaddenCo has revved up their output of ideas.” ■ MTD July 2024

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Buyers’ Guide

Illustration: 1335391707 | StarLineArts | Getty Images

2024 BUYERS’ GUIDE

ACDC Hybrid EV Training

OEM Wheels 1-800EveryRim OEM Wheels

12078 Florence Ave., Santa Fe Springs, CA 90670 (800) 383-7974 Text: 951-RimText (951) 746-8398 Email: sales@1800EveryRim.com Chase Potter, manager www.1800EveryRim.com Products: OEM replacement wheels; used, new, take-offs, reconditioned; alloy and steel, buy and sell.

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31 Inc.

100 Enterprise Dr., Newcomerstown, OH 43832 (740) 498-8324 or (800) 438-3302 www.31inc.com 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.

24 Wells St., Worcester. MA 01604 (508) 826-4546 www.FIXHYBRID.com Products: J1772 Break-Out Box, battery charging & testing equipment, diagnostic equipment, material handling equipment, consulting, management programs, personal protection & safety products, training programs.

Achilles

4300 TBC Way, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410 (866) 822-4968 www.achillestires.com Products: Consumer tires.

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Andreoli Software

ADVANCE TIRE S O L I D

T I R E

S O U R C E

Advance Tire Inc.

1000 Rike Dr., Millstone, NJ 08535 (800) 445-6647 www.advancetires.com Products: Specialty tires, OTR tires, industrial tires, tire exporter/importer.

ADVICS North America Inc.

Illustration: 1335391707 | StarLineArts | Getty Images

1650 Kingsview Dr., Lebanon, OH 45036 www.advicsaftermarket.com Products: Brake products, chemicals.

Aftermarket Auto Parts Alliance Inc. 2706 Treble Creek, Suite 100, San Antonio, TX 78258 (210) 492-4868 www.autovalue.com www.bumpertobumper.com Products: Supplier of automotive parts, tools, equipment and related services, including sales, marketing, online sales and training support.

Allen Rubber Co. Inc.

2000 Campus Ln., East Norriton, PA 19403 (610) 631-0124 www.allenrubber.com Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, tire repair materials, TPMS sensors, tire valves, wheel weights.

Alligator

1715 Joe B. Jackson Pkwy., Murfreesboro, TN 37127 (888) 215-4575 www.alligator-valves.com Products: TPMS sensors, tire valves, TPMS diagnostic and programming tools.

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AME Intl.

2347 Circuit Way, Brooksville, FL 34604 (352) 799-1111 www.ameintl.net Products: Lifts and jacks, service trucks and associated equipment, shop maintenance equipment, tire handling equipment, tools and tool accessories.

13801 Reese Blvd. W, Suite 200, Huntersville, NC 28078 (704) 895-2780 ext. 320 or (800) 438-4487 ext. 32 www.hitstiresoftware.com Products: Computer software, online sales systems, point-of-sale/retailing, website and other online assistance.

Anyline

2125 Center Ave., Suite 507, Fort Lee, NJ 07024 (832) 727-1309 www.anyline.com Products: Tire identification, computer software.

American Pacific Industries Inc.

8320 E Hartford Dr., Scottsdale, AZ 85255 (480) 387-5980 www.apitire.com Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, medium & heavy truck tires, OTR tires, ag/farm tires, industrial tires, specialty tires, tire exporter/importer.

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.

American Roadstar Tires

2875 Pomona Blvd., Pomona, CA 91768 (562) 340-6252 www.americanroadstar.com Products: Passenger tires, performance tires, SUV/light truck tires, radial medium/ heavy truck tires, HD ST radial tires, allterrain tires, commercial TBR tires, tire exporter/importer, advertising & marketing programs, tire retailer support programs.

Built For The American Road

Americus

1221 Park West Green Dr., Katy, TX 77493 (281) 600-8473 www.americustire.com www.american-omni.com Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, medium & heavy truck tires.

Apollo Tires (US) Inc.

6 Concourse Pkwy., Building 6, Suite 2920, Atlanta, GA 30328 (877) 234-0867 www.vredestein.com www.apollotrucktires.com Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, medium/heavy truck tires, ag/ farm tires, industrial tires, specialty tires, antique/classic tires.

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Buyers’ Guide

Autel Arroyo Tires

2875 Pomona Blvd., Pomona, CA 91768 (562) 340-6252 www.arroyotires.com Products: Passenger tires, performance tires, SUV/light truck tires, radial medium/ heavy truck tires, HD ST radial tires, allterrain tires, commercial TBR tires, tire exporter/importer, advertising & marketing programs, tire retailer support programs.

Astro Tires

7500 NW 35th Terr., Miami, FL 33122 (305) 696-0096 www.astrotires.com Products: Light truck, ag/farm, industrial, radial AG, military NDMS, golf cart tires, ground service equipment tires, solid industrial tires, port tires, implement and flotation tires, tire flaps, tubes, advertising and marketing programs.

Atlas Automotive Equipment 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’ Point-of-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.

2727 Interstate Dr., Lakeland, FL 33805 (866) 898-2604 www.atlasautoequipment.com Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, medium & heavy truck tires, OTR tires, ag/ farm tires, motorcycle tires, air compressors, alignment equipment, diagnostic equipment, lifts & jacks, service trucks & associated equipment, shop maintenance equipment, tire handling equipment, tire mounting & balancing equipment, wheel repair equipment, pointof-sale/retailing, trade show representation, website & other online assistance.

36 Harbor Park Dr., Port Washington, NY 11050 (855) 288-3587 www.autel.com Products: TPMS sensors, ADAS equipment, alignment equipment, battery charging & testing equipment, brake service equipment, diagnostic equipment, TPMS diagnostic/programming tools.

Auto Service Processing

Atlanta, GA (800) 979-1516 www.autoserviceprocessing.com Products: Point-of-sale/retailing, credit card processing, merchant services.

B&J Rocket America, Inc.

6968 Industrial Ave., Bldg. B, El Paso, TX 79915 (574) 825-5802 www.bj-rocket.com Products: Retreading materials, tire repair materials, retreading equipment, tire repair equipment, tools and tool accessories.

Atturo Tire Corp.

T I R E S

N O R T H

A M E R I C A

never stop rising Ascenso Tires North America

4637 Allen Rd., Stow, OH 44224 (330) 374-1000 www.ascensotiresna.com Products: Ag/farm tires, industrial tires, OTR tires, medium & heavy truck tires, specialty tires, tire exporter/ importer, wheels & accessories.

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3250 N Oak Grove Ave., Waukegan, IL 60087 (855) 632-8031 www.atturo.com Products: Muscle car performance tires, light truck tires, 4x4 tires, Jeep tires, plug-in hybrid/EV tires, powersports SxS/UTV tires and trailer tires.

Bartec USA

6475 19½ Mile Rd., Sterling Heights, MI 48314 (855) 877-9732 www.bartecusa.com www.ritesensor.com Products: TPMS replacement sensors, TPMS service kits and diagnostic tools.

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BendPak

30440 Agoura Rd., Agoura Hills, CA 91301 (805) 933-9970 www.bendpak.com Products: Lifts and jacks, air compressors, alignment equipment, brake service equipment, hose reels, shop heating/cooling equipment, tire mounting and balancing equipment, tire repair equipment, TPMS diagnostic/programming tools, 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.

Big O Tires LLC

4260 Design Center Dr., Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410 (561) 383-3000 or (800) 321-2446 www.bigotires.com Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, tire retailer support programs, website & other online assistance.

Bosch Automotive Service Solutions LLC N Haggerty Rd., Plymouth, MI 48170 (800) 533-6127 www.otctools.com www.robinair.com www.boschdiagnostics.com Products: ADAS equipment, battery charging & testing equipment, brake service equipment, diagnostic equipment, lifts & jacks, service trucks & associated equipment, shop heating/cooling equipment, shop maintenance equipment, suspension equipment, TPMS diagnostic/programming tools, tools & tool accessories.

Bridgestone Americas

200 4th Ave. S, Nashville TN 37201 (615) 937-1000 www.bridgestoneamericas.com Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, medium & heavy truck tires, OTR tires, ag/ farm tires, specialty tires, motorcycle tires, Retreading — medium & heavy truck, OTR, casings, equipment and materials, suspension components, TPMS sensors, tire display racks, TPMS diagnostic/programming tools, tire repair equipment, advertising & marketing programs, consumer credit & financing, financing & credit programs, online sales systems, POS/retailing, roadside assistance programs, training programs, company-owned retail tires and services, fleet management.

CEAT Specialty Tires Inc.

308 E. High St., Suite 110, Jefferson City, MO 65101 (866) 683-2328 Email: CSTI@ceat.com www.ceatspecialty.com Products: Ag/farm tires, OTR tires, forestry tires, specialty tires, ag and industrial/construction tracks.

Celimo Tires

500 W. 190th St., Suite 600, Gardena, CA 90248 (310) 767-7990 www.celimotiresusa.com Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires.

CEMB USA

2873 Ramsey Rd., Gainesville, GA 30501 (678) 717-1050 www.cemb-usa.com Products: Tire mounting & balancing equipment, alignment equipment.

BKT USA, Inc.

202 Montrose W Ave., Suite 240, Copley, OH 44321 (330) 836-1090 www.bkt-tires.com Products: OTR tires, ag/farm tires, industrial tires, specialty tires, tire exporter/importer, tire retailer support programs, advertising & marketing programs, social media, trade show representation, training programs, website & other online assistance.

Challenger Lifts Cardinal Brokers

41 Clara Dr., Pedricktown, NJ 08067 (585) 310-2466 www.Cardinalbrokers.com Products: Tire and auto business brokers.

2311 South Park Rd., Louisville, KY, 40219 (800) 648-5438 www.challengerlifts.com Products: Lifts & jacks.

Chariot Concepts LLC

1860 Saratoga Ct., Yuba City, CA 95993 (800) 448-1876 www.ChariotConcepts.com Products: Material handling equipment, tire display racks, tire handling equipment, tools & tool accessories.

Carlisle TyrFil

140 Sheldon Rd., Berea, OH 44017 (800) 821-4147 www.CarlisleTyrFil.com Products: Tire fills and sealants. w w w . M o d e r n T i r e D e a l e r. c o m

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Buyers’ Guide CIMS Tire Registration

P.O. Box 1610, Akron, OH 44309-1610 (330) 794-9190 or (855) 444-5120 www.cimstireregistration.com Products: Tire registration and recall systems for tire dealers, tire manufacturers and tire importers.

Clore Automotive

9401 Indian Creek Pkwy., Suite 680, Overland Park, KS 66210 (913) 310-1050 www.cloreautomotive.com Products: Battery charging and testing equipment, jump starters, LED work lights.

Continental Tire the Americas — Commercial Vehicle Tires

1794 MacMillan Park Dr., Fort Mill, SC 29707 X: @contitrucktires (800) 726-7113 www.continental-truck.com Products: Light truck tires, medium & heavy truck tires, OTR tires, ag/farm tires, industrial tires, specialty tires, motorcycle tires, Retreading — medium & heavy truck, OTR, equipment and materials, tire identification, TPMS sensors, tire retailer support programs, tire display racks, TPMS diagnostic/ programming tools, advertising & marketing programs, point-of-sale/retailing, roadside assistance programs, social media, trade show representation, training programs, website & other online assistance.

Cosmo Tires

7500 NW 35th Terr., Miami, FL 33122 (305) 696-0096 www.cosmotires.com Products: High performance tires, passenger tires, light, medium and heavy truck tires, extreme off-road tires, specialty and trailer tires, motorsports tires, commercial tires.

Coats

1601 J.P. Hennessy Dr., LaVergne, TN 37086 (800) 688-6359 www.coatscompany.com Products: Alignment equipment, lifts & jacks, tire mounting & balancing equipment, lift inspections.

Coker Tire

1317 Chestnut St., Chattanooga, TN 37402 (800) 251-6336 www.cokertire.com Products: Passenger tires, antique/ classic tires, specialty tires, motorcycle tires, tire flaps, tire valves, tubes, wheels & accessories, tire exporter/importer.

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Continental Tire the Americas — Passenger/Light Truck Tires

1794 MacMillan Park Dr., Fort Mill, SC 29707 (704) 583-3900 Facebook: www.facebook.com/continentaltire X: @continentaltire Instagram: @continental_tire www.continentaltire.com Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, financing and credit programs, roadside assistance programs, tire retailer support programs, trade show representation.

Cooper Tire

200 Innovation Way, Akron, OH 44316 (330) 796-2121 www.coopertire.com Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, medium/heavy truck tires, advertising and marketing programs.

Crop Max

1221 Park West Green Dr., Katy, TX 77493 (281) 600-8473 www.american-omni.com/crop-max-3/ Products: Ag/farm tires, specialty tires, OTR tires.

Crosswind Tires

4300 TBC Way, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410 (866) 822-4968 www.tbcbrands.com/tire-brands/crosswind Products: High performance tires, passenger tires, SUV/CUV/light truck tires, radial medium/ heavy truck tires, Web and other online assistance, tire retailer support programs.

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Dobermann North America

4302 89th St., Davenport, IA 52806 (210) 599-1222 www.tubeandsolidtire.com Products: OTR tires, ag/farm tires, industrial tires, specialty tires, tubes.

Dawg Pound Tires

2200 Huntington Dr., Unit C, Fairfield, CA 94533 (707) 437-4700 or (800) 831-8473 www.dawgpoundtires.com Products: Commercial truck tires, construction tires/OTR tires, material handling tires, agricultural tires, specialty tires, tire flaps and tire tubes.

Double Coin Tires

Dealer to Dealer Development Group (D2D Dev. Group)

DRC Tires USA

Hendersonville, NC 28791 (704) 572-7492 www.d2ddevelopmentgroup.com Products: Peer-to-peer retail and commercial 20 groups, one-on-one consulting, management, sales and service manager training.

Delphi

3000 University Dr., Auburn Hills, MI 48326 (877) Go-Delphi www.delphiaftermarket.com Products: Electrical/ignition products, fuel system components, steering components, suspension components.

406 E. Huntington Dr., Suite 200, Monrovia, CA 91016 (888) 226-5250 www.doublecointires.com Products: Light truck tires, medium & heavy truck tires, OTR tires, ag/farm tires, industrial tires, specialty tires.

40906 US Hwy 27, Davenport, FL 33837 (407) 928-9277 www.drc-tires.us Products: Medium & heavy truck tires.

1500 Williamsboro St., Oxford, NC 27565 (919) 692-2300 or (800) 815-3455 (TPMS Tech Line) www.dillvalves.com Products: Dill Air Controls Products continues to provide the automotive, RV, fleet, off-road, and trucking industry with leading valve stems and hardware, OTR valves and valve hardware, tire inflation devices, TPMS and hand tools.

Many products are proudly made in the USA.

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2200 Huntington Dr., Unit C, Fairfield, CA 94533 (707) 437-4700 or (800) 831-8473 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, tracks, tire flaps, tire tubes, and wheels.

EasyPay Finance

P.O. Box 2549, Carlsbad, CA 92008 (866) 337-2537 https://easypay.my.site.com Products: Consumer financing.

Duramas Tires

7500 NW 35th Terr., Miami, FL 33122 (305) 696-0096 www.cosmotires.com Products: Medium & heavy truck tires.

Duro Tire and Wheel

14290 Lochridge Blvd., Covington, GA 30014 (770) 788-2060 www.durotire.com Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, ag/farm tires, industrial tires, specialty tires, motorcycle tires.

Dill Air Controls

East Bay Tire Co.

Eldorado Tire

4300 TBC Way, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410 (866) 822-4968 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 and 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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Buyers’ Guide Fleet Equipment Corporation

Falken Tire Corporation

8656 Haven Ave., Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730 (800) 723-2553 www.falkentire.com Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, truck tires.

567 Commerce St., Franklin Lakes, NJ 07417 (800) 631-0873 www.FECTRUCKS.com Products: Tire service vehicles, truck bodies, cranes, tire positioners, air compressors and other related equipment and tools.

Fury Tires FOCUS Investment Banking LLC

14825 Ballantyne Village Way, Suite 240-13, Charlotte, NC 28277 (704) 369-5900 www.focusbankers.com Products: Mergers and acquisitions advising, capital raising.

FASEP 2000 SRL

Via Faentina 96, 50032 RONTA (FI), Italy +39 055 8403126 www.fasep.it Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, medium & heavy truck tires, ag/ farm tires, motorcycle tires, antique/ classic tires, Retreading — passenger tires, light truck tires, equipment, medium & heavy truck tires, alignment equipment, nitrogen inflation equipment, tire mounting & balancing equipment.

Federated Auto Parts/The Group

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.

First Choice Sourcing Solutions

1310 Devalera St., Akron, OH 44310 (419) 359-4002 www.gofcss.com Products: Light truck tires, passenger tires, medium & heavy truck tires.

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Foreign Tire Sales

2444 Morris Ave., Suite 206, Union, NJ 07083 (908) 687-0559 www.ForeignTire.com Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, medium & heavy truck tires, OTR tires, ag/ farm tires, industrial tires, specialty tires.

9010 N Royal Ln., Suite 100, Irving, TX 75063 (855) 575-3879 www.furytires.com Products: Light truck tires.

Gabriel Ride Control

39300 Country Club Dr., Farmington Hills, MI 48331 (800) 251.5932 www.Gabriel.com Products: Suspension components.

Gaither Tool Co. Inc.

Fortune Tires

100 N. Barranca St., Suite 1000, West Covina, CA 91791 (310) 205-8355 ext. 101 www.fortunetireusa.com Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, medium & heavy truck tires, performance tires, CUV/SUV tires, ST trailer tires, Retreading — medium & heavy truck tires, tire exporter/importer, advertising & marketing programs, point-of-sale/retailing, roadside assistance programs, social media, trade show representation, training programs, website & other online assistance.

Freedomsoft

P.O. Box 4306, Asheboro, NC 27204 (888) 750-8473 www.tireshopsoftware.com Products: Computer software.

2255 W Morton Ave., Jacksonville, IL 62650 (217) 245-0545 or (800) 452-5010 www.gaithertool.com www.winntec.net Products: Bead Bazooka, Winntec Professional Lift Equipment, tire handling equipment, tire mounting and balancing equipment, tire repair equipment, tools and tool accessories.

General Tire

1794 MacMillan Park Dr., Fort Mill, SC 29707 (704) 583-3900 X: @generaltire Instagram: @general_tire Facebook: www.facebook.com/generaltire Website: www.generaltire.com Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, truck tires, OTR tires, tire retailer support programs, trade show representation.

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Harvest King Giti Tire (USA) Ltd.

10404 Sixth St., Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730 (909) 980-0968 or (866) 488-4737 www.giti.com Products: Passenger tires, truck tires, specialty tires.

GMB North America Inc.

100 Herrod Blvd., Dayton, NJ 08810 (609) 655-2422 www.GMB.net Products: Suspension components, filters/ filtration systems, fuel system components, oil products & lubricants, bearings, gaskets & seals, batteries, water pumps, timing belt kits, fan clutches, wheel bearings & hub assemblies, tensioner & idler bearings, fuel pumps.

The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company

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.

GRI Incorporated

600 Park Offices Dr., Suite LL-52, Durham, NC 27709 (717) 350-3049 www.gritires.com Products: Ag/farm tires, specialty tires, OTR tires, construction tires, material handling tires, solid tires, aperture tires.

GT Radial

10404 Sixth St., Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730 (909) 980-0968 or (866) 488-4737 www.gtradial.com Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, truck tires, specialty tires.

222 S. Harbor Blvd., Suite 700, Anaheim, CA 92805 (714) 782-3060 or (800) 946-9412 www.greenballtires.com Products: GBC Powersports, Kanati, Centennial & Tow-Master tires, special trailer, light truck, ATV & UTV, lawn and garden, golf cart, mobile home.

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Hercules Tire & Rubber Company 12200 Herbert Wayne Ct., Suite 150, Huntersville, NC 28078 (800) 677-9535 www.herculestire.com Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, medium & heavy truck tires, ag/ farm tires, industrial tires, specialty tires, tire retailer support programs.

Hamaton Inc.

47815 West Rd., Suite D109, Wixom, MI 48393 (248) 308-3856 www.hamaton-tpms.us.com Products: TPMS sensors, tire valves, tire gauges, TPMS diagnostic/programming tools.

Hankook Tire Greenball Corp.

4300 TBC Way, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410 (866) 822-4968 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.

333 Commerce St., Suite 600, Nashville, TN 37201 (615) 432-0700 www.hankooktire.com Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, medium & heavy truck tires.

Hofmann

309 Exchange Ave., Conway, AR 72032 (800) 225-5786 www.hofmann-equipment.com/us Products: ADAS equipment, alignment equipment, tire handling equipment, tire mounting & balancing equipment, lifts & jacks, tire measurement technology.

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Buyers’ Guide Innova Electronics Corp.

Independent Tire Dealers Group LLC (ITDG) Horizon Tire Inc.

4818 4th St., Irwindale, CA 91706 (323) 622-1920 www.horizontire.com Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, snow tires, medium truck tires, OTR tires, ag tires, specialty tires, steel/ aluminum wheels, tire tubes and flaps.

Hunter Engineering Co.

11250 Hunter Dr., Bridgeton, MO 63044 (314) 731-0000 www.hunter.com Products: ADAS equipment, alignment equipment, brake service equipment, diagnostic equipment, inspection lane equipment, lifts & jacks, service trucks & associated equipment, tire mounting & balancing equipment.

Hydra-Lift Industries c/o Cypress Auto Lift Parts Ltd.

#114-15028-32nd Ave., Surrey, B.C. V4P-1A3 (800) 387-5718 www.hydra-lift.com Products: Alignment equipment, lifts & jacks.

P.O. Box 3651, Tequesta, FL 33469 (561) 630-8737 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/driveline 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.

Induction Innovations

IMI

3183 Black Gap Rd., Chambersburg, PA 17202 (800) 233-7086 www.imiproducts.com Products: Aluminum wheel cleaning, adaptive/internal wheel end balancing, steel wheel refinishing and powder coating, tire sealants, wheel safety system, retread tire paint and dual tire height measuring tool.

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1175 Jansen Farm Ct., Elgin, IL 60123 (877) 688-9633 www.theinductor.com Products: Equipment, tire repair materials, scrap tire disposal/recycling equipment, service trucks & associated equipment, shop maintenance equipment, suspension equipment, tire handling equipment, tire repair equipment, tools & tool accessories.

17352 Von Karman Ave., Irvine, CA 92614 (800) 544-4124 www.innova.com Products: Digital multimeters, inspection cameras, diagnostic equipment, tools & tool accessories, including OBD2 scan tools, tablets and dongles. Innova also offers other online and app-based support, including the RepairSolutions2 and RepairSolutions PRO companion apps created to assist, simplify and augment the vehicle diagnostic process.

Integrated Supply Network (ISN)

2727 Interstate Dr., Lakeland, FL 33805 (800) 966-8478 www.isnweb.com Products: Alignment equipment, battery charging & testing equipment, brake service equipment, diagnostic equipment, lifts & jacks, shop heating/cooling equipment, shop maintenance equipment, service trucks & associated equipment, tire mounting & balancing equipment, tire repair equipment, tools & tool accessories, welding equipment, wheel repair equipment, work benches.

Interstate Tires

4300 TBC Way, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410 (866) 822-4968 www.tbc-international.com/ tire-brands/interstate 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 and 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.

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JohnDow Industries

151 Snyder Ave., Barberton, OH 44203 (330) 753-6895 www.johndow.com Products: Repair facility shop equipment for the automotive, heavy-duty, agricultural, construction, off-road, landscaping and industrial markets to include fuel storage and handling equipment, used oil and fluid handling equipment, auto service equipment, vehicle exhaust extraction systems, automotive hardware and supplies, service kits, tire repair materials, tire studs and valves, tire handling equipment, supplies storage, TPMS sensors, kits, diagnostic/programming tools, interior protection, professional work lights, shop chemicals and electric/ hybrid repair and safety equipment.

John Bean

309 Exchange Ave., Conway, AR 72032 (800) 225-5786 www.johnbean.com/us Products: ADAS equipment, alignment equipment, tire handling equipment, tire mounting & balancing equipment, lifts & jacks, tire measurement technology.

Kenda Tires K&M Tire Inc.

965 Spencerville Rd., Delphos, OH 45833 (419) 695-1061 www.kmtire.com 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.

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Ken-Tool

768 E North St., Akron, OH 44305 (330) 535-7177 or (888) 536-8665 www.kentool.com Products: Tire mounting and balancing equipment, tools and tool accessories.

Kelly Tires

200 Innovation Way, Akron, OH 44316 (330) 796-2121 www.kellytires.com Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, medium/heavy truck tires.

JS Products

6445 Montessouri St., Las Vegas, NV 89113 (702) 212-1300 www.steelmantools.com Products: Tire repair materials, TPMS sensors, tire valves, tire marking products, tire gauges, brake service equipment, hose reels, lifts & jacks, material handling equipment, tire repair equipment, tools & tool accessories, personal protection & safety products.

7095 Americana Pkwy., Reynoldsburg, OH 43068 (866) 536-3287 www.kendatire.com Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, specialty tires, motorcycle tires.

Kelsey Tire, Inc.

P.O. Box 564, Camdenton, MO 65020 (800) 325-0091 www.Kelseytire.com Products: Antique/classic tires.

Kerridge Commercial Systems (formerly MAM Software)

751 Arbor Way, Suite 215, Blue Bell, PA 19422 (610) 336-9045 www.kerridgecsna.com Products: VAST and VAST Online computer software, point-of-sale/retailing.

Keter Tire USA, Inc.

4900 Centennial Blvd., Suite 300, Nashville, TN 37209 (615) 535-1358 www.ketertireusa.com Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, medium & heavy truck tires, OTR tires, ag/ farm tires, industrial tires, specialty tires.

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Buyers’ Guide Kontio Tyres Ltd.

MAHLE Aftermarket Inc.

Nokia, Finland +358447339366 www.kontiotyres.com Products: Passenger tires, antique/classic tires.

LAUGFS Corporation (Rubber) Limited

K-Tool International

2727 Interstate Dr., Lakeland, FL 33805 (800) 762-6002 www.ktoolinternational.com Products: Battery charging & testing equipment, shop heating/cooling equipment, tire repair equipment, tools & tool accessories, welding equipment, work benches.

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.

Latin Tyre & Auto Parts Expo

9840 SW 77th Ave., Suite 203, Miami, FL 33156 (786) 293-5186 www.latintyreexpo.com Products: Trade show representation.

101, Maya Avenue, Colombo 06, Sri Lanka +94777488639 www.laugfsindustrialtyres.lk www.laugfs.lk Products: Industrial tires.

Lexani Tires Worldwide, Inc.

5793 Martin Rd., Irwindale, CA 91706 (626) 856-1400 www.lexanitires.com Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires.

23030 MAHLE Dr., Farmington Hills, MI 48335 (662) 892-6400 www.mahle-aftermarket.com Products: Bearings, gaskets & seals, cooling/air conditioning products, filters/ filtration systems, brake service equipment, diagnostic equipment, lifts & jacks, battery charging & testing equipment.

Marangoni Tread N.A.

708 Myatt Dr., Madison, TN 37115 (615) 868-4050 www.mtna-us.com Products: Retreading — medium/heavy truck tires, equipment, materials.

Martins Industries

Linglong Americas, Inc.

1484 Medina Rd., Suite 118, Medina, OH 44256 www.linglongtire.com Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, medium/heavy truck tires, ag/farm tires, industrial tires, specialty tires.

1200 Industrial Blvd., Farnham, Quebec J2N 3B5 (450) 293-9000 www.martinsindustries.com Products: Tire gauges, wheel weights, lifts & jacks, material handling equipment, nitrogen inflation equipment, tire display racks, tire handling equipment, tire mounting & balancing equipment, tools & tool accessories.

Mastercraft Tires Lionhart Tires

5793 Martin Rd., Irwindale, CA 91706 w(626) w w . 856-1400 ModernT ireDealer.com www.lionharttires.com Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires.

200 Innovation Way, Akron, OH 44316 (330) 796-2121 www.mastercrafttires.com Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires.

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MaddenCo Inc.

4847 E. Virginia St., Suite G, Evansville, IN 47715 (812) 474-6245 www.maddenco.com Products: Computer software, point-ofsale/retailing, computer systems.

Laufenn Tires

333 Commerce St., Suite 600, Nashville, TN 37201 (615) 432-0700 www.laufenn.com/us Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires.

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McGard LLC

3875 California Rd., Orchard Park, NY 14127 (716) 662-8980 www.mcgard.com Products: Truck bed products, wheel accessories.

Matrix Capital Markets Group, Inc.

800 East Canal St., Suite 850, Richmond, VA 23219 (804) 780-0060 www.matrixcmg.com Products: Matrix Capital Markets Group, Inc. is an independent, advisory focused, privatelyheld investment bank. Since 1988, Matrix has provided merger & acquisition and financial advisory services to privately-held businesses, publicly traded companies and capital providers. Matrix professionals are dedicated and experienced in serving the investment banking needs of all segments of the automotive aftermarket, including: tire dealers, automotive service centers, quick lube oil change facilities, car wash chains, collision and glass repair, brick-and-mortar and e-commerce retailers of automotive parts and accessories, distributors of tires and automotive parts, and manufacturers of OEM and aftermarket parts.

Maxam Tire North America

300 Rosewood Dr., Suite 102, Danvers, MA 01923 (844) 629-2662 www.maxamtire.com Products: Ag/farm tires, industrial tires, OTR tires, specialty tires.

Maxxis Tires

545 Old Peachtree Rd., Suwanee, GA 30024 (678) 407-7600 www.maxxis.com/us Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, trailer tires, industrial tires, ATV/UTV tires, motorcycle tires, tire retailer support programs.

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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 Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, all-terrain tires, wheels and accessories.

Midas International LLC

4300 TBC Way, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410 (561) 383-3000 www.midas.com Products: Light truck tires, passenger tires, specialty tires, antifreeze, batteries, bearings, gaskets & seals, belts & hoses, brake products, chemicals, cooling/air conditioning products, electrical/ignition products, exhaust system components, filters/filtration systems, fuel system components, oil products & lubricants, spark plugs, steering components, suspension components, tire gauges, TPMS sensors, tire repair materials, tire studs, tire valves, transmission/driveline products, wheels & accessories, wiper blades, financing & credit programs, tire disposal/recycling/ shredding, website & other online assistance.

Mighty Distributing System of America (Mighty Auto Parts)

650 Engineering Dr., Peachtree Corners, GA 30092 (800) 829-3900 www.mightyautoparts.com Products: Antifreeze, batteries, bearings, gaskets & seals, belts & hoses, brake products, chemicals, cooling/air conditioning products, electrical/ignition products, filters/filtration systems, oil products & lubricants, spark plugs, steering components, suspension components, wiper blades, tire gauges, tire marking products, TPMS sensors, tire repair materials, tire studs, tire valves, wheel weights, air compressors, alignment equipment, battery charging and testing equipment, brake service equipment, diagnostic equipment, hose reels, lifts & jacks, material handling equipment, nitrogen inflation equipment, shop maintenance equipment, tire handling equipment, tire mounting & balancing equipment, TPMS diagnostic/programming tools, tire repair equipment, tools and tool accessories, welding equipment, work benches, online sales systems, personnel protection & safety products, training programs.

Milestar Tires

500 W 190th St., Suite 600, Gardena, CA 90248 (310) 767-7990 www.milestartires.com Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, medium/heavy truck tires, specialty tires, antique/classic tires.

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Buyers’ Guide NAMA Tires Inc.

Multi-Mile Tires

4300 TBC Way, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410 (866) 822-4968 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 and 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.

939 S. Atlantic Blvd., Suite 212, Monterey Park, CA 91754 Email: info@namatire.us www.namatire.us Products: Passenger tires, medium & heavy truck tires.

Navitrac

4300 TBC Way, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410 (866) 822-4968 www.tbccommercialtires.com Products: Medium/heavy truck tires, ST trailer tires, web and other online assistance.

1293 S. Main St., Akron, OH 44301 (330) 253-5592 or (800) 998-9897 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.

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3565 Harbor Blvd., Costa Mesa, CA 92626 (714) 252-0007 www.nittotire.com Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires.

Nokian Tyres, Inc.

520 Nokian Tyres Dr., Dayton, TN 37321 (800) 565-2525 www.nokiantires.com Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, truck tires, ag/farm tires, OTR tires, specialty tires.

Net Driven

26600 SW Parkway Ave., Suite 400, Portland, OR 97070 (570) 207-2005 www.netdriven.com Products: Website & other online assistance, social media.

Newbustar (Cambodia) Tire Co. Ltd.

Myers Tire Supply Co.

Nitto Tire U.S.A. Inc.

Kratie Special Economic Zone, Kratie Province, Cambodia 100203 +86 532 8095 8024 www.doublestartyre.com Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, medium & heavy truck tires, OTR tires, tire exporter/importer, tire disposal/recycling/ shredding, scrap tire disposal/recycling equipment, advertising & marketing programs.

Norbar Torque Tools, Inc.

36400 Biltmore Pl., Willoughby, OH 44094 (440) 953-1175 www.norbarusa.com Products: Tools & tool accessories.

North America Tire Trader (NATT)

8401 John W. Carpenter Fwy., Dallas, TX 75247 (469) 855-4125 www.nattusa.com Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, medium & heavy truck tires, ATV tires, tire exporter/importer.

Nexen Tire America Inc.

4014 Wheatley Rd., Richfield, OH 44286 (909) 923-4011 or (800) 576-3936 (NEXEN) www.nexentireusa.com Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, roadside assistance programs.

Odyssey Battery by EnerSys

2366 Bernville Rd., Reading, PA 19605 (800) 964-2837 www.odysseybattery.com Products: Batteries, battery charging & testing equipment.

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Petlas Tire Industry and Trade Co. OEWHEELS.COM

OE Wheels

1906 72nd Dr. E, Sarasota, FL 34243 (941) 921-0065 www.OEWheelsLLC.com Products: Wheels & accessories.

Omni United (S) Pte Ltd.

4 Shenton Way, #08-02 SGX Centre II, Singapore 068807 +1 707 260 5755 www.omni-united.com Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, medium & heavy truck tires, antique/ classic tires, tire retailer support programs, tire exporter/importer, advertising & marketing programs, apparel & uniforms, social media, trade show representation, training programs, website & other online assistance, transportation & logistics.

Optimize Digital Marketing

3510 Hopkins Pl. N, Suite W249, Oakdale, MN 55128 (855) 676-1212 www.whyoptimize.com Products: Advertising & marketing programs, social media, website & other online assistance.

Oriente Latin America Inc.

9840 SW 77th Ave., Suite 301, Miami, FL 33156 (786) 573-0757 www.orientetriangle.com Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, medium & heavy truck tires, OTR tires, ag/ farm tires, industrial tires, specialty tires.

OTR Engineered Solutions

195 Chatillon Rd., Suite 4, Rome, GA 30161 (706) 235-9781 www.otrwheel.com Products: OTR tires, ag/farm tires, industrial tires, specialty tires, tire fills & sealants, tubes, wheels & accessories.

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Sogutozu Mh 2178, Cd No 6, Ankara, Turkey +903123093030 www.petlas.com Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, medium & heavy truck tires, OTR tires, ag/farm tires, industrial tires, tire exporter/importer.

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.

Plus Sizing Guide

213 N. Stephanie St., Suite G - #303, Henderson, NV 89074 (310) 357-7293 www.plussizingguide.com Products: The Ultimate Wheel and Tire Plus Sizing Guide. Tire and wheel fitment information for OE and plus size applications for both current and vintage vehicles.

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.

Power King

4300 TBC Way, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410 (866) 822-4968 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 and 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.

PPG VERSOLON Solutions

19699 Progress Dr., Strongsville, OH 44149 (866) 774-8783 www.ppgversolon.com Products: Wheel coatings and coatings for wheel refurbishing, training programs.

Pre-Q Galgo Corporation

4329 Bronze Way, Dallas, TX 75237 (214) 330-7300 Fax: (214) 331-2222 www.pre-q.com Products: Retreading — passenger, light truck, medium & heavy truck, OTR, equipment and materials.

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Buyers’ Guide The Pronto Network — Parts Plus, Auto Pride, and Pronto Auto Parts

Prinx Tires

100 N. Barranca St., Suite 1000, West Covina, CA 91791 (310) 205-8355 ext. 101 www.prinxtireusa.com Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, medium & heavy truck tires, performance tires, SUV/CUV tires, ST trailer tires, Retreading — medium & heavy truck tires, tire exporter/importer, tire retailer support programs, advertising & marketing programs, point-of-sale/retailing, roadside assistance programs, social media, trade show representation, training programs, website & other online assistance.

Pro-Cut International

10 Technology Dr., West Lebanon, NH 03784 (800) 543-6618 www.procutusa.com Products: Brake service equipment including rotor matching systems, on-car brake lathes, validated brake service systems, mobile bench lathes, bench lathes.

2601 Heritage Ave., Grapevine, TX 76051 (800) 477-6686 www.theprontonetwork.com Products: Supplier of automotive parts, tools, equipment and related services, including sales, marketing, online sales and training support.

RelaDyne

8280 Montgomery Rd., Suite 101, Cincinnati, OH 45236 (888) 830-3156 www.reladyne.com Products: Antifreeze, chemicals, filters/filtration systems, oil products & lubricants, wiper blades, advertising & marketing programs.

Rema Tip Top / North America Inc.

Quick Pressure

4181 Brew Master Dr., Suite 5, Ceres, CA 95307 (209) 488-7814 www.quickpressure.com Products: Passenger tires, medium & heavy truck tires, light truck tires, OTR tires, ag/ farm tires, industrial tires, specialty tires, antique/classic tires, motorcycle tires, Retreading — medium & heavy truck, OTR, passenger, light truck, casings, equipment and materials, brake products, suspension components, steering components, tire fills & sealants, tire gauges, tire valves, wheels & accessories, tools & tool accessories, personal protection & safety products.

300 Tice Blvd, #250, Woodcliff Lake, NJ 07677 (800) 225-REMA (7362) www.rematiptop.com Products: Tire marking products, tire fills & sealants, tire repair materials, tire valves, tubes, tire gauges, TPMS sensors, tire studs, tire repair equipment, tools & tool accessories, wheel repair equipment, lifts & jacks, TPMS diagnostic/programming tools.

RideStyler

P.O. Box 3768, Wilsonville, OR 97070 (844) 394-8994 www.ridestyler.com Products: Computer software, consulting, online sales systems, point-of-sale/retailing, website and other online assistance.

Roadmaster Tires

200 Innovation Way, Akron, OH 44316 (330) 796-2121 www.roadmastertires.com Products: Medium/heavy truck tires.

Rolling Big Power Tires Ralson Tire North America Inc.

Prometeon Tyre Group Commercial Solutions LLC

1270 Avenue of the Americas, Suite 2219, New York, NY 10020-1806 (833) 784-8762 www.prometeon.com Products: medium & heavy truck tires

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725 Cool Springs Blvd., Suite 330, Franklin, TN 37067 (844) 985-TIRE (8473), (201) 247-2085 (Brian Sheehey) www.ralsontires.com Products: Ralson and Accelus brand medium & heavy truck tires.

REDI-Sensor TPMS Sensors Continental Automotive

6755 Snowdrift Rd., Allentown, PA 18106 (800) 564-5066 www.redi-sensor.com Products: TPMS sensors, TPMS diagnostic/programming tools.

5793 Martin Rd., Irwindale, CA 91706 (626) 856-1400 www.rbptires.com Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires.

Rotary Solutions

2700 Lanier Dr., Madison, IN 47250 (812) 273-1622 www.rotarysolutions.com Products: Alignment equipment, diagnostic equipment, lifts & jacks, tire handling equipment, tire mounting & balancing equipment, tire repair equipment, wheel repair equipment, shop maintenance equipment.

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Sailun Tires

4300 TBC Way, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410 (866) 822-4968 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 and 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.

SATO America

14125 South Bridge Cir., Charlotte, NC 28273 (704) 644-1650 www.satoamerica.com Products: Tire labels.

Stellar Snap Finance

1193 West 2400 South, West Valley City, UT 84119 (866) 372-0193 www.snapfinance.com/partner Products: Consumer credit & financing.

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.

Schrader TPMS Solutions

1960 Research Dr., Suite 100, Troy, MI 48083 (800) 288-1804 www.SchraderTPMS.com Products: TPMS sensors, tire valves, TPMS diagnostic/programming tools, tools & tool accessories.

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.

SPF MGT CO, LLC

13922 Monroe’s Business Park, Tampa, FL 33635 (813) 977-9800 www.RNRtires.com Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, medium & heavy truck tires, brake products, wiper blades, TPMS sensors, wheels & accessories, air compressors, alignment equipment, lifts & jacks, Nitrogen inflation equipment, TPMS diagnostic/programming tools, tire repair equipment, advertising & marketing programs, point-of-sale/retailing, roadside assistance programs, social media, trade show representation, training programs.

Sumitomo Tires

4300 TBC Way, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410 (866) 822-4968 www.sumitomotire.com 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 and 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.

Suretrac Tires

2737 78th Ave. SE, Suite 202, Mercer Island, WA 98040 (206) 607-8335 www.suretractires.com Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, medium & heavy truck tires, OTR tires, industrial tires, specialty tires, antique/classic tires, ag/farm tires.

Sutong Tire Resources Inc.

33402 Highway 290, Hockley, TX 77447 (713) 690-5500 www.sutongctr.com Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, medium & heavy truck tires, OTR tires, ag/farm tires, industrial tires, specialty tires, tire exporter/importer, tubes.

Shopmonkey

(408) 675-1879 www.shopmonkey.com Products: Management software.

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190 State St., Garner, IA 50438 (800) 321-3741 www.stellarindustries.com Products: Air compressors, hose reels, service trucks & associated equipment, tire handling equipment, tire mounting & balancing equipment, tire repair equipment, tools & tool accessories.

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Buyers’ Guide Synchrony Financial

777 Long Ridge Rd., Stamford, CT 06902 (844) 880-2009 www.synchronybusiness.com/auto Products: Consumer credit & financing, financing & credit programs.

Tire Base Inc.

TECH TBC Brands

4300 TBC Way, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410 (866) 822-4968 www.tbcbrands.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, winter tires, tire tubes, tire valves, tire pressure monitoring systems, wheel weights, steel truck and 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.

Las Vegas, NV 89102 (844) 518-8473 www.tirebase.io Products: Computer software, computer systems, consulting, management programs, online sales systems, pointof-sale/retailing, training programs, website & other online assistance.

200 E Coshocton St., Johnstown, OH 43031 (740) 967-9015 or (800) 433-TECH 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, lug nuts, tire spreaders, safety & protection equipment, hand cleaners, instructor led & on-line tire repair training.

TIRECO Inc.

500 W 190th St., Suite 600, Gardena, CA 90248 (310) 767-7990 www.tireco.com Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, truck tires, specialty tires, tire flaps and tubes, wheels and accessories.

Texa USA

292 Fernwood Ave., Edison, NJ 08837 (855) 200-8392 www.texausa.com Products: ADAS equipment, diagnostic equipment, TPMS diagnostic/ programming tools, tools & tool accessories, computer software.

TBC International

4300 TBC Way, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410 (866) 822-4968 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.

TCS Technologies

26600 SW Parkway Ave., Suite 400, Portland, OR 97070 (888) 449-8473 https://tcstire.com Products: Computer software.

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TireConnect by Bridgestone

254 – 30 Via Renzo Dr., Richmond Hill, Ontario L4S 0B8 (888) 792-7072, ext.101 www.tireconnect.ca Products: Computer software, online sales systems, POS/retailing, tire retailer support programs, website and other online assistance.

Thunderer

1221 Park West Green Dr., Katy, TX 77493 (281) 600-8473 www.thunderertireusa.com www.american-omni.com Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, medium & heavy truck tires.

Tire Agent

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101 West 23rd St., Suite 229, New York, NY 10011 (833) 847-3463 www.tireagent.com Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, OTR tires, medium & heavy truck tires, TPMS sensors, wheels & accessories, point-of-sale/ retailing, consumer credit & financing.

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Tire Pros

Tire Group International LLC

7500 NW 35th Terr., Miami, FL 33122 (305) 696-0096 www.tiregroup.com Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, truck tires, ag/farm tires, motorcycle tires, OTR tires, specialty and trailer tires, ground service equipment tires, solid industrial tires, port tires, implement and flotation tires, motorsports tires, commercial 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.

12200 Herbert Wayne Ct., 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 Rack Wholesale

7015 Vorden Pkwy., South Bend, IN 46628 (574) 287-2316 or (800) 445-0179 www.tirerackwholesale.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.

TireTutor

60 Glen Rd., #110, Brookline, MA 02445 (508) 203-7804 https://tiretutor.com Products: Advertising & marketing programs, computer software, online sales systems, point-of-sale/retailing, social media, website & other online assistance.

Towmax Vanguard

4300 TBC Way, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410 (866) 822-4968 www.towmaxtires.com Products: Specialty tires, ST radial tires, roadside assistance programs, road hazard protection plan.

Toyo Tire U.S.A. Corp.

3565 Harbor Blvd., Costa Mesa, CA 92626 (714) 236-2080 www.toyotires.com Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, medium/heavy truck tires.

TireHub

1 Ravinia Dr. NE, #1300, Dunwoody, GA 30346 (833) 847-3482 www.tirehub.com Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, medium & heavy truck tires, tire identification, tire retailer support programs, tire display racks, transportation & logistics, advertising & marketing programs, online sales systems, training programs, website & other online assistance, social media.

The TireJobs Company

8007 Captains Ct., Frederick, MD 21701 (301) 662-7223 www.tirejobs.com Products: Tire industry recruiter, employment services.

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Tire Service International LLC

3451 S. 40th St., Phoenix, AZ 85040 (800) 223-4540 www.buytsi.com Products: Cheetah and Viper bead seaters, tire service, recycling and waste equipment, manual tire changers, bead breakers, siping and truing equipment, tire cutters and wheel crushers, small footprint aluminum can baler.

Tire//Smart (powered by JMK)

703 S. Glover Ave., Urbana, IL 61802 (217) 384-8891 www.tire-smart.net Products: Computer systems, computer software, consulting, management programs, online sales systems, point-of-sale/retailing.

TRAC

14894 Brighton Rd., Unit C, Brighton, CO 80601 (720) 231-1839 www.liftwithtrac.com Products: Lifts & jacks, shop maintenance equipment, service trucks & associated equipment, tire mounting & balancing equipment, tire handling equipment, tire repair equipment, tools & tool accessories.

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Buyers’ Guide UniAuto Inc. Trailer King

4300 TBC Way, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410 (866) 822-4968 www.trailerkingtires.com Products: Specialty tires, ST radial tires.

TreadWare

P.O. Box 617, Lake Katrine, NY 12449 (845) 802-5191 www.treadware.biz Products: Retreading — equipment, computer software.

Transmax

1221 Park West Green Dr., Katy, TX 77493 (281) 600-8473 www.american-omni.com/transmax Products: Medium & heavy truck tires.

Unicorn Tire

4045 Willow Lake Blvd., Memphis, TN 38118 (901) 547-5866 www.unicorntire.com Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, specialty ST trailer tires, medium/heavy truck tires.

Transamerica Tire Co., Ltd.

5118 Park Ave., Suite 601, Memphis, TN 38117 (949) 312-1908 www.transamericatire.com Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, specialty tires.

900 W. Warm Springs Rd., Suite 111, Henderson, NV 89011 (888) 763-2549 www.uniautousa.com Products: TPMS sensors, wheels & accessories, tire valves.

Trelleborg Tires

107 Audubon Rd., Bldg. 2, Suite 205, Wakefield, MA 01880 (864) 595-2205 www.trelleborg-tires.com/en-us Email: info.twsa@yokohama-tws.com Products: OTR tires, ag/farm tires, industrial tires, specialty tires, forestry tires, port tires, tubes.

Uniroyal, a brand of MNA Inc.

1 Parkway S, Greenville, SC 29615 www.uniroyaltires.com Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, medium/heavy truck tires.

Unverferth Mfg. Co., Inc.

P.O. Box 357, Kalida, OH 45853 (419) 532-3121 www.unverferth.com Products: Agricultural wheels and accessories.

Vee Tire

®

Triangle Tire USA

113 Seaboard Ln., Suite A-180, Franklin, TN 37067 (615) 610-5050 or (888) 847-3745 www.triangletireus.com Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, truck tires, OTR tires, specialty tires.

Bangkok, Thailand Atlanta, GA (504) 247-4367 www.veerubber.co.th Products: Passenger tires, motorcycle tires, OTR tires.

Tread Partners

P.O. Box 3866, Cary, NC 27519 (270) 570-2375 www.TreadPartners.com Products: Advertising & marketing programs, website & other online assistance, digital marketing: PPC & SEO.

Venezia

Trimax Tire- Maxon International

335 N. Puente St., Suite H, Brea, CA 92821 (330) 592-2325 www.trimaxtire.com Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, medium & heavy truck tires.

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1221 Park West Green Dr., Katy, TX 77493 (281) 600-8473 www.veneziatires.com www.american-omni.com Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, medium & heavy truck tires.

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Vercelli

1221 Park West Green Dr., Katy, TX 77493 (281) 600-8473 www.vercellitire.com www.american-omni.com Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, medium & heavy truck tires.

Wegmann automotive USA Inc. 1715 Joe B. Jackson Pkwy., Murfreesboro, TN 37127 (888) 215-4575 www.wegmann-automotive.com Products: Wheel weights.

Wold Rim & Wheel

103 Industrial Park Dr., St. Ansgar, IA 50472 (800) 443-9653 www.woldinc.com Products: Wheels & accessories.

Yokohama Off-Highway Tires America Inc. Vipal Rubber Corp.

2601 NW 89 Ct., Miami, FL 33172 (305) 640-0330 www.vipal.com Products: Retreading — light truck, medium & heavy truck, OTR, equipment and materials.

Vision Wheel

3512 6th Ave. SE, Decatur, AL 35603 (800) 633-3936 www.VisionWheel.com Products: Specialty tires, industrial tires, ag/farm tires, wheels & accessories, TPMS sensors.

Vogue Tyre & Rubber Co.

1101 Feehanville Dr., Mount Prospect, IL 60056 (800) 323-1466 www.voguetyre.com Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, wheels and accessories.

Vöxx Products

1253 E Artesia Blvd., Carson, CA 90746 (310) 783-1613 www.voxxwheel.com Products: Wheels & accessories.

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Western Tires Inc.

222 Pennbright Dr., Suite 135, Houston, TX 77090 (281) 919-1944 www.jktyre-usa.com Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, medium & heavy truck tires, OTR tires, ag/farm tires, industrial tires, specialty tires, motorcycle tires, antique/ classic tires, tire exporter/importer.

201 Edgewater Dr., Suite 285, Wakefield, MA 01880 (339) 900-8080 www.yokohama-atg.com Products: Medium & heavy truck tires, OTR tires, ag/farm tires, industrial tires, specialty tires.

Yokohama Tire Corp.

1 MacArthur Pl., Suite 900, Santa Ana, CA 92707 (800) 423-4544 www.yokohamatire.com Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, medium & heavy truck tires, specialty tires.

West Lake Tires

500 W 190th St., Suite 600, Gardena, CA 90248 (310) 767-7990 www.westlaketireusa.com Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires.

ZC Rubber America Inc. Wheel Consultants Inc.

See listing for Plus Sizing Guide.

WheelerShip

850 Washington Ave., Carlstadt, NJ 07072 (877) 788-8283 www.wheelership.com Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, brake products, wiper blades, headlights, tail lights, other lighting, EV charging products, TPMS sensors, tire gauges, wheels & accessories, center caps.

661 Brea Canyon Rd., Suite 7, Walnut, CA 91789 (909) 598-5585 www.zc-rubber.com Products: Passenger tires, light truck tires, medium & heavy truck tires, OTR tires, ag/farm tires, industrial tires, specialty tires, antique/ classic tires, motorcycle tires, TPMS sensors, tubes, TPMS diagnostic/programming tools.

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Associations National ASE (National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence)

1503 Edwards Ferry Rd. NE, Suite 401, Leesburg, VA 20176 (703) 669-6609 Email: contactus@ase.com www.ase.com Chairman: Tom Trisdale

Auto Care Association

7101 Wisconsin Ave., Suite 1300, Bethesda, MD 20814 (301) 654-6664 Email: info@autocare.org www.autocare.org CEO and president: Bill Hanvey

Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA)

1575 S Valley Vista Dr., Diamond Bar, CA 91765 (909) 610-2030 Email: members@sema.org www.sema.org President and CEO: Mike Spagnola

The Tire Society Inc.

Tire and Rim Association Inc.

Quebec Tire Dealers and Mechanics Association

Automotive Service Association

Tire Industry Association (TIA)

8209 Mid Cities Blvd., Suite 100, North Richland Hills, TX 76182-4712 (817) 514-2900 Email: info@ASAshop.org www.asashop.org Executive director: Julie Massaro

1532 Pointer Ridge Pl., Suite G, Bowie, MD 20716-1883 (301) 430-7280 info@tireindustry.org www.tireindustry.org CEO: Richard “Dick” Gust

MEMA The Vehicle Suppliers Association

Tire Retread and Repair Information Bureau (TRIB)

Retread Tire Association (RTA) P.O. Box 6, Pacific Grove, CA 93950 (831) 620-5345 Email: info@retreadtire.org; jeffrey@retreadtire.org www.retreadtire.org Managing director: Jeffrey Parks

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93 Henderson St., Riverview, New Brunswick E1B 4B6 (506) 386-4306 Email: connorfrank57@gmail.com www.atda.ca Executive director: Frank Connor

Ontario Tire Dealers Association

3699 Luker Rd., Cortland, NY 13045 (607) 756-7775 Email: info@autolift.org www.autolift.org President: R.W. (Bob) O’Gorman

79 TW Alexander Dr., 4501 Research Commons, Suite 200, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709 (919) 549-4800 Email: info@mema.org www.mema.org President and CEO: Bill Long

Atlantic Tire Dealers Association

c/o KnowledgeWorks Global Ltd. 301 Concourse Blvd. Suite 210, Glen Allen, VA 23059 (785) 289-2056 Email: tst.ks@kwglobal.com www.tiresociety.org President: Jim McIntyre 4000 Embassy Pkwy., Suite 390, Akron, Ohio 44333 Phone: (330) 666-8121 Fax: (330) 666-8340 Email: tra@us-tra.org www.us-tra.org Officer: D. Mason

Automotive Lift Institute Inc.

Canada

2202 18th Street NW, Suite 177, Washington, DC 20009 (703) 533-7677 Email: info@retread.org www.retread.org Managing director: David Stevens

Tread Rubber and Tire Repair Materials Manufacturers’ Group (TRMG) (614) 517-8396 www.retreadrepair.org Chairman: Clay Timmons

U.S. Tire Manufacturing Association (USTMA)

4 Oakwood Dr., Port Dover, Ontario N0A 1N4 (289) 887-4046 Email: amoffatt@otda.com www.otda.com Executive director: Adam Moffatt

CP 89022 - CSP Malec, Montreal, Quebec H9C 2Z3 (866) 454-0477 Email: info@aspmq.ca www.aspmq.ca Executive director: Marie-Josée Aubé

Tire and Rubber Association of Canada 5409 Eglinton Ave. West, Suite 208, Etobicoke, Ontario M9C 5K6 (437) 880-8420 Email: info@tracanada.ca www.tracanada.ca President and CEO: Carol Hochu

Tire Dealers Association of Canada 4 Oakwood Dr., Port Dover, Ontario N0A 1N4 (289) 887-4046 Email: amoffatt@otda.com www.tdacanada.ca Executive director: Adam Moffatt

Western Canada Tire Dealers Association 65 Woodbine Rd., Sherwood Park, AB T8A 4A7 (780) 554-9259 Email: rayg@wctd.ca www.wctd.ca Executive director: Ray Geleta

1400 K St. NW, Suite 900, Washington, DC 20005 (202) 682-4800 Email: info@ustires.org www.ustires.org President and CEO: Anne Forristall Luke

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States Alabama Tire Dealers Association 11245 Chantilly Parkway Ct., Pike Road, AL 36064 (334) 834-1848 Email: denise@aaas.us www.alatiredealers.com Executive director: Denise Webb

Alliance of Automotive Service Providers of Illinois 1005 W. Huron St., Chicago, IL 60642 (630) 561-3041 Email: ed@aaspi.org www.aaspir.org Executive director: Julie Lombardo

Arkansas Independent Tire Dealers Association

2201 Miramonte Dr., Sherwood, AR 72120 (501) 940-5979 Email: chucky1938@gmail.com www.aitda.net Executive director: Charlie Edens, Sherwood Tire Pros

Mid-America Tire Dealers Association — Kansas/Nebraska/Oklahoma 7321 NW Rochester Rd., Topeka, KS 66617 (785) 286-1110 Email: herrick.shawn@gmail.com www.matda.org Executive director: Shawn Herrick

Louisiana Tire & Automotive Service Association 620 Florida St. Suite 210, Baton Rouge, LA 70801 (225) 343–2776 Email: info@ltasa.org www.ltasa.org Executive director: Julie Fuselier

Maryland - Chesapeake Automotive Business Association 4174 Ridge Rd., Westminster, MD 21157 (410) 264-1163 Email: info@caba.biz www.caba.biz Executive director: Tim Hollenshade

Michigan Tire & Vehicle Service Association

316 W. Millbrook Rd., Suite 105, Raleigh, NC 27609 (919) 322-0609 Email: info@astausa.org www.astausa.org Executive director: Tricia Sauls

603 S. Washington Ave., Lansing, MI 48933 (517) 372-5656 Email: whallen@retailers. com; mra@retailers.com www.retailers.com President: William J. Hallan

California Tire Dealers Association

Missouri Tire Dealers Association

Automotive Service & Tire Alliance

2235 Park Towne Cir., Second Floor, Sacramento, CA 95825 (650) 357-0600 Email: mconnerly@ connerlyandassociates.com www.catiredealers.com Executive director: Marc Connerly

Georgia Tire Dealers & Automotive Association

P.O. Box 801378, Acworth, GA 30101 (770) 947-2323 Email: ga_tiredealers@bellsouth.net www.gtdaa.com Administrative director: Stacy Jarrett

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P.O. Box 1326, Jefferson City, MO 65102 (573) 636-2292 Email: dsoverfelt@gmail.com; motireindustry@gmail.com www.mtia4u.org Executive director: David Overfelt

Montana Tire Dealers Advisory Council, part of the Montana Retail Association 1645 Parkhill, Suite 6, Billings, MT 59102 (406) 256-1005; (800) 388-0236 Email: Brad.griffin@mtretail.com www.mtretail.com President: Bradley Griffin

New England Tire & Service Association (serving Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Vermont, New Hampshire and Connecticut)

P.O. Box 320166, West Roxbury, MA 02132 (855) 638-7248 Email: netsapros@aol.com or Katie@netsa.org www.netsa.org Executive director: Katie Maguire

New York Tire Dealers Association Inc. 18 Riverleigh Pl., Amityville, NY 11701 (631) 598-3201 Email: ecaramanic@aol.com www.nytda.com President: Ernie Caramanico

Ohio Tire & Automotive Association 50 W. Broad St., Suite 1111, Columbus, OH 43215 (614) 221-7950 Email: info@ohiotire.org www.ohiotire.org President: Jon Boyd

Northwest Auto Care Alliance

P.O. Box 99907, Lakewood, WA 98496 (253) 676-9222 Email: brenda@nwautocare.org www.nwautocare.org Executive director: Brenda Wolsleggel

South Carolina Tire Dealers & Retreaders Association Inc.

P.O. Box 11035, Columbia, SC 29211 (803) 252-7128 Email: leigh@associationsplus.com www.sctiredealer.com President: Skipper Lancaster

Texas Tire and Automotive Association 4600 Spicewood Springs Rd., Suite 103, Austin, TX 78759 (512) 343-8608 or (800) 844-8748 Email: space@ecpi.com www.texastiredealers.org Executive director: Chuck Space

Virginia Automotive Association P.O. Box 29069, Henrico, VA 23242-0069 (804) 739-1400 Email: Keeneygroup@gmail.com www.vaauto.org Executive director: Bo Keeney

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Products Goodyear rolls out new Cooper tire

Pirelli introduces P Zero Winter 2

Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. has launched the newest addition to its Cooper Discoverer line — the Cooper Discoverer Stronghold AT. The new all-terrain tire is designed to deliver traction, regardless of terrain. The tire features 3D sipe technology on its shoulders, wide and open grooves in its tread area and it carries 3-Peak Mountain Snowflake certification. The tire comes with a 60,000-mile treadwear limited warranty. It is available in 28 sizes, fitting wheels ranging from 16 inches to 20 inches in diameter, and is compatible with popular Ram, GMC, Chevy, Ford and Jeep vehicles.

GOODYEAR TIRE & RUBBER CO. www.coopertire.com

Pirelli & Cie SpA has unveiled the Pirelli P Zero Winter 2, which has been designed for high performance electric cars. The P Zero Winter 2, which will be available in North America, comes in 35 sizes, fitting wheels ranging from 18 inches to 22 inches in diameter, and is equipped with the company’s Elect electric vehicle tire technology. Among several other features, the new P Zero Winter 2 features a directional design; 3D sipes; and a tread compound that has been engineered to perform on various winter surfaces.

PIRELLI & CIE SPA www.pirelli.com

Prinx upgrades Fortune TBR lines Prinx Chengshan Tire North America Inc. (PCTNA) has expanded and upgraded its Fortune Tire TBR lineup. The FAM210 line, which has been tailored for mixed-service applications, has added a size 255/70R22.5, 16-ply tire and a wider, new five-rib design in size 315/80R22.5, dubbed the FAM210-A, to significantly boslter both products’ performance capabilities. PCTNA also has introduced the size 315/80R22.5 coach/bus tire in the new FAR603 tread pattern.

According to PCTNA, based on customer feedback, the speed ratings for the 19.5-inch tires has increased to an 87 mph-capable speed rating of N. PRINX CHENGSHAN TIRE NORTH AMERICA INC. www.fortunetireusa.com

Michelin updates BFGoodrich all-terrain tire Michelin North America Inc. has released its BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO3 tire. The new tire is built on the performance of the BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO2 tire. Features include a new tread pattern and all-terrain tread compound to provide longevity and durability, along with full-depth 3D locking sipes; CoreGard Technology that gives the tire sidewall toughness; Advanced Deflection Design to prevent objects from splitting the sidewall; a separated shoulder design; Mud-Phobic bars for traction in mud and snow; and more. The tire will be available in more than 100 sizes. An additional 52 sizes will arrive in 2025 and 19 sizes will be added in 2026.

MICHELIN NORTH AMERICA INC. www.bfgoodrichtires.com

Omni United expands Renegade-X range Ralson unveils RAC55 TBR tire Ralson Tire North America Inc. has introduced its Ralson RAC55 all-position TBR tire for construction and waste haul applications. The tire features an enhanced chip/ cut compound for extra durability and an open shoulder design with shoulder ejectors for maximum use on and off the highway. The tire comes in three sizes — 315/80R22.5, 11R22.5 and 11R24.5 — and is backed by a seven-year, three-retread warranty.

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Omni United (S) Pte. Ltd. has expanded the Radar Renegade-X line with the addition of six new SKUs. The extension gives the Radar Renegade-X a total of 16 SKUs. The newly launched SKUs are: LT295/70R17 128/125Q E; LT295/70R18 129/126Q E; 33x12.50R18LT 118 Q E; LT295/65R20 129/126Q E; 37x12.50R20LT 128 Q F; and 37x13.50R20LT 127Q E. The Renegade-X was launched in 2021 and designed in collaboration with the Italian automotive design house, GFG Style. It features a high void-to-lug ratio and deep side blocks for traction and grip on rocks and soft soil; stone ejectors and serrations on the bottom of its tread for puncture resistance; three-ply sidewall construction, and more.

OMNI UNITED (S) PTE. LTD. www.omni-united.com MTD July 2024

6/28/24 2:26 PM

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Products Vogue expands Custom Built lineup

Yokohama unveils Geolandar A/T4 G018 tire

Vogue Tyre & Rubber Co. has introduced two new sizes to its Custom Built Radial lineup — the Custom Built Radial SCT2 white/gold in size 275/50R22 for SUVs and crossovers and the Custom Built Radial white/gold in size 245/40R19 for passenger cars . The Custom Built Radial SCT2 is designed as the original equipment fitment for popular SUVs, crossovers and light trucks, such as the Cadillac Escalade and Ford F-150 Limited. Additionally, the new 245/40R19 size caters to the growing market of luxury sedans, fitting the Cadillac CT5, BMW 5 and 6 Series and the Mercedes E-Class.

VOGUE TYRE & RUBBER CO. www.voguetyre.com

Yokohama Tire Corp. has expanded its Geolandar line with the new, all-terrain Geolandar A/T4 G018. The tire, which replaces the Geolandar A/T G015, is engineered for trucks, SUVs and CUVs and will be available in more than 100 sizes, fitting wheels ranging from 15 inches to 22 inches in diameter. The Geolandar A/T4 G018 is 3-Peak Mountain Snowflake-certified and has a dual-sidewall design.

Other features of the tire include Yokohama’s GeoShield technology, which delivers off-road durability via multiple sidewall plies; Yokohama’s Enduro-Compound, a proprietary triple polymer that combats cutting and chipping; and more.

YOKOHAMA TIRE CORP. www.yokohamatire.com

OTR Engineered Solutions unveils Koa Warrior The Koa Warrior ATV tire from OTR Engineered Solutions features a new tread pattern and better traction and stability in off-road conditions. The directional tread pattern of the Koa Warrior has been designed to channel mud, water and debris away from the tire for better traction and stability. The new tire is made from high-quality materials and features reinforced sidewalls and puncture-resistant construction for better durability. The Koa Warrior is available in 13 sizes.

OTR ENGINEERED SOLUTIONS www.otrwheel.com

Transamerica launches Predator Mutant RT tire The Predator Mutant RT Trail tire from Transamerica Tire Co. Ltd. is designed for light trucks and SUV applications. The hybrid rugged terrain tire offers a unique, aggressive tread pattern for minimal road noise. The tire also features an optimized void-tolug ratio designed to handleextreme off-road conditions; advanced tread pattern and pitch variation to tame road noise; thick three-dimensional sidewall and shoulder lugs; an advanced all-terrain tread compound; and more.

TRANSAMERICA TIRE CO. LTD. www.predatortires.com

GRI expands ag, construction portfolio

CMA/Double Coin adds ST radials

Global Rubber Industries Pvt. Ltd. (GRI) has expanded its ag and construction tire portfolios with the addition of 11 new SKUs. The larger product portfolio includes tires designed for implementation and flotation machinery in agriculture applications and skid steers in the construction category. The expanded portfolio includes the Green XLR F77 in size 560/60R22.5; the Green EX Rib3 in size 400/60-15.5, the Green EX I-100 in size 12.5L-15, the XPT SS in size 12-16.5 and eight additional sizes for the Green EX I-100 DOT. GLOBAL RUBBER INDUSTRIES PVT. LTD. www.gritires.com

CMA LLC/Double Coin has introduced two new, all-steel ST radial tires to the Double Coin lineup. Based on the popular RT500 model, the tires, in sizes ST235/80R16 and ST235/85R16, are designed for high-speed trailer use. Features of the new tires include a large steel casing for an optimized carrying capacity, optimized tread depth for reduced heat build-up and wide shoulders for stability. The tires are designed for RV trailers, fifth-wheel trailers, horse trailers, utility trailers and boat trailers.

CMA LLC/DOUBLE COIN www.doublecointires.com

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TPMS

Chevrolet Equinox 2023 ■

DESCRIPTION & OPERATION

The tire pressure monitor system warns the driver when a significant loss of tire pressure occurs in any of the equipped tires. It allows the driver to display the individual tire pressures and their locations on the driver information center. When the vehicle is stationary, the sensor’s internal shock sensor is inactive which puts the sensors into a Stationary state. In this state the sensors sample tire pressure once every 30 seconds and do not transmit if the tire pressure does not change. As vehicle speed increases, the shock sensor pulses every wheel rotation, which puts the sensor into Rolling mode. The remote control door lock receiver receives and then sends the tire pressure and temperature data to the body control module (BCM). The BCM translates the data contained in the tire pressure sensor radio frequency transmissions into sensor presence, sensor mode and tire pressure. Once the vehicle speed is greater than 25 mph, the sensors begin to transmit once a minute keeping the pressure data up to date.

Each sensor has its own unique identification (ID) code which it transmits as part of each RF message and must be learned into the BCM memory.

Once all four IDs have been learned and vehicle speed is greater than 25 mph, the BCM continuously compares IDs and

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pressure data in the received transmissions to the learned IDs and pressures to determine if all four sensors are present and if one or more tires are low.

Photos: Mitchell 1 If t he BCM detects a low tire pressure condition, or a malfunction in the system, it will send a serial data message to the instrument cluster requesting the appropriate tire pressure monitor indicator illumination and also to display the appropriate data message on the driver information center, if equipped.

TIRE PRESSURE INDICATOR SENSOR LEARN Tire Pressure Sensor Learn with EL-52545 (preferred)

The EL-52545 allows the tire pressure sensors to be learned without transmitting RF data between the tire pressure sensors and the vehicle. When using the EL-52545, each tire pressure sensor ID is learned and stored internally. The EL-52545 is then connected to

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TPMS the vehicle DLC using the OBD2 Interface Module, which is part of the EL-52545 kit. The stored tire pressure sensor information then will be loaded into the K9 Body Control Module. Using the EL-52545 to learn tire pressure sensors will prevent the vehicle from learning an errant nearby tire pressure sensor from other vehicles in a service facility environment, especially if the tire pressure sensor batteries are low. This is the GM recommended method to learn tire pressure sensors.

1. Turn on EL-52545.

2. Select RDR from the on-screen display.

Make sure the TPMS tool battery is sufficient to complete the learn process. Do not place the TPMS tool directly on the valve stem. The tool should be placed against the tire sidewall near the valve stem. The sensor learn activation procedure may have to be repeated up to three times before determining if a sensor is malfunctioning.

3. If available, scan the QR code on the vehicle’s tire placard or certification label. If a QR is not available, select MMY from the on-screen display and manually input the vehicle information.

4. Approach the vehicle starting with the left front tire and read each tire pressure sensor information by pressing the green trigger button with the EL-52545 located near the tire valve stem. Read each tire pressure sensor in the order identified on the EL-52545.

If any sensors display “Sensor Not Compatible” on the EL-52545 screen, you will need to first make sure compatible sensors are installed on the vehicle.

5. If any tire pressure sensors do not respond, replace the tire pressure sensor only after several attempts have been made to identify all sensors. An undetected sensor will be identified with “No Sensor Detected” displayed in the table. After sensor replacement rerun RDR procedure.

6. Verify the BAT value for each tire pressure sensor in the table on the EL-52545 is OK. If the value is not OK, replace the tire pressure sensor and rerun RDR procedure.

7. Verify the pressure and temperature values are reasonable based on the ambient conditions and actual tire pressure.

If either value is inaccurate, replace the tire pressure sensor and rerun RDR procedure.

8. Ignition On/Vehicle in Service Mode.

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9. Connect the EL-52545 OBD2 Interface Module to the EL-52545.

10. Verify the OBDII icon is displayed on the EL-52545 and the green com LED is flashing on the EL-52545 OBD2 Interface Module.

11. Connect the other end of the OBD2 Interface Module to the vehicle DLC. 12. Select OK on the EL-52545 and follow the on-screen instructions.

Tire Pressure Sensor Learn with EL-50448 (alternative)

When EL-50448 Tire Pressure Monitor Sensor Activation Tool is used in activate mode, it produces a low frequency transmission that activates the sensor. The sensor responds to a low frequency activation by transmitting in Learn Mode-Remotely Triggered.

When the BCM receives a learn mode transmission while in Learn mode, it will assign that sensor’s ID to the location on the vehicle relative to the order in which it was learned.

In the event a particular sensor is activated and the horn does not chirp, it may be necessary to rotate the wheel so that the valve stem is in a different position, because the sensor signal is being blocked by another component.

1. Ignition On/Vehicle in Service Mode, using driver information center buttons or scan tool (if available), initiate the Tire Pressure Sensors Learn mode. A double horn chirp will sound indicating the Learn mode has been enabled. The left front turn signal will also be illuminated.

2. Starting with the left front tire, activate the sensor by holding the antenna of the tire pressure monitor activation tool aimed upward against the tire sidewall close to the wheel rim at the valve stem location. Press and release the activate button.

Ensure the transmit indicator on the special tool indicates the sensor activation signal is being transmitted. Wait for a horn chirp. If the horn does not chirp, repeat the sensor activation sequence with the tool. Once the horn chirp has sounded, the sensor information is learned and the turn signal in the next location to be learned will illuminate.

3. After the horn chirp has sounded and the right front turn signal is illuminated, repeat the previous step for the remaining sensors in the following order: Right front / Right rear / Left rear.

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TPMS 4. When the left rear sensor has been learned and a double horn chirp has sounded, the learn process is complete and the BCM exits Learn mode.

TIRE DEMOUNTING AND MOUNTING Demounting Procedure

1. Raise and support the vehicle.

2. Remove the tire and wheel assembly.

3. Remove the valve core and release the air pressure.

4. Deflate the tire completely.

5. Use the tire changing machine to remove the tire from the wheel following the manufacturer-specific directions for the tire changing machine being used. (Center-Clamp tire changers are recommended.)

Failure to position valve stem in proper position while demounting and mounting the tire may result in the TPMS sensor becoming damaged.

6. When separating the tire bead from the wheel, do not allow the bead breaker to contact the valve stem/TPMS sensor as they will be damaged.

7. Position the tire machine removal head to the outer tire bead so it will operate without contacting the valve stem/ TPMS sensor.

8. Using the tire changing machine, remove the outer tire bead from the wheel.

9. Position the tire machine removal head to the outer tire

bead so it will operate without contacting the valve stem/ TPMS sensor.

10. Using the tire changing machine, remove the inner tire bead from the wheel and remove the tire.

11. If a tire sealant product was used/found within the tire, and the tire is repairable, use a mild dish soap, clean water and shop cloths to remove the sealant residue. (Refer to information on the tire sealant Material Safety Data Sheet and follow guidelines for handling and disposal.)

12. If a confirmed GM approved tire sealant product has been used/found within the tire, use a mild dish soap, clean water and shop cloths to remove the sealant residue from the tire pressure indicator sensor.

13. If a tire sealant product was used/found within the tire, and it cannot be confirmed that a GM approved product was used, replace the tire pressure indicator sensor.

14. Use medium coarseness steel wool to remove any rubber or corrosion from the wheel bead seats.

15. Inspect the tire and wheel for any damage, replace as necessary.

Mounting Procedure

When mounting the tires, use an approved tire mounting lubricant.

Do not use silicon or corrosive base compounds to lubricate the tire bead and the wheel. A silicon-base compound can cause the tire to slip on the rim. A corrosive type compound can cause tire or rim deterioration.

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TPMS 1. Apply mounting lubricant to the tire bead and the wheel.

2. Use the tire changing machine to install the tire to the wheel following the manufacturer directions for the tire changing machine being used. (Center-Clamp tire changers are recommended.)

3. Place the inner tire bead onto the wheel.

Failure to position the valve stem in proper position while demounting and mounting the tire may result in the TPMS sensor becoming damaged.

4. Position the tire machine installation head to the inner tire bead so it will operate without contacting the valve stem/ TPMS sensor.

5. Using the tire changing machine, install the inner tire bead to the wheel.

6. Position the tire machine installation head to the outer tire bead so as it will operate without contacting the valve stem/ TPMS sensor.

7. Using the tire changing machine, install the outer tire bead to the wheel.

To avoid serious personal injury, do not stand over the tire when inflating. The bead may break when the bead snaps over the safety hump. Do not exceed 40 psi pressure when inflating any tire if the beads are not seated. If 40 psi pressure will not seat the beads, deflate, relubricate the beads and reinflate. Overinflation may cause the bead to break and cause serious personal injury.

8. Some run-flat tires may require more than 40 psi to seat the bead. In such a case, a tire safety cage must be used. Consult the tire manufacturer for its individual repair policy.

9. Inflate the tire until it passes the bead humps. Be sure that the valve core is not installed at this time.

10. Install the valve core to the valve core stem.

11. Inflate the tire to the specified pressure as stated on the tire placard.

12. Balance the tire and wheel assembly.

13. Install the tire and wheel assembly.

14. Remove the support and lower the vehicle.

TIRE PRESSURE SENSOR REMOVAL AND INSTALLATION Removal Procedure

1. Raise and support the vehicle.

2. Remove the tire and wheel assembly.

3. Demount the tire from the rim.

4. Insert an anti rotation pin through the cross-drilled hole in the valve stem.

5. Hold the valve stem to prevent it from rotating, then remove and discard the bolt from the tire pressure indicator sensor.

6. Pull the tire pressure indicator sensor straight off the valve stem. Do not twist the tire pressure indicator sensor to remove.

7. Cut the inner seal off the valve stem.

Do not scratch or damage the clear coating on aluminum wheels with the tire changing equipment. Scratching the clear coating could cause the aluminum wheel to corrode and the clear coating to peel from the wheel.

8. Remove and discard the valve stem by pulling it through the wheel using a valve stem removal tool.

9. Clean all sealing surfaces.

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TORQUE SPECIFICATIONS Single Use Threaded Fastener/ Component Tightening Specifications

Tire Pressure Indicator Sensor Bolt Metric (English): 1.4 N.m (12.4 lb in) Reusable Threaded Fastener Tightening Specifications Wheel Nut Metric (English): 140 N.m (103 lb ft)

Installation Procedure

The tire pressure indicator sensor is supplied assembled to a new valve stem. They must be separated before installation.

1. Remove the new bolt from the tire pressure indicator sensor and pull it straight off the new valve stem.

2. Apply lubricant to the new valve stem. (Valve stems and bolts are single use items.)

3. Using a tire pressure valve stem mounting tool, pull the valve stem through in a direction parallel to the valve hole on the wheel.

• Ensure the flat surfaces of the tire pressure indicator sensor and the tire pressure valve stem are located correctly.

• Rotate the valve stem by hand to align the tire pressure indicator sensor.

• Do not tighten the bolt at this stage.

4. Assemble the tire pressure indicator sensor to the valve stem and install the new bolt hand tight.

5. Insert an anti-rotation pin through the cross-drilled hole in the valve stem.

6. Hold the valve stem to prevent it from rotating and tighten the bolt to 1.4 N.m (12.4 lb in).

7. Check the valve stem to ensure that it is fully seated on the wheel as follows: • The wheel hole edge has to be completely in the notch of the valve stem.

• The valve and the wheel hole have to be concentric.

8. Make sure there is a parallel gap between the valve stem and the tire pressure indicator sensor. The tire pressure indicator sensor must NOT be in contact with the wheel.

9. When correctly positioned there will be a parallel gap between the tire pressure indicator sensor and the wheel.

NOTE: Tire pressure indicator sensors are shipped in the OFF mode. The sensor will exit its OFF state when the tire is inflated. Also, the tire should not have contact with the tire pressure indicator sensor during installation to prevent damage to the sensor.

10. Mount the tire to the wheel. Install the tire and wheel assembly, and remove the support and lower the vehicle.

11. Perform the tire pressure indicator sensor learn procedure. ■ 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 San Diego, Mitchell 1 has provided quality repair information solutions to the automotive industry since 1918. For more information, visit www.mitchell1.com.

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6/28/24 2:26 PM

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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

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ADVERTISER

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1-800EveryRim OEM Wheels

39

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ACDC

37

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American Omni Trading

17

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American Omni Trading

65

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Atlas Automotive Equipment

47

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Atturo Tires

5

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Autel

21

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Bandit Tires

19

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Bartec TPMS

93

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BKT USA Inc.

11

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Continental Corporation

95

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Continental Tire

31

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Dobermann North America

35

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DRC Tires

49

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Fortune Tires

51

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Foxwell Technology

56

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Hunter Engineering Company

30

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K&M Tire

55

www.kmtire.com

Kenda Tires USA

IBC

automotive.kendatire.com

Kerridge Commercial Systems

27

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Lexani Performance Tires

23

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Linglong Americas Inc.

7

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Maxxis Tires

53

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Mr. Tire/Big 3 Tire

91

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Nitto Tire U.S.A. Inc.

OBC

www.nittoenthusiastcircuit.com/apply

Pirelli Tire

41

www.pirelli.com

Point S Tire & Auto

33

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Prinx Tires

Front Cover Tip

www.prinxtireusa.com

Radar Tires

9

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Ranger Products

25, 67

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Road Ready Wheels

32

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Sumitomo Tires

15

www.sumitomotire.com

Synchrony

63

www.synchronybusiness.com/auto

The per

Tireco Inc.

45

www.milestartires.com

• As

TRAC

62

www.liftwithtrac.com

Transamerica Tire Company Ltd.

IFC

www.predatortires.com

Vredestein Tires

13

www.vredestein.com

Western Tires Inc.

29

www.jktyre-usa.com

WheelerShip LLC

57

www.wheelership.com

Yokohama Off-Highway Tires America Inc.

43

www.yokohama-atg.com

ZC Rubber America Inc.

59

www.arisuntires.com

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