Modern Tire Dealer - June 2024

Tiremakers discuss what the rest of 2024 will bring

Photo: MTD

By

THow do you become a tire dealer?

COLLEGE GRAD WANTS TO KNOW. CAN YOU HELP HIM?

his past January, I received an unsolicited, out-of-the-blue email that said:

“My name is Ben Rasmussen. I am an MBA student at Brigham Young University, heading into my final semester of my program. I have been interested in the tire dealership space for some time now and have had some experience with the space. My experience has been from a tertiary financing perspective (lease-to-own options for customers at point of sale) and our biggest vertical was always the tire dealerships. I am developing an investment strategy around rolling up tire dealers through a self-funded acquisitions search and I wanted to ask you a few questions, given your expertise.”

Not knowing Ben from Adam, I was intrigued. Was he serious? Why would a college student want to buy a tire store, as opposed to another business? What was his plan? Did he have a timeline in mind? I replied to Ben and soon learned that number one, he is serious; number two, he admires tire dealers and is excited about the prospect of owning a tire dealership; and number three, he wants to learn more about owning a tire dealership before he takes the plunge.

Ben is looking for expert advice. That’s why I’m introducing him to you. But first, some more background.

Ben’s self-described “journey” into the tire industry began when he worked “for a finance company that provides leases and loans” for cash-strapped consumers, including tire buyers.

While at that job, he interacted with independent tire dealers. “I loved talking with them,” he told me. “They were passionate about what they did. They loved their customers. And I couldn’t ignore how well a lot of them were doing. This exposure sparked my interest (in) and appreciation for” tire retailing.

“I have always enjoyed working with small teams of hard-working, honest folks who value their craft and support one another. Tire dealers fit this description well. A well-run tire dealership can create value and wealth that can be shared among those involved.

“During my MBA, I discovered the concept of entrepreneurship through acquisition. The (tire) industry’s ongoing consolidation and the opportunity to continue a shop’s legacy, along with its owner’s, in a sector that’s adapting well to innovations also was

Ben Rasmussen wants to own his own tire dealership one day. He’s looking for advice from successful tire dealers.

Photo: Ben Rasmussen

‘The (tire) industry’s ongoing consolidation and the opportunity to continue a shop’s legacy, along with its owner’s, in a sector that’s adapting well to innovations also was a key factor.’

a key factor. I’m drawn to the idea of maintaining integrity and providing long-lasting value. Lastly, few (businesses) challenge an entrepreneur in all aspects of business as tire dealerships. As I have read MTD’s articles, including those outlining tips and best practices, I see the tire industry as equal parts rewarding and challenging.”

Ben told me he envisions a long-term career as a tire dealer. “Conversations with industry veterans, like a retired manager from American Tire Distributors who shared his passion and experience, have only enhanced my desire to build a rewarding career in the tire industry.

“Purchasing my first tire dealership will take a tremendous amount of time and effort. My expertise in business operations, honed over a decade before pursuing my MBA, complements my eagerness to learn and contribute to the tire industry.” (For the record, Ben is 36 years old.)

“But your readers are the experts and I want to learn from them. I am especially interested in aiding those seeking retirement from their current dealership. As someone passionate yet relatively new to the tire industry, I welcome advice, leads on purchasing healthy tire dealerships or simply discussions.”

Ben added that his search “could span one to two years or more, depending on finding the right opportunity,” and that he has “already engaged with several tire dealers in Utah and the Midwest.”

Tire industry “newbies” open tire dealerships all the time. We’ve highlighted many of these entrepreneurs in the pages of MTD. Could Ben, who graduated with his MBA last month, be next? He certainly has the dream. And I get the impression he has the drive to make it happen.

He just needs an already-successful tire dealer or two who would be willing to act as a sounding board, answer a few questions and share some advice.

One of the many things I’ve learned about tire dealers is that they are extremely generous people who enjoy helping others — especially those who take a sincere interest in our great industry. Let me know if you’d like to talk with Ben. I would be happy to put you in touch with him. ■

If you have any questions or comments, please email me at mmanges@endeavorb2b.com.

Mike Manges

ModernTireDealer.com

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Travels and tariffs

This spring, the MTD team has covered lots of miles attending dealer meetings, product launches and the openings of new production and warehouse facilities. At the same time, one of the biggest questions of 2024 has been preliminarily answered: how much of a tariff will be tacked onto truck tires imported from Thailand? The early answer? A minimal one. Read more on page 10.

1. Photos: Turbo hosts huge open house

2. One tiremaker wins in initial Thailand TBR tariff

3. Photos: ITDG members gather in Mexico

4. Who are the biggest retreaders?

5. Photos: Yokohama goes off-roading in Texas

6. Sailun breaks ground on Mexico factory

7. Michelin releases BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO3

8. Goodturn Tire looks to grow through acquisitions

9. Hankook appoints new sales team members

10. How are EV tires tested?

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MTD Publisher Greg Smith presented a market overview during the annual meeting of Independent Tire Dealer Group LLC members.

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Continental has big aspirations for retreading

GROWTH FOCUS IS ON INDEPENDENT DEALERS

Continental Tire the Americas LLC is ramping up investment in its United States retreading business.

“We have big aspirations going forward,” Shaun Uys, vice president, truck tires, U.S., Continental, said during an event at the company’s new Retread Solutions Development Center in Rock Hill, S.C.

That includes signing more independent retreaders to supplement Continental’s 30 company-owned Best Drive locations.

Uys told attendees Continental believes that “if you’re not in the retreading business, you’re not a real premium player.

“Our main growth focus is independent dealers. It’s not going to be a focus on our company-owned shops. We’ll go there if we have to. But by far, our preference is to go with independent operators.”

Retreading is a critical component of Continental’s Conti 360-Degree Solutions program for trucking fleets, which also includes the firm’s digital ContiConnectLive tire monitoring system, embedded tire sensors and other offerings, according to Uys.

“We have our three brands in the new tire market — the Continental brand, the General brand and the Ameristeel brand. And we offer Continental tread rubber in three different tiers.”

Continental sources precure tread rubber from its Mount Vernon, Ill., plant, plus a Continental-owned facility in Mexico.

Uys told MTD that Continental has been systematically investing in a number of initiatives to prepare for its current push.

“We’ve taken time to mature (Continental’s retread) processes. We also needed the software to be developed in order to run shops. We’ve invested in our capacity of precure treads. We’ve invested in capacity of cushion gum manufacturing.”

He added that ongoing investment at Continental’s medium truck tire manufacturing plant in Clinton, Miss., which

opened in 2020, has provided “new tire capacity to match the retread capacity we’ve managed to build up over time.

“I think our retread program is really, really competitive,” he said. “We have great software, We have a great process. We also have a couple of proprietary things that will be coming. And we’ve made great strides with fleets.

“Before COVID-19, you had a lot of fleets that were single-source” when it came to tire and retread supply. “That has changed. We’re in a really good place when (a fleet) wants to diversify from a single source. We have a great original equipment presence that’s growing. The U.S. market, as a whole, is very strategic for us and we’ve been given a lot of resources.”

Among those resources is Continental’s new Retread Solutions Development Center, which John Cox, head of retread, truck tire, the Americas, said represents “a significant development in our future.”

The facility will be used for retread machine and process optimization, product research and development, technician training and customer tours, he explained.

“As we deploy new technology, we’ll

“Our main growth focus is independent dealers,” Shaun Uys, vice president, truck tires, U.S., Continental Tire the Americas LLC, said during a recent event at the company’s new Retread Solutions Development Center in Rock Hill, S.C.

Photo: MTD

bring customers in,” Cox told MTD. “We will be doing test builds for new products. Whenever we develop a new tire, the same effort goes into the retread.”

The center will play an important role in Continental’s efforts to “make a compelling business case” for the company’s retreading products and system and “to show what the Continental difference is.

“We’re a small player in the market, but I think that’s where the opportunities are,” said Cox, who added that he believes the U.S. retread market “is primed for disruption. And that comes from what we’re doing here, what we’re doing with our R&D and all of the other (things) we’re putting in place.

“We’re 100% invested in retreading,” he added. “And we really believe in what we’re doing. The sky’s the limit.” — Mike Manges

Industry News

Bites

Monro fights weak market

Monro Inc. closed its 2024 fiscal year with a 3.7% decrease in overall sales, which it attributed to consumers who either deferred tire purchases or traded down to less expensive tire brands. For the year, Monro’s sales totaled $1.27 billion, down from $1.32 billion recorded the previous year.

Sailun breaks ground

The Sailun Group has broken ground for its new factory in Guanajuato, Mexico, which is expected to boost production by six million tires per year. The factory is a $240 million investment for the company.

Conti invests in Sumter

Continental Tire the Americas LLC recently installed a new extruder line at its consumer tire manufacturing plant in Sumter, S.C. The plant is marking its 10th anniversary. Continental says its total annual production capacity in the U.S. exceeds 16 million units.

Atturo finds distributor

Atturo Tire Corp. has entered a distribution agreement with the Canadian Powersports distributor Importations Thibault ltée. The deal allows Importations Thibault to provide dealers across all of Canada’s provinces with access to Atturo’s lineup of SXS tires.

Tire Discounters plays ball

Tire Discounters Inc. has been named the “Proud Tire Retailer” of the Atlanta Braves. When Braves players hit home runs, fans will save on new tires, plus a free alignment and oil change. The more home runs that are hit, the higher the instant savings on Goodyear or Cooper brand tires the next business day.

Goodturn Tire grows

Goodturn Tire & Auto is looking for more tire dealerships to add to its network, which currently includes more than 20 locations. Founded by former investment bankers David Manning and Seth Sands, Goodturn Tire & Auto acquired Collier Car Care in Naples, Fla., this past April.

One tiremaker wins in initial Thailand TBR tariff determination

One tiremaker in Thailand apparently has proven to the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) that it hasn’t dumped truck tires into the U.S. market and thus isn’t facing a tariff.

In a preliminary ruling published on May 15, the DOC said it will leverage a 2.35% tariff on truck tires from Bridgestone Corp. that are made in Thailand. But the other company that served as a mandatory respondent and provided in-depth data for its products, Prinx Chengshan Tire (Thailand) Co. Ltd., was assessed a rate of 0%. All other truck tire importers from Thailand will be accessed the same 2.35% tariff as Bridgestone.

A preliminary decision by the U.S. Department of Commerce will assess a 2.35% tariff on most TBR tires imported into the U.S. from Thailand. The exception is truck tires from Prinx Chengshan (Thailand) Co. Ltd.

Photo: Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.

The low-single-digit rate reflects a stark difference from what the United Steelworkers (USW) union alleged in its initial petition. The union claimed tiremakers in Thailand were dumping large numbers of tires into the U.S. market — at a margin of 47.81%. (The union arrived at that number by comparing what it called the “ex-factory price based on constructed value” of $229.09 and comparing it to the “ex-factory price based on import AUV” U.S. price of $152.96.)

In addition to wondering what the tariff rates might be, the tire industry has been curious if tariffs might be applied retroactively — meaning they’d be assessed on products that were shipped into U.S. ports even before the October 2023 date that the USW filed its petition. But the DOC says there’s no evidence that “critical circumstances” exist in this case. And that means that even the 2.35% tariff won’t be imposed on products retroactively.

This decision is just a preliminary one. There’s another round of research, data and comments that will involve all the interested parties. A final decision typically is due 75 days after the preliminary rule is published in the Federal Register. Both Prinx and Bridgestone filed requests to delay that final decision and the DOC agreed to the extension, so it will come 135 days later.

For the period of investigation — October 2022 through September 2023 — Prinx has said it was the second largest exporter of truck tires from Thailand. (Bridgestone has said it was one of the two largest exporters.) —Joy Kopcha

Byrd promoted to CEO of TBC

Don Byrd is the new president and CEO of TBC Corp, effective May 1. He replaced Sam Kato, who has returned to Sumitomo Corporation of Americas, one of TBC’s shareholders.

TBC officials say that Byrd’s appointment “follows a strategic plan developed in collaboration with Kato.”

“Don Byrd has worked hand-in-hand with Sam and the other members of TBC’s executive leadership team to build out the company’s current winning strategy,” says Kei Kubota, TBC board member.

Byrd says that “as CEO, I will continue to execute on this strategic vision.”

Byrd joined TBC in April 2018 as executive vice president of TBC and president and chief operating officer of National Tire Wholesale. He was soon named president of TBC purchasing and assumed additional responsibilities as chief marketing and strategy officer.

Prior to joining TBC, Byrd served as the chief operating officer and president of Tire Centers Incorporated LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Michelin North America Inc.

Before TBC and Michelin, he spent 19 years at Procter & Gamble in various marketing and operations roles.

Bites Sullivan Tire picks up Stratham Tire outlets

Prinx creates ‘Team Drive’

Prinx Chengshan Tire North America Inc. has created Team Drive to connect the world of tires to pickleball. The company’s Fortune Tires brand is the official tire of USA Pickleball. Team Drive will focus on safety, performance and community engagement and aims to enhance the experience of driving to pickleball tournaments.

Hankook iON wins fitment

Hankook Tire America Corp.’s iON evo electric vehicle tire is now original equipment on the Porsche Taycan. The tire also has earned International Sustainability and Carbon Certification.

TGI hosts big car show

Tire Group International LLC’s (TGI) Cosmo brand recently hosted its second annual Kool Kat Ambush car and truck show at TGI headquarters in Miami, Fla. The event featured a variety of vehicles, including a 1968 Shelby GT350, a one-off custom 1963 Lincoln Continental and a $2 million Porsche Carrera GT.

McCarthy Tire joins TAT

McCarthy Tire Service Co. Inc. has announced a new partnership with Truckers Against Trafficking, a national nonprofit dedicated to ending human trafficking. McCarthy Tire Service is working to equip its employees with information to identify and report human trafficking, providing them with wallet cards and decals to share with customers.

Shipping is on the rise

Shipping via the Middle East remains plagued by issues, but container ship traffic from Asia to North America is up, says shipping industry consultant Drewry. Asia-West Coast traffic is up 26% year-over-year.

TRIB updates site

The Tire Retread & Repair Information Bureau (TRIB) has launched its redesigned website, showcasing a modern interface and TRIB’s Retread Environmental Savings Calculator.

Norwell, Mass.-based Sullivan Tire Co. Inc. has expanded its footprint by buying the assets of seven Stratham Tire locations.

The stores are located in Bangor and Auburn, Maine, and in Portsmouth and Brentwood, N.H. They opened as Sullivan Tire locations, effective June 5.

All of the newly acquired locations will continue to provide complete auto service, while the Bangor, Auburn and Brentwood outlets also will offer commercial truck tires and service.

“Current employees at the Stratham Tire locations will have the opportunity to stay on as Sullivan Tire employees, maintaining the local relationships that have been established in the area,” according to Sullivan Tire officials.

“Sullivan Tire plans to renovate each location over time, remaining open throughout the process.”

“Stratham Tire is an iconic New England-based company that began in 1961,” says Paul Sullivan, Sullivan Tire’s vice president of marketing. “We are honored to add the Stratham Tire locations to our growing business. We look forward to serving their customers and expanding our community involvement in Maine and New Hampshire.”

Sullivan Tire has 83 retail locations, 21 commercial truck centers, 14 wholesale distribution satellite locations, two truck tire retread plants, two LiftWorks facilities and five distribution centers across Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Connecticut and Maine.

The dealership is the 13th largest independent tire store chain in the United States, according to the 2023 MTD 100.

Ryan Waldron named president of Goodyear Americas

Ryan Waldron has replaced Steve McClellan as president of Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.’s Americas business unit. He reports to Goodyear CEO and President Mark Stewart.

“At Goodyear, our customers are at the center of everything we do and in Ryan Waldron, we have a customer-centric, execution-focused business leader with a deep understanding of both the marketplace and all aspects of our business, as well as a proven track record of delivering results.” says Stewart.

“I am thrilled to announce him as president of Goodyear’s Americas business and have enormous confidence that under his leadership, both the company and our customers will reach even greater levels of success.”

Waldron joined Goodyear in 2003 and has served in leadership roles in finance and supply chain for multiple North American business areas. In 2012, he was named vice president of supply chain, logistics and procurement. He later served as the vice president of sales operations and strategy; vice president of business and process integration; and vice president of global off-highway businesses and chemical operations for Goodyear. Most recently, Waldron was president of Goodyear’s North American consumer business.

“I’m both humbled and excited to take on this important role at such a pivotal time for Goodyear,” he says.

“Stratham Tire is an iconic New England-based company that began in 1961,” says Paul Sullivan, Sullivan Tire’s vice president of marketing.

Photo: Sullivan Tire Co. Inc.

Waldron has worked for Goodyear since 2003. He most recently served as president of the North American consumer business.

Photo: Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.

Bites

CMA launches portal

CMA LLC/Double Coin has launched a new dealer portal that offers streamlined processes, real-time information and navigation tools for CMA/Double Coin customers. Users can place orders, track their progress and view order/invoice history.

Smithers Summit returns

Smithers’ Traction Summit will return to Charlotte, N.C., Aug. 13-14, with a focus on sustainability in tires. Its agenda features speakers from Discount Tire, Continental Tire the Americas LLC and other groups.

Apollo opens office

Apollo Tyres Ltd., which owns and markets the Vredestein brand, has opened its new office in Atlanta, Ga., inside the city’s historic King & Queen building.

Giti accuses shipper of ‘excessive’ fees

Giti Tire (USA) Ltd. has filed a complaint with the Federal Maritime Commission against a shipping carrier for its invoicing practices related to the “millions of dollars in unreasonable demurrage and detention charges” the tiremaker was billed.

In the complaint, Giti says in a period from 2021 to 2023 it used Flexport International LLC to ship containers from an overseas port to the U.S. Giti says the “hundreds” of invoices it received in 2022 and 2023 violate the Shipping Act because they don’t include precise details that allow the tiremaker to verify they are accurate. The complaint notes 13 specifics the invoices are supposed to include, such as the “date that the container is made available,” the container number or numbers, the start and end dates of free time, “the applicable detention or demurrage rule” and others.

Giti says it was charged detention and demurrage fees on days the specified port was closed, including weekends and holidays, and the container couldn’t be returned. The tiremaker also says the carrier invoiced Giti for detention and demurrage fees that Flexport had also billed to other parties, such as the motor carrier. (The complaint notes Flexport is defined as a “non-vessel-operating common carrier.”).

Giti says some of the accessorial charges on the invoices were “excessive” and in some cases, four- or five-times the market rate. The tiremaker says it has asked Flexport to address all of these issues, but the company declined to offer more details, other than to provide a document it called an “OSRA addendum” which it said supplied the missing data. Giti says Flexport has not reissued complete invoices and the tiremaker “has no way to assess the accuracy of Flexport’s charges.” The tiremaker says the carrier was unwilling to adjust the invoices in lieu of the stated issues.

Giti says the resulting damages total more than $12.7 million.

Numbers ThatCount

Relevant statistics from an industry in constant motion

264 MILLION

Number of repair orders written by new car dealerships in 2023

Source: National Automobile Dealers Association

Photo: 132852879 | Pramote Polyamate | Dreamstime

225,000

Number of automotive consumers J.D. Power surveys annually

Source: J.D. Power Photo: 131141178 | Tero Vesalainen | Dreamstime

9.5 MILLION

50+

Total certi cation tests o ered by ASE

Source: Automotive Service Excellence

Increase in medium truck tire unit shipments from 2020 to 2022

Source: MTD Facts Issue

68%

Drop in container ships in the Suez Canal in JanuaryFebruary 2024

Source: Drewry Photo: 12522683 | Dipego | Dreamstime

Photo: MTD

Photo: VIP Tires & Service

Your Marketplace

John Healy By

R‘Greatest monthly gain in three years’

TIREMAKERS LIKELY WILL TRY TO MAINTAIN PRICES

etail sellout trends finally flipped to positive in April 2024 and were frankly robust, according to our recent check-ins with tire dealers. Independent dealers highlighted average sellout gains of 5.1% year-over-year in April, which follows flat-to-slightly down trends through the first quarter of the year. Regionally, dealers in nearly every area of the country reported positive gains for the month. Only the Midwest and Northeast regions saw flat or negative volume. The Northwest and Southeast regions saw the strongest trends, as both were up double-digits year-over-year. From our view, it appears the changing of the seasons in much of the country brought consumers into the marketplace and into tire shops in April for both repairs and tire replacements. It appears the second quarter is off to a fast start. According to our survey, the 5.1% volume increase is the greatest monthly gain in three years. While one month does not make a trend, we are encouraged by the April results as we note the early summer comparables from a year ago are favorable and conducive to a continuation of what was reported in April.

In the miles driven data, the numbers don’t look as rosy. The trends were markedly softer during April, following slightly positive trends in March. Our Miles Driven Momentum Index registered a 4% yearover-year decline in April and that followed

a 0.5% increase in March. While on the surface this may appear troublesome, we note the month of April was up against a difficult year-ago comparison as April 2023 miles driven grew a healthy 3%. Further, we note the miles driven trend in April remained above the pre-pandemic trend. Thus we see the month’s miles driven largely as a function of difficult comps rather than the start of a trend of declining miles driven.

RISING NATURAL RUBBER COST

Turning to raw material costs, natural rubber supply pressures in Southeast Asia continue to affect the price of that raw material. In April, natural rubber costs grew nearly 37% year-over-year. Oil prices grew an average of 6.9% in the month given OPEC+ output costs amid tensions in the Middle East. The cost of other inputs (synthetic rubber, carbon black and tire fabric/ cords) all fell during the month.

So far in 2024, our tire raw material index is up 3.8%. Given the rapid price deceleration in 2023 following two years of price appreciation, we are not all that surprised to see raw material costs moderate and increase slightly on a year-over-year basis. In fact, we see this level of stability as a positive for the tire industry.

While we had previously pondered if a level of price concession could be hitting the marketplace, recent updates from tire manufacturers lead us to believe they will attempt to hold price given the ending of

destocking cycles abroad and softness in the commercial tire segment.

DEALERS ARE MORE OPTIMISTIC

Conversations with tire dealers suggest consumer demand for passenger and light truck tires was positive on a net basis compared to April 2023. Almost one out of four dealers saw positive demand trends in April 2024. (Officially, the number was 23% of dealers.) That’s a healthy improvement from March 2024.

While consumer deferment remains a consistent theme, it appears the changing of the seasons brought car owners into the marketplace for needed auto repairs. Specifically, dealers note healthy demand trends for repairs, as well as tire replacement, during April.

On the tire sales front, dealers saw healthy demand for tier-two and tier-three tire brands in April. But they also still pointed to soft trends for premium brands and reported continued price inflation for parts and labor as negatives.

April also brought about a return of tier-two tire brands being the most indemand. This is largely consistent with the long-term trend, as those are the brands that have historically been the top performers in our surveys. Tier-one tires moved into last place in April, which matches what we saw at the end of 2023.

We believe these tier results to be an indication of the type of buyer who was in the marketplace, as one dealer told us his auto repair business remains steady as consumers are opting to fix their current vehicle rather than seek out a more expensive new or used vehicle. ■

SOURCE: NORTHCOAST RESEARCH ESTIMATES

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.

BLACKHAWK GOES ON THE ATTACK WITH NEW SUV, R/T TIRES

Blackhawk, which offers a full lineup of tires for passenger, CUV, SUV and onand off -road light truck applications, is further expanding its range with two new, exciting products designed to help you capture more customers.

Manufactured at Blackhawk’s state-of-the-art facilities to the highest standard of excellence and infused with premium-quality Blackhawk technology, the new Blackhawk Agility SUV and Blackhawk Ridgecrawler R/T deliver maximum performance and value.

“The SUV market is the fastest-growing vehicle segment in the U.S., replacing both minivans and many sedans, so the time was perfect to develop an SUV-specific tire,” says Jack McClure, PLT segment manager, Blackhawk.

Encompassing a wide range of SKUs, the Blackhawk Agility SUV delivers optimal traction for confident handling across a variety of road surfaces, supreme comfort and enhanced service life — making it a superb allaround performer for discriminating SUV owners who want to maximize their vehicle’s capabilities without sacrificing the essentials.

Meanwhile, the new Blackhawk Ridgecrawler R/T addresses the exciting and ever-growing rugged-terrain light truck tire segment, according to

Encompassing a wide range of SKUs, the Blackhawk Agility SUV delivers optimal traction for confi dent handling across a variety of road surfaces, plus supreme comfort and enhanced service life.

Photo: Blackhawk

The new Blackhawk Ridgecrawler R/T addresses the exciting and evergrowing rugged-terrain light truck tire segment.

Photo: Blackhawk

McClure. “An eye-catching product with all-weather, 3-Peak Mountain Snowflakecertified traction; a wide footprint; robust sidewalls; traction-enhancing sidewall

biters; and deep, 18/32 tread depth, the Blackhawk Ridgecrawler R/T can handle whatever nature throws its way, yet offers all the road manners required for the daily commute,” he says.

“When light truck and SUV owners go off -road, they want a tire that can safely, reliably take them anywhere, while overcoming every obstacle, yet also expect well-rounded performance on the highway. The Blackhawk Ridgecrawler

The Blackhawk HH11 all-season touring tire has been designed to deliver exceptional handling and allseason performance.

Photo: Blackhawk

R/T has been engineered, manufactured and vigorously tested to deliver these sought-after performance benefits.”

Like all Blackhawk products, the new Blackhawk Agility SUV and Blackhawk Ridgecrawler R/T are exclusively available through the Tire Alliance Groupe (TAG), in both the wholesale and retail channels.

“Blackhawk is a top-notch tire that’s priced competitively, offering a broad, wide-ranging assortment of sizes and tread designs to meet the needs of every consumer,” says Paul Alves, president and CEO of TAG. “Blackhawk continually invests in the quality and range of its off erings to keep pace with the everchanging expectations of vehicle owners.

“We are excited to announce that more Blackhawk tires are in the works, including a new, ultra-high performance all-season tire, which will be available later in the year,” says Alves. “We can’t wait to discuss this new product, which will feature many popular staggered fitment options, in the coming months.”

The new Blackhawk Agility SUV and Blackhawk Ridgecrawler R/T further enhance Blackhawk’s complete range of passenger and light truck tires for every application, which includes the Ridgecrawler A/T, the HH11 all-season touring tire and the HU02 ultra-high performance radial.

Photo: Blackhawk

The Blackhawk HU02 is an ultra-high performance radial tire engineered for sport coupes and sedans.

The Blackhawk Ridgecrawler A/T is a premium, all-terrain tire engineered for pickup trucks and SUVs.

Blackhawk

The Blackhawk Ridgecrawler A/T is a premium, all-terrain tire engineered for pickup trucks and SUVs. Featuring enhanced, 3-Peak Mountain Snowflakecertified traction with deep tread depth, the Blackhawk Ridgecrawler A/T delivers superior performance in various on- and off -road driving conditions.

Other features of the Blackhawk Ridgecrawler A/T include an optimized pitch sequence through Finite Element Analysis simulation software, which reduces resonance effects, contributing to a serene vehicle cabin; 3-Peak Mountain Snowflake certification; deep all-terrain tread lugs; and staggered shoulder tread blocks.

Benefitting from a broad tread footprint and reinforced shoulder support, the tire also promotes uniform pressure distribution, preventing irregular wear and extending overall tread life.

Recognized for its consistent reliability, the Blackhawk Ridgecrawler A/T is a trusted all-terrain tire, providing a quiet and comfortable driving experience.

The Blackhawk HH11 all-season touring tire is engineered to deliver exceptional handling and all-season performance. It features four wide circumferential grooves to help channel water away quickly and efficiently, delivering excellent wet weather traction.

A modern, non-directional tread design provides superior road feel and handling, making the Blackhawk HH11 “the perfect everyday tire,” according to Blackhawk officials.

Other features of the Blackhawk HH11 include a modern, non-directional allseason tread design; a variable pitch tread design for low noise; a silica compound for superior wet traction and reduced rolling resistance; a jointless bead cover; and higher sidewall turnup, which provides improved sidewall strength and durability.

The Blackhawk HU02 is an ultra-high performance radial tire engineered for high-performance sport coupes and sedans. The Blackhawk HU02 features a variable pitch tread design that provides a smooth, quiet ride, while its advanced tread compound delivers superior cornering and exceptional handling.

Additional features of the Blackhawk HU02 include an asymmetrical tread pattern; an inside tread pattern designed for water evacuation, which enhances wet traction; an outside tread pattern designed with larger contact areas, which improves dry traction; a silica compound, which reduces heat and provides improved wet traction and braking and reduced rolling resistance; a jointless bead cover; a rim protector and more. ■

Photo:

Wholesale distribution

ment and replenishment, tire dealers on both sides of the sale operate at the mercy of other forces.

And just like their retail customers, wholesalers are facing sti competition in their markets.

Matt Leeper, vice president of sales and vendor relations at Tire Distributors of Georgia Inc., says “it’s ultra-competitive. ere’s over 10 wholesale distributors in our area and there’s less brand exclusivity, so you can’t di erentiate yourself with a brand as much as you used to be able to.

“Most brands are with a handful of distributors, so the dealer can buy the same products at close to the same price from three, four or ve distributors.” at means distributors need to nd ways to stand out.

Tire Distributors of Georgia Inc. is managing the many programs and incentives offered by tire manufacturers. “It’s a dance to make sure you maximize all the branded benefi ts,” says

Trying to STAND OUT

TIRE DISTRIBUTORS USE BRANDS, SERVICE AND CO-OP FUNDS TO COMPETE

Joy Kopcha By

Tires moving off the shelves of a wholesale distributor’s warehouse, into a retailer’s service bay and ultimately onto a consumer’s vehicle is somewhat a natural process.

e vehicle’s tires are worn and in need of replacement. A tire dealer sells the con-

sumer a new set and orders the stock from a nearby warehouse. It’s a cycle that repeats itself over and over again.

But there can be many bumps in that road. From the economy a ecting store tra c to production and shipping snafus that upset the norms of inventory manage-

David Priddy, owner of David’s Discount Tires Point S in Haskell, Okla., manages about 120,000 square feet of racked warehouse space outside of Tulsa. His 13 trucks cover nine routes that blanket Oklahoma and cross into the neighboring states of Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri and Texas. Priddy says it all comes down to customer service.

“Service is de nitely the thing. e big giants (in wholesaling) can’t bend the rules. We can bend them at our size. We take care of our customers. I just feel like we’ve got the best prices, the best brands (and) the best quality.”

He believes a liations with tire brands matter. “We don’t sell junk and a lot of people do. You’re the hero at the front, (but) you’re the zero when it blows out or wears out.”

He does believe in private and exclusive brands and says major brands only account for about 25% of his overall inventory. Since joining Point S USA in 2016 — Priddy also operates a retail store dba David’s Discount Tires Point S — he’s gained access to Blackhawk, Fortune and Pantera brand tires.

In the Northeast, K&W Tire Co. Inc. doesn’t want to be a jack-of-all-trades wholesale tire distributor. Je Short, vice president of sales, says the company is more specialized than that. He calls its product mix “carefully curated” and “hand-picked.”

But that’s just one way K&W Tire works to stand out from the others serving its market, which stretches from Baltimore, Md., through New England and up to the Canadian border.

Photo: Tire Distributors of Georgia Inc.

Wholesale distribution

The company operates seven warehouses in the region.

K&W Tire proudly tells customers “we’re a little different” on its website. The company lays out 13 reasons to make its point, while also publicizing how many tires it has in stock and how many tires were sold the previous month, as well as the number of customers it served in the prior month. (For the curious, the most recent numbers are 126,092 tires in stock, 32,309 tires sold and 1,358 customers served last month.)

K&W Tire specializes in brands that fill slots in the second tier and lower, but that doesn’t mean the wholesaler’s customers position them that way.

“One of our most important brands is Cooper and Cooper dealers are very loyal to Cooper,” says Short. “As long as things are going well with the product, they stick to it. We have had a couple of new launches since Goodyear took over Cooper and the launches have been home runs.”

And while brands do matter, Short says it’s the people at K&W Tire who differentiate the company from its competitors.

“I think it’s all about the people. People choose to buy from people they like. It starts and stops right there.

In Oklahoma, David Priddy says the weather has affected wholesale sales this spring. “It’s been raining for twoand-a-half months and it just kills the construction, the farmers. When it rains, (they) can’t work.”

S

“Everyone has the same products, except for maybe an entry-level tire that you have an exclusive on, but it’s totally about people. It’s a people business and if we didn’t have relationships with these people that go back in many cases decades, it wouldn’t be the same.”

That’s true in his own case. Short has been with K&W for 35 years and he currently works with a third-generation customer.

This warehouse crew in Lancaster, Pa. serves K&W Tire’s customers. Jeff Short, vice president of sales, says the company’s retail customers who are members of a manufacturer’s associate dealer group are especially valuable. “They are aligned with the brand and they promote that brand. They know how to sell it.”

MANAGING CO-OP FUNDS

There is another piece of this puzzle that has grown increasingly more complicated for these wholesale distributors to manage — the co-op dollars that tire manufacturers provide. (Co-op dollars are sometimes called backside funds or support funds.) This accrual, based on the distributor’s purchases, is designated for branding and promotional efforts.

“Our manufacturer reps contact us and constantly want us to do something with their co-op funds,” says Short.

“But they all have rules — lots of rules and regulations — (about) how their brand is to be presented, which is fine. If they’re going to give you the money, that’s their right to call the shots.

“But it’s increasingly difficult” to spend the money in a manner that spreads it around to K&W’s tire dealer customers.

Short says in the past, those co-op funds were used to buy newspaper advertisements, “but that ship has sailed.”

More recently, the company has used the funds for customer events and even to support charities, such as a local soup kitchen that provided Thanksgiving meals.

“I think most people in our business would probably prefer to just get the money, versus having to jump through hoops — just reduce the price of the tire.”

But if tire manufacturers insist on maintaining the co-op fund model that focuses on advertising, then Short says they should acknowledge “most tire dealers aren’t experts on advertising or marketing.”

So why not supply the dealer with a plug-in that contains pre-built ads and promotions optimized for social media platforms, he says? The wholesaler could share those with its customers, who are buying and selling those specific brands.

“It would be great. I love to think of ways to support the dealers.”

Leeper at Tire Distributors of Georgia is also trying to come up with some unique ways to utilize those co-op funds.

“You spend a lot of time on what promotion is going to get the most traction. It can be challenging.”

Adding to the complications is that every tire manufacturer has its own program and its own set of rules, which means wholesale distributors are juggling multiple programs and buckets of co-op funds every day.

“It can be like a chess game,” Leeper says.

Tire Distributors of Georgia has tried to inject creativity into the game, using co-op funds to create monthly promotions to stir up sales, but also engagement with its customers.

During the first quarter, the wholesaler promoted the Falken brand with a “stepup-to-the-plate” promotion.

Retail customers who are also Falken Fanatic dealers simply needed to increase purchases enough to move up a level within the program to earn seats in a suite for a baseball game at Truist Park, the home of the Atlanta Braves.

Last year during the Christmas season, a promotion for Nokian included a cash bonus for purchases, plus a photo contest seeking “the most festive photo featuring a Nokian tire” purchased from Tire Distributors of Georgia.

There was just one caveat: “No serious pictures, please.” Yoder’s Tire and Service won the $2,000 top prize for a picture of a Nokian tire-outfitted sleigh with fire shooting out the engine.

When the wholesaler added Nexen to its product mix in 2023, a photo contest asked customers to show how they were “flexin’ with Nexen.”

“It was a newer brand for us,” says Leeper. “It got the ball moving. Especially in tier two, you’ve got to work to get it going. That was an effective launch promo for that one.”

At Tire Distributors of Georgia, Leeper says it boils down to “fun marketing, serious service.” ■

Photo: K&W Tire Co. Inc.

Photo: David’s Discount Tires Point

East Bay Tire has 14 commercial service center locations and three distribution centers that service the western United States, plus more than 200 employees.

East Bay Tire builds on legacy of service

CALIFORNIA-BASED AG TIRE EXPERT POSITIONS ITSELF FOR MORE GROWTH

Madison Gehring By

East Bay Tire Co. is not just another tire dealership. It’s a legacy.

Founded in 1944 by Joseph Fuetsch and now led by fourthgeneration tire dealer Joe Pehanick, East Bay Tire, which is based in Fairfield, Calif., has evolved from selling tire casings in the immediate aftermath of World War II to becoming a major player in its market.

Today, East Bay Tire stands out by embracing digital solutions, offering a wide range of products through a brandagnostic approach and maintaining a deep-rooted connection to the agricultural community.

This unique blend of history, innovation and customer focus has positioned East Bay Tire for future growth.

GETTING ITS START

Fuetsch sold ag tires for Firestone Tire & Rubber Co. before East Bay Tire was a company, working in the Fresno, Calif., area, where East Bay Tire now has a location.

In 1946, Fuetsch opened the first East Bay Tire location in Oakland, Calif. (East Bay Tire currently has 14 commercial service center locations and three distribution centers.)

“He really started out like most tire dealers after World War II,” says Pehanick who is also East Bay Tire’s chief operat ing officer.

“There weren’t enough tires to supply all the new cars that were out there at the time he started in the business. Everybody came back from the war and wanted to buy cars and they were converting all the

war plants that built tanks and guns to making cars and refrigerators.”

Because of the lack of tires in the United States at the time, Fuetsch was forced to travel elsewhere to secure supply. He traveled to Japan frequently. Once there, he would buy tire casings in old war zones.

Traveling back and forth from Japan is how Fuetsch met Shojiro Ishibashi, the founder of Tokyo, Japan-based Bridgestone Corp.

Through this early connection, East Bay Tire became one of the first importers of Bridgestone tires into the United States. “Let’s put that into perspective, though,” says Pehanick. “Being an importer of a Japanese tire into California after the war was a very tense situation and there was a lot of pressure.”

Photo: MTD

East Bay Tire

From the 1940s to the early-’80s, Pehanick says that East Bay Tire also sold a lot of casings and used tires.

“People around the industry will have stories of East Bay Tire going to the retread expos and having hundreds and hundreds of casings for sale,” he continues.

In addition to 10 stores on the mainland, East Bay Tire has four locations in Hawaii — on three different islands — which stemmed from Fuetsch stopping over there on his way to Japan.

“There weren’t flights everyday back to California from Hawaii” in those days, “so he would have to stay a few days in Hawaii and would meet other tire dealers and sell them the tire casings he just got from Japan.”

EXPANDING FOOTPRINT

In 1981, Joe’s father, George Pehanick, joined East Bay Tire and gradually changed the dynamic of the company.

In 2001, East Bay Tire headed into commercial tire service. The dealership opened a location in Fairfield through the acquisition of a dealership, Frank’s Tire.

Joe says that the decision to establish the Fairfield location stemmed from assorted reasons.

“Some of our wholesale customers didn’t have a succession plan and they asked us if we could make a succession plan with them. A few tire dealers went bankrupt in the surrounding areas. A lot of those gaps opened up for us to move into the market.”

Joe calls East Bay Tire one of the youngest mid-size commercial tire dealerships in the country.

COMMERCIAL GROWTH

“The last few years, we’ve really been building infrastructure for growth and (have) been fine-tuning what we offer,” says Joe.

“On a commercial side, we are really value-driven and (are) using digital solutions” to help solve customers’ problems.

“From earthmover tire tracking, heat analysis or GPS, we are trying to offer a true digital solution to show value to fleets.”

Joe says the dealership has tried to get into a little bit of everything across the board.

Selling ag tires has emerged as the core of East Bay Tire’s business and where the company focuses, he explains.

“We are one of the few, if not only, dealerships that does a top-to-bottom approach for ag” in its market, “meaning we are addressing OEMs, we do tire and wheel packages for OEMs (and) we work with equipment dealers for custom wheel and tire packages to handle certain crops and more.”

FOCUS ON AG

“The commercial (truck tire) industry has more volume, so there’s definitely more revenue in that market, but we tie it all into farm,” says Joe, who adds that he has his own relational ties to the farming community, being a ninth-generation farmer.

His family’s involvement in farming dates back to the 1850s. (California became a state in 1850.)

Joe says there are customers within 20 miles of East Bay Tire’s California locations who bought ag tires from his grandfather.

“When we support an independent tire dealer, we are supporting ag no matter what, because the whole community revolves around ag.

“How many of those tires that we just sold are going to be put on a vehicle that transports produce, grain or other products from farms? It’s all connected.”

Serving other tire dealers and end users is why East Bay Tire exists, says Joe.

The company wants to continue offering value-driven products and more training.

‘BRAND-AGNOSTIC’

“A unique part of East Bay Tire is we view ourselves as brand-agnostic,” says Joe. “We (are) strong partners with basically every

major manufacturer, but we are really trying to pull in what works best for the customer we are servicing.”

Digital solutions will continue to play a crucial role in this strategy, he explains.

“Digital solutions are going to be able to show a fleet company the cost-per-mile or the cost-per-hour.

“It’s not so much going to be one preferred brand over another.

“We are tangibly trying to present to a customer how much they pay per-mile or per-hour based on the tire brand they chose.

“Most tire dealers started as tire dealers and not tire distributors,” sometimes tying themselves to one brand, “and that brand is part of their identity now,” he explains. “So they have 80% of their sales in one brand. We do not have that history.”

CREATING MORE OPTIONS

East Bay Tire also has its own brand of tires for material handling, earthmovers and trucks. The Dawg Pound brand was launched by the company in 1994 and covers “basically all your off-road vehicles, plus trucks,” according to Joe, who says the creation of the line was spurred by how distribution was changing.

As more brands became available through more outlets, “we thought it would be valuable for us to have our own brand that we could offer more economically and bring another tier to a customer.”

Joe says East Bay Tire customizes Dawg Pound’s models, designs and tread compounds based on market needs.

Another feature that East Bay Tire offers its customers is its dealer portal, which includes an advanced search func-

East Bay Tire recently invited its customers out for an ag tire safety training course provided by Titan International Inc., in tandem with the Tire Industry Association.

Photo: MTD

tion. “Because there are a lot of complexities when it comes to ag tires and ag tire sizes, we have a custom search engine that allows people to search based on their history,” he says.

“It’s a B2B portal, so the customers can also see their invoices (and) account balances and can search through our entire catalog of tires.”

East Bay Tire also aggressively uses social media.

Before Joe threw East Bay Tire into the social media world, he researched the topic and talked with CEOs outside of the tire industry and asked if they thought social media had tangible value.

“Almost none of those people I talked to were able to give me an answer.”

Joe spent nearly two years looking at and planning for social media before implementing it.

“Our team and customers want to be a part of something and that is primarily why we have it — to highlight our customers and our people,” which he calls the company’s most important assets.

“If you look closely at our (social media) pages, we are very intentional with what we post.”

LOOKING TO THE FUTURE

Joe says analyzing and relieving customers’ pain points will also continue to be a priority for East Bay Tire. “For example, on a high horsepower tractor, a customer can choose tracks, a low sidewall technology tire, an IF (increased flexion) tire or a VF (very-high flexion) tire and that debate is really inspired by the challenges of operating, maintaining and repairing that equipment.”

When looking at trends, Joe says he is seeing a lot of consolidation among original ag equipment manufacturers when it comes to SKUs. “So if you’re going down to the Central Valley, you’re seeing more tractors of different brands with the same wheels and the same tires.

“There’s going to be a demand for flotation tires” in the future, “but that’s driven by larger farms. Smaller farms are getting pushed out and the larger farms are

Do You Even Lift?

getting larger equipment because they’re managing more acres.”

The composition of East Bay Tire’s customers also is changing.

“Customers are so (much more) focused on different aspects of their business than they used to be,” he explains. “If you look at a dealer 30 years ago, they were incredibly intimate with every product they sold. Now they’re more focused on their technicians, their safety and their training.

“Fleets have gotten bigger. So these customers want more information.

“They’re saying, ‘Show us what you do and how you can save us money.’ They’re asking us to be the specialist.”

Joe expects the rest of the year to be a bit of a challenge because of softening market conditions, upcoming tariff determinations and more. “I’d say our plan for the future is to stay the course,” he explains.

“We are going to continue to grow our specialty tire business units and look at any growth opportunities we can because we’ve got a great team for it and we have the infrastructure to do it.” ■

A/C service

The future of A/C service

SUPPLIERS OFFER SERVICE TIPS AND TRAINING RESOURCES FOR TECHNICIANS

Madison Gehring By

As the automotive industry continues to evolve, so do the technologies and methodologies used in vehicle air conditioning (A/C) systems.

In this comprehensive overview, we delve into the emerging trends and innovations in automotive A/C technology with insights from leading experts at Bosch Mobility Aftermarket, Chemours Co., Mahle Aftermarket Inc. and Texa USA. From cost-effective leak detection methods to the transition to eco-friendly refrigerants, these advancements are shaping the future of vehicle A/C service.

MTD: What new trends are you seeing in the air conditioning service world? Any new trends in technology or in the service approach?

Justin Fisette, senior product marketing manager, Bosch Mobility Aftermarket: One trend is looking for less costly methods of leak detection than traditional dye, because of the cost of 1234yf. Charging a system, adding dye and looking for leaking refrigerant could cost a shop hundreds of dollars of refrigerant. Using tracer gas, which is 95% nitrogen and 5% hydrogen, is much less expensive and helps shops detect smaller leaks. We introduced our LD9-TGKIT tracer gas leak detector kit to help shops find leaks in all A/C systems, especially those using YF, to save money and find leaks faster.

Danielle Lovett, market development leader, automotive aftermarket, Che -

“Already in 2024, we’ve seen growth for the refrigerant to supply the automotive aftermarket,” says Danielle Lovett, market development leader, automotive aftermarket, Chemours Co. “More than a trend, R-1234yf is here to stay and is widely accepted as the ‘future of automotive refrigerants — in use now.’”

Photo: Chemours Co.

mours Co.: As an innovator and a manufacturer of high-performing, lower global warming potential (GWP) refrigerants, Chemours is especially tuned in to new technology in the mobile air conditioning and thermal management space. We have driven air conditioning innovation for nearly a century, which continues with R-1234yf, which has become the preferred refrigerant solution for many global automotive manufacturers. In automotive, we’re seeing a huge shift from the legacy refrigerant R-134a, a hydrofluorocarbon, or HFC, to the new-generation R-1234yf, a hydrofluoroolefin, or HFO.

Chemours manufactures R-1234yf here in the United States, and, in fact, we are one of the world’s largest manufacturers of this refrigerant. Already in 2024, we’ve seen growth for the refrigerant to supply the automotive aftermarket. More than a trend, R-1234yf is here to stay and is widely accepted as the “future of automotive refrigerants — in use now.”

One of the predominant reasons for this is environmental. R-1234yf has a global warming potential (GWP) of less than one (AR5)—compared with R-134a’s GWP of 1,300 (AR5).

Today there are more than 95 million vehicles on U.S. roads that are charged with R-1234yf, with approximately 15 million vehicles in that fleet coming out of warranty each year.

Another trend we’re seeing is that R-1234yf is gaining traction in aftermarket

shops, which are making the transition by ensuring they have the product and equipment necessary to service both R-134a and R-1234yf vehicles.

Brian Messenger, head of product management, workshop engineering and technical support, Mahle Aftermarket Inc.: Refrigerant change. 134a is banned for new LD vehicles in the U.S. as of October 2024. 134a production is being reduced by Environment Protection Agency mandate for all HFCs in the U.S. 1234yf could possibly be caught up in PFAS bans in Europe and U.S. unless exemptions are made. Carbon dioxide (CO2) and possibly even propane could be coming more prevalent in the United States before 2030.

Blended refrigerants will likely pick up the void in the aftermarket as some of these refrigerants get phased out.

Diagnostic tools are becoming increasingly more necessary to properly diagnose A/C issues.

On-board diagnostics like reading the vehicle’s pressure transducers in the system and being able to command pumps/ valves/compressors in newer EVs are almost essential to diagnose quickly.

Cooling fans are controlled with duty cycle now and the old method of visually checking the fan operation is not sufficient for ensuring proper heat exchange across the condenser.

Off-board tools like variable compressor testers and especially leak detection

A/C service

tools like hydrocarbon sniffers or CO2 foam sprays are especially needed as well. These have always been a need, but with 1234yf machines not allowing charges without passing the leak tests means the old days of just topping the customer’s refrigerant and sending them on their way without fixing the leak are numbered as it is forcing some techs to fix the root cause, not the symptom.

Fabio Mazzon, technical manager, Texa USA: Air conditioning services are getting more sophisticated to meet the new EPA regulations. There are new refrigerants and new refrigerant blends entering the market, together with new technologies, to recover as much refrigerant as possible during a service (and) to limit (the) release of gas in the atmosphere. New technologies like Forming Gas are available also for more efficient leak detection.

MTD: What tools or technologies does your company offer to help with servicing A/C systems?

Fisette (Bosch): (We have) a full line of accessories, including oil inject syringes, UV dye, leak detectors, vacuum pumps, manifold gauges and more, (which) provides techs with everything they need to service AC systems.

Bosch released its Robinair 1234YF Recovery, Recycling and Recharging machine to help technicians better perform air conditioning service.

Photo: Bosch Mobility Aftermarket

tinues to phase down the production and consumption of HFCs such as R-134a, a strong recovery, recycling and reclamation program for this refrigerant will become increasingly important to the supply chain.

Messenger (Mahle): (We offer) PAG/ POE injector kits for YF services; UV dye light; component flush kit; refrigerant leak detector; vehicle communications interface for auto VIN retrieval; on-board vehicle database that provides refrigerant and oil amounts/types for the selected vehicle; and a remote viewer app to get notified when a service needs attention if you are not in the bay.

Mazzon (Texa): Texa offers different A/C recovery cart options based on the type of refrigerant and the customer needs. The Konfort 750R is a 134a fully automatic recovery machine designed to satisfy automotive and heavy-duty customers thanks to a 50-pound internal tank.

“The Texa 780 dual gas is unique to the market, because this machine provides two completely separate internal systems to support the dual gas service, which means no cross contamination during service,” says Fabio Mazzon, technical manager, Texa USA.

Photo: Texa USA

Lovett (Chemours): Chemours is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of R-1234yf (branded Chemours Opteon YF) and recently invested in a major expansion of our manufacturing facility near Corpus Christi, Texas, to ensure the R-1234yf supply is strong and ready to support the growing demand worldwide. Because vehicles with R-134a AC systems will exist — and require service — for the foreseeable future, we need to make sure aftermarket shops have enough supply to meet the need. As the American Innovation and Manufacturing Act con-

The unit uses a unique push-pull cycle in order to maximize the amount of recovered refrigerant. The Konfort 760 for 1234yf only and 780 dual gas (134a and 1234yf) are fully automatic recovery stations designed with a 10-inch touchscreen that allows remote assistance. The Texa 780 dual gas is unique to the market, because this machine provides two completely separate internal systems to support the dual gas service, which means no crosscontamination during service.

MTD: Are there any specific training programs or resources available for technicians who use your company’s air conditioning service equipment?

Fisette (Bosch): Robinair works closely with MACS (Mobile Air Climate Systems

Association) to promote the benefits of further education and training on existing and emerging A/C technologies. We highly recommend techs become 609-certified through a MACS training course, which will help them better understand the basics of A/C service, especially as R-1234yf usage grows in new vehicles.

Lovett (Chemours): R-1234yf is classified as an ASHRAE A2L mildly flammable refrigerant, whereas R-134a is an A1 nonflammable refrigerant. Although R-1234yf is difficult to ignite and has been used safely in vehicles for more than a decade, this mild-flammability designation does require technicians to follow additional safety protocols, which are also supported by R-1234yf equipment. For example, R-1234yf requires left-handed thread fittings and special labeling. If your shop does significant R-1234yf business and uses canisters of the refrigerant, you’ll also need a separate recovery/recycling/ recharging machine. It’s also important to note that mixing R-134a and R-1234yf is illegal and unsafe, and it may compromise systems, performance, equipment and warranties.

Messenger (Mahle): EPA609 is a must for handling refrigerants and knowing proper methods.

Mahle prides itself on offering one of the most intuitive machines to use out of the box. Our goal is to have enough information available on the screen that the technician should need. If something isn’t clear or missing as reported by our Tech Support from customer feedback, we often add these to our free over-the-air software updates.

On-site setup and training is included with some of Mahle’s machines depending upon where they were purchased.

On-site training is available through our hundreds of nation-wide service reps.

Mazzon (Texa): Texa USA offers training classes at the New Jersey office, as well as remote assistance training by use of a phone and remote assist software available within the Konfort touchscreen. The Texa library of training and troubleshooting videos is available at YouTube or the Texa website, or dealer supported training is available.

MTD: How does your company support technicians in using your air conditioning service tools?

Fisette (Bosch): We’ve created an extensive library on machine function and maintenance, including how to perform each step in recovery and recharge. This helps techs learn the machine and ensure proper service techniques are used to return the vehicle to the customer in factory condition.

Additionally, we have video training on using specialized tracer gas leak detectors to quickly find leaks and testers for variable displacement compressors to prevent a false diagnosis.

These videos and tools help shops work more efficiently to identify and repair vehicle issues.

Lovett (Chemours): Chemours is in the final stages of developing a R-1234yfspecific training initiative for the automotive aftermarket. We also offer free downloadable resources on our website, Opteon.com/YF, which we update regu-

larly to connect technicians with training resources and other information about R-1234yf.

Messenger (Mahle): Onsite setup and training are available on Mahle-branded machines, plus free lifetime tech support for any inquiry and on-screen live graphs, which display more accurate accounts of pressure readings over analog gauges so technicians can really see, learn and compare what “good” and “bad” systems look like.

(Other offerings include) transparent messages to allow the user to know what the machine is doing at all times, plus a homepage that quickly shows all fluid levels (new/used oil/dyes and refrigerant) and filter/pump oil life.

The refrigerant tank is color-coded to indicate optimal refrigerant fill volume.

Mazzon (Texa): Texa USA has expert air conditioning technicians available to

“Onsite setup and training is available on Mahle-branded machines, plus free lifetime tech support for any inquiry and on-screen live graphs, which display more accurate accounts of pressure readings over analog gauges so technicians can really see, learn and compare what ‘good’ and ‘bad’ systems look like,” says Brian Messenger, head of product management, workshop engineering and technical support, Mahle Aftermarket Inc.

provide support at the phone, with remote connection (for Konfort 760 and 780) or on-site support if required.

MTD: How do you stay ahead of trends and advancements in air conditioning service technology?

Fisette (Bosch): Robinair and Bosch maintain relationships with nearly every original equipment manufacturer (OEM) and employ engineers and ASE-certified master technicians to ensure we stay on top of current and emerging technologies.

Photo: Mahle Aftermarket Inc.

A/C service

Team members are also heavily involved in industry trade associations to help us understand what technicians in the field are experiencing or will experience.

Lovett (Chemours): For more than 100 years, Chemours ... has stayed ahead of trends by being deeply committed to the evolution of refrigerants necessary to meet the demands of the modern world. Whether those needs encompass decarbonization, higher energy efficiency or better cooling performance, our commitment to courageous chemistry keeps us in the lab constantly, creating the better refrigerant solutions our world needs to live comfortably and sustainably.

Messenger (Mahle): Mahle maintains close partnerships with all the OEMs. Not only do we have a connection on the service side as a tier one supplier to the OEMs, but an extensive portfolio of thermal products from compressors to heat exchangers and innovating new technology in HVAC to aid in carbon emission reductions.

Mahle is heavily involved in all the SAE committees and MACS conferences and sits in for all the European Union legislation working groups, which provides insight to potential changes in North America Partnerships with multiple refrigerant manufacturers validate their prototype gases as R134a production begins to wind down.

Mazzon (Texa): Texa is an A/C service company that partnered with several of the OE manufacturers, to provide their dealership locations with the highestquality service equipment they trust. While making these partnership agreements, Texa is looking and paying attention to where the air conditioning world is headed for years to come. Supporting OE partnerships, as well as industry associations like MACS, ensures Texa keeps product development on the forefront of vehicle technology.

MTD: What tips or tricks do you have for technicians who provide A/C service for vehicles?

Fisette (Bosch): We recommend techs educate themselves with a high level of training to ensure they are aware of how modern A/C systems work, helping them identify, diagnose and repair issues.

Lovett (Chemours): Our first rule is to determine which type of vehicle you are working on — one charged with R-134a or R-1234yf. You can find this information in the owner’s manual or by checking under the hood for the manufacturer’s label, which shows the type of refrigerant the vehicle uses. Remember that except for a few equipment and tool differences, properly and safely servicing R-1234yf vehicles requires you to continue the best practices you’ve always used, but to also adopt procedures for mildly flammable refrigerants.

Also remember that mixing R-134a and R-1234yf is illegal and unsafe, and it may compromise systems, performance, equipment and warranties. Certain safety nets in equipment and tools, such as left-handed threading, will help to prevent this.

Lastly, we recommend taking a strategic approach to preparing your shop for R-1234yf vehicles, one that supports your budget and volume of business. For example, Opteon YF is available in 10- and 25-pound single-use recyclable cylinders. These are ideal for shops that perform a high volume of A/C work, but will require the investment in an appropriate R/R/R machine. For multiple-use charges or for servicing vehicles with greater charge sizes (such as SUVs and trucks), 28-ounce selfseal cans provide a cost-effective option, without the need for an R/R/R machine. If you are doing a small volume of R-1234yf business, Opteon 12-ounce self-seal cans provide a cost-effective option for singleuse charges.

Messenger (Mahle): Always check the refrigerant identifier (RFID) filter every time you grab the machine to ensure oil doesn’t reach the sensors in the RFID unit. If oil/dye/sealant is detected, clean the internal coiled hose and install a new filter. Refrigerant identification will become more of a must as refrigerant blends begin to take the market, even for R134a.

Larger-capacity systems equipped with an accumulator. Using a heat gun on the accumulator during recovery will speed the process by not allowing the refrigerant charge to change into a liquid state.

If a vehicle is difficult to charge completely, perform a low-side charge as the machine will prompt to start the car for the car to draw in the full charge via its own compressor. However, choosing both HS/LP is the recommended method for accuracy.

Replace the valve cores anytime you are servicing an A/C system, especially if you recover the vehicle’s charge and it is less than the OE recommendation. It is likely that refrigerant is escaping through the cores if no other refrigerant leak is detected. Keep the tank with about 10 pounds of refrigerant available. This will allow a faster charge with minimal impact on recovery time. The vehicle fill is purely by pressure differential between the internal tank and the vehicle. If the vehicle is hot and there is only a pound or two in the internal tank, it’ll be extremely difficult or take a long time to complete the charge. Getting moisture out of the system is the most important process. This is accomplished by sufficient vacuum. Vacuum readings should reach a minimum of 29.25in Hg (inches of mercury) to ensure moisture boils and is removed from the system. Excessive moisture mixed with refrigerant creates acid destroying the system from the inside out. Desiccant filters/receiver drier on the vehicle should be replaced as preventive maintenance. Doing so will aid in premature compressor failure. When attempting to recover a refrigerant charge, it is important to have a static system prior to recovery. Allow (the) engine to idle with the A/C system off. This ensures the refrigerant charge is in a gaseous state which will aid in speed of recovery. If the A/C has recently run, oil can still be in suspension in the refrigerant and will lead to a larger than normal amount of oil being recovered from the vehicle. About 80% of the vehicle’s complete oil charge should be in the compressor at a static state. If a large amount of oil is recovered, it is likely the system had too much oil, possibly due to (the) customer attempting to use DIY refrigerant charge cans, which contain compressor oil.

Mazzon (Texa): Look into new technologies and what the market is offering in order to perform the service in the most efficient way and be open to introduce new technologies and solutions in the shop. Texa Forming gas leak detection is one of these emerging new technologies that is commonly used with the high-end vehicle systems, but is proving to be a more efficient leak detection process. As soon as this service is more widely understood, there will be more shops wanting to use it in-house to increase technician efficiency and profit margins. ■

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By

TMike Manges

Commercial Tire Dealer ™

“Indications suggest a healthier tire market in general in the coming months, with more bullish economic forecasts looking ahead to the rest of the year,” says Taylor Vernier, director, commercial truck marketing, Bridgestone Americas Inc.

Are truck tire sales picking up speed?

TIREMAKERS DISCUSS WHAT THE REST OF 2024 WILL BRING

he U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association (USTMA) is projecting a rebound in medium truck tire shipments. e association predicts that 22 million replacement medium truck tire units will be shipped in 2024 — a 5.9% increase over 2023 levels.

MTD recently asked medium truck tire manufacturers if they think 2024 will be a robust year for TBR tire sales. Here are their thoughts.

TAYLOR VERNIER , director, commercial truck marketing, Bridgestone Americas Inc.: We do project a stronger year for medium truck tire sales in the U.S. in 2024. Indications suggest a healthier tire market in general in the coming months, with more bullish economic forecasts looking ahead to the rest of the year.

AARON MURPHY, senior vice president, CMA LLC/Double Coin: CMA expects a similar increase in the replacement market due to economic trends and most importantly, a large decrease in 2023’s replacement market shipments. 2023 exhibited a 20% decrease in replacement market shipments, so a modest rebound of under 6% is a reasonable expectation.

SHAUN UYS, vice president, truck tires, U.S., Continental Tire the Americas LLC: A er feeling the freight impacts in 2023

with low spot rates, active utilization and shipments throughout the year, we are optimistic for an improvement in 2024. Experts are predicting spot rates and active truck utilization to start increasing in 2024. It looks like the market might get to normality.

JOE STUGLIS , senior director, North America commercial sales, Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.: Overall, we can see upside to the industry following the signi cant drop in 2023. While in many respects 2023 was a return to normal, we entered 2024 with a lot of question marks. We know market spot rates are low, as is truck capacity utilization. Coupled with freight metrics being so er than where they had been in 2021 and 2022, the industry is still in a bit of a correction. ailand tari investigations will certainly cause disruption and we’ve seen that in the

Photo: Bridgestone Americas Inc.

first quarter, as industry volume was up significantly. While there’s anticipation the freight environment will recover in the back half of the year, the industry could continue to ebb and flow as it seeks to find its new equilibrium.

ROB WILLIAMS , president, Hankook Tire America Corp.: The outlook for the market in 2024 depends on a multitude of factors. Despite industry fluctuations, most commercial (tire) dealers remain cautious and prefer submitting smaller orders to fulfill immediate needs, rather than committing to larger inventory. The lasting effects of excess inventory from 2023 continue to make dealers hesitant to repeat cash-tied scenarios. We are also noticing that sell-in promotions aren’t seeing as much success as they have in the past.

SHAWN DENLEIN, president of sales and marketing, Kumho Tire U.S.A. Inc.: Following a decline in shipments of TBR tires in 2023, the TBR (tire) market is anticipated to have a recovery period in 2024, with a return to shipment rates more closely aligned to 2021, driven by several factors, including implementation of greenhouse gas regulations, which could lead fleets to replace tires in order to comply with new regulations; continued stabilization of freight rates; an expectation of higher truck counts on the road, with the introduction of electric trucks; (and a) return to normal maintenance routines after a period of deferred maintenance in

“We are expecting a correction versus 2023, but not quite to the all-time highs the market saw in 2022,” says Dan Funkhouser, vice president of commercial sales, Yokohama Tire Corp.

Photo: Yokohama Tire Corp.

“We feel the 2024 medium truck tire market will return to stable growth levels coming off double-digit declines in sales during 2023,” says Pierluigi Cumo, vice president, B2B marketing, Michelin North America Inc.

Photo: MTD

the industry. Unit growth is expected to be fueled by entry-level products.

PIERLUIGI CUMO, vice president, B2B marketing, Michelin North America Inc.: We feel the 2024 medium truck tire market will return to stable growth levels coming off double-digit declines in sales during 2023. With the continued reduction of both capacity in the fleet marketing, combined with demand that will be slightly above 2023 levels, this should lead to limited growth in 2024.

SAM FELBERBAUM , president, Prinx Chengshan Tire North America (PCTNA): Based upon the start to 2024, we believe that the TBR market will be flat for the remainder of the year. With diesel, interest rates and inflation all at higherthan-normal levels, coupled with reduced freight demand, this hurts independent trucking fleets and owner-operators, which translates into reduced sales. Furthermore, (with) the potential of an anti-dumping duty being enacted by Department of Commerce, our overall position has been in a wait-and-see mode. PCTNA remains positive that the second half of 2024 will return to normal sales volume ... once the anti-dumping duty decision has been made and determined.

ALAN EAGLESON, segment manager, TBR, Sailun Tire Americas: In order to look forward in 2024, you have to look backward and take history into account. If you go back to the fourth quarter of 2022, truck tire orders dropped off significantly due to such high demand during the post COVID-19 times. Demand eased and dealers had lots of inventory. Resulting

sales in the first quarter of 2023 were lower than normal due to the reduced orders from (the previous quarter in) 2022. Fast forward to the fourth quarter of 2023, order levels returned to normal. Therefore, first quarter sales (in) 2024 looked great for most. Now the trucking industry is starting to slow and future orders could begin to reflect this. I think that after a hot start to 2024, the balance

of the year could come in flat. It could result in a 5.9% increase but, I think that is optimistic.

JOHN MACMULLIN , vice president of business development, Sutong Tire Resources Inc.: If you would have asked me this question back in January going into an election year, I would have said yes. But over the last several months,

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we have seen continued inflation compounded by high interest rates, contributing to a slowdown in the market and distributors’ inventories bulging.

DAVID DEMO, manager, commercial products and business development, Toyo Tire U.S.A. Corp.: Despite the USTMA reporting a sluggish start in the first quarter of 2024, Toyo continues to see increased growth and needs in certain segments of the market for our medium truck tires.

Truck tires

STEPHEN REYNOLDS, OTR sales director, Triangle Tire USA: We’re seeing a more stable TBR market so far in 2024 and believe this will continue for the remainder of the year. To say the last few years have been up and down would be quite the understatement. After COVID-19, we had strong demand that severely strained the supply chain and then the oversupply of TBR units starting in the second quarter of 2023 continued to create a real challenge through the end of 2023.

What’s next for truck tire sales?

Dealers, distributors offer different points of view

“The projections by the U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association for replacement medium truck tire shipments in 2024 are optimistic,” Seth Kamps, vice president of purchasing and inventory for Byron Center, Mich.-based Wonderland Tire Co., told MTD a few weeks before press time.

“The significant decrease in 2023 and early-2024 indicates a market correction compared to the last several years that is likely to continue throughout 2024,” said Kamps.

“Thus, it is probably more realistic that replacement medium truck tire shipments are flat in the first six months of 2024, with a slight increase occurring in the third and fourth quarters, compared to 2023.

“Although pent-up demand may cause some increased sales activity in the market, there is also the fact that many tire distributors over-estimated demand in 2023 and therefore have a surplus of inventory that will need to be sold at current market rates.

“An additional consideration is the Congressional Budget Office’s Economic Outlook report for 2024, which is projecting an economic slowdown in 2024 compared to prior years.

“Also many businesses are indicating signs of slowdown, which will have an adverse effect on the trucking industry and medium truck tire sales.”

Miami, Fla.-based Tire Group International LLC (TGI) has a more optimistic outlook.

“The emphasis on infrastructure spending in the U.S. is expected to spur construction and development projects, boosting freight movement and creating additional demand not only in medium commercial truck tires, but industrial and OTR tires, as well,” says Joaquin Gonzalez Jr., president of TGI.

He adds that he expects to see “higher utilization of medium trucks and subsequently, a greater need for tires.

“I also see the continued growth of e-commerce, coupled with technological advancements in tire durability and fuel efficiency, which will continue to create new demand in the (TBR tire) segment.

“These factors collectively indicate a promising year ahead for the medium truck tire market in the U.S.”

Brian Chase, president of Frederick, Md.-based Rice Tire Co., says the jury is still out.

“For 2024, we are optimistic that construction will come back to have a good year with the infrastructure work and housing starts we are seeing in our geography. It won’t be as strong as 2021 and 2022, but hopefully better than last year.

“As for the long-haul transportation side of the business, your guess is as good —or probably better—than mine!”

Distributor and manufacturer warehouses were filled to the brim with units. In 2024, we see dealers making good progress on right-sizing their inventories, and some prior unknowns — such as raw material pricing — have been stabilized quite a bit. A stable, more predictable TBR market creates good opportunities for dealers and manufacturers.

DEMETRIC MASS , national sales manager, Galaxy TBR, Yokohama OffHighway Tires America Inc.: I believe 2024 is going to be a very big year in the tier two and tier three segments of the tire and bus radial side of the industry. The TBR business has been characterized by large swings since COVID-19 and this year will be likely to continue that pattern. Trucking has softened a bit since its pandemic peak, but large stocks of truck tires purchased in late-2023 and the first quarter of this year will be sold down by the third quarter.

I expect to see high demand as distributors and dealers replenish their inventory in the second half of 2024.

With a more level playing field in terms of price — due to the possibility that tariffs will be levied against some lower-tier manufacturers in parts of Asia — a significant part of the truck tire market can shift away from selling purely on price. Instead, we can focus on the value a great tire delivers, dependability, performance and total cost of ownership.

We will also see a particularly strong emphasis on regional truck tires, which is a result of the massive shift to shorter-haul trucking created by online retailers and their regional hub and delivery systems. From what we are hearing from our customers throughout the supply chain, we anticipate an exciting and successful 2024.

DAN

FUNKHOUSER , vice president of commercial sales, Yokohama Tire Corp.: We are expecting a correction versus 2023, but not quite to the all-time highs the market saw in 2022.

Customers are either adjusting or have finished adjusting their inventories and are ready for a stable, predictable market.

I believe there is going to be an increase in construction projects due to economic stimulus. This should lead to an increase in mixed-service tire lines. Regional trucking will increase as smaller businesses move from long-haul to regional routes. ■

K&R Truck Sales

K&R Tire Center’s retread shop is building tires for customers throughout central Michigan. Owner Ed Rietman says the company’s territory fans out 100 miles in any direction from Grand Rapids, Mich.

A truck dealer who retreads

K&R TRUCK SALES HAS EXPANDED OPERATIONS TO INCLUDE A RETREAD PLANT

Joy Kopcha By

Thirty-five years ago, Ed Rietman transitioned from diesel mechanic and truck rebuilder to business owner. In the decades since, he’s grown what once was a two-man operation into a $46 million, Michigan-based enterprise that includes a five-location International Truck dealership — plus towing, a body shop, mobile service, a used parts businesses and a tire dealership. In the early years, growth was slow. Rietman and his business partner, Jeff Kolean, both worked other jobs while rebuilding trucks on the side. Rietman was a pickle farmer and Kolean was a truck driver. They bought and rebuilt one truck at a time. Eventually, Rietman bought out Kolean’s share to become full owner of K&R Truck Sales.

Since then, he’s added all those other pieces onto the business, though Rietman is quick to not take credit for the growth.

“It’s the people around me. And that’s one thing that we probably do more than some other people. We build businesses around people.”

That certainly rings true when considering Rietman’s latest expansion — a Goodyear retread plant in Flint, Mich.

About 10 years ago K&R Truck Sales entered the tire business as K&R Tire Center. Rietman said it came as a natural extension of the truck operations as customers often asked if the business could handle their tire needs. Plus, K&R Truck Sales was managing a bounty of used truck tires from the trucks and trailers it rebuilt and serviced.

For years, when a customer asked for retreaded tires, K&R Tire bought them from a handful of other tire dealerships in central Michigan. When one of those dealers was acquired, one casualty of the merger was a retread shop in Flint. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. wanted to find an operator to continue to service that market.

So Rietman and Goodyear worked to establish a new plant. Rietman found a building and hired employees of the former facility, including Kenny McMullen, who is K&R Tire’s retread plant manager. McMullen said the 17 employees at the retread plant have 200 years of combined experience. He and three other workers have amassed 100 years of that service.

During a grand opening event in midApril, McMullen marveled at how far the

Photo: MTD

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K&R Truck Sales

business had come. On January 3, he stood in an empty building. Thirty-seven work days later, he said the newly installed retread equipment was running.

Rietman said the plant represents an investment of around $1.5 million. A big chunk of that — around $250,000 — was spent rewiring the electrical system. In the earliest days, before the electrical upgrades were complete, the plant relied on generators to produce 20 tires a day.

McMullen said the plant has the capacity to build 150 tires a day.

Rietman said if demand grew and warranted it, the company could add a second shift to increase that capacity.

The bulk of that capacity is dedicated to medium truck tires — sizes 225/75R16 to 445/65R22.5 — though the plant can also handle OTR tires and section repairs for farm and earthmover tires. The site also features a commercial wheel powder coating reconditioning station.

GROWING TO SAY YES

Rietman never envisioned a business like he has today. But over time, either his existing staff, customers or other people he’s grown to know have presented him opportunities to grow. In the earliest days, he sold the trucks he rebuilt to other truck dealers. But over time, customers wanted

Above, K&R Tire Center has a large service center in Holland, Mich., next to the company’s headquarters. In April, the company hosted an open house at its newest location, a Goodyear retread plant in Flint. The plant has the capacity to build 150 medium truck retreads a day. It’s just the latest evolution of the K&R business portfolio.

Photo: MTD

Left, Ed Rietman was trained as a diesel mechanic and loved building and rebuilding trucks, which is how he started his first business, K&R Truck Sales. The operations has evolved into an International Truck dealership with offshoots for towing, body work, mobile service, parts and tires.

Photo: MTD

to buy a truck directly from him. That eventually led him to an International Truck license with Navistar Inc.

“They started buying trucks and they said, ‘Can you change oil and fix it (and) grease it?’ So we started doing that. The theme is we don’t like to say no.”

When K&R added truck service, there was a need for a much larger parts department. That grew into an entire parts business, which has evolved further into both new and used parts.

The business used to farm out its paint work on body shop repairs. Now that’s done in house. A towing company that used to haul in the wrecked trucks K&R was buying got into financial trouble, so Rietman bought the business.

When K&R Truck Sales was constructing a new building in Kalamazoo, Mich., “we knew a guy that had a really good body shop in Kalamazoo. For us, more revenue centers under one rooftop helps pay the building rent, so we bought him out.” The original owner has continued to operate the business.

The list goes on and on.

It hasn’t all gone smoothly. One venture was a truck wash, which Rietman said failed “miserably. That’s the worst business to be in.” (He had one employee wash each side of a truck. In the end, the two sides

would look totally different, the customer wasn’t happy and the truck would have to be washed again.)

PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE

Bolting on all these different businesses has also helped expand the company’s customer base. Rietman said roughly 20% of K&R Tire’s customers are what he called “transient” — someone who has a flat tire or a blow out while they happen to be in the K&R Tire service area.

Over time that service area has grown, too. Rietman said the company’s 260 employees cover a territory that fans out 100 miles in any direction from Grand Rapids. Customers are a mix of independent operators, local fleets and national fleets. Rietman said the large national fleets like J.B. Hunt account for 60% of the company’s after-hours service calls.

But what all of those customers have in common is a need for a specific service or product. And Rietman said his employees have a genuine desire to answer that need.

“The biggest part of the success is the people and their willingness to want to help people,” he said. “I can’t do this myself. So you really have to surround yourself with good people who have the same mindset (to) help others.”

Rietman said his wife, Jane, deserves

credit not for just holding down the fort at home, but also because she “gives into a lot of things I’m trying.” The couple’s three daughters have all joined the business, as have their two sons-in-law. The oldest grandchild is 14, but Rietman told him he had to work somewhere else before he could join the family business.

He has no plans to retire and instead has worked to ensure the entire K&R operation has a gameplan for the future.

“Sometimes we are probably too quick to jump on things and sometimes we’re too late to jump on things, but this whole EV thing — (electric) trucks (are) going to change our world dramatically, if it catches on,” he said. “The mechanical side is going to slow down. Anything to do with parts for those vehicles will slow down because they’re just like running a forklift. They just don’t seem to break. We have to start looking at different ways to generate revenue.”

It was that mentality that led Rietman into the tire business a decade ago.

“That is one thing that we always keep looking at — what is the constant that keeps needing to be replaced?”

He believes electrification will continue, but it’s “just a matter of how fast and to what degree. I don’t know if I’ll ever see electric semis take over the diesel world, but our kids might someday, if they make them compact enough and with enough power to go a whole day without having to be charged.”

Continuing to help customers when they need it requires a steady workforce. For now, “I would say we’re sitting pretty good,” Rietman said.

“Technicians are always going to be (tough) because there’s not that many people coming up through the ranks. There’s a few younger ones that are starting to look at it (as a career path) again, but for the longest time, our systems pushed everybody to be a doctor, lawyer or go on to get a degree of some sort. They kind of bypass the trades, but I think that’s starting to reverse a little bit. But there’s that gap in age groups, especially in that 30- to 45-age group.”

Rietman said K&R Tire no longer waits to talk to students about the automotive industry when they reach high school. “We

actually go down to the sixth grade kids in school.” They also visit high school tech centers and offer job shadow opportunities.

“The younger generation wants a career path,” he said, and they ask where they will be a year from now and five years from now. “We help them lay that plan out.” It’s a starkly different world than when Rietman searched for his first job. He was fresh out of college and he couldn’t find a job as a diesel mechanic. “Every place I went to, you had to have two years of experience before they even talked to you.”

He finally found a trucking company that gave him a chance. But first he had to pass a test. There was a box with engine parts inside of it. He was told to reassemble the engine and make it run. If he did, he could have a job.

He passed the test. “Talk about pressure.”

The dynamics are dramatically different today.

“The future for any company is their employee situation. How can you attract and keep employees? You have to treat them right.” ■

‘The

Mike Manges By

SIndustrial tires

key to everything is service’

ADVANCED TIRE BUILDS ON THE BASICS

teve Santabarbara and Ron Ridley have seen plenty of changes in the industrial tire segment since they opened Advanced Tire Inc. in Cleveland, Ohio, 26 years ago.

However, one thing hasn’t changed, according to Ridley. “The key to everything is service.”

Advanced Tire’s focus on taking care of customers has been the foundation of its growth and success — making the company a trusted source for forklift dealerships, equipment rental companies and other businesses that need “a fair product at a fair price,” as Santabarbara puts it.

UPWARDLY MOBILE

Santabarbara and Ridley formed Advanced Tire in 1998, after they had worked together at another industrial tire dealership.

They rented a facility across the street from a mammoth steel manufacturing plant in the industrial section of Cleveland’s Flats District, where Advanced Tire is still based today.

“We did a lot of work for different foundries back then,” says Santabarbara. “We had a pretty decent base,” which quickly expanded as Advanced Tire began to diversify its book of customers.

Forklift dealerships, in particular, took notice of Advanced Tire.

Over time, these businesses — some large, others small — have grown to make up the bulk of the dealership’s clientele.

Advanced Tire runs a mobile press truck for customers who require on-site service.

“And some companies will just pull their tires off and bring them here,” says Santabarbara. “We have one forklift dealer who’ll bring in pallets of tires.”

Advanced Tire has a massive, stationary press at its facility that can handle bigger, heavier tire/wheel assemblies. “It’s able to push 300 tons,” says Ridley.

Most of the dealership’s customers schedule tire replacement ahead of time, which ensures a steady flow of work.

“Our customers know we will always bend over backwards for them,” says Steve Santabarbara (pictured right), who co-owns Cleveland, Ohio-based Advanced Tire Inc. with Ron Ridley (left). They opened Advanced Tire 26 years ago.

Photo: MTD

“Every now and then, someone waits too long and a tire falls apart” while in service, which then requires rapid response, says Ridley.

“If you have a backhoe and two guys are working on it and that (machine) goes down, you have two guys standing around with their hands in their pockets.”

Santabarbara says it takes a skilled Advanced Tire technician “an hour to an hour-and-15 minutes” to change four tires on a typical forklift.

BUILT ON THE BASICS

Most of Advanced Tire’s forklift tire clients still prefer “traction tires,” notes Santabarbara.

“If you’re running on a concrete floor, you don’t need a lot of traction unless the surface is wet or you go outdoors and need traction in the snow.”

Other Advanced Tire forklift customers request non-marking tires to preserve the aesthetics of their shop floors. “Probably about 25% of the tires we sell are non-marking.”

Some forklift tire technologies have failed to gain traction with Advanced Tire’s customers, he notes.

“There were tires that had fiberglass in them. There were walnut-impregnated tires, where if you felt the outside of the tire, you could feel little bumps. There were tires impregnated through the rubber with shredded wire to prevent cuts.

“A lot of those were really good ideas, but they cost so much money.”

Advanced Tire’s clients “didn’t want to pay for those extras.”

One “nice thing,” according to Santabarbara, is that forklift tires have not experienced the size proliferation seen in other product segments.

“When I got in the forklift tire business 30 years ago, I was selling the same sizes that I’m selling now,” he reveals.

“Once in a while, we’ll see an exotic size come in from Europe. I had a customer who called me up looking for some size and I asked, ‘Are you sure about that?’

“Sure enough, I started checking it out and it was a European size.

“But for the most part, sizes haven’t really changed.

“If anything, forklifts are easier to work on today. Years ago, wheels were a lot heavier. A lot of times, they had drive gears and brakes built into them. Now with five bolts, those wheels come right off.”

ONE-STOP SHOP

Another advantage enjoyed by Advanced Tire is less direct competition. The number of industrial tire dealerships in Cleveland has thinned over the years, says Ridley.

“Years ago, everyone was in the (industrial tire) business. You bought a pickup truck and thought you were ready to go. Some customers would use those businesses, but they can’t afford to do that now.”

Today, customers prefer to work with dealerships that have the proper equipment, training, support infrastructure and insurance, he explains.

And being able to service customers’ other tire needs doesn’t hurt. In addition to its forklift tire press truck, Advanced Tire operates five commercial tire roadside service trucks that stay busy.

In addition to a mobile press truck, Advanced Tire has a stationary press at its facility that can handle bigger, heavier assemblies.

Photo: MTD

The dealership carries Roadmaster brand medium truck tires and sells Bandag and Goodyear retreads. It also can source tires from its distributor, North Gateway Tire, which has a big warehouse in Seville, Ohio, just 40 minutes down the highway.

Advanced Tire also offers mobile passenger and light truck tire installation, which Santabarbara calls “a concierge service. We’ve been doing it for more than 20 years.”

Supersize your alignment capabilities.

Whether selling industrial tires, medium truck tires or consumer tires, “our customers know we will always bend over backwards for them,” says Santabarbara.

And he adds that Advanced Tire is very active in its community, giving back to a wide range of local organizations and groups.

“That’s also something we feel very good about.” ■

Tire speed and air pressure

WHY IT’S CRITICAL TO UNDERSTAND THE CONNECTION

Modern Tire Dealer has partnered with AG Tire Talk to provide answers to insightful questions that farm tire dealers have about farm tire technology. This is the next installment in our ongoing series, which is designed to help farm tire dealers better connect with their customers. A trending question, followed by answers, will appear in our Commercial Tire Dealer section every other month. For complete answers, click on www.agtiretalk.com.

QUESTION: Why is a tire, when run at slower speed, able to carry the same load at lower air pressure?

NICK PHILLIPPI, product manager, technical support North America, Ascenso Tires North America: I am not a physicist and the deep mathematical calculations and presentations are for others to give. But as a tire person, the central subject for this question has to do with the law of coefficient of friction. The faster an object moves against another

object the more heat is built up and all tire folks know that heat is the worst enemy of a tire.

The load, air and speed ratings of tires are set based on maximum speed, maximum load and maximum air. The slower the operation is as compared to the maximum speed rating of the tire, the more weight the tire can handle safely. Now, as always, all tire data is based on five criteria:

• Tire in new condition;

• Wheel in new condition;

• Equipment in new condition;

• Surface flat and free of obstacles; and

• No extreme ambient or surface temperature.

In short, the end user and tire service professional need to be aware of any of these factors that may impact the ability of the tire to operate safely.

Very-high flexion (VF) tires are being used more and more in lower speed or variable speed settings, requiring the new load charts to give direction on capacity at lower

Photo: Yokohama Off-Highway Tires America Inc.

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speeds and in intermittent speeds/loads. As more VF tires are produced and more data is available in the market on performance — along with more testing being conducted — it has given reason to create the new charts and to be sure existing and past load index charts were accurate.

Central tire inflation systems (CTIS) are an absolute necessity to get tires op -

AG Tire Talk

erating at the proper and lowest pressure possible to minimize compaction and meet optimum fuel versus slip. Although CTIS today only uses the measured worst case scenario weight to adjust the air in the tire from faster road to slower field speed — not taking into consideration live load changes — it is so much better than any chance producers will adjust

pressure from field to road or even between pieces of equipment.

DAVE PAULK, manager, field technical services, BKT USA Inc.: At field speeds, five to 10 mph, tires can be run with less air pressure to get a longer and wider footprint to better distribute the weight of the tractor and/or implements. This allows for better traction (fuel economy) and less ground-bearing pressure (soil compaction).

As speeds increase, the load carrying capacity of the tire decreases. The low air pressures that can be used at field speeds are not the same air pressures that should be used at highway speeds. Higher air pressure must be used to carry the load at a faster speed. The higher air pressures create a smaller footprint for lower rolling resistance on the road.

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Cyclic load examples

• 31,970 lbs. @ 46psi @ 30 mph

• 37,290 lbs. @ 46 psi cyclic 10-20 mph

• 55,980 lbs. @ 46 psi cyclic 0-10 mph

Using a load and index chart is helpful to eliminate possibilities of damaging the tire by overloading and underinflation. The load and index chart gives weight carrying capacities at different speeds and air pressures. Less air pressure equals less soil compaction in the field. As noted, the air pressures must go up for road transport at higher speeds. Currently, to accomplish this, one must reduce air pressure in the field and inflate the tires before taking the tractor on the road. An air compressor is needed to do this. CTIS are being developed and will be built into the tractor to perform this function. Air pressures can be reduced in the field and pressures can be increased, as needed, for the road. This can reduce compaction and increase fuel economy in the field and minimize tire failures on the road. Running a tire with low air pressures at highway speeds creates heat buildup in the tire. It can’t dissipate the heat quickly enough over long distances and can lead to ply gap turnup and sidewall separations.

Standard tires can be used with less air pressure at slower speeds. With the use of increased flexion (IF) and VF tires, air pressures can be reduced even more at field speeds. A VF tire will carry 40%

RADIAL MEDIUM TRUCK TIRES

more weight at the same air pressure as a standard tire of the same size. At slower speeds, air pressure can be reduced even more to minimize compaction.

As stated, lower air pressures can be used at slower speeds if enough air is used to carry the weight of the tractor and equipment. Proper air pressure for the weight carried, whatever that may be, is required so that the tires are not

AG Tire Talk

changing. e load is cyclic. For these applications, load bonuses are given at slow speeds ( eld speeds at ve to 10 mph and 10 to 20 mph) for a speci ed distance. On the previous page, an example is shown of a 1250/50R32 201B IF-CFO tire used in this application. At ve to 10 mph, this tire has a 55% load bonus without changing air pressures. At 10 to 20 mph, the tire has a 30% load bonus. ese factors

di erence between radial tires and bias ply tires is in the tire carcass, as well as the material construction of the tire.

“Using a load and index chart is helpful to eliminate possibilities of damaging the tire," says Dave Paulk, manager, fi eld technical services, BKT USA Inc.

overloaded. ere are times when low air pressure can’t be used. Overloading tires will lead to bead and sidewall failures in the eld. An example is sprayers, since at times they run at faster eld speeds than tractors and start loaded with liquid. Another example is using a 16-row planter on a three-point hitch. With the planter down at eld speed, air pressure can be reduced. When it gets to the end of the row, the planter must be picked up to turn. is is a lot of weight on the tires with low air pressure. Worst case scenarios should be considered when deciding the correct air pressure for the application.

IF-CFO and VF-CFO tires are used in cyclic applications, such as grain carts and combines. CFO is an abbreviation for Cyclic Field Operation. ese applications start with the hoppers or carts empty and build up weight over time.

When they are full, they are dumped and start empty again. Because of this, the weight of the machine is constantly

are not to be used when considering air pressures for tractors. Tractors generally have a constant weight and are not cyclic. Although sprayers may be considered cyclic, they are cyclic in reverse. Sprayers start heavy and full. As they use the liquid in the tanks, they get lighter. Instead of going from light to heavy like combines and grain carts, they go from heavy to light.

e faster the speed a tire travels, the less weight carrying capacity it has. e slower the speed, the more weight carrying capacity it has. is is true for all tires. is can be seen in the load capacity chart. When deciding how much air pressure to run, always look at the worst-case scenario and use that to decide.

GREG GILLAND, vice president, global agriculture, Maxam Tire North America Inc

.: In a previous article, we covered the di erences between radial and bias tire construction. In summary, the primary

e key di erence between the two types of construction is how the radial tire uses the single radial casing as a spring mechanism that pushes the working belts onto the working surface, ensuring a uniform contact patch or contact area for the tire tread. is delivers both the necessary traction and friction, carrying the required load in any direction under power. e improved footprint and traction delivered by radial tires has accelerated the adoption of radial tires as the primary construction type on both new and older agricultural equipment. With the performance advantage created by the radial casing, the air pressure in the chamber takes on a larger part of the load carrying capacity, moving from 60% to 80% of the axle load carrying capability.

e radial advantage is delivered by the air pressure in the inner chamber that uctuates per the given axle load, whether mounted as a single tire, dual or triple tment. All tires are a compromise, as load and speed, radial casings and rubber compounds have been enhanced over time. is allows the tires to operate at higher speeds and absorb the heat generated by the friction of the road versus a given axle load. Over the last 20 years, we have seen radial tires evolve from the traditional dual speed rating of A8 = 25 mph / B = 30 mph to a D rating = 40 mph capability as the market demands and requires faster capabilities. In every case, the rubber compounds, as well as casing materials, must be engineered to not only carry the loads, but have the endurance to de ect or ex up/down as the tire absorbs the energy generated by both load and speed. e biggest threat to tire failure is excessive heat generation caused by overload or overspeed. Overload occurs when tires are underin ated for the axle load. Overspeed failures occur when tires are either overloaded, don’t have enough air pressure for the rated speed and/or are operated above their speed rating, increasing the friction coe cient of the tire rubber compounds.

As a rule, the key to load bearing capability is the correlation between the actual weight being carried and the machinery speed. If the tire in ation pressure is set to the right in ation pressure based on the axle load for a given speed, the tire is

Photo: BKT USA Inc.

designed to deflect and absorb the heat, delivering performance and endurance. If you slow the machinery speed without changing the air pressure in the chamber — already at a higher pressure — the air in the chamber allows for heavier loads to be carried as heat generation caused by the friction or tire flexing is reduced dramatically. This reduces the heat in the inner chamber that is normally generated between the air molecules. In all cases, tire manufacturers abide by industry standards that reference principles of temperature and air pressure to determine the optimal speed, weight bearing capability and resulting heat generation for a given tire size air chamber.

If you choose to lower the air pressure of a tire, then the load being carried must be measured so that the correct lower air pressure for that given speed is identified, thus allowing the air molecules in the chamber to heat up without overheating the tire.

The advent of IF and VF technology has allowed some of the above rules to be re-written, transferring back to the casing materials a greater share of the load carrying technology. For agricultural tires, whether using IF or VF technology tires, farmers can either significantly lower air pressure without compromising the carrying capacity of the tire or increase the weight carried with the same tire footprint or same gross flat plate.

Both technologies allow farmers to achieve better yields or greater productivity in the field with heavier or faster machinery.

Specifically, VF tire technology construction uses different casing and rubber materials to achieve the benefits mentioned earlier by delivering the product solutions below in comparison to the standard tire construction:

• VF tires provide the greatest load carrying or axle load capacity at standard air pressures as needed;

• When operated at 40% lower air inflation pressures, VF tires will reduce soil compaction improving crop yields;

• VF tires are designed to operate safely with a higher heat resistance of the casing; despite the 40% lower air pressure;

• The ability to lower air pressures also improves the ride and with a greater contact patch (or flotation) as traction improves;

AG Tire Talk

• VF tire pressures, when operating at 40% lower air inflation, also greatly enhance both traction and stability when on slope fields, and;

• The above conditions are matched on IF technology tires, except the benefits are only 20% greater than standard tires.

The growing use of on-board CTIS technology has created a feedback loop adjustment tool supplied by the machinery that is connected to the tires. This includes the capability to inflate or deflate the tires as needed, based on the required speed or working axle load demand. CTIS receive data from either an RFID or sensor tag, located by wheel position on the machinery, and give the operator the capability to adjust the tire inflation pressure in real time and as needed without having to stop

speeds? As a tire rolls, the perfectly circular shape of that tire transforms. The bottom flattens out and rolls over bumps and through divots. As the tire rolls faster, the circular shape transforms to more of an oval or oblong shape. This transformation creates a couple of concerns.

First, the structural integrity of the tire is being compromised more often as speed increases and more significantly as air pressure decreases. You would think lower air pressure at higher speeds would create a smooth ride. However, it also creates bouncing, which can overload a tire each time downward pressure is applied.

As the structural integrity of a tire is compromised more often with higher speed and the casing is more deflected at lower air pressure, heat increases. In severe cases, underinflated tires at high

‘Why can a tire carry more load at lower speeds and air pressures? A tire deforms more often at higher speeds, creating more heat — the worst enemy of a tire.’

–DAVID GRADEN, operational market manager, agriculture, Michelin North America Inc.

the machinery. Whether working in the field at slow speeds or transporting the machinery (roading) from field to field at higher speeds, the ability to adjust the tire air pressures as needed can ensure the following benefits:

• Reduced ground compaction as tire load is based on the actual load per axle or per tire, as needed;

• Greater crop yields as the compaction impact on the soil is minimized by the improved tire footprint;

• Improved tire wear and reduced sidewall deflection, giving the optimum tire gross flat plate or footprint;

• Improved fuel efficiency as the tire is optimized for each work application or towed implement, andl

• Greater productivity in the field as the tire’s footprint and traction provide increased efficiency.

DAVID GRADEN, operational

market

manager, agriculture, Michelin North America Inc.:

I would like to start with rephrasing this question to, ‘Why does a tire require more air pressure at faster

speeds will cause that tire to fail from the inside out. The radial belts will separate, carcass plies will break and pull apart and the rubber will begin to melt.

The second concern is the stability of the vehicle. At lower speeds and air pressures, an operator can easily maneuver machinery over bumpy terrain and around obstacles. At higher speeds and lower air pressures, however, it becomes much more difficult for the operator to manage these tasks. Think about a high-clearance sprayer. As this top-heavy machine makes a sharp turn, the tires will flex and the machine’s weight will shift to one side, overloading the tires on that side and possibly failing. If the tires are set to proper inflation pressures, they will be able to handle the weight shift and limit the leaning of this machine to one side.

Why can a tire carry more load at lower speeds and air pressures? A tire deforms more often at higher speeds, creating more heat — the worst enemy of a tire. At lower speeds, the opposite is true and the structural integrity is better preserved. Simply put, this lack of stress on the tire carcass allows it to carry more load.

When we consider the daily activities of most farm machines, they aren’t always operated at the same speed or load. This is exactly where Michelin’s PTG CTIS comes into the picture. We know machines operate much more efficiently at lower air pressures in the field and are more stable at higher pressures while traveling down the road at higher speeds. Unfortunately, I’ve never met a machine operator willing to stop what he or she is doing to change air pressures before each of these activities. With PTG, there is no need to manually change air pressures or even stop the machine, for that matter. With the push of a button, a machine operator can change tire pressures for up to two axles and an implement. This technology now enables producers to gain full operational efficiency of their machinery. Full operational efficiency means maximum traction, flotation, fuel efficiency, stability and rider comfort.

Finally, several years ago, Michelin was one of the first manufacturers to begin designating harvester and sprayer tires with CFO Load Bonus — enabling even heavier loads than standard, at specified slow speeds, for a limited distance.

Look at the Michelin Spraybib, as an example: VF380/90R46 173D CFO (Cyclic Field Operation):

• Standard VF: At six mph (10 km/h), 12 psi carries 4,795 lbs. for an unlimited distance;

• VF CFO: At nine mph (15 km/h), 12 psi carries a cyclical load of 4,960 lbs. up to 1 mile.

As I mentioned earlier, typically a tire can carry heavier loads at slower speeds, so why does this example not follow that same rule of thought?

Since the sprayer is getting lighter as herbicide is used, we only need the CFO tire to carry the load for one mile — limiting the amount of times tire deforms. Hence, we can increase the load more than standard temporarily.

KEN BRODBECK, vice president of technology, Precision Inflation LLC: A tire’s tread and sidewalls flex rolling through the footprint. Internal friction from flexing creates heat. Tire temperatures can easily go above 200 degrees Fahrenheit and start to cause the rubber to revert or become gooey. Then the tire can fail.

AG Tire Talk

‘A tire’s tread and sidewalls flex rolling through the footprint. Internal friction from flexing creates heat. Tire temperatures can easily go above 200 degrees Fahrenheit and start to cause the rubber to revert or become gooey. Then the tire can fail.’

–KEN BRODBECK, vice president of technology, Precision Inflation LLC

The slower the tire goes, the less heat is generated. And a higher load can be carried without overheating.

Michelin now offers higher cyclic loads for sprayer tires up to 20 mph field speeds.

An example:

A VF 420/95R50 179D/175E: VF is an Ultra High Flex Tire that provides a large, long footprint with heavy loads, carrying same weight at 40% less air pressure than standard tire. At 55 psi, the tire will carry 16,570 pounds at 40 mph. At 20 mph the tire will carry 18,740 pounds, or 13% (more than) the 40 mph load.

A 1,200 gallon sprayer with 28% fertilizer has the following loads per tire in road and field configuration.

No Central Tire Inflation System: Roading, 40 mph loads (folded boom)

FRONT LBS. PSI REAR LBS. PSI 13,400 39 12,000 30

Field, 40 mph loads, (unfolded boom)

FRONT LBS. PSI REAR LBS. PSI 10,200 25 15,200 47

Without changing tire pressure, the required psi is 39 psi for the front and 47 psi for the rear.

With a Central Tire Inflation System: By changing tire pressures on the go with CTIS, up to 20 mph, air pressure can be reduced.

Field, CFO 20 mph loads (unfolded boom)

FRONT LBS. PSI REAR LBS. PSI 10,200 20 15,200 39

Changing tire pressure with CTIS, accommodating load and speed change, the required psi is 20 psi for the front and 39 psi for the rear. That’s a 49% decrease in psi. Air pressure reduction directly correlates to reduced soil compaction. Using

slower speed tables with CTIS provides increased yield, reduced fuel consumption and increased efficiency.

CHRIS NEIDERT, ag marketing, training and development manager for Trelleborg and Mitas Tires — North America, Yokohama TWS: Pneumatic tires are designed to be flexible and adaptable to the application in which they are operating. Because of the weight they bear, tire sidewalls bulge under load and their treads flatten to increase the contact area and traction as they roll.

This sidewall bulge results in a dimensional difference between the tire’s “unloaded” radius (i.e., between the center of the axle and the top of the tire) and its “loaded” radius (between the center of the axle and the road) called “Static Loaded Radius” (SLR). Engineers call this radial deflection.

When a tire travels on the road or field it rotates and constantly changes its shape between the unloaded radius and the loaded radius form. Increasing the vehicle speed will increase the frequency of this change and cause the tires to deflect at a faster rate. This is an important point to remember to understand the internal chemistry of the tire components.

This involves a term called “hysteresis.” Hysteresis is the percent of energy loss per each deformation. Hysteresis results from friction happening inside the rubber which creates heat buildup. The heat buildup in the rubber is measured as the temperature increases from hysteresis.

You want to keep the amount of hysteresis low.

With that being written, when a tire is rotating at a slower speed, the deflection cycle is slower allowing the tire more time to cool down when it’s in the less deflected position.

In other words, the heat is generated on

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the bottom part of the tire and the upper portion of the tire cools down. The faster this cycle, the less time the upper part of the tire has to cool down.

Each tire size uses a certain air pressure to carry a specific load at a specific speed. Conversely, when the tire’s speed increases, as in moving from the field to the road, and the air pressure is not increased, the speed of deflection movement increases and the amount of deflection increases. This will build up additional heat in the tire, reducing tire life and possibly creating a tire failure. Tire air pressure must be increased when speed is increased.

The same will hold true for a load increase. If no air pressure adjustment is made, the amount of deflection increases. Heat buildup happens. Tire failure is possible and tire life is reduced. Tire air pressure must be increased to reduce that deflection. Higher inflation pressure results in a “stiffer” tire sidewall, less deflection and less heat buildup.

We at Trelleborg and Mitas have always said the ideal situation is to run

AG Tire Talk

‘We at Trelleborg and Mitas have always said the ideal situation is to run one air pressure in the field and another air pressure on the road.’

– CHRIS NEIDERT, ag marketing, training and development manager for Trelleborg and Mitas Tires — North America, Yokohama TWS

one air pressure in the field and another air pressure on the road. This will give optimum tire performance and tire life.

A Central Tire Inflation System (CTIS) would accommodate this recommendation with its ability to change air pressure on the fly.

When IF technology was first introduced the decision was made to make

the load tables as easy as possible to use. Hence, the load table was designed so that no matter what speed you were traveling, one air pressure was recommended. Example: if you need to carry 18,850 pounds, you would need to run 26 psi whether your speed was 40 mph or 5 mph.

As tire materials and design technology have improved, the tire international standards organization has recently introduced additional load values when speed is reduced. Tires built with IF and VF technology have new expanded load tables.

For the exact same tire, but with an expanded load table, we can better suggest an air pressure based on the application. We will use an application doing some slow speed work (5 mph) in a low torque (LT) application. (The table) would suggest 20 psi. Quite an air pressure reduction from the 26 psi we would be recommending with the old table.

The reduced air pressure will increase the size of the tire’s footprint, reducing the ground pressure, reducing compaction, and improving yield. Tire performance will be better for the grower. ■

Will You Take Home The Mr. Tire/Big 3 Tire Commercial Tire Dealer Of The Year Award This Year?

The Mr. Tire/Big 3 Tire Commercial Tire Dealer of the Year Award is designed to recognize the tire dealership that is quite simply “The Best” among independent commercial tire shops. K&M Tire has partnered again with Modern Tire Dealer to bring you the 8th annual Commercial Tire Dealer of the Year Award. The winner will be announced this January at the 2025 K&M Tire Dealer Conference in Columbus, Ohio.

Winner Receives:

 $2,000 in cash.

 $1,000 towards the charity of their choice.

 $1,000 towards a physical improvement project at their dealership.

 Trophy along with the distinction of being the Mr. Tire/Big 3 Commercial Tire Dealer of the Year.

 A feature story on the winning Commercial Dealer in a custom publication distributed at the K&M Tire Dealer Conference.

Nominations* will open July 1st, 2024 and will be accepted through September 30th, 2024. Please register by visiting the online registration site www.mrtirebig3tirectd.com and nominate your dealership today!

*This contest is for all eligible Mr. Tire and Big 3 Tire dealers only. Winner will be announced during the 2025 K&M Tire Dealer Conference in Columbus, Ohio!

2024 Winner Weaver’s Tire Service of Northumberland, Pennsylvania

By

Dennis McCarron

WHow to deal with hostile customers

FIRST RULE: DON’T DO SPECIAL FAVORS

e’ve all had this interaction. A customer wants some kind of special treatment and says:

“I just want you to replace the spark plugs. I know that’s the problem.”

“Can you just squeeze me in?”

“I don’t have time to bring my car in. I don’t want to pay for a diagnostic. I just want an estimate over the phone.”

Dealing with these scenarios is inevitable in retail. Behaviorally, at least 25% of the American public is dominant and hostile. (Hostile means “me first,” not violent.) Hostility disregards the relationship between two people and focuses only on the self-interest of the individual. They want what they want, they think they know better and they don’t care about your needs. Has caving in to these “one-offs” ever not bitten you in the rear end? They always do — every time, whether it’s giving a quote to a vehicle you haven’t seen yet, which inevitably leads to, “but you said it was this much” or “ever since you replaced my spark plugs...” or a host of other combative conversations. It never ends well.

Here’s why: The customer is looking for a pre-determined solution to their problem and a price or outcome they want to happen. Any deviation from that outcome will result in an argument — or worse, you end up refunding or fixing the remaining problem for free.

In any other line of work, there are boundaries — rules that a business lives by and under no circumstances does that business ever cross the line. You get your blood pressure checked at every doctor’s visit. A contractor does not give price quotes over the phone. No plumber will give you an exact arrival time because things happen. They give you a window.

The problem isn’t the customer asking. We live in a (mostly) free market society where business is conducted on a voluntary basis. Customers can ask for anything they want. It’s up to the business to act professionally and decide if conducting business with this person will result in a win/win. In this case, the customer is happy and might return for future business and the company is happy because it made a profit.

When the hostile customer gets his way, it’s usually because the sales advisor is being passive to avoid confrontation. But being passive simply moves the conversation further down the transaction, which is where most customers pay for service.

I’m not advocating that sales advisors meet combative behavior with combative behavior. That won’t work either. The job of a professional advisor is to take in as much information as possible, assess the situation and then explain specifically what possible solutions the business is capable of providing — such

as, “I can’t get an oil change done in 15 minutes, but if you can come on Tuesday morning, I can probably have you in and out in 45 minutes," or “We don’t give repair estimates over the phone due to the increased complexities of today’s cars, but from what you described as the problem, we won’t charge for a visual inspection.”

If you are frustrated with your sales advisor’s passive behavior with dominant customers, the solution is usually giving him or her the words to politely offer solutions your company can provide, focusing on the ways your dealership can solve the customer’s problems without going down the road of doing favors and one-offs.

‘When the hostile customer gets his way, it's usually because the sales advisor is being passive to avoid confrontation.’

You’ve hopefully built a process for this at your dealership, based on knowing what works and what doesn’t. I’m fully aware that once in a while, there are exceptions to the rule. But being an exception is earned through loyalty and familiarity with longterm customers. Long-term customers usually aren’t combative. They understand the nature of a business relationship and know that your reliability in fixing their vehicle comes at a cost of either time or money — or both.

Combative customers usually suck the air out of the room, destroy your employees’ morale and disrupt more than just that one transaction. Have meetings with your people and rehearse polite, multi-optional solutions with sales advisors, so they get some batting practice before the live action. Don’t give them scripts. Advisors need to think on their feet and collect scenario-specific information and process it on the fly. Give them frameworks and give them the rules of the business, but no scripts. If a combative customer hears a rehearsed line, they are likely to get more combative.

By the way, this same logic works with combative employees, as well. But that’s a topic for another column. ■

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.

YO U R B E S T M OV E

Mergers and Acquisitions

By

FEscrows in M&A transactions

WHY THEY EXIST AND HOW TO MINIMIZE THEM

Michael McGregor

or a new client, we recently had to spend a bit of time up front explaining how escrows work in M&A transactions and why they exist. The client was rightly concerned about a portion of his eventual selling price being tied up indefinitely — or even worse, never being released.

One typically sees escrows in two areas: working capital and in enforcing a seller’s representations and warranties.

In both cases, some part of the purchase price is put up in cash by the buyer at closing in an interest-bearing account. It’s released at a time when it’s clear that either the working capital target that both parties agreed to has been met or when it’s clear that no misrepresentations or unexpected problems will arise that end up costing the buyer money.

Working capital escrows work in this way. A target working capital amount that needs to be left in the business is determined for the transaction. At closing, some reasonable percentage of the target working capital from the transaction proceeds is put into an escrow amount.

Ninety days post-closing, after all the bills are in and the closing inventory has been finalized, the buyer calculates what turned out to be the “actual closing working capital” and sends this to the seller for his review and approval.

If both agree on the number and if the closing working capital is greater than the target working capital, the buyer wires that difference to the seller and instructs the escrow agent to release the escrow.

If the closing working capital is less than the target working capital, the buyer can deduct the deficiency from the escrow and the remainder is released to the seller.

Other escrows typically take longer to be released. These always relate to the perceived risk of a company by a buyer. In the case of our new client that I refer to above, he has a 75-year-old, thriving business. The good thing about a 75-year-old business is that it’s likely going to be around for quite a bit longer. The bad thing about a 75-year-old business is buyers worry about hidden issues from long ago that will come back to bite them.

That’s why sellers are often required to sign off on and attest to a laundry list of issues at a closing. These are called representations and warranties.

In one current transaction for a 50-year-old business, there are 27 items that our seller attested to, including environmental matters, personnel, litigation, tax matters, financial statements, customers, suppliers, accuracy of financial statements, permits, real property, intellectual property, material contracts, employee benefits, no material changes to the business and more.

Five months of due diligence was performed by the buyer on each of the 27 issues and on the business itself.

The purchase agreement covering reps and warranties was about 20 pages of legalese. Note to sellers: You need to be prepared to endure all of that.

With regards to escrows related to reps and warranties, we try to limit the amount to 10% of transaction value or less. We also try to limit the length of time that the cash is held. We’re usually able to arrange the release of half the escrow in six months if it’s a 12-month escrow or nine months if an 18-month escrow, with the remainder released at the end of either 12 or 18 months.

The way we see it, release of escrow is 100% under the control of the seller. We advise clients to make sure they disclose anything that might pop up and to be transparent and honest.

‘One typically sees escrows in two areas: working capital and in enforcing a seller’s representations and warranties.’

The one time escrow was not released in a transaction that I was involved in was because significant misrepresentations were made by a seller. In that instance, the escrow was taken by the buyer and the seller paid more on top of that. So except for that one case, we find that when there is trust between a buyer and seller — and if the attorney crafts the escrow release language properly — the escrow will be released.

A solution to avoiding this type of escrow and to feeling good about attesting to everything is to get representation and warranties insurance. Like it sounds, reps and warranties insurance protects both the buyer and seller if an unforeseen problem arises. Financial investors, such as private equity groups, really like this extra layer of protection. The other advantage is that there is no escrow in the transaction. It’s one less thing to negotiate and none of the seller’s money is tied up.

There are several companies that specialize in this type of insurance. In our experience, it costs about 1% of the transaction value and this cost is usually split between a buyer and seller. ■

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.

Dealer Development

Randy O’Connor By

IIs your shop emergency-ready?

TIPS TO HELP YOU PREPARE FOR THE UNEXPECTED

t was 12:34 on a Friday afternoon and our team was cranking out a solid day. We were dialed in on making sure we knew our customers’ expectations and what we needed to do to exceed them. We were paying attention to our “promise times,” customers’ requested services and providing our customers with thorough vehicle inspections to help them and their families stay safe today and plan for tomorrow.

Everything was going smoothly, until it wasn’t.

All of a sudden, a technician yelled, “Help! Help!” Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him jump around a tire machine to catch his fellow team member who was falling towards the ground. His teammate had passed out cold while changing a tire. There was no advance warning and nothing the employee was doing was putting him at risk. Yet suddenly, we had an emergency on our hands.

This wasn’t the first time an event of this gravity happened while I was working in a shop. Many of you have had sudden emergencies occur on your watches, as well — hopefully, without tragic endings.

The majority of the conversations we have in our industry are focused on being the best in every area, except this one. Sales skills, certifications, systems management and profitability hold a majority share. We constantly focus on best practices, tools, tips and tricks that give us an edge in achieving our goals. We lean on manufacturers, product experts, consultants, peer groups and the like. We arm ourselves with knowledge in an attempt to harness and improve every detail within our control. These things enable us to prioritize and make clear decisions on a regular basis.

We focus on every little detail required to “succeed,” yet somehow, by and large, tend to overlook the details to prepare for helping each other when the worst strikes. Chances are, very few of you have received risk mitigation and emergency response preparedness training at any point in your tenure. The good news is that while we can’t prevent every emergency from happening, there are many things — 100% within our control — that can help mitigate and more importantly, help us respond appropriately when emergencies happen.

Full disclosure: I’m not a risk mitigation and/or an emergency response subject matter expert. It’s likely you aren’t, either. We’re tire guys and gals who have learned from the school of hard knocks. We work tirelessly — getting as much expert advice as possible on how to improve our businesses. Why should emergencies be any different?

Just as I often suggest inviting your local fire marshal and OSHA teams into your facility to prepare, I am suggesting you reach out to your local EMS/EMT experts. Invite them into your facility to assess your work, your facility and your programs. Request their assistance in creating an emergency preparedness and response plan.

You also could call upon both public and private entities, such as your local education systems, community colleges and high schools. The work you do together could be a very valuable part of not only your employee handbooks, but your onboarding and review processes.

Even if the above groups or individuals can’t or won’t assist, I bet they’ll be willing to point you in the right direction. Let’s outline some of the things they’re likely to bring to the table.

‘Why not be a hero yourself and prepare your team to step up in the event of an emergency?’

Do you have a fully accessible and comprehensive list of emergency phone numbers? Sure, we all know to call 911, but what about other emergency or care facilities? Has your workers compensation provider given you step-by-step instructions? Do team members know who to call in various situations? Do they know who’s responsible for making those calls?

What about fires? Are the locations of extinguishers and exits documented? Are the extinguishers serviced annually and inspected monthly? Are all exits left unlocked and unobstructed during business hours? Are fire detectors tested regularly? How about sprinkler systems?

How about emergency shut-offs? Are your shop’s main breakers fully operational and unobstructed? If you have a gas line, does everyone know where it is and do you have the tools you need stationed next to the shut-off? Are those tools maintained and inspected? How about main airline valves?

What about personnel files? Are they kept up-to-date as a part of your quarterly or annual reviews? What about how to proceed and manage your team members immediately following an incident?

I could go on and on. The list of safety and emergency preparedness items that your business is responsible for isn’t small. The potential outcomes of failing to prepare aren’t either. They could be devastating. We all know a lot can change in a minute. Why not be a hero yourself and prepare your team to step up in the event of an emergency? ■

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.

EV tools and tax credits

HOW TO TAP INTO EXISTING RESOURCES

Craig Van Batenburg By

Do you own a tire dealership that also repairs drivelines? Do you work in a state that wants to ban internal combustion engines? If not, are your future plans for your business considering that possibility?

If the government takes away fossil fuel-powered vehicles, would it make sense for elected officials to offer you job retraining? What about tax credits for retooling? Let me suggest a future that you can plan for now. Dismissing the idea that your career and business could become obsolete may not be in your best interest.

Let us look at other jobs. Would it be safe to say that a coal miner, oil rig operator or natural gas fitter are fossil fuel workers? I imagine we can all agree on that. We work with oil, gasoline and diesel for a living. Is a motor vehicle technician a fossil fuel worker? That's not much of a stretch. Those fluids are fossil fuels. When coal mines are closed, the men and women who are now out of work are offered retraining. This training is often subsidized by taxpayer money, both state and federal. Companies that offer these workers jobs in their own communities are often given incentives to build factories in that area. You may not agree with that practice, but it happens all the time.

Equipment, some quite expensive, is a large part of a tire dealership’s capital expenses.

Purchasing and setting up alignment, ADAS and tire machines can create a $100,000 expense or more. Most shops expect this and plan ahead. The costs are high — both for the facility and a well-trained work force. I have never in my lifetime seen as much change happening so fast.

If you believe, as I do, that burning fossil fuels is a problem — I know many people are skeptical — and stopping the sale of internal combustion engine vehicles is necessary, why not ask for help from the politicians who are making the laws?

What does that look like? First, get the training you need to be ready for electric vehicles (EVs). Write your elected officials to help pay the cost of tuition. That is being done today in my home state of Massachusetts.

When the training is done, you will know what tools and equipment are needed.

Why should the fossil fuel industry get tax breaks and you don’t? Certain tools could qualify for a tax credit. My company had a heat pump installed this year in our building to help burn less natural gas.

A $10,000 credit was paid by the state so the renewable electrical generation that is coming online can replace the carbon we used for well over a century. This also saves money heating and cooling the shop.

EV charging stations are being built out this year with more federal and state funds than ever before.

If your dealership is in the correct location and you can give up a few parking spots, this may cost you nothing. A shop in Maryland years ago was in the right place at the right time and they now have four chargers at their location, thanks to Uncle Sam.

As of January 1, 2023, the credit for qualified refueling property subject to depreciation equals 6% with a maximum credit of $100,000 for each single item of property.

Businesses meeting prevailing wage and apprenticeship require ments may be eligible for a 30% credit with the same $100,000 limit.

For consumers who purchase and install qualified alternative fuel vehicle refueling property for their principal residence, including electric vehicle charging equipment, between Dec. 31, 2022, and Jan. 1, 2033, the tax credit equals 30% of the cost with a maximum amount of $1,000 per item.”

This refers to EV charging equipment.

'If you believe, as I do, that burning fossil fuels is a problem — I know many people are skeptical — and stopping the sale of internal combustion engine vehicles is necessary, why not ask for help from the politicians who are making the laws?'

Talk to your chamber of commerce, utility company and city officials who want to see a future like this. They may be young and excited to help.

“Energetics will partner with Automotive Career Development Center (ACDC) to develop and deploy an upskilling workforce development program that will support fossil fuel workers currently employed as automotive technicians in their transition to servicing hybrid and electric vehicles.”

The above, italicized explanation is how my company ended up working with Massachusetts shop owners and technicians. Can that happen in your state? We've been in the high-voltage training business since 2000. That is not a typo. Massachusetts had planned to ban the sale of gas-powered vehicles by 2035, with a policy signed into law in August 2022. ■

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.

Focus on Dealers

ITDG grows on all fronts

INDEPENDENT DEALERS

ARE IN ‘GROWTH MODE’

By

MTD staff

Members of the Independent Tire Dealers Group LLC (ITDG) were provided with updates during their recent annual meeting in Playa Maya, Mexico. e event also marked President and CEO Jason Rook’s rst year as the head of ITDG.

“ is group is very diverse and managing the needs of everyone is a huge challenge,” Rook told MTD. “It becomes very clear that serving the general interest of the most members possible is top priority and that means a lot of vendor negotiation to create compelling programs.

“I also see rst-hand that independent dealers are in growth mode. M&A activity in 2023 was a net positive for ITDG, as members acquired more locations than we lost to outside acquisition. I believe that trend will continue — with our full support.” is also is ITDG’s 30th anniversary. Rook was re ective about this milestone, telling MTD that “ITDG has a rich and varied history. We are here looking at a very mature organization. And learning about the history of the group through the archives has taught me that the early days were tumultuous and it took some real creativity and a heck of a lot of hard work to make it what it is today. We can’t thank those founders enough for getting through those rst 10 years.”

During the meeting, Rook provided an overview of ITDG’s past ve years to the group’s members. Total shareholders with the group increased from 120 to 125, with locations growing 45% from 758 to 1,137, across 46 states.

ITDG’s NextGen group is in its fifth year and has grown to include 35 members representing 30 different member companies. (Pictured, from left to right, are NextGen members David Schonaerts of Future Tire; Jennifer Wiens, brand manager at Ted Wiens Tire & Auto and NextGen chairperson; and Mike Burns, ITDG’s eastern regional sales manager.)

Photo: MTD

Logan Wilks of Wilks Tire & Battery Service, a 13-location dealership that’s based in Alabama, took home the 2024 ITDG Dealer of the Year Award.

Photo: MTD

Total members of ITDG now stand at 172, up from 158. ere was churn during 2023, as the group lost nine members, accounting for 22 locations. At the same time, however, the group gained 18 members with 59 locations and 10 shareholders.

When asked about the top accomplishments of the Independent Tire Dealers Group LLC (ITDG) during the past year, Jason Rook, ITDG’s president and CEO, told MTD that “this past year has seen us modernize our communications, digital footprint and goto-market strategy.”

Photo: MTD

“The most valuable piece of membership is access to other members,” said Rook. “Our members learn so much from one another. Access to the minds of our members is priceless.”

Photo: MTD

ITDG also reduced its number of vendors from 81 to 72, which Rook said was a strategic move. “We want to have a larger slice of the pie with fewer vendors going forward. We want to make sure that we are always doing something that makes it worthwhile for our vendors.”

Rook said eligible purchases from vendors grew from $266 million to $359 million, a 34% increase. He applauded ITDG shareholders since they have increased their average eligible purchases from vendors from $2.2 million to $2.9 million per shareholder during the same ve-year period. Due to this increase, ITDG has been able to increase its payout to shareholders from a total of $10.9 million to $13.9 million, a 28% gain. e average payout for each shareholder grew from $83,000 to $102,000.

While tire purchases make up 72% of eligible volume, Rook said purchases of auto parts — an area that has strong growth potential for ITDG — have jumped to 21%.

When asked about the top accomplishments by ITDG during the past year, Rook told MTD that “this past year has seen us modernize our communications, digital footprint and go-tomarket strategy. e toughest part of this group is how large it is and we have identi ed new ways to make sure all members are being served in the right ways and are able to nd more opportunities to grow within the group.

“We have also focused on building a community of independent dealers inside and outside of our group. We are growing fast again in 2024. Keeping up with that growth is our biggest challenge and we have met it head on.”

ITDG’s Eastern Region Sales Director Mike Burns, who serves as the sta advisor for the group’s NextGen Committee, stressed the importance of planning for the future by supporting ITDG’s next generation of leaders.

NextGen is now in its h year and has grown to include 35 members representing 30 di erent ITDG member companies.

Jennifer Wiens, brand manager of Las Vegas, Nev.-based Ted Wiens Tire & Auto, is the NextGen chairperson. “We share ideas to ensure success, longevity and relevance of ITDG members in their business and in our ever-changing industry,” she said. “Our goal is to promote and foster the basic criteria needed to become a future ITDG board member.”

David Schonaerts from Future Tire, the NextGen group’s secretary, told attendees that “networking and relationship-building build lifelong relationships with peers across the industry, as well as interaction with current decision makers. ey are interested in your insights. NextGen allows you to work with like-minded colleagues and showcase your expertise. en you bring these valuable ideas back to your company.”

During its meeting, ITDG held a separate break-out session where dealers met in small groups to discuss top challenges they were facing.

“ e top two for every member was nding talent and retaining talent,” Rook told MTD a erwards. “Across geographies, the answers on how to do so were very di erent, but it comes down to folks needing more than a paycheck.

“In the last year, ITDG has partnered with our rst professional employer organization to bring top-level payroll, bene ts and HR packages to small businesses that don’t have the time or personnel to create these programs. We are also working with our partners at Federated Insurance to address another big concern: succession and preparing for the hand-o or sale of your business.

“Of course, we also have our NextGen Committee, which takes young talent inside organizations and helps to train them for leadership by teaching them hands on how to function as part of a board, how to plan for succession and how to spot what’s coming in the business landscape. In turn, our board of directors is given feedback from the next generation, which allows for another unique perspective on how to grow.”

When asked about the bene ts of being a member of ITDG, Rook talked about the various programs and initiatives the group o ers. “Beyond that, the most valuable piece of membership is access to other members. Our members learn so much from one another. Access to the minds of our members is priceless.”

ITGD is celebrating its 30th anniversary. Here, ITDG Vice President of Sales Chris Barry addresses meeting attendees. He is fl anked, from left to right, by Jason Rook, president and CEO of ITDG; Francisco Rivero, ITDG’s director of programs; Cheryl Bluman, the group’s administrative director; Chelsea Harris, business development representative for ITDG; and Mike Burns, ITDG’s eastern region sales manager.

A highlight of the meeting was the presentation of the ITDG Dealer of the Year Award. Logan Wilks of Wilks Tire & Battery Service, a 13-location dealership based in Alabama, won the award. ITDG members also heard updates from 14 vendors about new products and programs for the upcoming year.

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Photo: MTD

Focus on Industry

Yokohama expands Geolandar line

NEW ALL-TERRAIN TIRE WILL BE AVAILABLE IN 100-PLUS SIZES

By

Mike Manges

Yokohama Tire Corp. has expanded its Geolandar line with the launch of the new, all-terrain Geolandar A/T4 G018. e tire, which replaces the Geolandar A/T G015, is engineered for trucks, SUVs and CUVs.

It goes on sale in the United States on July 1 and will be available in more than 100 sizes, tting wheels ranging from 15 inches to 22 inches in diameter.

e Geolandar A/T4 G018 is 3-Peak Mountain Snow ake-certi ed and has a dual-sidewall design.

Other features include Yokohama’s Geo-Shield technology, which delivers o -road durability via multiple sidewall plies; Yokohama’s Enduro-Compound, a proprietary triple polymer that combats cutting and chipping; single-pitch shoulder blocks to reduce road noise; aggressive center blocks for optimal traction; and more.

“ e A/T4 is a go-anywhere tire,” said Drew Dayton, senior product planning manager for consumer tires, Yokohama, when the tire was unveiled. “It’s been designed and developed by enthusiasts, for enthusiasts, which makes it capable enough for off-road adventurers and everyday drivers alike.

“ e A/T4 will have an extensive size range in both Euro-metric and LT-metric sizes and is ready to roll on any surface, in any weather condition, thanks to its outstanding o -road resilience and dependable all-weather traction,” added Dayton.

e Geolandar A/T4 G018 carries a 55,000- to 65,000-mile limited treadwear warranty.

Yokohama put the tire through its paces last month at an o -roading ride-and-drive event near Austin, Texas, that was attended by many of the company’s distributors and dealers, including K&M Tire Inc., Dunlap & Kyle Inc., Sullivan Tire Co. Inc. and others.

A er a full day of driving on the Geolandar A/T4 G018, Dave Miller, K&M

Tire’s director of marketing, described the tire as a “great upgrade” and said it was “aesthetically pleasing. But what impressed me the most was its gritty performance.

“We were rock climbing, mudding and water-testing with 22 psi in the tires and they were still gripping to the terrain with minimal slippage. ese (tires) were very impressive and versatile.

“ e A/T4’s predecessor was already an amazing product with a proven track record of performance and ride quality,” he continued.

Miller added that “with Yokohama’s industry reputation of intense research and development — backed by high-quality products — there’s a trust built into the brand that retailers and consumers are comfortable with. I believe this product will be very well-received.”

ALL-TERRAIN RULES

In a post-event interview, Dayton told MTD that “it has been important to expand and evolve our Geolandar line because these products cover the most popular CUV, SUV and light truck vehicles in today’s market.

“ e largest new vehicle sales segments are CUV, SUV and pickup trucks and

The new Geolandar A/T4 G018 “is a go-anywhere tire,” says Drew Dayton, senior product planning manager for consumer tires, Yokohama. “It’s been designed and developed by enthusiasts, for enthusiasts.”

Photo: MTD

The Geolandar A/T4 G018 goes on sale next month and will be available in more than 100 sizes.

(they) are forecasted to continue to grow over the next ve years. It is important to have a full line of Geolandar products that covers consumers looking for an allseason highway, all-weather, all-terrain or mud-terrain type tire.

“ e all-terrain segment is the most popular segment for light truck tires,” he continued. “ e all-terrain tire is considered the jack of all trades in the light truck world, as it gives the consumer a more aggressive appearance and o -road performance without compromising onroad comfort as you would with a true mud-terrain tire.”

Photo: MTD

Focus on Dealers

Turbo’s Oak Park, Mich., distribution center opened during the fi rst quarter of 2023 and is one of the company’s six warehouses.

Turbo puts ‘differentiated strategy’ into motion

COMPANY INVESTS IN PRODUCT, PROXIMITY AND PROGRAMS

By

Mike Manges

Turbo Wholesale Tires LLC is using proximity, products and a new associate dealer program to deliver added value to customers.

is, in turn, will create even more differentiation between Turbo and its competitors, Turbo CEO Phillip Kane told MTD before the company’s recent open house at its distribution center in Oak Park, Mich. (More than 600 people attended the evening-long event.)

Turbo, which is backed by Kingswood Capital Management LP, acquired the Oak Park distribution center when it purchased Tire Wholesalers Inc. (TWI) from the Kogel family, TWI’s founders and owners, last summer.

Turbo has two more distribution centers in Michigan — one in Kalamazoo and another in Cadillac — plus a warehouse in Salt Lake City, Utah; a distribution center in Hammond, Ind.; and a distribution center in its hometown of Irwindale, Calif.

the company’s proprietary Lexani, Lionhart and Rolling Big Power brands, “mostly by adding new, higher-mix lines,” said Kane.

“We believe that doing so not only creates greater separation” between Turbo and its competitors, “but most importantly, it creates additional sales and pro t opportunities” for regional distributors and local tire dealers. (Regional wholesalers make up the majority of Turbo’s customers.)

The Oak Park, Mich., distribution center covers the eastern United States, said Kane, who added that “we’ll likely expand” Turbo’s distribution footprint, possibly through another acquisition.

Kane told MTD that products will be another area of di erentiation for Turbo.

“We’ve committed to aggressively expanding (our) product screen across”

Last year, Turbo promised to add more than 300 SKUs to its overall product range “and the rollout is going very well. Of the speci c lines we announced, all are either in the market, in production or in testing. For example, our Lexani run-on- at and Rolling Big Power R/T (rugged-terrain) lines are performing tremendously well.”

During the Oak Park open house, Turbo unveiled the Lexani Volt-EC, an ultra-high performance all-season tire designed and built speci cally for electric vehicles.

e Volt-EC, which also can be used on hybrid and internal combustion enginepowered vehicles, is available in 22 popu-

Photo: MTD

The team from Tandem Tire Inc. had a great time at Turbo’s open house. From left to right, Jeff Peterson, shop manager; Jared Lavigne, the son of Tandem Tire’s owner; Dwayne Buckley, service technician; and Nick Sanders, also a service technician. Tandem Tire is based in Warren. Mich.

Photo: MTD

lar sizes and comes with a 40,000-mile warranty.

“It’s part of our differentiated strategy, which is to create separation between ourselves and our competitors ... and that includes developing the types of products that are typically expected from upper tier-three brands — not mid-tier-three brands,” Kane told MTD.

He added that all-terrain and highwayterrain light truck products under the Rolling Big Power banner are in testing and a line of TBR tires, which also will be sold under the Rolling Big Power brand, will arrive at the end of the second quarter of 2024.

“In addition, we’ve introduced handfuls of new sizes in all of our brands that extend the vitality of each. And looking at 2024/2025, we’re not slowing down. Our team is working on a handful of initiatives that will create greater distinction between our brands, while giving our customers and the end user many more opportunities to buy our tires.”

Turbo’s products are “primarily made” in Thailand, said Kane. “If you were to go to one of these plants, beginning with having a visit with the leading research and development and design people in these plants, continuing through to the plant itself... you’re going to find the most stateof-the-art tire equipment that’s available for purchase anywhere on the planet. And as part of final-finish, they’re inspecting every single tire. So as a result, the product that’s coming out of these plants is phenomenal.”

The next pillar of Turbo’s strategy is further development of its Ignite associate dealer program, which was unveiled in January 2024.

When Turbo introduced Ignite, Todd Pickens, the company’s chief commercial officer, told MTD that the program “will run like a (tire) manufacturer’s program, where an associate dealer can go into a portal, see what they’ve earned, track how they’re doing and what they’re buying and get paid — a one-stop shop.”

Kane said Ignite “is off to a terrific start. Customers love the simplicity of the program, which is one of the key differentiators we sought to create. Several hundred retailers have already” enrolled in Ignite, which is administered through Turbo’s wholesaler customers.

“It’s another rung in the ladder of our differentiated strategy. It’s not separation

for the sake of separation or separation for the sake of saying, ‘We’re different.’ It’s about separation for the sake of creating

value for the independent tire dealer. It’s about saying, ‘Hey, Mister Independent Tire Dealer, here’s an associate dealer program that creates value for you. Here’s a range of new (product) offerings that enables you to collect more. Here’s greater proximity to our products that enables you to get to them faster, which enables you to stock less.’”

These elements should squarely position Turbo’s brands in the upper echelon of the third tier, Kane told MTD.

“The market is going to classify you where you aptly belong, so if you don’t have certain things that qualify you as an upper tier-three brand, you’re not going to be an upper tier-three brand.

“All of the things we’ve been talking about — whether they’re certain tire lines, an associate dealer program, a certain quality of people in your organization, proximity of distribution ... all of those things go into that differentiated strategy, which leads to the market saying, ‘Yes, you are a credible offering.’ And that’s really what we’re after.”

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Turbo unveiled its new electric vehicle tire, the Lexani Volt-EC, which is available in 22 sizes. “We’re committed to aggressively expanding our product screen,” says Turbo CEO Phillip Kane.

Photo: MTD

Focus on Dealers

Celebrating and investing in employees

SHARING OF TOOLS, DATA AND FACE TIME WERE THE PRIORITY FOR M c CARTHY TIRE SERVICE TEAM

By

FJoy Kopcha

or the first time in about a decade, McCarthy Tire Service Co. Inc. brought its full leadership and commercial sales team together for a three-day event. And that’s quite a task in 2024, as President John McCarthy Jr. acknowledged the tire dealership is much larger than it was 10 years ago.

But recognizing that growth was also one of the points of the leadership summit, which the company hosted in its hometown of Wilkes-Barre, Pa. With operations in eight states along the East Coast, McCarthy said some team members had never been to the company’s headquarters or met faceto-face with internal department leaders.

“We’re a much different company from a size standpoint now,” he said. McCarthy Tire Service has expanded greatly in the last decade via acquisitions. In just the last couple of years, the company has completed six such deals.

So McCarthy, his sister Katie Lambert, who serves as chief financial officer, and the six family members who represent the fourth generation at work in the business planned the details for about 275 attendees.

“It was important to us to do it ourselves — the family along with the executive team,” Lambert said. “The goal was to celebrate our team, celebrate our leaders.”

Designed for the regional operations and sales teams, the commercial sales force and entire management team, McCarthy Tire Service also invited representatives from its key vendors to attend.

There were discussions on sales and leadership techniques and time for networking.

A vendor fair allowed the company’s suppliers to show products and meet oneon-one with the McCarthy sales force who pitches those products — and regularly hears feedback — from end users.

The event included an internal vendor fair of sorts, too. The corporate expo featured leaders from each of McCarthy’s 15 departments — from human resources to facilities — on hand to answer employee questions.

Human Resource Manager Mary Kate Henry — another member of the fourth generation — said the company also presented a session on stress management. The 45-minute session offered “techniques that

The McCarthy Tire Service sales and operations teams gathered for a three-day leadership event in WilkesBarre, Pa., which featured a mix of educational sessions and networking.

Photo: McCarthy Tire Service

our team could use day-to-day to relieve stress.” Some were quick, one-minute methods, while others offered help in preparing for a difficult conversation.

McCarthy said the event allowed the company to reinforce its culture.

“You don’t build a culture just by talking about culture. It’s something we do

The McCarthy family and executive team from McCarthy Tire Service planned the 2024 leadership conference. From left, Gary Lambert Jr., Daniel Horn, Tim Lambert, Colleen Doyle, Neil Horn, John McCarthy III, Mary Kate Henry, Katie Lambert, Gary Lambert, John McCarthy Jr. and Joe Doyle.

Photo: McCarthy Tire Service

every day. We coach it. We want a good work-life balance.

“People have less tolerance for not being treated the right way, less tolerance for not being paid the right way, less tolerance for too many hours and not having that worklife balance. So you’ve got to ask questions and you’ve got to listen.

“If we’re going to retain good, solid teammates you need to make sure you hear them,” and take their recommendations seriously, said McCarthy.

The company also wanted to present its leaders with information and tools to help them in their daily roles.

McCarthy’s son, John McCarthy III, talked about how the company has reinvested into equipment and tools. The capital investments have included $10 million spent on the company’s fleet of vehicles and another $2.6 million on retread equipment.

He also presented data showing some of the outside forces at play in the industry — everything from truck utilization and truck loadings to changes in the Chinese tire market and how that could affect the demand for retreaded tires.

As part of its focus on hiring and retaining employees, McCarthy Tire Service is honing in on its company culture. During a recent leadership event, that included time for sales and operations managers to burn off some steam and perfect their golf swings.

Photo: McCarthy Tire Service

McCarthy III also covered how the company’s customer relationship management tool is a piece of “the future of the industry” and that it and other software

tools are designed “to help us prospect” customers and be better organized during the process.

As one of the largest independent commercial tire dealers in the country, McCarthy Tire Service is well-acquainted with the demands for fast, dependable service for its customers. Gary Lambert Jr., vice president of purchasing and another member of the family’s fourth generation, said, “We react better, quicker, faster with those tools.”

His mother, Katie Lambert, said the tools help the McCarthy sales team demonstrate to the customer “we know what their needs are. We know what we can do to offer them the product that they need, the service that they need, when they need it.”

She said, “The sales team can go in being better-prepared (and) not wasting the customer’s time.”

And that, she said will help the McCarthy Tire Service team continue the legacy that her late father John “Jack” McCarthy instilled in the business so many decades ago.

“Service, service, service.”

Focus on Industry

Titan University stops in California

EAST BAY TIRE HOSTED THE TRAVELING TRAINING PROGRAM

By

Madison Gehring

Titan International Inc. recently teamed up with the Tire Industry Association (TIA) and East Bay Tire Co. to bring product offerings and ag tire training to East Bay Tire customers via the Titan University On The Road Training program.

Titan held training sessions at two East Bay Tire locations – one in Fresno, Calif., and the other in Fairfield, Calif — in May. They consisted of hands-on training, classroom sessions and lectures – all focused on proper ag tire service and safety.

East Bay Tire, which is based in Fairfield, has 14 tire commercial service center locations and three distribution centers that service the western United States.

THE NEED FOR EDUCATION

“Over 10 years ago, we started these little training programs in our plants, where we would invite dealers and their customers to come and we would train them on Titan products,” Scott Sloan, ag product manager for Titan, told MTD during the Fresno session.

From there, Titan opened training up to even more dealers and Titan University was created, he explained.

“We saw a need to train technicians the right way.

“Our goal is to get your business up to the standards TIA says it should be.”

Matt White, TIA’s director of off-road tire service, trains dealers and technicians during Titan University sessions.

He told MTD that elevating the professionalism of technicians is one of his goals.

“Throughout history, tire technicians have been led to believe that they’re just laborers — that they’re not actually technicians or technical people,” said White.

Joe Pehanick, chief operating officer for East Bay Tire, told MTD that training is paramount, which is why the dealership partnered with Titan and TIA.

“We service 2,000 independent tire dealers and we have a strong passion to provide value to them,” said Pehanick.

“As a dealer ourselves and as a distributor, we see those challenges of ‘Where is the training? How do you get it to technicians?’”

TRAINING DETAILS

Each Titan University session at East Bay Tire’s locations included around 10 technicians.

They were given the option of how they wanted to split their time — back in the office with Sloan, learning about the ag industry, ag tire tables and product development, or with White, learning proper safety protocols for wheels, valves and service trucks.

Sloan discussed how to find an ag tire’s load index based on the size of the tire and recommended inflation levels.

He also discussed the benefits of Titan’s Low Sidewall Technology.

“Having the training at an East Bay Tire location gives us the ability to get out in front of our customers and answer the specific questions they have,” said Sloan.

“The more we know about our customers and where they come from and what type of environment they work in gives us the ability to focus our product developments (on) things they need, or if they’re having issues with something, they

now have a face and a name of someone at Titan who can help them.”

White’s session started with an open discussion of what vehicles and tires the techs in the classroom worked on.

He then tailored the lesson to the markets and environments they work in.

White also shared real-life stories of on-the-job injuries due to techs not following proper safety procedures.

He followed this by teaching attendees correct procedures.

“We have fatalities in this industry because people do not understand the stored energy in these tires,” explained White.

“People want to take short cuts, but the short cut is the wrong way to do it.”

After classroom training, White took attendees outside for hands-on tire mounting and demounting training.

Each technician was given a safety vest, goggles and gloves as White demonstrated how to mount and demount tires, inviting volunteers to help him.

A ‘NO-BRAINER’

Pehanick told MTD that partnering with Titan and TIA for training is a “no brainer.”

“We are a Titan dealer, so every single one of the customers here are indirect customers of Titan,” he said.

“Getting Titan in front of them allows them to get a more technological perspective on the products and lets them see how our relationships work.

“It also gives them more confidence in the products they’re buying,” Pehanick explained to MTD.

White, Pehanick and Sloan said they hope to hold more training sessions in the future.

East Bay Tire Co., which is based in Fairfield, Calif., invited its customers out to Titan University On The Road Training, which featured safety training from the Tire Industry Association and product education by Titan International Inc. officials.

Photo: MTD

TPMS

Dodge Challenger — 2023

DESCRIPTION AND OPERATION

The Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) monitors air pressure in the four road tires. Pressure in the spare tire is not monitored. ere are two tire pressure monitoring systems available, a base system and a premium system. Unlike the premium system, the base system does not specify how many tires are low or where they are located. Both systems consist of tire pressure monitoring sensors attached to each road wheel through the valve stem mounting hole and a TPMS module. e receiver circuit for the system is mounted in the right rear wheel opening. e module is xed to a metal bracket mounted to the inner wheel opening located behind the splash shield. e module decodes the RF signals transmitted by each of the vehicle’s tire pressure sensors. e decoded information is used to deter-

mine if “warning” or “fault” conditions exist within the TPMS. Upon detection of a warning or fault condition, the system will send a request to the module that controls the indicator lamp and the text display via the vehicle bus system to illuminate or ash the indicator lamp. Upon detection of a warning or fault condition, the electronic display will send a request to sound the “chime.” If the TPMS module detects that the tire pressure in any road tire is going low, beyond the Low Pressure (lamp) ON threshold (see placard table), a chime will sound and the indicator lamp

Fig. 1: This diagram shows the elements of the TPMS sensor:

Fastener Nut 2: Plastic Ring 3: Valve Stem

4: Rubber Grommet

5: Sensor Electronic

6: Adjustable Angle All Photo: Mitchell 1

will turn on. In addition to the chime and lamp, a graphic display of the pressure value(s) and position of the low tire(s) will ash in the Electronic Vehicle Information Center (EVIC).

Once pressure in the suspect tire(s) is above the Low Pressure (lamp) OFF reshold, and the TPM module receives a valid transmission from the sensor, the lamp will go out. If a system fault is detected due to a missing sensor signal, in addition to a chime and indicator lamp ashing, a “Check TPM System” text message will be displayed in the instrument cluster, and the tire pressure graphic display will have “- -” in place of the pressure value. A er the ash sequence, the indicator lamp will remain illuminated. e system will return to normal once the TPMS module receives a valid transmission from that sensor location. If a system fault is detected, the indicator lamp will ash on/o for 75 seconds and then remain on.

e TPMS will continue to warn the driver of low tire pressure as long as the condition exists, and will not turn o the indicator lamp until the tire pressure is at or above the Low Pressure (lamp) OFF threshold. e system will automatically update and the TPMS indicator lamp will turn o once the updated tire pressures have been received. Tire pressure will vary with temperature by about 1 psi for every 12 degrees Fahrenheit. Tire pressure should always be set based on cold in ation tire pressure (placard pressure). is is de ned as the tire pressure a er a vehicle has not been driven for more than three hours (and in outside ambient temperature). e tire pressure will also increase as the vehicle is driven; this is

1 2 3 4 5

normal and there should be no adjustment for this increased pressure. For a system fault, the system will return to normal once the module receives a valid transmission from that sensor location.

TIRE PRESSURE SENSOR LEARNING

e TPMS module will store all warning and fault conditions, placard pressure values and low pressure threshold values (lamp ON and OFF) in memory that can be accessed through diagnostic communication. If new sensors are introduced to the vehicle, the data stored for the sensor being replaced will be deleted once the new sensor ID has been learned. e module will store all wheel sensor IDs and locations and faults in memory that can be accessed through diagnostic communication. e TPMS module automatically learns and stores the sensor IDs while driving —within 20 minutes of consistent driving over 15 mph — a er a sensor has been replaced.

e learning sequence will initiate when the vehicle has been stopped for more than 20 minutes.

TPMS REMOVAL AND INSTALLATION

Removal

1. Raise and support vehicle.

CAUTION: The cap used on this valve stem contains an O-ring seal to prevent contamination and moisture from entering the valve stem. Do not substitute a regular valve stem cap in its place.

2. Remove tire and wheel assembly.

3. Demount tire from wheel following tire changer manufacturer’s instructions while paying special attention to the following to avoid damaging the pressure sensor:

a. When breaking the tire bead loose from the wheel rim, avoid using the bead breaker in the area of the sensor. at includes both outer and inner beads of the tire.

b. When preparing to demount the tire from the wheel, carefully insert the mounting/dismounting tool 280 degrees from the valve stem (plus or minus 10 degrees), then proceed to demount the tire from the wheel. Use this process on both outer and inner tire beads. (Fig. 2)

4. Remove the valve stem nut and remove the assembly from the wheel.

Installation

e valve axis and the rim hole axis must be aligned. Ensure here that the sealing element (grommet) makes contact with the sealing surface of the rim hole over its entire circumference. (Fig. 3)

Installation OK: at/parallel positioning of the wheel electronics module on wheel well base.

Installation OK: positioning of wheel electronics module on rear edge in wheel well base. (Fig. 4)

1. Wipe clean the area around the valve stem hole in wheel. Make sure the surface of the wheel is not damaged.

2. Insert the valve stem through the wheel observing all notes above.

3. Insert a suitable tool into the cross hole of the valve head to prevent the valve body from turning.

4. Install the tire pressure sensor nut and tighten to the proper torque speci cations.

Fig. 4

Fig. 3

Fig. 2

5. Mount tire on wheel following tire changer manufacturer’s instructions, paying special attention to the following to avoid damaging tire pressure sensor:

a. Rotating Wheel Tire Changers: Once the wheel is mounted to the changer, position the sensor valve stem about 280 degrees from the head of the changer in a clockwise direction before rotating the wheel (also in a clockwise direction) to mount the tire. Use this procedure on both the outer and inner tire beads. (Fig. 5)

b. Rotating Tool Tire Changers: Position the wheel on the changer so that the sensor valve stem is located approximately 210 degrees clockwise from the installation end of the mounting/demounting tool once the tool is mounted for tire installation. Make sure the sensor is clear of the lower bead breaker area to avoid damaging the sensor when the breaker rises. Rotate the tool in a counterclockwise direction to mount the tire. Use this procedure on both the outer and inner tire beads.

c. Adjust air pressure to that listed on Tire In ation Pressure Label (placard) provided with vehicle (usually applied to driver’s side B-pillar). Make sure original style valve stem cap is securely installed to keep moisture out of sensor.

d. Install tire and wheel assembly on the vehicle.

e. Remove the support and lower the vehicle.

f. Perform one of the following to make the system learn the new sensor ID.

g. Using the TPM-RKE Analyzer 9936 with the scan tool, program the TPMS module with the new tire pressure sensor ID. is is part of the diagnostic veri cation test.

h. e vehicle should remain stationary for at least 20 minutes. Drive the vehicle for a minimum of 20 minutes while maintaining a continuous speed above 15 mph. During this time, the system will recognize and add the new sensor ID. is is part of the diagnostic veri cation test. NOTE: If a sensor cannot be trained, refer to appropriate diagnostic information.

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.

Fig. 5

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