MARIETTA, Ga.-Butler Tire and Retreading Inc. is undergoing an expansion of its warehouse space at the firm's Marietta headquarters complex. The expansion project, expected to be completed by mid June, will add about 8,000 square feet of space to the firm's warehouse. The site, which also includes a retail and a commercial outlet, will also undergo a headquarters renovation later this year, according to CEO Alan Dobrin.
Despite a business climate that has only been ``reasonable'' during the past year, Mr. Dobrin said the company has needed the expansion for about 10 years.
Butler Tire also owns three other retail outlets and performs passenger and truck tire retreading.
New Holland vp leaves business
TERRE HILL, Pa.-Carl Gehman, former New Holland Tire Co. vice president, recently sold all of his stock in the Terre Hill-based commercial dealership and left the company to pursue other interests.
Mr. Gehman's position has not been filled, according to a company spokeswoman.
New Holland Tire, which owns four commercial outlets and retread plants in Pennsylvania and Georgia, boosted its business about 8 percent last year, according to President O. Eugene Graybill. The company averaged just over 950 truck retreads per day last year.
J.W. Brewer adds shop, trucks
WHEATRIDGE, Colo.-Despite facing stiff price competition for its retreading business, J.W. Brewer Tire is moving its Colorado Springs retread shop and commercial center into a larger site in the same city.
The new center is expected to be completed later this summer, President Alex Brewer said.
About one year ago, the company opened its 15th Bandag retread shop in Denver. That shop, which has been dedicated to four of J.W. Brewer's largest accounts, has enabled the company to continue to fill orders on a timely basis for its smaller accounts, he said.
To combat the difficult retread business environment, the company is increasing its focus on commercial service by adding six fleet service trucks and one off-highway service truck by the end of the year, Mr. Brewer said.
McCarthy to build new service center
WILKES-BARRE, Pa.-McCarthy Tire Service Co. Inc. is expecting to complete construction of its mechanical truck service center at the end of August.
The center, which will be located at the company's main Wilkes-Barre site, will contain six bays dedicated to truck alignment and diesel repair, according to Vice President John McCarthy Jr.
McCarthy Tire's Wilkes-Barre location also contains a retail location, commercial outlet, a Bandag retread plant and a warehouse. The company services the eastern half of Pennsylvania and areas of New York, New Jersey, Maryland and Delaware with seven combination commercial/retail locations and its one retread shop.
Fletcher's adds 2 sales postiions
PHOENIX-Fletcher's Cobre Tire has created two commercial sales positions to help create a ``more national focus'' for the Phoenix-based dealership's off-the-road business, President and CEO Jerry Fletcher said.
Gary Nash, former national sales manager for Bridgestone/Firestone Inc., became vice president of commercial sales July 1, primarily dealing with OTR sales. Mr. Nash had been with BFS for more than 10 years, Mr. Fletcher said.
In addition, David Ship, a former commercial salesman with Michelin, has become Fletcher's commercial sales manager.
Fletcher's has increased its volume between 30 and 35 percent during the past year, Mr. Fletcher said, and expects another sizable boost after it acquires Holden, W.Va.-based McGrew Tire.
``We plan to be aggressive in the eastern (OTR) market in the next three to five years,'' Mr. Fletcher said.
Rema Tip/Top has new repair products
NORTHVALE, N.J.-Rema Tip/Top North America recently introduced its OTR Special Cement BL, specially formulated for repairing off-the-road tires.
The cement, available in 32-ounce cans and 1.5-gallon containers, can be used during hot or cold vulcanizing, the company said.
Rema also released new packaging options for its Minicombi nail-hole repair units that the allow users to order at a lower price per order while reducing inventory, the firm said.
The new packaging includes a 50-gram tube of Special Cement BL for the Minicombi A6 (1/4 inch) and B8 (5/16 inch) size units. Standard packaging is still available, the company said.
Contact: Rema Tip/Top North America, Dept. TB, 200 Paris Ave., Northvale, N.J. 07647; (800) 225-7362.
ARA focuses on commercial dealers
LOUISVILLE, Ky.-Tire and transportation industry officials recently discussed legislative, marketing, technical and financial issues affecting commercial tire dealers during a meeting sponsored by the American Retreaders Association.
As a follow up to the meeting, the ARA mailed a survey in May to more than 1,000 dealers in the U.S. The ARA said the surveys will provide it with ``up-to-date information about the commercial dealers' needs.''