Palos Hills, Ill.-based Tire Services Inc. celebrated 20 years of business with the grand opening of a retread and commercial service facility in Bedford Park, Ill. The Oliver Rubber Co. licensee provides truck tire retreading, commercial service and automo-tive repairs for 200 to 300 commercial fleets throughout the Chicago area.
The new facility, which uses a monorail throughout, has increased the company's production from 46 to 69 tires per day and has a capacity of 200 tires per day, according to Mike Keate, owner and president.
``I don't think it will be long before we reach the new shop's capacity,'' Mr. Keate said in an Oliver statement announcing the new facility.
Tire Services, which now has two locations and employs more than 50, reported 1994 sales of $3.8 million.
In September, Tire Group International Inc. opened a sales office in Chattanooga, Tenn., giving the Hispanic wholesale distributor of tires an opportunity to service the southeastern U.S.
The new office is headed by F.A. Jenkins and can be reached at (800) 699-2160.
TGI said it expects its sales to surpass $35 million in 1995. The Miami-based company also has branch offices in Coral Springs, Fla., and San Antonio, and an associate office, Todo Cauchos, in Valencia, Venezuela, along with its warehouse in Miami.
Tires Inc. recently completed a controversial move when it transplanted its headquarters from West Omaha, Neb., into a 35,000-sq.-ft. facility located in North Omaha.
The 13-outlet dealership spent about $1 million in renovating a former grocery store to house its present headquarters and retail store.
Jerry Hoberman, Tires Inc. owner, said some of his employees and friends argued against moving to the depressed North Omaha region, despite being able to save about $1 million in the move.
Because he involved his employees in planning the move, however, Mr. Hoberman said he was able to calm their fears.
So far, the facility, which opened in June, has exceeded sales projections by 40 percent, and Mr. Hoberman said he hopes the company's addition to the area will prompt other business owners to upgrade their facilities.
The company plans to build a new outlet in Omaha in 1996 and add warehouse space to the North Omaha facility in 1997.
Tires Inc. currently has locations in Omaha, Bellevue, Papillion, Council Bluffs, Lincoln and Fremont, Neb.