Active Green+Ross Complete Tire & Auto Centre
580 Evans Ave.
Etobicoke, Ontario M8W 2W1
(416) 255-5581
Fax: (416) 255-4793
Web site: www.activegreenross.com
E-mail: [email protected]
Ralph Chiodo, president
Peter Steele, general manager
Program's name: Active Green+Ross
Active Tire & Auto Centre Inc.'s franchise program, which it owns, has 42 distributor/members and includes 32 dealers operating 42 outlets.
Fees: Up-front fee of $25,000 (Canadian); annual royalty fee of 5 percent of gross sales.
Minimum initial investment: Approximately $150,000 to $200,000 (Canadian) depending on size of outlet.
Minimum purchase volume: None
Merchandise: Offers tires (Bridgestone, Firestone, BFGoodrich, Goodyear, Michelin, Uniroyal, Yokohama); participating outlets perform all general automotive repairs; locations in Ontario exclusively offer DieHard batteries.
Exclusive brands: None
Insurance: Health, property
Program features: Advertising/promotion support; volume discounts on tires; warranties; service bay equipment; protected territories; point-of-sale materials; store signage; business services such as uniforms; credit card program; training/education; store design.
American Car Care Centers (ACCC) Inc.
5050 Poplar Ave., #920
Memphis, Tenn. 38157
(901) 680-9927
Fax: (901) 680-9931
Web site: www.accconline.com
E-mail: [email protected]
Len Lewin, president/COO
David Crawford, director of marketing
Program's name: American Car Care Centers
ACCC is a ``programmed marketing group'' owned by 19 member distributors, operating nationwide. Participating dealers, who operate approximately 1,104 outlets nationwide, use the ACCC signage alongside their own dealership identity. The company said it is ``owned by independent dealers and run by independent dealers.''
Fees: Monthly fee varying by distributorship, with no up-front fee
Minimum initial investment: None
Minimum purchase volume: Minimum annual amount that varies by distributorship.
Merchandise: Offers tires (American, Capitol, Michelin, BFGoodrich, Uniroyal, Yokohama, Continental, General, Nankang), oil, batteries, service bay equipment, uniforms, etc.
Exclusive brands: American
Insurance: Liability, property; eventually a health insurance package
Program features: Advertising/promotion and store signage, point-of-sale materials and design support; volume discounts on tires and other products and services; credit card; daily deliveries; warranty coverage; service bay equipment; business services including uniforms; and training/education.
American Tire Distributors (ATD)
P.O. Box 3145
Huntersville, N.C. 28070
(704) 992-2000
Fax: (704) 992-1280
Web site: www.atd-us.com
Dick Johnson, chairman/CEO
Phil Marrett, sr. v.p. sales and marketing
Program's name: AutoEdge
AutoEdge is an affiliated/associated dealer marketing group owned by ATD, with 361 participating dealers. The program's uniqueness is in ``the ability for a dealer to mix and match brands of his/her choice to build a program.''
Fees: $225 annually; no up-front fee
Minimum initial investment: None
Minimum purchase volume: Participating dealer must commit 51 percent of purchases from ATD
Merchandise: Offers tires (Michelin Americas Small Tires brands, Bridgestone, Firestone, Goodyear, Dunlop, Kumho, Nitto, Pirelli, Winston, Regul); wheels (Pacer, ICW Racing, CruiserWare, Ultra, BBS); equipment, supplies and apparel.
Exclusive brands: Regul, Winston
Insurance: Health, liability, property program available through partnership with ADP Co.'s plan.
Program features: Advertising/promotion support; volume discounts on tires; warranties; service bay equipment; daily deliveries; point-of-sale materials; store signage; credit card program; and training/education.
Bauer Built Inc.
P.O. Box 248
Durand, Wis. 54736
(715) 672-4295
Fax: (715) 672-4675
Web site: www.bauerbuilt.com
E-mail: [email protected]
Jerry M. Bauer, president
Tad Bauer, exec. v.p.
Larry Hildebrandt, v.p. marketing
Program's name: Tire Shop; Farm Tire Shop
Owned by Bauer Built, the Tire Shop program, for passenger/light truck tire dealers, and Farm Tire Shop, for agricultural tire dealers, are associated dealer programs with 212 participants. According to the company, Tire Shop offers the flexibility to purchase passenger, light truck and farm tires.
Fees: None
Minimum initial investment: None
Minimum purchase volume: 50 passenger/light truck tires in the Tire Shop program; 6 ag rears and 12 ag fronts/wagon tires in the Farm Tire Shop program.
Merchandise: Offers tires (Bridgestone, Firestone, Michelin, BFGoodrich, Kumho, Mastercraft, Hercules, Carlisle and Titan); equipment, supplies, apparel; and batteries in some selected areas.
Exclusive brands: Hercules, Mastercraft (in certain geographic territories).
Insurance: None
Program features: Advertising/promotion support; volume discounts on tires; warranties; service bay equipment; daily deliveries; exclusive/protected territories; point-of-sale materials; store signage; business services including uniforms; training/education; store design.
Best-One Tire & Service
P.O. Box 187
Monroe, Ind. 46772
(260) 692-1416
Fax: (260) 692-1409
Web site: www.needtires.com
E-mail: [email protected]
Paul Zurcher, founder
John Miller, director of retail
Program's name: Best-One Tire & Service
Best-One, the company said, ``is designed to work hand and glove with all tire supplier programs. Furthermore, once a dealer qualifies, they can choose which programs they want to participate in.'' The affiliate dealer program has 24 distributor/members. Participating dealers operate some 240 outlets.
Fees: $250 up front
Minimum investment: None
Minimum purchase volume: 51 percent of purchases with a minimum 150 units per month.
Merchandise: Offers tires (Bridgestone, Firestone, Dayton, Peerless, Mastercraft, Goodyear, Michelin, Continental, General); wheel weights; valve stems; patch material; a completely integrated point-of-sale system.
Exclusive brands: None
Insurance: Health, liability, property
Program features: Advertising/promotion support; volume discounts on tires; warranties; service bay equipment; exclusive/protected territories; point-of-sale materials; store signage; business services including uniforms; credit card program; and training/education.
Big O Tires Inc.
12650 East Briarwood Ave.
Englewood, Colo. 80112
(303) 728-5500
Fax: (303) 728-5700
Web site: www.bigotires.com
John Adams, president
John Hyduke, sr. v.p. franchise development
Program's name: Big O Tires
Owned by Big O Tires, a subsidiary of Memphis, Tenn.-based TBC Corp., the franchise program offers exclusive products and selling programs to its more than 400 dealers operating some 572 outlets nationwide. ``You're in business for yourself-but not by yourself,'' the company said.
Fees: Up-front fee of $30,000 and a monthly royalty fee of 2 percent of gross retail sales.
Minimum investment: Varies
Minimum purchase volume: Based on purchase levels
Merchandise: Offers tires (Big O, Michelin Americas Small Tires brands, Goodyear, Fulda, Yokohama); wheels; shocks/struts.
Exclusive brand: Big O, Prestige
Insurance: Liability, property
Program features: Advertising/promotion support; volume discounts on tires; warranties; exclusive/protected territories; some daily deliveries; service bay equipment; store signage; business services including uniforms; point-of-sale materials; an exclusive brand; credit card program; training/education; store design.
Bridgestone/Firestone North America Tire L.L.C.
535 Marriott Drive, Nashville, Tenn. 37214
(800) 543-7522, Ext. 3385
Fax: (635) 937-3936
E-mail: [email protected]
John Gamauf, president, Consumer Tire Replacement Group
Barry Feasel, general mgr., family retailers
Program's name: Bridgestone/Firestone Affiliated Dealer Program
BFS said its Affiliated Dealer Program is unique because it ``is a direct tire and parts program with 90-day terms and freight pre-paid for 1,000 pounds ordered. Dealers receive a net price on all products to ensure a consistent pricing program.'' The program also includes agricultural, commercial and off-road tires. It includes some 900 dealers operating about 950 outlets.
Fees: None
Minimum initial investment: None
Minimum purchase volume: 75 percent in-house share of passenger and light truck tire purchases and minimum of 200 units per month.
Merchandise: Offers tires (Bridgestone, Firestone, Dayton, Lemans, Road King, and Fuzion); auto parts; and Interstate batteries.
Exclusive brands: None
Insurance: Health (other features to be determined)
Program features: Advertising/promotion support programs including co-op, joint metro and individualized grassroots promotional plans; warranties; service bay equipment; point-of-sale materials; store signage; business services such as apparel; credit card and discount card programs; bank card processing; purchase resale and car dealer delivery; training/education; store design; Kendall Oil program; NAPA, Auto Zone and Chrysler auto parts; Interstate batteries; Internet development program; new-resident mailings; phone-on-hold program; national account and government sales program; ``Driving Force'' retail sales incentive and ``Race for Rewards'' owner loyalty programs; and training/education program.
Bridgestone/Firestone North American Tire L.L.C.
535 Marriott Drive, Nashville, Tenn. 37214
(615) 937-3668; Fax: (615) 937-3888
Web site: www.tirestarz.com
E-mail: [email protected]
John Gamauf, president, Consumer Tire Replacement Group
Bill Pace, mgr., TireStarz USA
(615) 937-3668
Program's name: TireStarz USA
TireStarz has 35 distributor/members and 850 participating dealers operating some 900 outlets, according to BFS, the program's owner. Its goal is to assist tire retailers ``sell more tires and improve their bottom line with no monthly or annual fee. Our consistent annual growth each year since 1997 indicates that is happening,'' the tire maker said.
Fees: None
Minimum initial investment: None
Minimum purchase volume: 51 percent of each location's passenger and light truck tire monthly unit sales and a minimum of 150 units per month.
Merchandise: Offers tires (Bridgestone, Firestone, Fuzion, Dayton, Road King, Peerless, Gillette); auto parts and batteries.
Exclusive brands: None
Insurance: Health (adding liability coverage is under consideration)
Program features: Advertising/promotion support; warranties; service bay equipment; daily delivery that varies by distributor; point-of-sale materials; store signage; business services such as apparel; credit card program; training/education; store design; ``Televantage'' phone-on-hold program; interior display program; national account and government sales program; ``Moving Targets'' new resident mailing; and Internet development site.
Community Wholesale Tire Distributing Inc.
3800 North Broadway, St. Louis, Mo. 63147
(877) 483-7655
Fax: (314) 241-8944
Web site: www.itdealers.net
E-mail: [email protected]
Phil Berra, president
Mark Lukefahr, director of marketing
Program's name: ITD-Independent Tire Dealers
The Independent Tire Dealers is an affiliated/associated dealer program owned by Community Wholesale Tire Inc. It has 332 participating dealers operating as many outlets. The group said its program is unique because it charges no annual fee.
Fees: None
Minimum initial investment: Information not available
Minimum purchase volume: 50 percent of total tire purchases
Merchandise: Offers tires (Michelin, BFGoodrich, Uniroyal, Pro-Comp, Goodyear, General, Continental, Dunlop, Toyo, Mickey Thompson, Parnelli Jones Dirt Gripz, Hercules, Remington, Merit, Signet); oil programs; batteries; and auto parts.
Exclusive brands: Hercules; Remington
Insurance: Health, liability, property (through an outside vendor)
Program features: Advertising/promotion support; volume discounts on tires; warranties; service bay equipment; daily deliveries; exclusive/protected territories; point-of-sale materials; store signage and store design; business services, including uniforms; credit card program; training/education; a custom Web site for dealers.
Continental Tire North America Inc.
1800 Continental Blvd., Charlotte, N.C. 28273
(704) 583-8213
Fax: (704) 583-3983
Web site: www.continentaltire.com
Jeremy Lewin, national manager, Gold Program
Program's name: Gold Dealer
Continental Tire said its ``Gold'' affiliated/associated dealer program counts 75 distributor/members and the participation of some 1,500 dealers operating as many outlets. ``Local promotions designed specifically for the individual dealer really drive business,'' the tire maker said. About the program's minimum purchase volume of 1,000 units per year, the company believes that objective is ``very attainable''-``considering the strong OE presence of the Continental and General brands.'' Another program feature is a ``UHP Express Program'' allowing ultra-high performance tires to be shipped directly to a Gold dealer member via FedEx. Conti said it plans to expand the program in 2005, and will offer further details in late 2004.
Fees: None
Minimum initial investment: 100 unit opening order
Minimum purchase volume: 1,000 units per year
Merchandise: Offers tires (Continental, General, and Semperit and Viking (winter tires).
Insurance: None
Program features: Advertising/promotion support; volume discounts on tires; warranties; exclusive/protected territories; point-of-sale materials and store signage; and training/education.
Del-Nat Tire Corp.
2365 Texas Drive, Memphis, Tenn. 38106
(901) 775-8122
Fax: (901) 947-2546
E-mail: [email protected]
Dan Hunter, president
Ed Fabrizio, North American sales mgr.
Jim Mayfield, v.p. marketing
Program's name: (individual dealership names)
While it includes many of the features of a retail marketing group, Del-Nat's program is technically a private brand cooperative owned by 75 stockholder members. It has some 175 participating dealers-representing more than 500 outlets-who enjoy exclusive territories and market exclusive brands. Del-Nat said it is planning new distribution points and new products in 2004.
Fees: Up-front (proprietary)
Minimum initial investment: None
Minimum purchase volume: Proprietary
Merchandise: Offers tires (Delta, National, Akuret); wheel weights; tire lubricants and sealants; alignment equipment; tools.
Exclusive brands: Delta, National, Akuret
Insurance: None
Program features: Warranties; service bay equipment; exclusive/protected territories; point-of-sale materials; store signage; exclusive brands.