GREENSBORO, N.C. (April 7, 2009) — Snider Tire Inc., North America's ninth largest truck tire retreader, is switching its retread process to Michelin Retread Technologies (MRT) from the Bandag system, effective May 1.
With daily capacity of about 1,250 retreads at eight plants throughout the Southeast, Midwest and Southwest, Snider Tire is considered Bridgestone Bandag Tire Solutions L.L.C.'s third largest franchisee in the U.S. Snider has been affiliated with Bandag since 1985.
Neither Snider Tire nor MRT parent Michelin North America Inc. gave a timetable for the conversion or said how many MRT plants Snider would operate after the conversion.
“We believe Snider Tire and the MRT products and process are a great match for our customers,” said Snider Tire President and CEO John Snider in a statement released by MRT. “We have been in business since 1976 and our people have always been focused on providing our customers with the best possible products and services to help lower their operating costs.”
With estimated sales of $180 million and 31 commercial service centers in eight states, Snider Tire is considered the fifth largest commercial tire dealer in the U.S., according to Tire Business' annual survey of the industry. Snider has commercial outlets in Arkansas, Georgia, Indiana, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, Texas and Virginia.
Snider Tire will be MRT's 45th franchisee in North America. The existing 44 operate 79 retread plants, including 15 operated by Michelin's Tire Centers L.L.C. subsidiary.
Prior to this the most recent convert to MRT was New England Truck Tire Centers Inc. of Scarborough, Maine, which switched its single plant to MRT last May from Bandag.
Bridgestone Bandag (BBTS) said it has received only verbal notice of Snider Tire's intent to cancel its Bandag franchise agreement and therefore has not yet determined an end date for their relationship.
BBTS said other franchised Bandag locations in the affected states are available to provide Bandag retreads and commercial services to fleets now serviced by Snider Tire.