NEWPORT, Minn.—Royal Tire Inc. has acquired St. Paul Tire Inc., a full-service commercial tire dealership in Newport that Royal said will help it enhance its presence throughout the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area and support growth across the Upper Midwest.
This latest acquisition expands Royal Tire's network to 24 locations in Minnesota, and the St. Cloud-based commercial and retail dealership has more acquisitions in the works that it expects to announce soon, according to President Mick Pickens.
This was Royal Tire's second acquisition in 2012. Earlier it bought Tires Plus in Alexandria, Minn., a retail dealership that enlarged Royal's retail network to 10 stores, including three that are combined retail/commercial.
Bud and Sue Hartl, who started St. Paul Tire 21 years ago, have retired and St. Paul's 10 employees have joined Royal Tire. The Newport location is Royal Tire's 15th commercial tire location, including three combined commercial/- retail outlets.
In 2011 Royal Tire bought Dependable Tire in Shakopee, Minn., then combined its operations with an existing Royal Tire location in Savage, Minn. Dependable Tire owner Bob McCormick took a job in sales with Royal Tire.
Mr. Pickens did not elaborate on the firm's plans for further expansion.
AKRON—Goodyear has recognized East Coast wholesaler Albert Tire Co. Inc. for its longevity in the industry and its 60-year relationship with the tire maker.
Owner Billy Albert and his family have spent 93 years in the tire business. Business leaders from Goodyear's North American Tire unit recently met with the Albert Tire management team to mark the milestone and to celebrate the continuing business relationship, Good-year said.
Albert Tire was founded in 1919 and serves the northeastern U.S., including Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware and Virginia. The company operates three warehouses in West Deptford, N.J.; York, Pa.; and Beltsville, Md.
Albert Tire stocks and distributes Goodyear, Dunlop and Kelly tires, servicing more than 500 retail dealer locations throughout the region.
WEYMOUTH, Mass.—Sullivan Tire & Auto Service opened a retail store in North Weymouth in early December, the company's 35th retail location in Massachusetts and 65th throughout New England.
Sullivan reported the store—which has had “extensive” remodeling done to its exterior and interior—features five service bays and 4,600 square feet of retail space.
The store was a former Expert Tire location—a Bridgestone Americas-owned chain. A Sullivan spokeswoman told Tire Business Bridgestone's lease on the property expired and Sullivan took over the lease.
“We pride ourselves in our great employees and loyal customers, and because of them, we have been able to continue to expand in the region,” said Paul Sullivan, vice president of marketing for Sullivan.