AKRON (Dec. 9, 2014) — Goodyear has sold its Midwest wholesale distribution business — comprising seven warehouse distribution centers in five states — to U.S. AutoForce, the Combined Locks, Wis.-based tire, automotive components and oil distributor.
Financial terms were not disclosed. U.S. AutoForce declined to comment at this time.
Goodyear said it has transferred operating responsibility to AutoForce for its company-owned warehouse distribution centers in Denver, Colo.; Woodridge and Bensenville, Ill.; North Kansas City, Mo.; St. Paul, Minn.; and West Allis and Windsor, Wis.
Each DC employed eight to 10 employees, a Goodyear spokesman said.
U.S. AutoForce, a unit of U.S. Venture Inc., has been expansion-minded over the past few years. Most recently, in 2013, the company acquired the wholesale assets of five Midwestern tire dealerships — Foree Tire Distributors, Midstates Tire Distributors, Schiebout Tire, Shumaker Tire Inc. and Waukegan Tire.
These acquisitions brought the company eight new warehouses and expanded its distribution territory into Colorado.
The company also acquired Tire One in 2011 when it purchased the wholesale business of St. Cloud, Minn.-based Royal Tire Inc.
U.S. AutoForce, which was a Goodyear distributor prior to this deal, lists 17 warehouse distribution centers on its website, stretching from the Chicago area on the east to Denver in the west and St. Louis in the south.
The spokesman said this decision does not affect any other of the 45 other company-owned WDs.
