Conti's BestDrive unit buys Hill Tire

FORT MILL, S.C. (July 22, 2015) — Continental Tire the Americas L.L.C.'s BestDrive L.L.C. subsidiary has acquired Hill Tire Co. of Forest Park, Ga., substantially increasing the BestDrive commercial tire distribution network in the southeastern U.S.

This is its first acquisition since Conti created BestDrive in 2010. BestDrive operates three commercial outlets, in Taylor, Mich.; Memphis, Tenn.; and Phoenix. BestDrive began opening outlets in the U.S. earlier this year to support fleet customers of its ContiLifeCycle ContiTread retread product line.

Hill Tire operates five commercial tire locations in Georgia and Alabama and two retread plants — in Forest Park and Valdosta, Ga. — that produce more than 100,000 retreads per year using the Marangoni RingTread and ContiTread systems. The plants soon will phase out its RingTread production, Conti said.

“We started Hill Tire Co. 39 years ago on a simple principle — having great people support our fleet customers with quality products and services,” said Fred Hill, the dealership's founder. “BestDrive was created with this same principle.

“By combining forces with all that BestDrive has to offer, this allows us to grow even stronger together.”

Due to Hill Tire's positive rapport with its customers and market presence across Georgia and Alabama, the dealership will continue to do business as Hill Tire, Conti said, but will have the support and tools of other BestDrive locations, which specialize in servicing fleet customers with new tires, retreads, casing management and other commercial tire-related services.

The Hill family will continue to manage the dealership as Hill Tire Group of BestDrive L.L.C., according to Clif Armstrong, managing director of BestDrive.

Fred Hill is taking a leadership role with BestDrive's sales efforts and working with the BestDrive team on the integration while his sons, Allen and David, have taken management roles running the day-to-day operations of Hill Tire Group stores and retread shops, Mr. Armstrong said.

Hill Tire offers roadside assistance for metro Atlanta and north Georgia from its stores in Doraville, Forest Park and Cartersville, Ga.; the Valdosta store covers north Florida and south Georgia; and its newest store in Birmingham, Ala., services the surrounding areas.

The dealership was the 48th largest commercial tire dealership in North America in 2014, according to Tire Business' annual ranking, with estimated sales of $31 million, and was among the 30 largest truck tire retreaders.

“Hill Tire has built a strong reputation for quality service and people, and this provides a solid foundation on which BestDrive will work to build,” Mr. Armstrong added.

“Our goal at BestDrive is to be the leading commercial tire and service provider delivering the lowest overall driving cost for our customers. The addition of Hill Tire helps BestDrive work toward this goal by providing the ability to meet the new tire and retread demands of our customers in the southeast.”