U.S. AutoForce acquires South Dade Automotive

APPLETON, Wis. (Aug. 14, 2015) — Wisconsin-based tire and auto parts wholesaler U.S. AutoForce has acquired Miami-based distributor South Dade Automotive Inc. (SDA), expanding its reach into the Florida and export markets.

SDA, a family-owned company for 25 years, said in a message on its website that it was looking to expand its business and product lines and decided to sell the business to Appleton-based U.S. AutoForce, a division of U.S. Venture Inc.

The note was signed by Jorge Pola Sr. and Jorge Pola Jr., CFO and CEO, respectively, of SDA, and ​Paul Kubic, vice president, sales, for U.S. AutoForce

Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

South Dade has four warehouses in Florida while U.S. AutoForce has 18 in the Midwest and Southwest U.S. — stretching from Chicago to Denver — along with administering the Tire One and Tread Pros dealer marketing program.

U.S. AutoForce and SDA officials were unavailable for further details on the acquisition.

On its website, SDA is telling its customers that U.S. AutoForce will be keeping most, if not all of its current product offerings, which include major brands and imported tire lines.

SDA's warehouses in Miami, Orlando, Pompano Beach and Tampa, Fla., were rebranded as U.S. AutoForce facilities on Aug. 10.

SDA's primary business has been exporting to Latin/South America. It reported sales of $66 million in 2013, ranking it 94th on the Hispanic Business Top 500 list that year.

This is U.S. AutoForce's third acquisition in the past three years.

Last year it bought Goodyear's Midwest wholesale distribution business — comprising seven warehouse distribution centers in five states — Denver; Woodridge and Bensenville, Ill.; North Kansas City, Mo.; St. Paul, Minn.; and West Allis and Windsor, Wis.

In late 2012/early 2013 it acquired the wholesale assets of five Midwest/Great Plains tire dealerships — Foree Tire Distributors, Midstates Tire Distributors, Schiebout Tire, Shumaker Tire Inc. and Waukegan Tire — expanding its distribution reach by eight warehouses and its footprint further west into Colorado.

U.S. AutoForce also recently struck a deal with Tire's Warehouse Inc. of Corona, Calif., to bring its Tire One dealer marketing program.