BLUEFIELD, W.Va. — King Tire Service Inc. has renewed its commitment to the ContiLifeCycle retreading system and converted its second plant, in Bristol, Va., to the Conti system, according to Continental Tire the Americas L.L.C.
King Tire was the first ContiLifeCycle partner in the U.S., agreeing in 2011 to convert its retread plant in Bluefield to the Conti system.
The location in Bristol is a former Blevins Tire & Recapping shop that King Tire took over in 2014 and continued to operate until now as a Marangoni-system operation, according to Ed King, vice president of King Tire Service and manager of recapping and warehousing.
The company decided last year to upgrade the Bristol facility with new equipment and convert it to the ContiLifeCycle system, Mr. King said, without disclosing the firm's investment in the renovation.
The Bristol plant's daily output will be about 75 units at full capacity, he added, or roughly half that of the Bluefield location. The shop is also a full service car, light truck and medium truck sale and service location. The plant employs six for now but will enlarge the staff as production ramps up, Mr. King added.
Paul Williams, Conti's executive vice president for commercial vehicle tires, the Americas, said Conti is looking forward to expanding the business partnership it's built with King Tire throughout West Virginia and Virginia.
King Tire, founded in 1970 by Matthew "Sam" King, operates six locations in West Virginia and four in Virginia.