Jensen Tire to break ground on HQ complex

OMAHA, Neb. — Jensen Tire & Auto Inc. will be breaking ground this week in Papillion, Neb., for a new corporate headquarters that also will house a warehouse and future training facility.

The new corporate office is being constructed on 4.5 acres the Omaha-based dealership purchased in Papillion, a community of about 18,000 residents just south of Omaha.

Company President Matthew Jensen said the dealership is investing more than $4 million in the 22,000-sq.-ft. complex, which is expected to be completed in November

The facility will include 8,200 square feet of corporate office space with 19 executive offices, two meeting rooms, an associate staff training room and a large reception area, as well as a 14,000-sq.-ft. warehouse equipped to hold 25,000 tires.

The building will provide space to expand in the future, Mr. Jensen told Tire Business, including establishing a training facility in the next couple of years for educating technicians who work at its 21 stores.

"We are investing more than $4 million to create a state-of-the-art corporate work setting to provide expert training to our team of dedicated tire and automotive service specialists, and to strengthen our team's service excellence skills to best provide for our current and valued customers, as well as new customers we plan to attract as we expand regionally," Mr. Jensen said.

Jensen Tire operates 20 stores in Nebraska — including one in Papillion — and one in Iowa. Mr. Jensen said he wants to get the dealership's infrastructure in place this year before he looks at expanding into new markets.

Jensen Tire is ranked 51st among North America's largest independent retail tire dealerships based on number of stores, according to Tire Business.

The company employs more than 200. Its stores provide complete tire service and several major tire brands, including Goodyear, Michelin, BFGoodrich, Sumitomo, Kelly, Cordovan, Cooper, Uniroyal, Toyo, Dunlop and Hankook. The company said it also provides complete automotive services in all vehicle component areas, and specializes in routine, preventive, and complex diagnostic repairs.

Mr. Jensen said the dealership experienced a flat year in sales in 2016 but expects sales to improve this year. He noted that the dealership has seen an increase in preventive maintenance jobs as customers are hanging on to their vehicles longer.