MINNEAPOLIS — Countrywide Tire & Rubber Co., a wholesale distributor of tires, inner tubes and wheels, has opened a warehouse in Maple Grove, Minn., and expanded its Rubbermaster trailer tire line with seven new sizes.
The company also relocated its corporate offices to downtown Minneapolis, a move that has "brought a lot of fresh energy," Countrywide Owner and CEO Chad Isaacs said.
"Our new space has brought with it a sense of collaboration and creativity, and we couldn't be more excited for what the future holds."
Countrywide did not disclose the square footage of the warehouse, but did say it quadruples the amount of inventory the company can store. The company will begin shipping out of the new warehouse in March.
This is the first of many steps in Countrywide's warehouse plans. Prior to this, Countrywide had operated its headquarters and warehousing in the same building since its founding in 1976.
The success of Countrywide's Rubbermaster radial trailer tire line induced it to add the new sizes, which increase the line by 40 percent, according to the company.
The new sizes range from 17.5-inch 16-ply to 19.5-inch 18-ply, according to Countrywide. The company is offering higher-ply options to meet customer demand, said Eric Johnson, Countrywide vice president of operations.
"More and more equipment is coming out heavier and heavier," Mr. Johnson said. "The equipment that people are hauling is getting bigger, so the tires need to follow that same pattern in increasing capacity. Lower plies are definitely going out of style."
The new sizes include drive tires and all-position tires as well as tires intended specifically for trailer use, according to Countrywide.
They continue on Countrywide's commitment to provide its customers with the products they demand, the company said.
Last summer, Countrywide added an All-Steel Radial Trailer Tire to meet increasing demand for radials, it said.
"The category in general has gained a lot of momentum in the last few years," Mr. Johnson said.
"Just the simple move from the bias trailer tires to the radial, and now with that radial tire expanding even more to cover many types of trailers and applications, we're seeing an increased demand for stronger ST trailer tires that meet today's heavy towing demands while still being competitive in price."