Rice Tire expands to 11 locations with Central Tire acquisition

FREDERICK, Md. — Rice Tire Co. has acquired Central Tire Co., a 73-year-old commercial/retail dealership in Verona, Va., expanding its reach to 11 locations in Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C.

Central Tire was founded by the late Guy Westhafer in 1945 and for the past four decades has been run by his sons, Terry and Tommy.

Central Tire consists of a retail store, a commercial store and a retread plant that services customers throughout Virginia and into parts of Pennsylvania, North Carolina, West Virginia and Washington, D.C.

Rice Tire said it acquired all business assets and will employ approximately 30 former Central Tire employees. Financial details were not disclosed.

Rice Tire President and CEO Chris Chase said the Westhafers agreed to the sale as they didn't have a next generation to take over the dealership.

The Verona location is rebranded as Rice Tire.

The acquisition provides Rice Tire with its 11th location and second retread shop. Rice Tire also operates five locations in Maryland, four in Virginia and one in Washington, D.C. The company also operates a Goodyear retread plant.

Central Tire's retread plant uses Alliance Group's AcuTread mold-cure retreading system, as well as the Goodyear system. Mr. Chase said the plant will continue offering both products.

Terry Westhafer is a member of the Tire Industry Hall of Fame, inducted in 2008 by the Tire Industry Association for his decades of work on behalf of the retreading industry. He's a former president of the American Retreaders Association and served on the boards of the International Tire & Rubber Association, Tire Retread & Repair Information Bureau and Virginia Automotive Association.

Rice Tire, the 39th largest commercial tire dealership in North America based on sales, was founded by Donald B. Rice in Frederick in 1956.