VANCOUVER, British Columbia — Tire and auto service program franchisor OK Tire Stores Inc. has added products and services in an effort "to continually expand its offering to best meet the needs of customers."
OK Tire, Canada's largest network of independent tire and auto service retail stores, has added:
- passenger tires from Cooper Tire & Rubber Co and Gt Radial-brand tires from Giti Tire Manufacturing Ltd.; and
- Michelin- and BFGoodrich-brand medium truck tires from Michelin North America Inc..
OK Tire President and CEO Jim Caldwell said his company's ability to anticipate customers' needs has made OK Tire "Canadians' go-to-choice for auto and tire service for the last 68 years. We're thrilled to expand our tire assortment and enhance our offerings for all customers furthering our commitment to our dealers, retail and commercial clients."
Building upon the success of adding Giti's medium truck products to its lineup, the GT Radial product lineup was logical choice, the company said. OK Tire lauded Giti for its fully integrated research and develop, manufacturing and distribution; and its commitment "to integrity, business ethics and transparency."
The GT Radial lineup covers a wide range, from ultra-high-performance cars to luxury touring sedans and crossovers to SUV and light trucks.
"We believe our products will be an excellent addition to the OK Tire portfolio and our mandate will be to provide high-quality products in the industry," Lou Monico, vice president sales and marketing Canada for Giti Tire. "We look forward to growing our businesses together and are committed to contributing to the success of OK Tire."
OK Tire noted that Cooper Tire's history dates to 1914, and that the tire maker "is committed to its creed of providing good merchandise, fair play and a square deal."
Chris Barbara, vice president, distributor channel and field support for Cooper, said the company prides itself "in offering great products that deliver at an attractive and affordable price. Our tires allow consumers to drive with confidence through all of life's journeys, and Cooper is there at every turn. We look forward to expanding consumer access to Cooper tires in Canada through this relationship."
Finally, OK Tire said the decision to offer Michelin and BFGoodrich commercial products positions the stores' network to acquire more fleet and national account customers, whose retread products "are highly requested for commercial vehicles."
OK called Michelin "a leader in tire technology for every type of vehicle, leveraging its expertise in high-tech materials to deliver services and solutions that increase travel efficiency and products that enable customers to enjoy unique mobility experiences."
OK Tire also is working on establishing a dedicated Commercial Business Group focused on expanding its commercial product assortment and supporting stores that offer commercial services. OK Tire said it expects the group "to improve its ability to service commercial clients, representing a major area of growth."
According to Tire Business data, OK Tire ranks as the ninth-largest retail dealership group in North America, with 327 franchised outlets across Canada.