Wheel Pros acquires off-roading e-commerce platform

GREENWOOD VILLAGE, Colo. — Aftermarket wheel producer and distributor Wheel Pros L.L.C. has made its third acquisition in six months, buying throtl Inc., an aftermarket e-commerce platform for automotive and off-roading enthusiasts.

Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Three co-founders of throtl — CEO Rick Beckerman, COO Evan Beckerman and CTO Erol Erturk — will remain with the combined company.

In late August/early September, Wheel Pros acquired Hoonigan Industries L.L.C. — the company co-founded by extreme rally driver and DC Shoes co-founder Ken Block — and Driven Lighting Group (DLG), an Atlanta-based designer and online retailer of aftermarket automotive lighting products.

Wheel Pros is backed by private equity firm Clearlake Capital Group L.P.

Randy White, co-founder and CEO, and Brian Henderson, chief strategy officer, at Wheel Pros, said throtl has assembled "an incredible digital destination for automotive enthusiasts with an innovative approach of utilizing content to drive commerce. We look forward to working with Rick, Evan and Erol to scale our combined business and continue to grow our digital enterprise for the automotive aftermarket."

Headquartered in San Diego, throtl uses its connections with automotive influencers and access to a virtual library of digital content, creating a community that supports automotive and off-roading enthusiasts. Throtl offer a suite of aftermarket performance products through its online throtl marketplace.

The Beckermans said the combined company "will be able to provide automotive enthusiasts with access to a suite of digital content and aftermarket vehicle enhancements, so they are equipped with more information and new ways to interact with their vehicles."

Throtl will "strengthen Wheel Pros' digital and direct-to-consumer capabilities," said José Feliciano, co-founder and managing partner.