RYE, N.Y. — Greenbriar Equity Group L.P. has expanded its holdings in the automotive service sector to 93 stores with a pair of acquisitions in Texas — Lamb's Automotive in Austin and Driver's Edge Complete Tire & Automotive in Dallas/Forth Worth.
These deals are Rye-based Greenbriar's fifth and sixth acquisitions in the tire and automotive aftermarket in the past year. They make Greenbriar's GB Auto Service Inc. unit one of the 20 largest independent tire dealerships in the U.S., according to Tire Business calculations.
Financial terms of the deals were not disclosed.
Greenbriar's other assets comprise Brake Max Car Care Centers of Arizona (15 outlets), Evans Tire (18 stores) and Ramona Tire Inc. (17 stores) and Nevada-based Tire Works Total Car Care (18 outlets). Greenbriar also lists a handful of "sister" Driver's Edge locations and Max Auto Glass among the GB Auto assets.
The Lamb's deal closed June 30. Greenbriar did not disclose when the Driver's Edge deal closed.
Jim Ramsey, former head of Lamb's Automotive, who now is regional vice president for GB Auto, said: "Joining forces with an organization like GB Auto — which shares our values and passion for supporting great employees — allows us to continue providing our customers with an excellent service experience while maintaining the Lamb's identity and philosophy that has made us a customer-favorite in the Austin area".
The combination of Lamb's Tire with GB Auto provides "vast resources to a terrific Lamb's team steeped in a long tradition of providing excellent service while significantly strengthening GB Auto's footprint in the Austin market," Greenbriar said.
Greenbriar Equity jumped into the aftermarket tire and auto service sector last October, buying Tire Works, Ramona Tire Inc. and Brake Max Car Care Centers.
It acquired Evans Tire in March.
Greenbriar's entry into the automotive aftermarket is the responsibility of David Dyckman, a former American Tire Distributors Inc. (ATD) executive who joined the Rye-based private equity firm in October 2015 as an advisory director, tasked with evaluating potential investment opportunities.
Greenbriar was a partial owner of ATD until 2010.