Tires

Discount Tire Corporate Office

Bruce Halle founded Discount Tire in 1960 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The company began in an old plumbing supply store and had only 4 retread tires for sale. Today, the company has 900 stores in 28 states and continues to expand. Stores in California go under the tagline of “America’s Tire Store”.

The company now has headquarters in Scottsdale, Arizona, and is the largest independent tire and wheel retailer in America. Discount Tire has a unique business model as they focus on making their employees happy first. Halle believes that an employee who is happy to be at work will naturally do a better job, which makes for happy customers. The company has a strict “promotion from within” policy.

In 2005, Discount Tire made the Guiness Book of World Records by having the longest continuously running television commercial ever. Their commercial with a small, elderly woman hurling a tire through a window has been running daily since 1975.

In early October 2020, Discount Tire opened 5 new locations in 5 states in a 4 day period.

The company maintains a corporate office in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Discount Tire

History

In early October 2020, Discount Tire opened 5 new locations in 5 states in a 4 day period.

The company maintains a corporate office in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Rent A Wheel Corporate Office

Rent A Wheel was founded in 1996 by John Bowlin and Don Sabino. The company started off as one store located in East Los Angeles, California, and has grown to more than 120 stores in 16 states. Rent A Wheel rents, sells, and offers a rent-to-own program for custom made and stock rims and tires for most types of cars, trucks, off road vehicles and high performance vehicles.

Rent A Wheel is the largest rent-to-own tire seller in the U.S. and the 7th largest independently owned tire and wheel dealer in America. The company has sells more than 50,000 tires and wheel each month and $8.5 billion in revenue in 2014.

Rent A Wheel

History

National Tire and Battery Corporate Office

Sears, Roebuck and Company started National Tire and Battery (NTB) in 1997 by combining two of its Tire Brands: Tire America and National Tire Warehouse.

In 2003 NTB had 226 stores, $425 million in revenue, and $60 million in profit.

The Memphis based TBC Corporation bought the brand in 2003 for $260 million. The deal did not involve the approximately 800 Sears Auto Centers that were adjacent to Sears department stores.

In 2005 TBC was bought by Sumimoto Corporation of America and ended its 22-year stint as a publicly traded company on the NASDAQ.

In 2017, Big O Tire franchisor Mark Rhee purchased 44 NTB locations in Kansas, Iowa, and Missouri.

In 2018, Michelin North America and Sumitomo Corporation of Americas combined their respective North American tire distribution and related service operations in a 50–50 joint venture agreement, creating National Tire Wholesale.

National Tire and Battery

Sears, Roebuck and Company started National Tire and Battery (NTB) in 1997 by combining two of its Tire Brands: Tire America and National Tire Warehouse.

History

In 2003 NTB had 226 stores, $425 million in revenue, and $60 million in profit.

The Memphis based TBC Corporation bought the brand in 2003 for $260 million. The deal did not involve the approximately 800 Sears Auto Centers that were adjacent to Sears department stores.

In 2005 TBC was bought by Sumimoto Corporation of America and ended its 22-year stint as a publicly traded company on the NASDAQ.

In 2017, Big O Tire franchisor Mark Rhee purchased 44 NTB locations in Kansas, Iowa, and Missouri.

Firestone Corporate Office

Harvey Samuel Firestone founded the Firestone Tire and Rubber Company in 1900 to supply rubber tires to wagons and buggies.

Harvey Firestone had a personal friendship with Henry Ford. Ford saw the potential market for tires for automobiles and Firestone tires were chosen to be the original supplier of new and replacement tires for the Ford Motor Company.

In 1998 Firestone was bought by Bridgestone Tire Company Ltd, a Japanese company that was founded in 1931 by Shojiro Ishibashi, for $2.6 billion.

Firestone was renamed Bridgestone/Firestone, Inc in the United States and is the largest subsidiary of Bridgestone.

The company was again renamed and is now called Bridgestone Americas (BSAM).

Today Firestone has 40,000 employees.

On October 1st, the company announced that all tire prices would increase between 5 and 8% after November 1, 2020.

The company maintains a corporate office in Nashville, Tennessee.

Firestone

Harvey Samuel Firestone founded the Firestone Tire and Rubber Company in 1900 to supply rubber tires to wagons and buggies.

History

In 1998 Firestone was bought by Bridgestone Tire Company Ltd, a Japanese company that was founded in 1931 by Shojiro Ishibashi, for $2.6 billion.

Firestone was renamed Bridgestone/Firestone, Inc in the United States and is the largest subsidiary of Bridgestone.

The company was again renamed and is now called Bridgestone Americas (BSAM).

Today Firestone has 40,000 employees.

On October 1st, the company announced that all tire prices would increase between 5 and 8% after November 1, 2020.

The company maintains a corporate office in Nashville, Tennessee.

Goodyear Corporate Office

Goodyear was founded in 1898 by Frank Seiberling in Akron, Ohio where the headquarters remain today. The company is named after Charles Goodyear, who invented vulcanized rubber. They originally produced carriage and bicycle tires.

In 1901, the company provided Ford with racing tires. By 1908, all Model T’s feature Goodyear tires.

In 1925, the first Goodyear blimp is launched.

By 1926, Goodyear is the largest rubber company in the world.

In 1927, the company goes public.

In 1944, the company opens a subsidiary called Goodyear-Oxo in Mexico.

In 1986, the company completed a huge buyback on common stock after a hostile takeover attempt was launched by James Goldsmith.

Today, Goodyear is one of the largest tire manufacturers in the world. Besides automobiles, they also manufacture tires for trucks (light & commercial), race cars, airplanes and farm equipment.

Goodyear

In 1901, the company provided Ford with racing tires. By 1908, all Model T’s feature Goodyear tires.

In 1925, the first Goodyear blimp is launched.

History

By 1926, Goodyear is the largest rubber company in the world.

In 1927, the company goes public.

In 1944, the company opens a subsidiary called Goodyear-Oxo in Mexico.

In 1986, the company completed a huge buyback on common stock after a hostile takeover attempt was launched by James Goldsmith.

Today, Goodyear is one of the largest tire manufacturers in the world. Besides automobiles, they also manufacture tires for trucks (light & commercial), race cars, airplanes and farm equipment.