Tire Factory Inc. has added more than 88,000 square feet to its Salt Lake City, Utah, distribution center. The cooperative says it's a sign of the group's growth since joining the Point S network four years ago. John Roemer, a Point S tire dealer who also serves as chairman of the Northwest Tire Factory Real Property Board, says, “It’s phenomenal seeing the success we’re having across our footprint. We made the strategic commitment back in 2008 to growing our warehousing and distribution opportunities for our stores serviced by the Salt Lake City market, and since then we’ve nearly doubled our capacity."
The Salt Lake City warehouse is one of four that serves Point S tire dealers in the U.S. The others are in Portland, Ore., the cooperative's home base; plus Denver, Colo., and Memphis, Tenn. Collectively, the warehouses cover more than 400,000 square feet.
In the U.S. Point S hold preferred partnerships with five tire brands: Goodyear, Toyo, Nokian, Michelin and Hankook. The group, which is heavily concentrated in the Pacific Northwest, added Toyo to its list of vendors this year after Les Schwab gave up its exclusive hold of the brand in that region.
As a member-owned cooperative, Point S store owners can elect to buy shares of Northwest Tire Factory Real Property LLC, the business that owns the group's warehouses. Partners in the property business receive a return on their investment in the real estate.
“Our Point S retail, commercial and ag members demand that we have the right tires for them to offer their customers," says Walter Lybeck, CEO of Tire Factory dba Point S USA. "It’s imperative we meet their demands with having availability, pricing and delivery along our four distribution centers. It’s what my team strives for every day — to service our members.”
Clint Young, director of sales and development for Point S USA, says, “This expansion represents the success we’re seeing growing our footprint. Equally important to adding new stores is servicing our existing members. Being member focused puts us in a uniquely strong position to recruit independent tire dealers across the U.S."
For more information, visit www.joinpointstire.com or www.pointstire.com.
