Bandag Inc. has sold its Doraville and Athens, Ga., Tire Distribution Systems Inc. (TDS)locations to Alan Snow, who owns a number of commercial tire dealerships in Georgia, including Atlanta Commercial Tire, Macon Commercial Tire, and Mid-Georgia Commercial Tire.
Snow, who has been a Bandag dealer for 20 years, says the facilities "will be strategically beneficial... It's also good for the Bandag Strategic Alliance because it gives us the momentum we've needed in the Atlanta market."
TDS officials call the deal a "win-win situation."
"Our real strength is in commercial truck tires and satisfying the product and service needs of our customers," says TDS President John McErlane.
"By continuing to focus on the commercial truck side of the business in the markets where we provide key coverage for the (Bandag) Strategic Alliance, we're able to gain greater efficiencies in our operations."
Seventy employees are affected by the sale. TDS expects most of them to continue with Snow, or move to other TDS facilities.
TDS employs more than 1,700 people in total.
The Georgia divestiture comes on the heels of TDS selling its Pascagoula, Miss., and Lake Charles, La., retail stores to New Orleans, La.-based Delta World Tire on Sept. 6.
