American Tire Distributors joins ACCC, takes over territory

Sept. 27, 2004

American Tire Distributors (ATD) has joined American Car Care Centers (ACCC) and has assumed control of most of Target Tire Inc.´s former ACCC territory.

ATD acquired 11 distribution centers from long-time ACCC member Target Tire earlier this month.

The Huntersville, N.C.-based company gains ACCC´s business in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and eastern Tennessee, all areas that belonged to Target Tire. Another ACCC member, Terry´s Tire Town, is supplying western Virginia, which Target Tire also covered, according to ACCC President and COO Len Lewin.

Customers will receive the same products from the same distribution centers, and will deal with the same personnel, says ATD Chairman and CEO Dick Johnson. "It will be a seamless transition."

The only possible changes down the road will be warehouse locations "in cases where we have two (warehouses) in the same city," he says. The 11 former Target Tire warehouses serve about 1,800 customers.

Johnson says product screens will remain the same. "Both of us have a strong relationship with Michelin Americas Small Tires, so it was easy for ATD to fit in with the ACCC program."

"This is not a substitution program," says Lewin. "We´re not saying, ´You have to change certain products.´"

Former Target Tire owners Howard and Bucky Stein will help ATD with its transition to ACCC. During ATD´s acquistion of Target Tire, "Bucky Stein was concerned as much about (Target Tire´s) customers as himself," says Johnson. "It was important to him that they be taken care of."

He says ATD will concentrate on "learning the (ACCC) program and understanding the length and breadth of the program. ACCC has worked very hard to put a good program together."

For a long time, ACCC viewed ATD as a competitor, according to Lewin. "This alignment with ATD is great for our program."

Right now there are no plans for other ATD locations to join ACCC. "We´ll evaluate future opportunities as we move forward," says Lewin.

ATD is the eighth largest independent tire dealership in North America with 80 locations, according to Modern Tire Dealer´s 2004 Top 100 Independent Tire Store Chain list.

ACCC´s membership includes more than 1,100 dealers.