Royal Tire Inc. has added some 30 associate dealers to its Tire One distribution network over the last 12 months.
"Most of them are small, regional dealers," says Pat Duininck, president of the St. Paul, Minn.-based dealership.
Many of the new signees are located in Iowa and Wisconsin and "a couple of them have multiple stores."
Royal Tire launched Tire One in 1995 with the goal of signing 300 associate dealers by 2005.
The program offers Mastercraft, Toyo and Aurora brand tires.
Royal Tire is the 71st largest independent tire store chain in North America with 17 outlets throughout the upper midwest, according to Modern Tire Dealer data.
