Hurtubise Tire Inc. has joined Bridgestone Bandag LLC's network of North American franchised commercial tire retreaders. The Bandag Strategic Alliance includes 180 franchised owners and 1,600 points of sale across the United States and Canada.
Based in Tonawanda, N.Y., Hurtubise Tire has signed a franchise agreement to operate a Bandag retread tire manufacturing plant in North Tonawanda. The new plant, formerly an Oliver retread facility, has the capacity to produce approximately 110 retread tires per day for its two sales and service locations in the Buffalo area.
"The Bandag franchise will help us grow at a faster pace," says owner Rick Hurtubise. "Everything is going to be new, including the manufacturing process, machines and a new building."
Hurtubise, along with his sister and brother-in-law Vicky and Thomas Uglinica, are the fourth generation to run this century-old tire dealership. Founded in 1903 by Joe Hurtubise, the company remains at its original location at 63 Oliver Street in Tonawanda.