Wholesale Tire Shifts Gears into Phase Two of Growth Strategy

 Barely four months into a multi-year growth plan, Wholesale Tire Distributors has shifted into the second phase of its ambitious expansion scheme after adding new staff, new accounts and nearly doubling the reach of its service area.
 
The plan, outlined in January to staff and dealers, has already seen the company add a pricing and inventory analyst and four staff in senior sales management positions in 2012, realigning the business to better serve its clients and quadrupling the volume from its new Hamilton warehouse.
 
The company has also added 13 new Tire Choice retail outlets and hundreds of additional accounts, says Jonathan Karelse, vice-president, Corporate Development and Strategic Planning for the company.
 
“We’re ahead of where we expected to be on almost every aspect of our plan,” Karelse says. “We’re more than half-way to achieving our target for new Tire Choice stores and far ahead of our projections for new accounts. It’s been hectic but it’s been a great testament to the power of partnership.”
 
One of the major contributors to the success is the value-added strategy announced in January, in which Warehouse Tire provides analytic, creative marketing and promotion resources for key clients to help them market more effectively in their trading areas. “We’re doing a special event a week for key customers to help them build their retail business with things like advertising, flyers, barbeques and grass-roots activities that drive retail traffic,” Karelse says. The company has also launched a new incentive system for retail counter staffs.
 
There are still challenges ahead, Karelse cautions. “We’re still seeking some key personnel, but we’re being very particular about who we add to the team,” he says. “We’re looking for talented people that we can train, that might bring experience and skills that add to our strengths.”
 
Wholesale Tire Distributors has been providing value, expertise and innovation to the replacement tire market since 1994. Wholesale Tire distributes quality tire lines for independent tire retailers, new car dealers and corporate fleet customers. The company is privately owned and is directly affiliated with four Tire Depot retail outlets and 23 Tire Choice associate stores serving central Ontario.