Wingfoot celebrates 10 years of service and support

Wingfoot Commercial Tire Systems on Saturday, June 4, celebrated 10 years of providing tires and tire services at more than 180 commercial tire sales, service and retread facilities across the United States.

The company, which also offers preventative maintenance and tire services at 36 on-highway truck care centers in 15 states, celebrated its 10-year milestone with a picnic for associates and guests at its corporate headquarters in Fort Smith, Ark. The company will have events at other locations to commemorate its 10th anniversary.

Wingfoot was created 10 years ago through the consolidation of Goodyear Commercial Tire Centers, Brad Ragan Inc. and Treadco Inc. to provide superior service, said Wingfoot president Phillip Kane. “By taking advantage of the three companies’ strengths, we were able to align our operations to solidly meet the needs of our customers."

“For 10 years, Wingfoot has offered world-class service for the world-class products Goodyear offers,” added Mark S. Totten, vice president of marketing for Wingfoot Commercial Tire Systems.

“One of the biggest strengths of Wingfoot is providing customers a single face for their tire product and service needs,” he said. “Consistency is also a key strength for Wingfoot. So, no matter where customers travel, they will find the same high level of service at all our locations.”

Wingfoot accomplishes that consistency by staffing its tire and truck care centers with caring and knowledgeable people, Totten said, then following up with periodic training to keep their skills honed.

“Our associates are trained to focus on the value of servicing the needs of our customers, helping to provide solutions for tires and service,” Totten said.

Kane credits Wingfoot’s success over the last 10 years largely to its associates. “Our 2,500-plus associates care deeply for each other and for our customers. Their focus on making Wingfoot a great place to work and to do business with is truly what differentiates us from every other commercial tire company.”

Wingfoot has offered many positive programs for the entire Goodyear dealer network, said Roy Sutfin, vice president of Goodyear’s fleetHQ. “Much of the work Wingfoot has done in helping some of the country’s largest fleets establish processes for controlling tire expenses not only has become an industry standard, but those processes have provided the basic building blocks for fleetHQ,” Sutfin said.

fleetHQ is Goodyear’s solution center, which offers a portfolio of business solutions that include emergency roadside assistance, and an online information system providing 24/7 access to services in progress, retread history, repair data and tire purchase histories.

Wingfoot has also helped Goodyear develop many of the tools it now offers to its dealers through fleetHQ. “That work has great potential for all of our tire dealers, and ultimately their customers,” Sutfin added.

Totten said Wingfoot will continue to innovate with new technological tools in the years to come because of its commitment to being an industry leader. Totten said he also sees Wingfoot opening more retreading facilities, like its large retread plant in Bremen, Ga, which can manufacture retreads to serve multiple markets.

Totten sees growth for Wingfoot being powered mostly by its on-highway presence. Wingfoot looks to add several new Wingfoot Truck Care locations in the upcoming years to build an even stronger on-highway network. Wingfoot also plans to expand its off-highway presence in key markets.

“Wingfoot is dependent on the strength of Goodyear’s network of independent commercial tire dealers,” he added. “Many truck fleets and operators travel all over North America, and having independent dealers and Wingfoot working together through fleetHQ is important. By working together through fleetHQ, Goodyear can offer a single network of more than 1,800 fleetHQ servicing locations that help provide truck fleets and operators the servicing capabilities they have come to expect.

“We’re proud of the work we have done over the last 10 years for our customers, for Goodyear and for the trucking industry, and we look forward to doing even more in the years to come,” Totten said.

For more information on Wingfoot Truck Care Centers, visit http://www.wingfoottruckcare.com/.