___________________________________________________________________________________________ Southern Tire Mart
Southern Tire Mart was founded by Ernest Duff in 1973 and is now owned by brothers Thomas and James Duff, who have grown the business to more than 200 locations across the United States,” begins Tom Fanning, Executive Manager of Operations.“ Additionally, through our joint venture with Pilot Travel Centers, Southern Tire Mart at Pilot, we operate a further 150 locations, giving us a network of around 350 sites nationwide.
“ In 2025, the company generated more than $ 3.5 billion in sales, making us the largest commercial tire dealer in North America. We also operate 18 retread plants and produced more than 2.4 million Bandag retreads last year. That scale enables us to serve as a transportation solutions provider rather than simply a tire supplier,” he elaborates. While Southern Tire Mart’ s DNA is rooted in the commercial vehicle sector, its capabilities extend across virtually every tire application, from passenger vehicles and light trucks to industrial, off-road and mining equipment. The company supports everyone from major fleet operators to individual motorists, providing tires, retreading, mechanical services and inspections through a comprehensive nationwide network.
“ Our 24 / 7, 365-day service model is particularly valuable for professional drivers operating under strict hours-of-service regulations,” Tom adds.“ With limited time available for refueling, maintenance and essential vehicle upkeep, we aim to be a true one-stop-shop, helping customers maximize uptime while ensuring they still have the time needed to rest and keep their businesses moving.”
The company’ s growth strategy is guided by customer demand and a commitment to delivering value through operational efficiency, strategic partnerships and rapid service response.
“ Our expansion is really driven by customer needs,” he elaborates.“ We focus on growing organically in markets where we can best support our customers, ensuring we have the right network density across the United States. The goal is to be within a few hours of the major interstate corridors so that we can respond quickly
In 2025, the company generated more than $ 3.5 billion in sales, making us the largest commercial tire dealer in North America whenever and wherever our customers need us.
“ That customer-first mindset is reflected in our founder’ s philosophy of making money with our customers, not off our customers. While profitability is essential to continue investing in the business, our priority is creating value for customers. We do that by aligning ourselves with the right supplier partners and offering products across every value tier, from premium brands to more cost-conscious options, so customers can choose the solution that best fits their operation.”
Southern Tire Mart also leverages its scale and operational expertise to eliminate waste from processes and pass those efficiencies on to customers. For fleet operators in particular, downtime is one of the biggest costs they face, so the company’ s focus is on maximizing uptime through fast, highquality service and repairs.
“ Whether it’ s an emergency roadside event or scheduled maintenance in one of our locations, we aim to get customers back on the road as quickly and safely as possible,” he continues.“ Time is money in the transportation industry, and our job is to
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