American Tire Distributors
{{Short description|American distributor and retailer of automotive parts}}
{{Infobox company
| name = American Tire Distributors
| former_name = J.H. Heafner Co.
Heafner Tire
| founded = 1935
| founder = J.H. Heafner
| hq_location = Huntersville, North Carolina
| area_served = United States and Canada
| key_people = Ira Silver (President and CEO)
| revenue = US$5B{{Cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/companies/american-tire-distributors-holdings/?sh=779ee3b1642c|title = American Tire Distributors Holdings| website=Forbes }}
| revenue_year = 2015
| num_employees = 5,000
| num_employees_year = 2024
| website = https://www.atd.com/
}}
American Tire Distributors (ATD) is one of the largest independent suppliers of tires to the replacement tire market. It operates more than 115 distribution centers serving approximately 80,000 customers across the U.S. The company offers an unsurpassed breadth and depth of inventory, frequent delivery, and value-added services to tire and automotive service customers. American Tire Distributors employs approximately 4,500 associates across its distribution center network.
In 2024, the company has been recognized as: an Environment+Energy Leader Award recipient; a Stevie® Award for Sales & Customer Service recipient; and a multi-award recipient of The American Business Awards®, including a Gold Stevie® Award recipient in the Company of the Year - Automotive & Transport Equipment – Large category and a Silver Stevie® Award recipient in the Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning Solution category.{{cite web|url=https://www.tirebusiness.com/wholesale/atd-honored-innovations-business-customer-service-sustainability|website=Tire Business|date=7 May 2024|url-access=registration|title=ATD honored for business, customer service, sustainability|publisher=Crain Communications, Inc.|access-date=2 May 2025}}
History
J.H. Heafner Co. was founded in Lincolnton, North Carolina, in 1935.{{Cite news|date=July 17, 2015|title=Inside the tire distributor that nearly cracked the Fortune 500|work=Charlotte Observer|url=https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/business/article25623607.html}} The company acquired Winston Tire Company in 1997, and moved ATD's headquarters from Lincolnton to Charlotte in 1998.{{Cite web|last=Harris|first=David|date=May 4, 1998|title=Heafner HQ will relocate to Charlotte|url=https://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/stories/1998/05/04/story6.html|access-date=2021-08-14|website=www.bizjournals.com}} Heafner Tire sold Winston Tire Company to Performance Management, Inc. in 2001.{{Cite web|date=2012-09-09|title=Heafner Tire Group selling Winston Tire unit|url=https://www.tirebusiness.com/article/20010515/NEWS/305159996/heafner-tire-group-selling-winston-tire-unit|access-date=2021-08-19|website=Tire Business|language=en}} In 2000, Heafner Group acquired American Tire Distributors.{{Cite web|date=2012-09-09|title=Heafner Group buying American Tire Distributors|url=https://www.tirebusiness.com/article/20000707/NEWS/307079997/heafner-group-buying-american-tire-distributors|access-date=2021-08-14|website=Tire Business|language=en}} Heafner Tire changed its name to American Tire Distributors (ATD) in 2002.{{Cite web|date=April 17, 2002|title=Heafner Tire changing name|url=https://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/stories/2002/04/15/daily33.html|access-date=2021-08-14|website=www.bizjournals.com}}
American Tire Distributors was acquired by TPG Capital in 2010.{{Cite web|date=April 21, 2010|title=American Tire Distributors Holdings Announces Acquisition By Affiliates of TPG Capital|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=conewsstory&tkr=AXCA:US&sid=ad9hOcg5oXmI|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131024221358/https://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=conewsstory&tkr=AXCA:US&sid=ad9hOcg5oXmI|archive-date=2013-10-24|access-date=2021-08-14|website=www.bloomberg.com}}
ATD filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in October 2018, seeking to cut $1.1 billion of the company's debt.{{Cite news|last=Biswas|first=Soma|date=2018-10-04|title=American Tire Distributors Files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Protection|language=en-US|work=Wall Street Journal|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/american-tire-distributors-files-for-chapter-11-bankruptcy-protection-1538643503|access-date=2021-08-19|issn=0099-9660}} ATD received assistance refinancing from investors, including Wells Fargo.{{Cite web|title=Huntersville-based American Tire Distributors files for bankruptcy|url=https://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2018/10/04/huntersville-based-american-tire-distributors.html|access-date=2021-08-19|website=www.bizjournals.com}} The company emerged from bankruptcy in December 2018.{{Cite web|last=Elkins|first=Ken|date=December 31, 2018|title=It's already a new year for Huntersville's American Tire Distributors|url=https://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2018/12/31/it-s-already-a-new-year-for-huntersville-s.html|access-date=2021-08-19|website=www.bizjournals.com}}
The company struggled to recover in the wake of filing bankruptcy due to the loss of its relationship with several major tire manufacturers.{{Cite web|title=DISTRESSED DAILY: American Tire Falls Flat as Costs Keep Rising|url=https://news.bloomberglaw.com/bankruptcy-law/distressed-daily-american-tire-falls-flat-as-costs-keep-rising|access-date=2021-08-19|website=news.bloomberglaw.com|language=en}} American Tire Distributors had an annual revenue of $5 billion in 2019.{{Cite web|last=Staff|first=ByMerrilee BartonForbes|title=American Tire Distributors Holdings|url=https://www.forbes.com/companies/american-tire-distributors-holdings/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130212094245/http://www.forbes.com/companies/american-tire-distributors-holdings/|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 12, 2013|access-date=2021-08-14|website=Forbes|language=en}} In February 2021, Goldman Sachs led talks on a $1 billion junk bond deal to refinance ATD, which had not recovered from the loss of major manufacturing partners.{{Cite news|last1=Doherty|first1=Katherine|last2=Seligson|first2=Paula|last3=Gurumurthy|first3=Gowri|date=February 8, 2021|title=American Tire to Eye $1 Billion Refinancing Post Bankruptcy|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-02-08/american-tire-said-to-eye-1-billion-refinancing-post-bankruptcy|access-date=2021-08-19|newspaper=Bloomberg.com}}
As of 2021, Forbes lists the company as the 81st largest privately owned company in the United States.{{Cite web|title=America's Largest Private Companies|url=https://www.forbes.com/largest-private-companies/list/|access-date=2021-08-14|website=Forbes|language=en}}
In 2022, American Tire Distributors sold their Canadian operations (National Tire Distributors) to Groupe Touchette.https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/groupe-touchette-to-acquire-canadian-unit-of-us-tire-distributor-1.1791457
In October 2024, ATD filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection for the second time, listing assets and liabilities between $1 billion and $10 billion. The company plans to sell itself to new owners in efforts to eliminate debt.{{Cite web|url= https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-10-23/american-tire-seeks-bankruptcy-again-enters-restructuring-pact?embedded-checkout=true|title= American Tire Seeks Bankruptcy Again, Enters Restructuring Pact|last=Monahan|first=Andrew|date=October 23, 2024|access-date=October 23, 2024|website=Bloomberg|language=en}}
In March 2025, American Tire Distributors (ATD) completed a major sale of most of its assets. Despite the ownership change, the company retained its established brand name. Ira Silver assumed the roles of president and chief executive officer.{{Cite news |last=Sickels |first=David |date=March 6, 2025 |title=ATD Completes Sale, Appoints New ATD Leadership Team |url=https://www.aftermarketnews.com/american-tire-distributors-sale-leadership-team/ |work=AftermarketNews}}
References
Category:Automotive part retailers of the United States
Category:1935 establishments in North Carolina
Category:Automotive companies of the United States
Category:Companies based in Charlotte, North Carolina
Category:Companies that filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2018
Category:Companies that filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2024