National Tire and Battery

National Tire and Battery (NTB) is an American brand of auto service centers. It was formerly owned by Sears until it was spun off in 2003.

National Tire and Battery
TypeWholly owned subsidiary
IndustryAutomotive Services
Predecessors
  • National Tire Warehouse
  • Tire America
Founded1997 (1997) by the merger of National Tire Warehouse with Tire America
Number of locations
over 226 (2003)[1]
Parent
Websitewww.ntb.com

History

Sears created the brand in 1997 by consolidating the Tire America (TA) and National Tire Warehouse (NTW) brands, adding the "B" to include its DieHard brand of batteries.[2] Sears original acquired both Tire America and National Tire Warehouse in 1988 when it acquired its then parent Western Auto Supply.[3]

In 2003, Sears sold the brand, which consisted mostly of stores set apart from its name brand stores, to TBC Corporation. A Sears spokesman said "Because of the separate branding and the lack of proximity to our retail operations, we weren't able to drive growth like a TBC could".[1] The chain of 226 stores was reported to have brought in $425 million in revenue and $60 million in profit in 2002.[1]

TBC Corporation includes Tire Kingdom, Merchant’s Tire and Auto Centers and Big O Tire stores. Together they operate more than 1,200 locations in 41 states Washington DC, Alberta & British Columbia, Canada.[4]

Services

National Tire and Battery specializes in Fluid Services (Oil Changes, Brake Fluid Exchange, Coolant Exchange, and Transmission Fluid Exchange), Battery Services, Wiper Blades, Brake Services, Steering & Suspension Services, and Vehicle Inspections.[5]

Controversy

In 2015, National Tire and Battery (NTB) was forced to pay a former employee $22,500 for national origin and religious harassment lawsuit brought by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).[6]

See also

References
  1. Hays, Constance L. (September 23, 2003). "Sears Plans to Sell National Tire and Battery for $260 Million". New York Times.
  2. "Sears to Expand Stand-Alone Auto Outlets". New York Times. March 20, 1997.
  3. Key, Janet (March 17, 1988). "Sears Buying Western Auto Supply". Chicago Tribune.
  4. "About Us". National Tire and Battery. Retrieved 2017-01-05.
  5. "The Services You Need". National Tire and Battery. Retrieved 2017-01-05.
  6. "National Tire and Battery to Pay $22.5K to Settle Employee Harassment Suit". Insurance Journal. 2015-10-29. Retrieved 2017-01-05.
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