PORTLAND, Ore. -- Tire Factory has acquired wholesale operations in Denver, Colo., formerly known as Meadow Creek and currently owned by Nokian Tyres Inc. Tire Factory will begin operating the company on May 23.

Chris Cornelius, Tire Factory's chairman and co-owner of Clair & Dee's Tire Factory in Rexburg, Idaho, commented on the transaction saying, "The acquisition of this facility completes one of our strategic goals for expansion in the Southwestern United States. Our new Denver facility will make Tire Factory's programs and buying power more accessible to independent tire dealers who want to become part of the nation's best member-owned tire buying and marketing co-op."

Tire Factory is headquartered in Portland, Ore., with distribution centers in Portland and Salt Lake City, Utah. It is among the nation's leading member-owned organizations of independent tire dealers, with more than 200 Tire Factory members operating in 15 Western states. Tire Factory's sales at retail are in excess of $300 million. Tire Factory supplies its members with tires, equipment, operating supplies and marketing and sales promotion support.

"Nokian Tyres Inc. has a strong partnership with Tire Factory; one that is based on shared goals for growth in the northwestern U.S.," said Jari Lepisto, GM of Nokian North America. "When Tire Factory expressed an interest in acquiring our operations in Denver, we determined that having them do so was an excellent fit with our total growth plan in that territory, and we were pleased to enter into this agreement."

Tire Factory CEO John Kreidel added, "Adding Denver to our Portland, Ore., and Salt Lake City, Utah, facilities gives us more efficient distribution in Western United States. More efficient distribution helps keep transportation costs lower for our members and allows them to grow in a marketplace that daily is more competitive. Existing members will benefit from the increased buying power, increased volume, related programs and profitability that come from being a larger tire retailer."