What’s Treading with Tire Review

Babcox Media
  • 5.0 (9)
  • TECHNOLOGY
  • UPDATED SEMIMONTHLY

What’s Treading with Tire Review brings you the latest tire industry trends, issues, technology and shop management practices among dealers in the industry today.

  1. 6H AGO

    Can Point S Reach 500 Stores? Leadership Talks What’s Driving Growth

    Three years ago, Point S set an ambitious goal: 500 stores in 50 states within five years. At its 2026 Annual Owners Meeting in Phoenix, AZ, leadership shared how close the group is to that goal, and what still stands in the way. In this episode of What’s Treading, Senior Editor Christian Hinton spoke with Point S leadership and dealers about distribution challenges, vendor partnerships, brand consistency and what’s fueling expansion across nearly 40 states. Can Point S Reach 500 Stores? In 2023, Point S had 275 stores in 29 states. Today, the network stands at 464 stores across 39 states, including 80 new locations added in 2025 alone. Clint Young, president and COO of Point S, says growth has been strong... but not without hurdles. “Our biggest Achilles heel with growth has always been distribution,” Young said. “We’re working to find dealers that are large enough to be able to take direct shipments and we can facilitate a very good member experience with them. So that’s still a challenge, and we’re looking at some growth opportunities with warehousing and some partnerships that we’re really excited about.” CEO Walter Lybeck said improvements in third-party distribution have already helped accelerate expansion. “Third-party distribution was not as developed a couple of years ago as it is now," he said. "That’s something that’s really been able to help us in filling up that bucket for our new members.” Distribution and Platinum Partner Strategy Leadership emphasized that growth is not just about adding store count. It’s also about strengthening dealer profitability and alignment. The 2026 promotional calendar centers around four Platinum Partners and 10 member-focused campaigns. According to Lybeck, narrowing that focus brings clarity. “By having four platinum partners, it really helps our members kind of focus on what it is that we need to be purchasing," he said. Young added that the structure creates energy at the store level. “That’s going to give our owners and their store team members a lot of excitement and their communities to go out and connect with their populations and sell tires, so that is a big win for us,” he said. Why Brand Consistency Matters Brand consistency across more than 450 independent locations was another key theme of the meeting, and dealers echoed that sentiment. Michael Montgomery, general manager of TNT Tire Point S in Tacoma, Washington, said even simple upgrades make a difference. “New paint, 20-foot aprons in front of each one of the bay doors. New asphalt throughout the entire parking lot," he explained. "If it looks good, they’ll feel comfortable coming in.” Vendor Relationships and Dealer Momentum The vendor show, featuring about 80 vendors, remains central to the annual meeting. Young said the event builds more than purchasing power. “It sounds like you go to a vendor show to do business, but you really go there to build relationships with the vendors," he said. "What ends up happening is the members are building relationships with each other.” With 464 stores, expanded distribution support and a Top 3 Tire Dealer ranking in Consumer Reports, Point S leadership believes the path to 500 stores is becoming clearer — powered by relationships, brand alignment and disciplined growth.

    7 min

  2. FEB 17

    Whats Treading K&M Booth Visits - audio

    A 3-Peak Mountain Snowflake tire (3PMSF tire) is a tire that meets severe snow service requirements and carries the three-peak mountain snowflake symbol to indicate enhanced winter traction. At the K&M Tire Conference and Trade Show in Kansas City, that designation came up repeatedly as manufacturers discussed new products and category expansion across commercial and light truck segments. In this episode of What’s Treading, Editor David Sickels and Senior Editor Christian Hinton walked the trade show floor to talk directly with tire manufacturers about 3PMSF-rated products, super regional drive tires, ultra-high-performance fitments, and new all-terrain launches shaping dealer inventory decisions. What Is a 3-Peak Mountain Snowflake Tire? A 3-Peak Mountain Snowflake tire is certified for severe snow performance and is commonly found on commercial drive tires and all-terrain truck applications. At the show, Kumho Tire highlighted its KXD12 super regional drive tire with 3PMSF certification, emphasizing its role in heavy-duty truck segments. It also showed the new Kumho Road Venture RT. Yokohama also showcased its Geolandar A/T4, a 3PMSF-rated all-terrain tire designed for light truck and SUV fitments. These examples from the floor illustrate how the 3PMSF designation now spans both commercial trucking and consumer truck categories. 3PMSF in Super Regional Drive Tires Super regional drive tires serve trucks operating in regional haul applications. When paired with a 3-Peak Mountain Snowflake rating, they provide additional winter traction capability while maintaining durability for commercial fleets. Kumho’s super regional drive tire with 3PMSF certification reflects growing demand for winter-capable commercial products. For independent tire dealers, understanding how a 3-Peak Mountain Snowflake drive tire differs from a standard drive tire is helpful when serving regional fleet customers operating in variable winter conditions. All-Terrain and Ultra-High-Performance Segments Beyond 3PMSF-rated products, manufacturers discussed other key categories. Nexen Tire highlighted its N’Priz S and N’Fera Sport ultra-high-performance tires. Hankook introduced Laufenn's new X Fit AT2 all-terrain tire, debuting at the event. Falken brought its highest-volume tire lines and discussed the launch of the Dunlop Sport BluResponse, alongside efforts to reinvigorate the Dunlop brand. Why 3PMSF Tires Matter for Dealers A 3-Peak Mountain Snowflake tire designation influences product positioning in both commercial and light truck categories. At the K&M show, manufacturers underscored dealer relationships, responsiveness, and product alignment as key drivers of success within distributor networks. For independent tire dealers, this episode provides insight into: • How 3-Peak Mountain Snowflake certification applies to drive and all-terrain tires • Where super regional drive tires fit within fleet operations • How UHP and all-terrain products complement winter-capable portfolios • Which manufacturers are expanding 3PMSF-rated offerings

    4 min

  3. FEB 3

    Nexen N’Priz S and N’Fera Sport In-Depth Tire Review

    This video reviews two new passenger tire launches from Nexen Tire, offering a detailed Nexen N’Priz S and N’Fera Sport review while also explaining how the company is using artificial intelligence in modern tire development. Nexen N'Priz S Review The Nexen N’Priz S is a grand touring all-season tire designed for modern vehicles, including electric vehicles, hybrids, and internal-combustion vehicles. Nexen identifies the N’Priz S as its first EV-compatible tire, engineered to manage higher vehicle weight, instant torque delivery, and reduced noise expectations common to electric vehicles. The tire features a wider contact patch compared to the previous generation, which helps distribute load more evenly for improved braking, stability, and wear. Nexen also incorporated variable-pitch shoulder blocks to reduce pattern noise. Plus, its 4D compound technology and 3D sipe design help maintain traction across temperature changes and light winter conditions.  The N’Priz S replaces the Roadian GTX, Aria AH7, and N’Priz AH8 in Nexen’s lineup.  It carries an 80,000-mile treadwear warranty for ICE vehicles and a 60,000-mile warranty for EV applications. Nexen N'Fera Sport Review The Nexen N’Fera Sport is a premium ultra-high-performance summer tire developed to meet European OE performance expectations. Nexen focused on high-speed stability, wet braking, and steering precision by using a stiffer shoulder design, a reinforced center block, and a new tread compound with increased silica content and updated polymer chemistry. The tire uses a four-channel longitudinal groove design to evacuate water efficiently at speed. Elements such as a jointless bead wire, high-hardness bead filler, and high-tensile steel belt help maintain stability under load.  The N’Fera Sport is offered in 63 sizes and includes a 30,000-mile treadwear warranty. The tire has also received a Red Dot Design Award. How is Nexen Tire Using AI? Beyond the product reviews, the video explains how Nexen Tire is applying artificial intelligence and machine learning in tire development. Nexen engineers describe AI as a tool that analyzes large datasets from tire specifications, compounds, construction variables, simulations, and testing. Nexen maintains a global database with data from approximately 190,000 tire designs. This database allows proprietary AI systems to predict outcomes, evaluate design changes, and help engineers reach targets faster. Aaron Neumann, head of Nexen’s America’s Technical Center, explains that AI does not replace engineers. It does not make independent design decisions. Instead, AI supports development by accelerating analysis and improving early-stage decision-making. This Nexen N’Priz S and N’Fera Sport review provides dealers, industry professionals, and performance-focused drivers a detailed look at Nexen’s latest all-season and UHP tire technology with Nexen N’Priz S and N’Fera Sport review. It also explains how AI influences tire design, testing, and future product development at Nexen Tire.

    14 min

  4. JAN 20

    How the HawkEye Elite X Helps Tire Dealers Prepare for ADAS Growth

    Today, we take you inside Hunter Engineering’s St. Louis headquarters for an in-depth look at the Hunter HawkEye Elite X, the company’s latest expandable alignment system designed to future-proof shops as ADAS work becomes unavoidable. Hunter’s Wheel Alignment Product Engineer, Alan Hagerty, joins Tire Review’s David Sickels to break down what the “X” really means for tire dealers: more storage, more capability, and a built-in upgrade path that lets a shop buy top-tier alignment technology today and add static ADAS calibration when they’re ready. Alan walks through how the system retains Hunter’s quick-grip, time-tested alignment tech while bringing new flexibility to the bay. The Elite X ships with Hunter’s ADASLink scan tool, allowing shops to perform mechanical alignments, steering resets, and dynamic ADAS calibrations without changing bays. That combination gives dealers a way to handle the majority of forward-facing calibration needs while building confidence before stepping into full static calibration setups. For shops worried about space, Alan explains why most dealers start with dynamic calibrations and how the mobile, wheeled design of the Elite X helps them reconfigure the bay as needed – even rolling the unit aside for static calibrations when the time comes. Alan also outlines who the system serves. He explains the ROI considerations behind adding ADAS capability. He shows how Hunter’s team supports the upgrade process from start to finish. Whether you’re already doing high volumes of alignments or evaluating ADAS as a new revenue stream, this episode breaks down how the Hunter HawkEye Elite X helps tire dealers grow by easily adding ADAS calibration to an existing alignment system. Tire Review: www.tirereview.com Hunter Engineering: www.hunter.com

    9 min

  5. JAN 6

    Testing Three Hankook Dynapro Tires Through the Great Smoky Mountains

    What can real trail time in the Great Smoky Mountains reveal about where today’s light-truck tires truly fit? In this episode of What’s Treading, Tire Review heads to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, for a hands-on ride and drive featuring three Hankook Tire Dynapro tires: the Dynapro AT2 Xtreme, Dynapro MT2, and Dynapro XT. We got the opportunity to test and compare how each tire handled on-road driving and off-road terrain. See the testing conditions, compare performance differences, and hear Robert Nasca, product and sales training manager, and K.C. Jensen, VP of U.S. PC/LT sales, explain how each tire fits drivers who split time between pavement, dirt, and rocky terrain.

    7 min

  6. 12/23/2025

    Seven Conversations That Will Shape How Tire Dealers Win in 2026

    This year’s What’s Treading conversations gave tire dealers a direct line to some of the industry’s most influential voices – Bridgestone, Continental, Nokian Tyres, Double Coin, Atturo, Global Air Cylinder Wheels, and Schrader – and today's show brings together the strongest tire dealer insights from those interviews. Tire Review: www.tirereview.com

    21 min

  7. 12/09/2025

    The Most Talked About SEMA New Tires and Shop Upgrades

    The SEMA Show always offers a first look at the tools, tires, and technologies shaping the next year in the industry, and this year’s trip to Las Vegas delivered big for independent tire dealers. In this special What’s Treading episode, we walk the show floor to spotlight the products and innovations that matter most. Tire Review: www.tirereview.com

    6 min

  8. 11/25/2025

    Hunter’s Road Force WalkAway Cuts Tire Bay Time by 44%

    Shops want faster workflows, fewer bottlenecks, and equipment that keeps technicians moving. On this episode of What's Treading, we set out to learn how well the new Road Force WalkAway tire balancer supports those goals during a visit to Hunter Engineering’s headquarters. We wanted to see how much time a modern balancer can actually save and what that means for daily productivity inside a busy tire bay. Hunter’s David Henry kicked things off by showing the biggest change: automatic inflation built directly into the balancer. Technicians can clamp the wheel, hook on the hose, and drop the hood, and the machine handles the rest. Henry explained that this feature frees up 45 to 90 seconds, which technicians can use to mount the next tire, prep weights, grab a tire from the rack, or keep another bay moving. The WalkAway still performs full Road Force diagnostics, measures spring rate, identifies stiff spots, and uses camera-based wheel measurement. But the team redesigned the hood and roller assembly to shrink the footprint by 4.5 inches to reclaim some space. Engineering Manager Nate Brower explained how the machine calculates time savings through pressure readings, volume calculations, and flow rate. It gives technicians a countdown that shows how long they have to complete other tasks. In testing, he said, pairing the Road Force WalkAway with Hunter’s automated tire changers cut a four-tire job from 34 minutes to 19, which delivered a 44% time savings. The WalkAway also integrates with HunterNet, which lets multi-store operations track usage, roller drops, inflation habits, and technician performance.

    18 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
9 Ratings

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What’s Treading with Tire Review brings you the latest tire industry trends, issues, technology and shop management practices among dealers in the industry today.

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