Shrader Tire and Oil is celebrating 30 years of manufacturing retreads this year. The Toledo, Ohio-based company celebrated 75 years of being in business in 2023 and reached the new milestone in 2024.
“Getting into the retread manufacturing business has been a key to our growth”, said Shrader Tire and Oil President and CEO Joe Shrader. “Having our own retread facilities has allowed us to better serve and deliver high-quality tires to our customers.”
Shrader Tire and Oil purchased a 12,000-square-foot building just outside of the Village of Blissfield in 1993 and opened its first retread plant the following year with a staff of four – a manager and three employees.
The retread production plant soon outgrew its space and Shrader Tire and Oil added 16,000-square-feet to the plant, producing Oliver-brand retreads.
Oliver, which is owned by Michelin today, was America’s first retread rubber brand.
Truck tire retreads deliver huge savings to fleet managers and owner/operators and have a massive impact on the environment. It is estimated that nearly 300 million tires from cars and trucks are thrown away by Americans each year, but the use of retreads saves hundreds of millions of gallons of oil, and millions of tires continue a useful life rather than being consigned to a tire pile or landfill.
Simply put, retreading is recycling and conserving oil. The synthetic rubber components in a new medium truck tire require about 22 gallons of oil, but it takes only seven gallons to retread that same tire.
In 2005, Shrader Tire and Oil converted its retread operations to Michelin in Melvindale, Mich. A second Michelin manufacturing plant was purchased in 2017 in Pemberville, Ohio.
Today, Shrader Tire and Oil continues to utilize Michelin Retread Technology at those two locations, producing hundreds of thousands of retreads.
“We are proud to have been in business for 76 years and we are committed to manufacturing only the best retreads for our customers.”
Shrader Tire & Oil is the premier tire and lubricant distributor in the Midwest. With locations in Ohio, Michigan and Indiana, Shrader Tire and Oil has 14 truck tire and fleet service centers, two state-of-the-art Michelin retread plants, 4 bulk lubricant operations and a 24-hour emergency road service network.
Michelin achieved a notable accomplishment in the 2024 U.S. Original Equipment Tire Customer Satisfaction Study by winning its 100th, 101st, and 102nd J.D. Power Awards.
Michelin achieved top scores for Luxury, Passenger Car, and Performance Sport Vehicles in Original Equipment Tire Customer Satisfaction for 2024. This accomplishment showcases Michelin’s dedication to providing top-notch tire quality and performance, as shown by responses from drivers throughout the United States.
Shrader Tire and Oil is proud to have been associated with Michelin for more than 60 years.
Alexis Garcin, President and CEO of Michelin, commended the tire company’s achievements, crediting the hard work of their employees in developing, constructing, and supplying tires.
The research, which gathered responses from more than 31,000 vehicle owners, evaluated contentment across four main categories: tire longevity, tire ride quality, tire aesthetics, and tire grip/handling. Michelin’s ongoing triumph showcases its lasting dedication to customer contentment and tire quality.
Today, with 14 truck tire and fleet service centers, two state-of-the-art Michelin retread plants, and four bulk lubricant operations larger than ever, Shrader Tire & Oil is the premier tire and lubricant distributor in the Midwest.
By aligning ourselves with Chevron & Michelin, Shrader brings value to our customers for less. In addition to providing the highest quality products in the industry, Shrader offers the best service in the region. Our knowledge and expertise go well beyond our product lines. We strive to create loyal partnerships with our customers while providing measurable solutions for lowering operating costs through our high-performance products and extreme customer service.
For more than 75 years, Shrader Tire and Oil has been Keeping the Transportation Industry Rolling and Safe!
Congratulations are in order for our very own MRT II plant – located in Pemberville, Ohio – after Michelin gave high marks to the retread facility in its annual audit.
“My team deserves all the credit,” said MRT II Manager John Taylor. “They are a great team that cares about what goes to our customers. They’re a fun group to mentor and coach.”
Michelin annually does an audit of retread facilities. The scores given to MRT II for the recent audit include:
• 100 percent for Safety
• 99 percent for Process Quality Audit – The auditor goes post-to-post and interacts with the operators to ensure they can perform the functions by applying work methods and specifications correctly.
• 99 percent for Finished Product Quality Audit. The auditor chooses 20 random tires from the warehouse ready to go to the customer and brings them back into the plant, putting them through a rigorous inspection to ensure proper work methods were followed.
“A lot of hard work goes into ensuring we are producing at the highest quality retread level possible in the industry,” said Bob Watters, STO’s general manager of manufacturing. “Thank you to the MRT II team for exercising our STO vision to keep the transportation industry rolling and safe!”
An audit at MRT I will come later this spring.
TOLEDO, Ohio – Shrader Tire and Oil is celebrating its 75th Birthday on Wednesday, April 19, 2023.
In the spring of 1948, Jim and Bernadine Shrader founded Shrader Tire & Oil in Toledo, Ohio. A true family business, their children Jim Jr., Gerri, and Patti filled roles in the company after school. In the evenings, Jim Sr. would instill the importance of values like honesty, integrity and commitment and customer service as the family sat around the dinner table.
The family-owned company has flourished over the years. In 1985, Jim Shrader Sr. handed the company down to his son. Soon Jim Jr. looked to the commercial trucking market as the next area to expand the business. As the company grew, so did the Shrader family; many of which became the third generation to run the business.
In the year 2000, Jim Shrader Jr. handed the company down to his son, Joe Shrader. Like most of our staff, Joe rose through the ranks in the business, gaining valuable experience along the way by working in all facets of the company.
Even though the Shrader business model has shifted over the years, the foundation and core values that Jim & Bernie believed in still hold true today and practiced by third and fourth-generation members.
Today, with 15 truck tire and fleet service centers, two state-of-the-art Michelin retread plants, and four bulk lubricant operations larger than ever, Shrader Tire & Oil has become the premier tire and lubricant distributor in the Midwest.
By aligning ourselves with Chevron & Michelin, Shrader brings value to our customers for less. In addition to providing the highest quality products in the industry, Shrader offers the best service in the region. Our knowledge and expertise go well beyond our product lines. We strive to create loyal partnerships with our customers while providing measurable solutions for lowering operating costs through our high-performance products and extreme customer service.
As a certified Michelin Retreader, Shrader Tire & Oil recently earned the highest audit scores in the industry.
With our nine-step manufacturing process, we ensure efficient and quality results. Our retreads are held to the highest standard and are inspected thoroughly – both digitally and by hand. To support our claims, all of our retreads are backed by a warranty.
Shrader Tire and Oil was a big winner at a recent Michelin awards banquet, winning multiple awards after the annual audit.
“STO made an extremely big splash,” said General Manager of Manufacturing and MDC Distribution Bob Watters. “By earning such high scores, both of the Shrader Tire and Oil plants exhibited our commitment to continuous improvement.”
MRT I, located in Melvindale, Mich., received a 100 percent Audit Safety Score. MRT II, located in Pemberville, Ohio, received a quality audit score of 98 percent.
Here’s a breakdown of the awards:
MELVINDALE BEST OF BEST ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS:
100% Audit Safety Score
Process Quality Audit Score – 98%
Finished Product Quality Score – 98%
Process Quality Audit/Finished Product Quality Audit 2021/2022 – 98%
PEMBERVILLE BEST OF BEST ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS:
Process Quality Audit Score – 98%
Finished Product Quality Score – 98%
Process Quality Audit/Finished Product • Quality Audit 2021/2022 – 98%
Process Quality Audit/Finished Product 2022 – 98%
Contact Shrader Tire & Oil today at 800-859-6589 and ask about our retreads. You will be glad you did!
Retread tires are created by removing a worn-out tire tread and applying a new one, without having to deal with the components required to produce new casings. So, what’s the benefit to you, and why should they take the place of a new tires? To put it simply, retread tires are cheaper, of equal quality and performance, safe, environmentally friendly, and built to last.
Through the retread process, businesses are able to maintain lower production costs, ultimately leading to a lower price for consumers. Since new casings aren’t necessary, all efforts are able to focus solely on the production of new treads. Even though they are cheaper, their fuel efficiency, life span, and overall quality is equal to, if not better than, new tires.
This is where Shrader Tire & Oil can step in. We are the solution to your retread tire needs. As a certified Michelin MRT Retreader, Shrader Tire & Oil recently earned the highest audit scores in the industry. With our nine-step manufacturing process, we ensure efficient and quality results. Our retreads are held to the highest standard and are inspected thoroughly – both digitally and by hand. To support our claims, all of our retreads are backed by a warranty.
Although the myths about retreading may seem alarming, according to the Managing Director of the Tire Retread & Repair Information Bureau (TRIB), studies indicate that retread tires are just as reliable and safe as new tires. As long as they are properly maintained, exactly like how you would with a new set of tires, they will be just as effective.
As more information is uncovered, the demand for retread tires is ever increasing. TRIB states that 89 percent of fleets with 500 trucks or more utilize them. However, it’s not only about the large fleets. As the retread process continues to evolve and improve, fleets across the country, both large and small, are recognizing the benefits of retreading. This is especially true for those considered a part of the last mile.
There is no better application for retread tires than when it comes to box trucks, delivery vans, and other light weight trucks. For companies such as UPS and FedEx, they are a necessity. With such high delivery rates, these types of trucks are constantly turning, accelerating, braking, and damaging their wheels. Retread tires are the most cost-effective solution to the high demand of tires in this industry. The bottom line is that retread tires are here to stay – and it’s for a good reason.
Contact Shrader Tire & Oil today at 800-859-6589 and ask about our retreads. You will be glad you did!
