Rice Tire

What Rice Tire does

Rice Tire Inc. is a privately held, family-owned regional tire retailer and automotive service provider founded in 1956 by Donald B. Rice in the Maryland/Virginia area. Headquartered in Frederick, Maryland, the company operates 13+ retail locations across Maryland, Virginia, Washington DC Metro, Baltimore, and Pennsylvania, supported by 12 warehouses that enable rapid inventory fulfillment. Rice Tire retails tires from major manufacturers including Goodyear, Michelin, Continental, BFGoodrich, Falken, Hankook, Bridgestone, Firestone, and value-tier brands, alongside a full suite of automotive services such as wheel alignment, brake repair, TPMS diagnostics, transmission repair, engine diagnostics, AC service, suspension work, 4WD/AWD inspection, oil and filter changes, and Virginia state inspections.

The company's commercial division extends beyond consumer retail into fleet tire management (tracking, maintenance scheduling, performance monitoring), Goodyear UniCircle retreading, 24/7 roadside assistance, mobile mechanic services, and wholesale distribution to independent tire dealers through dedicated centers in Frederick and Cumberland, MD. The business operates through multiple go-to-market motions: traditional brick-and-mortar retail, e-commerce quote tools, B2B fleet account management with monthly billing, and wholesale ordering through TireWeb.com. Pricing is quote-based with Goodyear Credit Card financing available for purchases of $250 or more. Strategic growth has been driven by organic expansion and targeted acquisitions, including American Fleet Services (Ashland, VA, 2022), Central Tire of Verona (2021), and Rosson & Troilo (Brandy Station, VA), with the most recent geographic entry being Camp Hill, Pennsylvania in late 2023.

Name

Rice Tire

Legal name

Rice Tire Inc.

Website

https://ricetire.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1956

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Rice Tire is a privately held regional tire retailer and full-service automotive provider founded in 1956, operating 13+ locations across Maryland, Virginia, DC Metro, and Pennsylvania, serving individual consumers, commercial fleets, and independent tire dealers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Tire Retail & Automotive Services

NAICS

Tire Dealers (44134), Tire and Tube Merchant Wholesalers (423130), Tire Retreading (326212)

SIC

Services-Automotive Repair, Services & Parking (7500), Wholesale-Motor Vehicle Supplies & New Parts (5013)

akta.pro primary industry

Retail Tire Sales & Installation (Consumer) (TLAKADAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Commercial/Fleet Tire Sales & Service (Truck/Bus/OTR) (TLAKADAB), Tire Distribution & Wholesale (Regional/Local Supply) (TLAKADAH), Wheel Services (Mount/Balance, Alignment, Rotation) (TLAKADAF)

Keywords

• Tire retail sales
• Automotive repair services
• Commercial fleet services
• Wheel alignment services
• Tire retreading services

Headquarters

HQ city

Frederick

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices13 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Tire Sales: Retail and wholesale sales of new tires from multiple manufacturers including Goodyear, Michelin, Continental, and other major brands for passenger vehicles, trucks, SUVs, commercial vehicles, and OTR tires.
2. Auto Repair and Maintenance Services: Vehicle repair and maintenance services including oil changes, brake repair, wheel alignment, engine diagnostics, suspension repair, transmission service, AC service, and state inspections.
3. Commercial Fleet Services: Dedicated services for commercial fleets including tire management, retreading, 24/7 roadside assistance, and mobile mechanical service.
4. Wholesale Distribution: Wholesale tire distribution through dedicated wholesale centers in Frederick and Cumberland, MD serving independent tire dealers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Rice Tire is a regional tire retailer and full-service automotive repair shop that sells new passenger, light-truck, commercial, trailer, OTR, and UTV/ATV tires from major manufacturers (Goodyear, Michelin, Continental, Falken, Hankook, Bridgestone, Firestone, BFGoodrich, and others) and delivers on-site vehicle services including wheel alignment, brake repair, TPMS diagnostics, oil and filter service, engine diagnostics, transmission, suspension, AC service, 4WD inspection, and Virginia state inspections. The company also operates a commercial fleet program with tire management, Goodyear UniCircle retreading, 24/7 roadside assistance, and a mobile mechanic dispatch service, plus a wholesale tire distribution channel serving independent dealers.

Product overview

Rice Tire is a regional tire retailer and automotive service provider offering a comprehensive portfolio of products and services across 13+ retail locations in Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Washington DC. The company sells tires from major brands (Goodyear, Michelin, Continental, Falken, Hankook, Bridgestone, Firestone, BFGoodrich, and value brands like El Dorado, Doral, Kelly) for passenger vehicles, SUVs, trucks, trailers, and UTV/ATVs, as well as commercial tires for fleet operations. Rice Tire's service offerings span tire sales and installation, wheel alignment, brake repair, TPMS service, preventative maintenance, engine diagnostics, transmission repair, AC service, suspension, and 4WD/AWD systems. The company operates dedicated commercial/fleet services including retreading (using Goodyear UniCircle technology), 24/7 roadside assistance, mobile mechanic services, and fleet tire management programs. Rice Tire also provides B2B wholesale access through RicetireWholesale.com and offers Goodyear financing options. Founded in 1956, the company has grown through acquisitions including American Fleet Services (2022) and Central Tire of Verona (2021).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Retail Tire Sales (Passenger, Light Truck, SUV, Trailer) Retail sales and installation of new tires for passenger cars, light trucks, SUVs, and trailers from major brands including Goodyear, Michelin, Continental, General Tire, Falken, Hankook, Bridgestone, Firestone, BFGoodrich, Doral, El Dorado, Kelly, Uniroyal, Yokohama, and Dunlop; targeted at individual vehicle owners in the Mid-Atlantic region.
• Commercial & Fleet Tire Sales Wholesale and retail sales of commercial and fleet tires from Goodyear, Michelin, Continental, Sailun, Hankook, Falken, Gladiator, Carlisle, Galaxy, Primex, Titan, and Alliance for commercial vehicle fleets and OTR applications.
• UTV and ATV Tires Specialty tires for all-terrain vehicles and side-by-sides, including sport and utility ATVs, sourced from Carlisle, Deestone, and Kenda; sold at retail to individual recreational vehicle owners.
• Trailer Tires ST-type trailer tires for boat, utility, travel, horse, and RV trailers with higher load capacity and stiff sidewalls to prevent sway; sold at retail to trailer owners.
• OTR (Off-the-Road) Tires Off-the-road tires engineered for rough terrain and rugged landscapes, supplied for commercial vehicles operating in construction, agriculture, and similar environments.
• Retreading Services (Goodyear UniCircle) Commercial tire retreading using Goodyear UniCircle retreads installed without cutting or splicing to extend casing life and provide optimal traction and performance; delivered to commercial fleet operators for cost-per-mile savings.
• Fleet Tire Management Program Comprehensive tire management for commercial fleets including maintenance scheduling, performance monitoring, and optimization to extend tire life and reduce operational costs; provided with dedicated account management to commercial customers.
• 24/7 Roadside Assistance (Commercial Fleet) Emergency roadside assistance available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for commercial fleet vehicles, including semi-trucks, to respond to tire issues and minimize fleet downtime.
• Mobile Mechanical Service On-site mobile mechanic service that dispatches technicians to customer locations to perform automotive repair and tire work; available for both consumer convenience and commercial fleet support.
• Wheel Alignment Services Two-wheel and four-wheel alignment services to ensure proper wheel positioning, extend tire life, and improve vehicle handling; performed at retail service centers for individual vehicle owners.
• Brake Repair Services Full brake system services including brake inspections, disc brake repair, drum brake repair, and parking brake adjustment; available at retail service centers.
• TPMS Service & Repair Diagnostic and repair service for Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems (both indirect and direct TPMS), including sensor replacement, system re-synchronization, and pressure monitoring for individual vehicle owners.
• Preventative Maintenance Routine vehicle maintenance services including oil and filter changes, air filter replacement, belts and hoses inspection, and starter/charging system checks; performed at retail service centers.
• Automatic Transmission Repair Transmission diagnostics and repair services for gear shifting issues, grinding noises, fluid leaks, and other transmission problems in both automatic and manual vehicles.
• Engine Diagnostic Service On-board diagnostics (OBD I and OBD II) using professional diagnostic equipment to identify engine problems and check-engine-light issues for individual vehicle owners.
• Air Conditioning System Service Complete HVAC diagnostics and repair including compressor service, refrigerant handling, condenser replacement, and cooling system maintenance.
• Suspension Systems Service Suspension and steering system inspection, repair, and replacement including shocks, struts, control arms, and tie rods.
• Four Wheel Drive Inspection 4WD and AWD system inspection and service including transfer case fluid, differentials, hubs, and drivetrain components.
• Virginia State Inspection Vehicle safety and emissions inspections for Virginia-registered vehicles; offered at multiple Virginia locations to meet state compliance requirements.
• Wholesale Tire Distribution B2B wholesale tire distribution through dedicated wholesale centers in Frederick and Cumberland, MD serving independent tire dealers with full inventory access via RicetireWholesale.com and TireWeb.com.

Quantifiable outcome

• Retreading programs can deliver significant cost savings for commercial customers while adding safety and increasing service vehicle up-time

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Goodyear UniCircle RetreadscoreTechnology or IntegrationRice Tire specializes in Goodyear UniCircle retreading program for commercial vehicles. Goodyear UniCircle retreads are installed without cutting or splicing to extend casing life and provide optimal traction and performance, offering significant cost savings for commercial fleet customers.
• Tire Manufacturers (Goodyear, Michelin, Continental, Falken, etc.)coreOthersRice Tire carries tires from major manufacturers including Goodyear, Michelin, Continental, General Tire, Falken, BFGoodrich, Hankook, Doral, El Dorado, Kelly, Bridgestone, Firestone, Yokohama, Uniroyal, and Carlisle. Commercial tire suppliers include Titan, Sailun, Galaxy, Carlisle, and Alliance.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Goodyear Auto Service: Manufacturer-affiliated service network; competes with Rice Tire's authorized Goodyear retail business and reflects the kind of scale advantage a brand-aligned dealer network enjoys.
• TBC Corporation: Parent of Tire Kingdom, NTB, and Big O Tires; a wholesale and retail tire platform relevant as a strategic acquirer and as a benchmark for scale in the categories Rice Tire operates in.
• Pep Boys: National full-service automotive aftermarket chain offering tires, maintenance, and repair; competes with Rice Tire across the Mid-Atlantic consumer and light-duty commercial segments.
• Monro (MNRO): Publicly traded undercarcare and tire service platform operating Monro, Mr. Tire, and Tire Choice brands; comparable in multi-location auto service and tire retail, with much broader category mix.

Others

• Tire Rack: Online-direct tire distributor and wholesaler; not a retail competitor but a relevant peer for Rice Tire's wholesale channel and a structural threat to brick-and-mortar retail pricing.

Direct peers

• Mavis Tire Express Care: Multi-brand tire retailer and service chain with hundreds of locations across the Eastern US; the closest large-scale analog to Rice Tire's combined retail-plus-fleet model and a likely roll-up reference point.
• Discount Tire: Nation's largest multi-brand tire retailer with comparable product breadth (Goodyear, Michelin, Continental, BFGoodrich) and direct competition for retail consumer tire sales across the Mid-Atlantic.
• Tire Kingdom (TBC Corporation): Regional tire and auto service chain on the East Coast, directly competing with Rice Tire's retail footprint in adjacent geographies and offering overlapping commercial fleet services.
• Service Tire Truck Centers (STTC): Mid-Atlantic commercial tire and retreading dealer with fleet roadside service; closest direct competitor to Rice Tire's commercial fleet, OTR, and retreading business lines.

Regional players

• Bauer Built: Multi-state tire retailer and commercial dealer headquartered in the Midwest; comparable product/service mix and multi-brand model, though operating in a different geography.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/RiceTire
• Facebookfacebook.com/ricetire
• Xx.com/RiceTire

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Rice Tire