Goodyear Dunlop to buy out Swedish retail chain

By Patrick Raleigh, ERJ On-line news editor

Stockholm, Sweden-Goodyear Dunlop Tires Europe is to acquire the outstanding 50 percent of shares in Däckia, a Swedish-based tyre retail chain. The shares are predominantly owned by Procuritas and Däckia management.

Goodyear Dunlop, which has held a 50-percent stake in Däckia since1995, said it expects to complete the buy out by the end of June.

With annual sales of around $65 million, Däckia has over 60 company-owned stores and 31 contract partners throughout Sweden. The operation sells a wide range of tyres, including Goodyear, and offers other automotive-related services.

The acquisition “is part of our ambition to increase service levels to all customers in Nordic and an important milestone in our commitment to accelerate growth in Nordic,” claimed Otto Drakenberg, general manager of Goodyear Dunlop Nordic, in a 16 April press statement.

Goodyear Dunlop Nordic has sales offices throughout the Nordic region.