Goodyear Dunlop Tyres UK has just snapped up a leading regional tyre retail company.

Weeting Tyres currently operates as a franchisee within Goodyear’s autocare franchise network, HiQ, and is based on Highbury Road in Brandon, Suffolk.

It also runs four HiQ-branded tyre stores - in Bury Saint Edmunds, Ipswich, Chelmsford and King’s Lynn, and one independent branch. All sites will become Goodyear’s equity operating under the HiQ brand going forward.

The acquisition supports Goodyear’s plan to strengthen its current retail network in what it describes as a “changing and highly competitive market” environment.

Hans Vrijsen, the general manager for Goodyear Dunlop Tyres UK, said that the acquisition of Weeting Tyres “strengthens the competitive advantage of Goodyear and HiQ by creating an even stronger value proposition for its customers”.

“Goodyear is responding in a smart way to the market conditions,” he said. “It also confirms the importance of retail to Goodyear’s business.

“We have been successfully working together with Weeting Tyres since 2011 and we have been impressed by the dedication of the team in their region. We look forward to creating the branches into centres of excellence within our network.”

A transition team has been created with representatives from Goodyear and Weeting Tyres and Mr Vrijsen says he foresees no major impact on the day-to-day business of Weeting Tyres going forward.

“The previous owners will remain part of the business in the first stages as consultants to ensure than the transition is as smooth as possible,” he explained. “We would like to reassure you that you should see no change in the standard of service or quality of work carried out by any of the depots.”