Ferguson, Mo.-After 28 years in the grocery business, Andrew and Francis Wurm started Andy Wurm Tire and Wheel Co. in 1973 by purchasing a 31-year-old tire business, eventually employing their sons and moving it to another location, said son Joe Wurm.
Joe Wurm said he runs the business along with his brother, Andy Jr. Both are doing their part to keep the business moving forward through current market conditions, he said.
Wurm has 25 employees, including three full-time master technicians and two service managers, including several tire technicians and counter sales personnel, Wurm said.
One recent addition to the services that Andy Wurm Tire and Wheel provides is offering the option to customers of filling their tires with nitrogen, Wurm said.
"We think that it is the wave of the future," he said. "The word on the street is that within four to five years it is going to be original equipment on most automobiles."
Wurm said nitrogen is better than regular air because it has larger molecules than normal air and maintains consistent tire pressure regardless of air temperature and normal driving conditions.
He added that nitrogen improves the performance of the tire, allowing longer tire life, a smoother ride, better performance, higher gas mileage, and quicker braking response.
Wurm said nitrogen also does not allow moisture to build as easily inside tires, which can corrode wheels and sensors.
Since Wurm believes that using nitrogen in tires will become standard in the near future, he said he is trying to get ahead of the process by charging for it before customers assume it's included in the cost of the tire.
"Just like everyone went from bubble balancing to computerized balancing many years ago, filling tires with nitrogen will soon be the norm within the tire industry," he said. "We are trying to stay a little bit ahead of the times, and I think it would be a wise choice for the manufacturers."
Although the shop has expanded service to include alignments, brakes, engine diagnostics, and suspension work, Wurm said he and his crew hasn't strayed too far from its original focus on tires and wheels.
"We pride ourselves on being able to service pretty much any type of tire and wheel combination," Wurm said. "We test a lot of Hunter's equipment for them since they are here in town, so most of our equipment is Hunter, and we are always getting new machines." He said they also service the Michelin PAX System, a run-flat tire system that's OE on the 2007 Honda Odyssey, Nissan Quest, and Acura RL.
When it comes to wheels, Andy Wurm Tire and Wheels Co. carries about eight lines and stocks more than 5,000 wheels, Wurm said. He added that the shop purchases a lot of closeout, overstock, and distressed wheels from their distribution company, Missouri Wheels, in order to get better deals that they can pass on to their customers.
Wurm also said he purchases inventory from wheel companies on the verge of going out of business, so the shop usually must purchase a large number wheels at one time.
"Another aspect of our wheel business is that we can buy wheels through our own wheel distribution company that do not have bolt patterns pre-drilled," Wurm said. "We then can take those wheels and drill them with our equipment to fit several different types of vehicles, expanding our ability to serve customers looking for custom wheels for their auto."
"In the near future, we will be starting Andy Wurm Tire Wholesale," Wurm said. "We are very excited about the opportunity to wholesale tires to shops in the area to complement our wholesale wheel business."
