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VANESSA LAURIE/Stuff
Advantage Tyre Solutions owners Darren and Michelle Erb, who are in the process of expanding their business to Bell Block.
Going bigger in Bell Block is a move tyre business owners Darren and Michelle Erb are confident will pay off.
The New Plymouth couple’s first foray into the world of transport began 22 years ago when they took on the AA Auto Centre franchise in the city.
A decade later they had a chance to buy a tyre venture, and now they are overseeing the biggest development the pair have faced in business – the construction of a purpose-built facility in Bell Block.
The Erbs own Advantage Tyres New Plymouth on Courtenay St, but the demand on its commercial side prompted the need to scout another site.
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“Our commercial tyre business has taken off,” Darren said.
Last year saw a “phenomenal” amount of trade, in part due to the amount of damage done to the tyres of heavy trucks because of the poor state of some of the region’s roads, he said.
VANESSA LAURIE/Stuff
The Erbs’ new build in Bell Block is on track to open in July this year.
However, sustainability was another key driver, as transport companies were looking for options which were longer lasting and better for the environment.
He said having a presence in Bell Block, in the heart of the district’s industrial zone, represented a big capital injection into their business.
VANESSA LAURIE/Stuff
The growth in the commercial side of their business was a big driver for Darren and Michelle Erb to set up in Bell Block.
Located on the corner of Mustang Dr and Connett Rd, the new facility will have dedicated drive-through lanes for trucks to use, as well a retail store.
For Darren, who like Michelle was born and bred in Taranaki, the transport industry was in his blood, as his father owned a trucking and bus company.
The Erbs, who have two children, have a 16-strong workforce, but when the doors opened at their second store, they predicted they’d need to recruit more staff.
The New Plymouth branch is part of the Advantage Tyre Solutions national network, which recently rebranded to incorporate Beaurepaires into the business.
Staff who used to work at the Beaurepaires branch in New Plymouth were now employed by the Erbs.
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