Express Oil Change & Tire Engineers
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Automotive service |
| Founded | 1979 in Birmingham, Alabama, United States |
| Founder | Jim Lunceford |
| Headquarters | Birmingham , United States |
| Products | Oil changes, tire services, brake services, vehicle maintenance |
Express Oil Change & Tire Engineers is a prominent American automotive service brand that focuses on quick oil changes alongside a broad range of vehicle maintenance services such as tire and brake care. Established in 1979 by Jim Lunceford in Birmingham, Alabama, the company has evolved into a significant entity within the automotive service sector.
History
The inaugural Express Oil Change location was launched by Jim Lunceford in Birmingham in 1979. By 1984, the business had grown to four outlets before initiating franchising efforts. In 1996, the leading franchise owners Ricky Brooks and Joe Watson took majority control, managing 25 out of 48 stores at that time.
Growth and Private Equity Involvement
In 1998, Express expanded by acquiring Tune-Up Clinics, an Atlanta-based chain with 28 locations, converting most into Express Oil Change centers. By 2005, Carousel Capital, a private equity firm, acquired a controlling interest while Brooks and Watson continued in executive roles. The network then comprised 149 service centers across six southeastern states.
In 2010, ownership transferred from Carousel to Thompson Street Capital Partners as the chain reached 172 sites spanning ten states. Carousel Capital regained ownership in 2013 when the company approached nearly 200 stores across thirteen states. That same year, Express broadened its offerings by purchasing Tire Engineers of Birmingham, integrating seven tire-specialized outlets.
By early 2014, several locations were co-branded as Express Oil Change & Tire Engineers, with franchisees given the choice to adopt this branding. The combined company also acquired additional tire retail chains such as Savannah Tire and Trax Tires.
In June 2017, Golden Gate Capital, a private equity firm based in San Francisco, acquired Express Oil Change & Tire Engineers, which ranked as the tenth-largest fast lube chain nationally at that time. Later in 2017, Express acquired Brakes Plus, a Denver-based chain; these stores remained company-owned and operated without franchising or rebranding under Express.
In February 2018, Golden Gate consolidated Express Oil Change & Tire Engineers and Brakes Plus with Mavis Discount Tire—another Golden Gate portfolio company—creating Mavis Tire Express Services Corp., one of the largest automotive maintenance networks across the United States.
In November 2020, Mavis Tire Express Services further expanded by merging with Town Fair Tire Centers of East Haven, Connecticut. Town Fair Tire was the nation’s 14th-largest independent tire retailer with over 100 locations throughout six states, enhancing Mavis’s market footprint significantly.
External links
- American businesses founded in 1979
- Retail enterprises established in 1979
- Automotive service centers in the United States
- Companies headquartered in Alabama
- Businesses located in Birmingham, Alabama
- 1979 establishments within Alabama
- Portfolio companies of private equity
- American companies established in 1979
- Companies of the United States by year of establishment