Touchette has opened two new large tire warehouses in Quebec City and Saguenay, Que.

The company invested about $50 million altogether in the projects, Le Journal de Québec reported.

“We really needed more space,” said Roger Champoux, Groupe Touchette’s vice-president of sales in an interview with Le Journal.

In a news release, Champoux said the facilities will strengthen the distributor’s local presence and provide more choice to regional customers.

“Even though we are a national leader, we want to show that we remain close to the communities we serve,” he added.

The Quebec City warehouse is located in the Saint-Malo industrial Park. The warehouse expands Touchette’s storage to 100,000 square feet from 65,000 sf, said the company. The facility will serve the Quebec City region.

In Saguenay, Touchette’s storage capacity has increased to 66,000 sf from 24,000 sf.

“For many people, a tire is just a tire, regardless of the vehicle; in reality, it’s quite the opposite,” said Egil Moller Nielsen, Touchette’s chief operating officer, in the news release. “Beyond seasonal tires, which consumers are used to, there are also specific requirements for electric vehicles, commercial fleets, agriculture, and other specialized markets. To meet this growing variety, it is essential to have adapted infrastructures and increased storage capacity.

“The new warehouses in Quebec City and Saguenay will enable us to better support these markets and continue to offer our customers a complete solution, whatever the vehicle or application.”

Touchette ranks as the largest Canadian-owned tire distributor, according to the company.

Photo: Touchette