The combined expertise of the two companies will create an organization unrivaled in the custom wheel and tire industry.
Trooper Earle, President and CEO, The Premier Companies

left to right - Dale Ingram, President and CEO of Premier Wheel Workz, Inc; Trooper Earle, CEO of Premier Companies; Tommy Crenshaw, Vice President of Operations for Premier Wheel Workz.

The Premier Companies, parent company of Premier Wheel Rentals, has formed a joint venture with Memphis, Tennessee based Wheel Workz, the largest independently owned supplier of custom wheels in the Mid-South and franchisor of Wheel Workz Rent-to-Own. The new franchise venture will be named Premier Wheel Workz.

Premier President and CEO Trooper Earle said the combined expertise of the two companies will create an organization "unrivaled in the custom wheel and tire industry."

Wheel Workz CEO Dale Ingram will become the president of Premier Wheel Workz. Tommy Crenshaw will be VP of Operations. Ingram says, "Our slogan has been: 'Where the athletes and stars bring their cars.' Adding an RTO component meant we could offer something for every customer, more than anybody else can. Now that we have partnered with Premier, no one can touch us."

Wheel Workz founder Tommy Crenshaw was featured in the Feb/March, 2007 issue of RTO Magazine.

Ingram added, "We have all the things Premier doesn't have with respect to wheel and tire sales, repair and service. Premier has all that we don't have in franchising and Rent to Own industry knowledge. Together we have a ton to offer this rapidly growing industry."

Trooper Earle agrees. "Premier brings to this joint venture our track record of franchising success, store opening and startup support, financing, HR support and our extensive rent-to-own history," Earle said. "Wheel Workz brings their extensive knowledge of custom Wheel and Tires, aggressive pricing from their wholesale distribution, retail knowledge, service, repair and operational support. Together, none of our competitors in the custom Wheel and Tire industry are offering what have combined. We are extremely excited about this new opportunity."

Premier is one of the fastest growing rent-to-own franchises in the U.S. The company began expanding its franchise offering into custom wheels and tires in 2005, offering Premier RTO dealers the opportunity to add wheel rentals in their stores as well as franchising free-standing wheel operations. Tommy Crenshaw and Dale Ingram, who combined 40 years of experience in the custom wheel industry to make Wheel Workz the largest distributor of custom wheels in the South, brought the RTO franchising component to their business that same year. By joining forces, Trooper Earle says, "the Premier Wheel Workz model will set a new standard of leadership in the custom wheel and tire industry."