Hogan Tire has been growing and changing to meet the needs of its customers for over 50 years.
Established by Justin Hogan in 1956, Hogan Tire stands on the original building site located on Bangor Street in Houlton. Locations in Lincoln, Presque Isle and Caribou were added over the years; as well as a car/truck service station tucked behind the Circle K Travel/Truck Stop (located at the junction of I-95 and Route 1) for the convenience of truckers and travelers.
Justin heard about retreading worn tires and this new process interested him. In a 1982 interview with the Houlton Pioneer Times, Justin stated, "This interest was a result of the war years when the need to conserve rubber was necessary."
Rubber was the first non-food item to be rationed in the war effort. When the Japanese captured the Dutch East Indies, America lost 90% of its rubber supply. Limits were placed on the number of tires you could own; you could lose mileage rations if you had too many idle tires sitting around. Driving Clubs, the equivalent of today's car pools, were encouraged more to save rubber than gasoline.
In 1956, a "Hot Process" which involved applying uncured rubber to a buffed tire and placing it in a mold where it would cure in the tread design of the mold used. In those early years there were two molds which produced only auto retreads and two employees, Justin Hogan and Arthur Scott. Together they worked in the original 2,400 square foot building which housed the office, warehouse, and service areas. In 1969 the company began using the Bandag pre-cured "Cold Process".
Galen Hogan took over the reins of the company in 1972 when his father Justin retired. Galen's brother Colin joined the company and used his skills as an electrician to provide the management and maintenance the complicated equipment needed. By 1982, the company had been incorporated for 17 years. The facility had grown to 22,000 square feet, had four warehouse facilities, employed 21 people, and increased its retreading capabilities from six to about fifty tires a day.
With seventy-five percent of its business involving the trucking industry, Hogan Tire decided to expand from just a service location for tire retreading to a facility for selling new tires, servicing tires for all auto, light truck, medium commercial, farm, industrial, and off-road applications.
The company added the Equipment Service and Products Division. This department provides repair, maintenance, and rentals of contractor equipment, welding supplies, and equipment, tire service and repair items, and other service related products such as fire extinguishers, batteries, and battery charging equipment. Compressors, generator plants, hydraulic jacks, and pneumatic tools were also available. Hogan Tire is an authorized service for most major equipment manufacturers such as Makita, Ryobi, DeWalt, Hitachi, Milwaukee, Pro-Tech, Coleman, DeVilbiss, and Onan.
The company celebrated its 35th anniversary in July 1991, with an appearance by Tyrone Malone and his famous show trucks, including the Bandag Bandit.
By this time Hogan Tire had undergone more changes while still occupying the original site at the Houlton location, and still a family run business. The retread plant was upgraded to accommodate the latest truck tire retreading technology. This expansion resulted in the addition of more employees and allowed tire production to double.
Today, with some 70,000 square feet of manufacturing, sales, service, warehouse, and accounting space, Hogan Tire is a full service company. It serves its market through sales and service facilities in Lincoln, Houlton, Presque Isle, and Caribou; through route sales people who dial primarily with user accounts on a regular schedule; and through several associate dealers.
Diversification of products, services, markets, and vendors has played a significant role in the success and growth of the company. Virtually all the gains the company has accomplished over the years have been reinvested back into the business.
In addition to the retread plant upgrade mentioned previously, the Lincoln store was completely replaced on the same site with a new 7,700 square foot facility in 1998.
The Houlton store was revitalized in 2000 with a new front and sales room.
Completed in 2001 at the Presque Isle location was a 2,700 square foot addition to the service area, new roof, new heating system, and general upgrade of the entire building.
The Caribou store transaction was completed in late 2001.
In late 2002, long-time associates and senior management members Jody Anderson and Bill Higgins purchased the company stock and real estate. Still a family business, the management of Hogan Tire recognizes that its greatest asset has been always will be its quality employees. Growing from a two employee beginning, Hogan Tire now employs over fifty people.
A history of hard work, adaptability, excellent service, and outstanding employees all combine to give this company something to celebrate as they move forward to another 50 years of serving northern Maine.
Established by Justin Hogan in 1956, Hogan Tire stands on the original building site located on Bangor Street in Houlton. Locations in Lincoln, Presque Isle and Caribou were added over the years; as well as a car/truck service station tucked behind the Circle K Travel/Truck Stop (located at the junction of I-95 and Route 1) for the convenience of truckers and travelers.
Justin heard about retreading worn tires and this new process interested him. In a 1982 interview with the Houlton Pioneer Times, Justin stated, "This interest was a result of the war years when the need to conserve rubber was necessary."
Rubber was the first non-food item to be rationed in the war effort. When the Japanese captured the Dutch East Indies, America lost 90% of its rubber supply. Limits were placed on the number of tires you could own; you could lose mileage rations if you had too many idle tires sitting around. Driving Clubs, the equivalent of today's car pools, were encouraged more to save rubber than gasoline.
In 1956, a "Hot Process" which involved applying uncured rubber to a buffed tire and placing it in a mold where it would cure in the tread design of the mold used. In those early years there were two molds which produced only auto retreads and two employees, Justin Hogan and Arthur Scott. Together they worked in the original 2,400 square foot building which housed the office, warehouse, and service areas. In 1969 the company began using the Bandag pre-cured "Cold Process".
Galen Hogan took over the reins of the company in 1972 when his father Justin retired. Galen's brother Colin joined the company and used his skills as an electrician to provide the management and maintenance the complicated equipment needed. By 1982, the company had been incorporated for 17 years. The facility had grown to 22,000 square feet, had four warehouse facilities, employed 21 people, and increased its retreading capabilities from six to about fifty tires a day.
With seventy-five percent of its business involving the trucking industry, Hogan Tire decided to expand from just a service location for tire retreading to a facility for selling new tires, servicing tires for all auto, light truck, medium commercial, farm, industrial, and off-road applications.
The company added the Equipment Service and Products Division. This department provides repair, maintenance, and rentals of contractor equipment, welding supplies, and equipment, tire service and repair items, and other service related products such as fire extinguishers, batteries, and battery charging equipment. Compressors, generator plants, hydraulic jacks, and pneumatic tools were also available. Hogan Tire is an authorized service for most major equipment manufacturers such as Makita, Ryobi, DeWalt, Hitachi, Milwaukee, Pro-Tech, Coleman, DeVilbiss, and Onan.
The company celebrated its 35th anniversary in July 1991, with an appearance by Tyrone Malone and his famous show trucks, including the Bandag Bandit.
By this time Hogan Tire had undergone more changes while still occupying the original site at the Houlton location, and still a family run business. The retread plant was upgraded to accommodate the latest truck tire retreading technology. This expansion resulted in the addition of more employees and allowed tire production to double.
Today, with some 70,000 square feet of manufacturing, sales, service, warehouse, and accounting space, Hogan Tire is a full service company. It serves its market through sales and service facilities in Lincoln, Houlton, Presque Isle, and Caribou; through route sales people who dial primarily with user accounts on a regular schedule; and through several associate dealers.
Diversification of products, services, markets, and vendors has played a significant role in the success and growth of the company. Virtually all the gains the company has accomplished over the years have been reinvested back into the business.
In addition to the retread plant upgrade mentioned previously, the Lincoln store was completely replaced on the same site with a new 7,700 square foot facility in 1998.
The Houlton store was revitalized in 2000 with a new front and sales room.
Completed in 2001 at the Presque Isle location was a 2,700 square foot addition to the service area, new roof, new heating system, and general upgrade of the entire building.
The Caribou store transaction was completed in late 2001.
In late 2002, long-time associates and senior management members Jody Anderson and Bill Higgins purchased the company stock and real estate. Still a family business, the management of Hogan Tire recognizes that its greatest asset has been always will be its quality employees. Growing from a two employee beginning, Hogan Tire now employs over fifty people.
A history of hard work, adaptability, excellent service, and outstanding employees all combine to give this company something to celebrate as they move forward to another 50 years of serving northern Maine.
