By LINDA KELLETT

C-S-E News Staff

FORT PLAIN — Reaching two major benchmarks within the last nine months, a local tire distributor is gaining traction in an expanding market and has also partnered with a Finland-based company to become a Vianor service location.

Dave Webb, who since 1990 has owned and operated Hilltop Tire on Route 163 with his wife and office manager, Mindy Webb, last week noted the company in July was approached by Nokian Tyres officials out of Guilderland, “who asked if we’d want a partnership with them as a Vianor location,” he said.

Nokian, with whom Dave has done business since the early ‘90s, is “very selective on who they want to partnership with,” he added.

Of the roughly 40 Vianor locations in the Northeastern U.S., only a half dozen or so are situated in New York, said Shawn Skinner, general manager of Nokian Tyres of Guilderland.

As noted on the Vianor website, http://vianor.us/about_us, the Nokian-owned Vianor has locations in Vermont, New York, New Hampshire and Massachusetts and is “a global tire and car service chain that consists of equity-owned and entrepreneurial outlets ...  offer[ing] full service of tyre business covering all customer groups, products and car services.”

Additionally, the website notes that “Vianor is the biggest chain of tire stores in the Nordic countries. It comprises of roughly 900 outlets in 23 countries.”

Skinner said Nokian Tyres, all of which are imported to the United States, “is where safety begins. It’s ranked No. 1 in the world for tire safety. They’re based in Finland where it snows 10 months of the year ...  Some of their first tires were studded snow tires for bicycles. They still make them.”

“Their emphasis is on safety,” said Skinner; and Dave noted Nokian is the only company in the world that uses a test track to test its tires.

Additionally, they’re one of the few companies that can boast green technology: Skinner said Nokian has replaced petroleum products with canola oil.

Nokian manufacturing representative Brett Sharpe said Dave and his crew “know tires inside out.”

Hilltop Tire offers a full line of Nokian tires for cars, trucks, agricultural and logging vehicles and more.

Nokian isn’t the only brand the local company has available, however.

A glance at Hilltop Tire’s website, www.hilltoptire.net, reveals more than a dozen leading brands, including Bridgestone and Firestone, but most notably it boasts a tire designed, trademarked, and exclusively sold and distributed — by Hilltop Tire.

Dave said, “Hilltop Tire as of December 2011 designed and trademarked ...  Radial 240 R4. They’re specially built for agricultural use on silage trucks and manure trucks. These tires are all built in New York state. We compete with a tire that’s made overseas of a much cheaper quality that carries 9,800 pounds. Ours will carry 16,590 pounds.”

He continued, “[Hilltop Tires’] tires are great for flotation as well as traction in wet soil conditions.”

Additionally, he noted that competitors were already trying to copy the Hilltop Tire design the day before the trademark was established.

The design of the new tires was a joint effort between Dave and his son, Jason.

Dave said their tire is being shipped all over the East Coast.

Currently, the company has two trucks on the road and employs five full-time and one part-time employee. A future development involves the transition of company leadership to Jason.

Dave and his wife, who moved to the area from New Jersey, said, “Our son has three college degrees, and he wanted to work in Manhattan. He was there about four years then called me up and wanted to know if there was any room at Hilltop Tire for him.”

In approximately five years, Jason and his wife, Katie, will be taking over Hilltop Tire, said Dave.

Hilltop Tire, where tires can be purchased, mounted, balanced and rotated, is located at 402 State Highway 163, Fort Plain. Shop hours are from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday; and Saturdays by appointment.

Additionally, the company has 24/7 roadside service on the Thruway and I-88, Dave said.

For more information, call (518) 993-2235; or visit the company online at www.hilltoptire.net or at Facebook.