Sunday, March 29, 1998

Farm Bureau sells its tire and battery company

By J.T. Smith / Abilene Reporter-News

Texas' largest farm and ranch organization announced in Waco Friday it had sold its affiliated tire and battery company to a group of Waco businessmen.

The Texas Farm Bureau said that the Texas Agricultural Service Company (TASCO), along with its assets, is being sold to the Waco group.

Target closing date is Tuesday.

The new company will have its headquarters in Waco and operate as TASCO Distributing , Ltd. The new company will continue to provide special services for Texas Farm Bureau members who do business with TASCO.

The company employs more than 40 workers at its Waco and Houston locations.

No immediate changes are expected in the operation and most current employees will be be hired by the new ownership.

"It is our intent to maintain and build upon the service reputation that TASCO enjoyed as a Texas Farm Bureau affiliate," said John Green, head of the purchasing group and CEO of the new company. "We look forward to a long and rewarding relationship with Texas Farm Bureau and their members."

Along with Green, purchasers in the pending sale are Phillip Jander, Kip Averitt and Tim Nemec, all of Waco.

Reaction in the Abilene area was positive.

Floyd McGuire of the Taylor County Farm Bureau office in Abilene said Friday that customers at the local level should see little -- if any -- difference from the sale.

"Customers should still expect the same quality of products, service and warranty as they've been accustomed," McGuire said.

TASCO was established in 1965 as a TFB-affiliated company and has become a market leader in the farm tire and passenger tire market. The company originally operated as part of the American Farm Bureau Safemark program but has operated on its own since 1988.

Via a system of more than 300 local, independent tire and battery distributors, TASCO operates throughout Texas. These distributors are approved by local county Farm Bureau boards. In addition, TASCO is associated with 800 independent tire dealers in Texas.