Distribution Stox and RSSW Wheels officially opened the doors to their new GTA distribution facility on October 1 in Vaughan, Ontario, bringing customers, suppliers, partners and familiar faces from across the tire industry together to celebrate a major expansion in Ontario.

The grand opening had all the ingredients of a good industry gathering—cocktails, food, live music and even a racing simulator—but the real focus was the 280,000-square-foot facility itself and what it means for the company’s growing Ontario operation.

“It’s special to stand here tonight in this place and really see it come to life over the last few weeks and months,” said Mark Pereira, Vice President of Sales and National Accounts at Unimax. “This new Vaughan facility [is] more than a warehouse and represents a significant investment, in Ontario and nationally for Canada, as a major operating hub. It’s putting inventory in the right place that matches the market.”

The facility will have capacity for more than 230,000 tires, along with more than 200,000 wheels from RSSW. Bringing the two product categories together under one roof marks a significant milestone for the network and is designed to make the ordering and delivery process more convenient for customers.

“There’s an obvious synergy between the two, and we’re here to put those together in market and help that coverage across Canada,” Pereira said during the opening remarks. “Speed is what everyone wants, convenience is what everyone wants, inventory is what everyone wants—and that’s what we’re trying to deliver here.”

The impact is already being felt on the RSSW side, where more than 50% of SKUs are now available for same-day delivery throughout the facility’s service area.

For Distribution Stox, Vaughan also fills an important geographic gap. Until now, Ontario operations were being supported from a hub in Quebec. The new facility gives the company a central base from which to serve the GTA and feed markets across the province, complementing distribution centres in Ottawa, Belleville and Barrie. Another Ontario facility is under construction slated for 2027.

As of the opening, the building already held between 160,000 and 170,000 tires, with more racks still to be installed post-event.

Behind the scenes, the operation incorporates automation, picking and sorting technology, scheduling systems and proprietary software for route optimization. 

The goal is not simply to move more product, but to tailor inventory and delivery strategies to the needs of individual markets. “Canada is like a country of countries,” Pereira said. “Every province and every city is almost like its own ecosystem.”

That market-specific approach is particularly crucial as the company continues its push to become a dynamic national distribution partner. Pereira points to the growing number of dealer groups operating across multiple provinces as one reason a national network is becoming increasingly important.

And while the state-of-the-art facility may be a tangible pillar for growth, Pereira emphasizes that the underlying goal remains straightforward: having the right inventory, providing dependable service and offering a fair price.

The Vaughan opening marks another significant step in the development of Distribution Stox and RSSW Wheels’ Ontario operations, adding service capacity and bringing tire and wheel distribution together in a central GTA location.