Tiger Wheel & Tyre

Tiger Wheel & Tyre, sometimes simply stylized as TWT, is a major South African tire retail and fitment chain store.

Founded in 1967 and headquartered in Midrand, Gauteng, the company operates 144 outlets across Southern Africa, the majority of which are located in its home country.

TWT sells tires, batteries, wiper blades, and other automotive products. It also provides tire fitment, mag repair, and various other automotive services.

History

The company was established in 1967, and what was originally a focus on refurbishing scrap rims turned into automotive accessory store Tiger Speed Den. The business went on to add spray-painting services, blending these with manufacturing and retail.

In 1972, South African racing driver, Eddie Keizan bought the company for R14,000, and eventually led the company under its present day Tiger Wheel & Tyre brand.

During the 1990s, TWT began to expand significantly into the retail space, selling tires from globally-recognized brands. It also went on to adopt a dual model of franchise- and corporate-owned stores.

In 2008, Eddie Keizan stepped down as CEO of Tiger Wheels Holdings, but continued to serve as Non-executive Director. Alex Taplin, who was then Operations Director of Tiger Wheel & Tyre, became the group's new CEO.

In November 2014, South African financial group Old Mutual's Private Equity division and global alternative asset management firm The Carlyle Group announced they would be fully acquiring TWT owner Tiger Automotive from its founders and Ethos Private Equity. At the time, the company had 104 stores and employed over 1,500 people. The value of the sale was estimated to be around R1.75 billion.

In 2021, TWT announced that it would begin offering mag repair services at select branches, via its new Xpress Wheel Straightening Centers.

In 2023, the company launched X-Sure, its tire and wheel insurance offering. The service was offered in partnership with underwriters Hollard Insurance Company and Financial Services Provider Motorite Administrators.

In October 2025, it was reported that Japanese company Marubeni was in advanced stage talks to potentially buy TWT owner TiAuto Investments, for a sum of approximately R2.6 billion. Marubeni, a Japanese trading and investment house backed by Berkshire Hathaway, was founded in 1858 and is headquartered in Tokyo.

Operations

TWT sells tires from a variety of major manufacturers, including Michelin, Pirelli, Dunlop, Continental, Bridgestone, Hankook, Giti, Goodyear, and Yokohama. The company also provides tire fitment, wheel alignment, and mag repair services, and sells a variety of other automotive products, such as batteries, wiper blades, and wheel locks.

As of April 2026, the company operates 144 locations across Southern Africa. Its store distribution is as follows:

• South Africa: 128 locations
• Botswana: 3 locations
• Namibia: 3 locations
• Zimbabwe: 10 locations

See also

• Automotive industry in South Africa
• Tire manufacturing