PitPro Automation Deploys First Production Tire-Changing System at Kal Tire
PitPro Automation has announced the successful installation of its fully automated tire-changing system at a Kal Tire store in Calgary, Alberta, marking an important step in the company’s transition from technology development and pilot programs to commercial production.
The Calgary deployment represents the first production installation of PitPro’s automated tire service technology in the field and is also the company’s first installation in Canada. The system is being deployed at a Kal Tire location, giving the technology an opportunity to operate in a live retail tire-service environment and demonstrate how automation can be integrated into established automotive service operations.
PitPro first publicly unveiled its automated tire-changing system in June 2025. Since then, the company has progressed from pilot-stage development toward real-world commercial deployment. The Calgary installation represents a significant milestone in that process and provides a foundation for the company’s planned expansion to additional customer locations across North America.
Moving Automated Tire Service Into Production
Tire changing is one of the most routine services performed in automotive workshops, but it can also be physically demanding for technicians. Removing and installing wheels requires repeated lifting, positioning and handling of heavy components throughout the working day. The physical requirements can become particularly challenging during seasonal periods when tire-service demand rises sharply.
PitPro Automation has developed its system with the goal of addressing some of these challenges through automated equipment that can perform multiple tire-service operations within a conventional service-bay environment.
The company says its system is designed to fit within a single service bay and is intended for Class 3 and smaller vehicles. Rather than requiring a vehicle to move between multiple service positions, the automated equipment is designed to work on all four wheel positions simultaneously.
Once a vehicle drives onto the platform, two coordinated gantries perform the required tire-changing operations. According to PitPro, the system can complete a full set of tire swaps in under 15 minutes.
The ability to service all four wheels simultaneously is a central part of the system’s design. Traditional tire-service operations can require technicians to move repeatedly around a vehicle while handling wheels and equipment. By coordinating the process through automated machinery, PitPro aims to create a more consistent and streamlined workflow.
First Production Installation at Kal Tire
The Calgary deployment is particularly significant because it places PitPro’s technology into an operational environment rather than a controlled development or demonstration setting.
Kal Tire is one of Canada’s largest independent tire dealers and operates an extensive network of tire and automotive service locations. The company has also been involved in the development and evaluation of new approaches to automotive service as the industry faces changing labor requirements, customer expectations and seasonal demand.
For PitPro, working with Kal Tire provides an opportunity to evaluate the automated tire-changing system under the conditions encountered by technicians and customers during normal business operations.
“Getting our first production system onto the floor of a Kal Tire store is a defining moment for PitPro and proof that our technology is ready for the real world,” said Jeremy Conrad, co-founder and CEO of PitPro Automation.
Conrad said the company’s objective is to make tire service faster and more consistent while improving the working environment for technicians and the overall experience for drivers.
“Our vision is to make tire service dramatically faster and higher quality for everyone, from the shops that do the work to every driver who depends on them,” he said.
He also highlighted Kal Tire’s role in the installation and described the Calgary deployment as a template for future systems planned across North America.
Addressing the Physical Demands of Tire Service
One of the primary objectives behind PitPro’s technology is to reduce the physical burden associated with tire changing.
Wheels and tires can be heavy, and technicians may need to repeatedly lift, position and remove them during a typical working day. Repetitive lifting and awkward movements can contribute to physical strain and workplace injuries over time.
Automation offers a potential way to reduce the amount of manual handling required for these tasks.
The PitPro system is designed to automate key parts of the tire-changing process, allowing technicians to spend less time performing repetitive physical work. The company says this can help create more consistent service while reducing physical strain and potential injury risks.
The technology is not positioned by Kal Tire as a replacement for technicians. Instead, the company views automation as a tool that can support its workforce by taking over some of the most repetitive and physically demanding activities.
“Tire service is physically demanding work, and Canadian winters create intense demand spikes,” said Kenneth Chaun, Senior Vice President, Strategy & Innovation at Kal Tire.
Chaun said Kal Tire views automation as a way to increase the capabilities of its existing workforce rather than eliminate the need for skilled employees.
“We see automation as a force multiplier for our team members, not a replacement for them,” he said.
Supporting Technicians During Peak Seasonal Demand
Seasonality is an important factor in the Canadian tire-service market. Drivers commonly switch between winter and summer tires, creating significant increases in service demand during particular periods of the year.
For tire dealers, these seasonal peaks can place pressure on service bays, equipment and technicians. Managing a large number of vehicles within limited operating hours can become a challenge, particularly when customer demand rises quickly.
PitPro’s automated system is intended to help service facilities increase throughput without necessarily requiring additional physical space for multiple service bays.
Because the system is designed to operate within a single bay, the technology could potentially allow existing facilities to increase productivity while maintaining their current footprint.
Kal Tire’s Chaun said that the ability to remove heavy, repetitive lifting from technicians could allow employees to concentrate on other responsibilities.
“It takes the heaviest, most repetitive lifting off our technicians and frees them to focus on the diagnostic and customer work where their expertise matters most,” he said.
This approach reflects a broader trend within automotive service toward using automation to support skilled workers. Instead of automating every aspect of a repair operation, service businesses can use technology for repetitive tasks while technicians remain responsible for inspection, diagnosis, customer communication and other activities requiring experience and judgment.
Four-Wheel Simultaneous Operation
A key feature of the PitPro system is its ability to coordinate work across all four wheel positions.
Conventional tire-changing processes can involve moving from one wheel to another as technicians remove and install tires. PitPro’s two-gantry configuration is designed to allow multiple wheel positions to be serviced at the same time.
The company says this configuration enables a complete set of tire swaps to be completed in less than 15 minutes.
For commercial tire-service operations, reducing service time can have implications beyond individual customer convenience. Faster vehicle turnaround can potentially increase the number of vehicles a service location can process during busy periods.
The technology may therefore be particularly relevant to facilities dealing with high volumes of seasonal tire changes.
However, the Calgary installation will also provide an opportunity to assess how the system performs under actual operating conditions, including the workflow around the automated equipment, technician interaction, vehicle positioning and customer-service processes.
Automation and the Future of Automotive Service
The deployment comes as automotive service businesses increasingly explore automation as a response to operational and workforce challenges.
Modern automotive workshops already rely on automated and semi-automated equipment for activities ranging from wheel alignment and balancing to vehicle diagnostics and parts handling. Tire service represents another area where automated equipment could potentially reduce repetitive manual work.
For service providers, the potential benefits include greater consistency, improved ergonomics and increased productivity. For technicians, automation can reduce exposure to physically demanding tasks and allow greater attention to skilled activities.
The technology also has potential implications for training and workforce development. As more service operations adopt automated equipment, technicians may increasingly need to combine traditional mechanical expertise with the ability to operate, monitor and troubleshoot advanced machinery.
PitPro’s production deployment provides an example of this broader transition.
Calgary Installation Establishes North American Rollout
The Calgary installation is the first production system in PitPro’s planned rollout. The company said additional systems are scheduled for installation at other customer sites during the fall.
These deployments will provide further opportunities to evaluate the technology across different operating environments and service conditions.
For PitPro, the immediate objective is to demonstrate that its automated tire-changing platform can function effectively as part of day-to-day tire-service operations.
The company is moving into this phase after publicly introducing the system in June 2025 and progressing through pilot programs. The transition from pilot deployments to production installations represents an important stage for any industrial automation technology because real-world service environments introduce operational variables that may not be present during controlled testing.
The Calgary installation therefore serves as both a commercial deployment and a practical test of how automated tire service can integrate into an established automotive service business.
Potential Impact on Service-Bay Productivity
If the system performs as expected, automated tire changing could offer service providers another option for improving productivity within existing facilities.
The ability to complete a four-wheel tire swap in under 15 minutes, combined with simultaneous operation across wheel positions, is designed to increase the efficiency of each service bay.
For businesses dealing with seasonal demand, improving the productivity of individual bays can be particularly important. Rather than relying exclusively on additional facilities or larger workforces during peak periods, operators could potentially use automation to increase output from existing infrastructure.
The actual operational impact will depend on factors including vehicle flow, technician interaction, equipment utilization, maintenance requirements and the range of vehicles that can be accommodated.
PitPro’s continued deployments will provide additional information about how the technology performs across these conditions.
A New Stage for Tire-Service Automation
The first production installation at Kal Tire represents a major milestone for PitPro Automation as the company moves beyond pilot programs and toward broader commercial deployment.
By combining automated gantries, simultaneous four-wheel operation and a single-bay footprint, the company is targeting several challenges faced by modern tire-service businesses, including physical strain, productivity requirements and seasonal demand fluctuations.
Kal Tire’s participation also highlights the potential role of established automotive service companies in evaluating emerging automation technologies. Rather than replacing skilled workers, the system is being introduced with the stated objective of supporting technicians by reducing repetitive physical tasks.
The Calgary installation will now provide a real-world environment in which PitPro and Kal Tire can assess the system’s performance and integration into daily operations.
With additional installations planned at other customer sites during the fall, the Calgary deployment is expected to be the first step in a wider production rollout.
As automotive service businesses continue to explore ways to improve efficiency while addressing workforce and ergonomic challenges, automated tire service could become an increasingly important area of workshop innovation. PitPro’s move from pilot programs to production represents one example of how automation is progressing from demonstration technology toward practical deployment in everyday automotive operations.
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