Japanese giant backed by Warren Buffett snaps up iconic 59-year-old South African company

TiAuto Investments, which owns Tiger Wheel & Tyre, announced that it has been bought by Japanese trading and investment company Marubeni Corporation. 

This comes after six months of negotiations, with Marubeni first entering talks to buy the company in October 2025. 

TiAuto said the transaction, previously estimated to be worth R2.6 billion, will prepare the company for the next phase of its growth across Southern Africa. 

Founded in 1967, TiAuto has expanded to operate 161 stores across South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, and Zambia. 

Primarily operating in the automotive aftermarket business, TiAuto has also enhanced its offering to include a retail, wholesale, and automotive service network. 

TiAuto, prior to the transaction, was owned by a consortium of investors, including American private equity giant Carlylea nd Old Mutual Private Equity. 

The acquisition of TiAuto is Marubeni’s first such investment in Africa, with it giving the Japanese company a foothold in the continent’s largest economy. 

Marubeni is a financial powerhouse which has received significant investments from Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway. 

Currently, the Japanese company has automotive maintenance operations in Asia and South America.

“This is an exciting new chapter for TiAuto. We are proud of the business we have built over almost six decades and of the trusted brands, talented people and loyal customers that have contributed to our success,” TiAuto CEO Alex Taplin said. 

“Marubeni’s investment is a strong endorsement of our strategy, our market position and the opportunities that lie ahead.”

Taplin said the transaction will provide TiAuto with access to global expertise, additional resources, and international best practices. It will maintain its local leadership. 

The transaction is subject to customary regulatory approvals and closing conditions. 

This deal is a significant step for a company that was founded by entrepreneur Jimmy Joannou in his backyard in 1967. 

After emigrating from Canada to South Africa, Joannou put his unique skill of turning scrap metal rims into custom wheels for cars. 

In 1972, the company was snapped up by Eddie Keizan for R14,000 after winning the Formula 5000 Championship. 

Keizan shifted the company’s focus to building high-quality alloy and performance wheels, which were particularly aimed at the motorsport community. 

It was only in 1986 that the company rebranded to Tiger Wheel & Tyre, as it pivoted once again away from a wheel manufacturer to a full-scale retail powerhouse.