Cantrell’s Towing & Recovery is continuing to grow its regional network of towing companies in the Quad Cities through its recent acquisition of Rock Island-based Quad City Towing.
Cantrell’s, which is owned by Quad Cities developer Aaron Tennant, announced in a news release Thursday, Jan. 30, that its latest acquisition will strengthen Cantrell’s presence in the region and enhance the growing regional company’s service capabilities and customer service.
Mr. Tennant, president & CEO of Cantrell’s Towing & Recovery and the founder of Total Solutions Inc., Davenport, bought Cantrell’s in 2019 and moved the business to its current location in Colona, Illinois. “Aaron is in the driver’s seat of a wrecker more often than his office in Colona,” Cantrell’s website said.
In announcing the acquisition, Chris Glass, director for the collective of towing companies, said “We are thrilled to welcome Quad City Towing into our family of towing companies. This acquisition represents a significant milestone for us, as it will allow us to expand our reach, and provide even faster response times throughout the region.”
He added “We are committed to the highest standards that the customers of Quad City Towing deserve while integrating additional resources to enhance efficiency and responsiveness.”
This latest acquisition closely follows the addition of a second Cantrell’s location in Galesburg, Illinois, in August of 2024. Also, a year earlier, in August of 2023, the parent company acquired Fred’s Towing, Inc. in Davenport.
With all those additions combined, Cantrell’s network now serves 12 counties with a fleet of more than 30 trucks. Meanwhile loyal customers may not easily notice a difference.
Companies keep names
“The tow companies we have acquired are retaining their existing names and are being operated as their own entities,” Mr. Glass told the QCBJ in a Wednesday, Feb. 5, email. “The network comes into play as we are utilizing drivers/trucks across the companies to provide faster response times by sending the closest available driver to the call.”
A Cantrell’s Facebook post welcoming Quad City Towing to the family added “The last year has been a great year of growth within our tow family, and we are all looking forward to the continued growth.” It called Quad City Towing “a trusted name in the region, known for its reliability and professional service. Under new leadership, the company will continue operating with the same dedication while benefiting from increased resources and an expanded network.”
For example, in addition to serving individual customers, Quad City Towing’s website said, the company also has contracts with the cities of Rock Island, Moline, East Moline as well as the Village of Milan, Rock Island County, and the Quad-Cities International Airport.
