ATC Responds to “Various False Judgements”

American Tire Corporation has responded to an article written by US based industry magazine Tire Review, which T&A published online August 26. The company claims “various false judgements” were made in the article, and thus wishes to make its own position clear. The statement released by American Tire Corporation on August 31 is printed below, without alteration from the original text:

1. August 26, 2008’s Tire Review: American Tire Corp., with only a single sales office in Chino, Calif., now claims to have the support of the U.S. government.

ATC’s Response: Tire Review’s judgment is 100% wrong. In fact, American Tire Corporation has multiple operations in different countries and US states, not only juts a “single sales office in Chino” in the world. In addition, ATC has got US government support since 2007, not just from now.

2. August 26, 2008’s Tire Review: In a recent news release claiming it had successfully completed testing its Colorado 63-inch radial OTR in a “tropical area in Africa,” ATC claimed to be a “U.S. government-supported OTR tire manufacturer.”

ATC’s Response: Tire Review’s judgment looks not accurate. Please see ATC’s original press release “Colorado OTR Tires Approved in Africa” at http://www.prweb.com/releases/2008/08/prweb1241934.htm. ATC’s statement “U.S. government-supported OTR tire manufacturer” only expresses a fact, which should not be deemed as a “claim” like what Tire Review said.

3. August 26, 2008’s Tire Review: The company offered no explanation as to what support it allegedly is receiving from the government. ATC had not used that language in any of its releases until recently.

ATC’s Response: ATC has no liability to let the public know everything on its business because it is not a public traded company — ATC does not sell any stock shares to support its business like its competitors do. Further, ATC has stated “government support” since 2007, not Tire Review’s “recently.”

4. August 26, 2008’s Tire Review: The Even though ATC currently has no actual production facilities in the U.S., ATC continues to claim it is one of “four U.S. major OTR tire manufacturers.”

ATC’s Response: Again, this is Tire Review’s judgment. As a private company with government support, ATC knows where it stands. ATC also clearly knows its U.S. facility will become the world’s largest OTR tire manufacturing facility very soon. Because ATC does not sell stock shares to the public, ATC has no liability to tell everybody about its business details. Accordingly, ATC will not release any information that its competitors are always seeking. Even its competitors like Bridgestone or Michelin or Goodyear release their information to the public, ATC believes they, as public traded companies, are liable to do so. However, ATC will never have to do that.

The above are ATC’s basic stands. ATC is busy developing its new manufacturing facilities on the West Cost USA. ATC will no longer make any response to any similar judgments hereafter. (text ends)