Zhongce Rubber Group acquires Tianli OTR, agricultural tyre manufacturer

TUTRIC supplies the Tianli brand, exemplifying its radial agricultural and giant OTR (pictured) manufacturing capabilities (Photo: Zhongce)

Zhongce Rubber Group (Zhongce) has acquired Tianjin United Tire & Rubber International Co, Ltd (TUTRIC), the manufacturer of the Tianli off-the-road tyre brand. The acquisition means Zhongce will expand its business into the agricultural and giant OTR tyre segments, while bolstering its already strong offering to OTR and industrial tyre markets. Established in 1985 in the coastal city of Tianjin, near Beijing, TUTRIC manufactures 35,000 tonnes of OTR and agricultural tyres per year. The TUTRIC factory at Tianjin covers an area of 480,000sqm, employing more than 1,000 people. Zhongce says the acquisition is the next step in its continued global expansion. The manufacturer is China’s largest tyre-maker, and the world’s ninth biggest in Tyres & Accessories’ 2021 ranking.

Zhongce is currently one of the world’s largest suppliers of OTR tyres. It offers tyres for wheeled loaders, articulated and rigid dump trucks, port applications, underground mines, industrial and forklift operations. Its acquisition of TUTRIC will strengthen its offering to this customer base, Zhongce says. The move comes in response to customer demand for agricultural tyres particularly, it adds. As a result of the acquisition, Zhongce will be able to supply a range of radial agricultural, flotation, and implement tyres alongside giant OTR tyres, which have been produced in Tianjin for many years.

Zhongce will establish a new wholly owned subsidiary, Zhongce Rubber (Tianjin) Co, Ltd, on 1 April 2022. This new company will take responsibility for the day-to-day business operations at the Tianjin factory.

Henry Shen, the newly installed president of Zhongce Rubber (Tianjin) Co Ltd stated: “TUTRIC is the most professional special tyre manufacturer in China producing from six-inch to 63-inch tyres with more than 2,000 SKUs in off-highway applications.” He added that the acquisition “will expand Zhongce Group’s business into the radial agricultural tyres and giant OTR tyre segments. It will also reinforce Zhongce’s current OTR business by expanding our radial OTR production capacity.” Shen concluded: “Zhongce now has one of the largest ranges of agricultural and OTR tyres available to our customers, as we hope to provide them with a one-stop solution for all their off-highway tyres.”

Zhongce concludes that Zhongce Tianjin will target becoming the second-largest OTR factory in Asia, supporting the company’s ambition to break into the global top three of OTR tyre manufacturers. Overall, the acquisition supports group president Shen Jinrong’s vision for the company; “To be the most respected tyre manufacturer in the world.”