Following the news that Prinx Chengshan is recalling >500,000 tyres in North America, company representatives confirmed to Tyres & Accessories that the recall only relates to the USA and is not related to Europe or the European markets.
Up to around 541,600 Fortune and Prinx branded tyres are subject to recall in North America. According to information published by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Prinx Chengshan Tire North America’s voluntary recall involves certain Fortune Tormenta and Prinx Hicountry light truck tyres sold in the Aftermarket. Documentation related to the recall indicates that the tyres are marked with a sidewall symbol they’re not entitled to in North America.
In the UK, Prinx Chengshan is primarily represented in the truck tyre segment by the Fortune brand, with the company also marketing these products across other parts of Europe under the Austone name. While the flagship Prinx brand is exclusively associated with consumer tyres in our region, the manufacturer has now introduced a range of Prinx truck tyres in its domestic market. On 21 August, Prinx Chengshan held a major product launch event in Rongcheng, Shandong, where it unveiled the first high-end Prinx truck tyres for the Chinese market.
In addition to presenting a wide range of new products at The Tire Cologne, Prinx Europe will share details of its newly forged alliance with retreading specialist Marangoni. The company invites visitors to find out more at Hall 8, Stand C 038/D 039 between 4 and 6 June.
The United Soccer League (USL) and the clubs it represents across the United States of America now have a tyre tie-in. The USL recently entered into a multi-year partnership with California-based Prinx Chengshan Tire North America (Prinx Tires), naming the company the league’s first Official Tire Partner.
Prinx Europe’s Fortune brand is being distributed by Fagdekk, Point S’s Norwegian representative. The collaboration was launched at a gala dinner in Oslo last month. 225 guests from the industry met at the Clarion Congress and Hotel in Oslo on 6 February.
The Fortune brand is a relative newcomer in the UK commercial vehicle tyre market, but behind the range is one of China’s largest and fastest-growing tyre makers. Prinx Chengshan produces the entire Fortune truck tyre line-up in a state-of-the-art facility in Chonburi, Thailand, and recently invited distribution partners from the UK and Europe to see the technology behind this Industry 4.0 plant for themselves. This visit also served as an opportunity to forge stronger business ties as well as to present the latest products within the Fortune portfolio.
During a ceremony held in China on 6 March, TÜV SÜD Group acknowledged Prinx Chengshan with certification that will “serve as a milestone” to “accelerate” the tyre maker’s entry into the European market. The certification agency awarded Prinx Chengshan the VECTO-based (EU) 2017/2400 carbon dioxide emissions and fuel consumption certification for three commercial vehicle tyre models sold in Europe under the Fortune and Austone brand names – AR 603, TH 135 and TH 155.
When Prinx Chengshan officially debuted its flagship Prinx brand in Europe last year, the launch range included a product targeting the growing all-season segment – the Prinx Quattura 4S. Despite this tyre’s relatively recent introduction, the manufacturer will roll out a successor in 2024. Dr Piotr Zielak, sales director for Prinx in the CEE region, explains why a new generation tyre has arrived so soon.
Prinx is positioning itself as a sustainability focused car tyre brand and invites consumers to get to know the range better via a redesigned website. The prinxtire.eu site combined “modern design with numerous new features” for end consumers, dealers and the press.
In addition to manufacturing truck and passenger vehicle tyres – the former sold in the UK under the Fortune brand name and the latter as Fortune and Prinx tyres – Prinx Chengshan is staking its claim in the off-highway segment. So far, the company has restricted its activities in this area to China, where it has introduced OTR tyres for wide-body mining vehicles, smooth tyres for underground applications, and on-road mining crane tyres. It recently added to this portfolio with two further tyres for wide-body mining vehicles, the ET06 and ET07 in size 16.00R25.
Prinx Europe says it is raising the bar after an “extremely successful 2023,” with “big plans” already in place for this year. The tyre maker intends to further grow both its European dealer network and local product range in 2024.
Half a year after launching its flagship Prinx brand in Europe, Prinx Chengshan has debuted Prinx across the Atlantic. It recently brought a swag of products to show off at the SEMA show, including the Prinx Hi Country HT2 urban SUV tyre, R/T HR1 off-road tire, and HM1. The tyre maker is also promoting the Prinx brand in the North American market via a new website, prinxtireusa.com.
Prinx Chengshan announced its operating conditions in the first half of 2023. The tyre company said that its net profit in the first half of the year was between 285 million yuan (about £31 million; €36 million) and 333 million yuan (about £36 million; €42 million), an increase of about 80-110 per cent over the same period in 2022.
Prinx Chengshan’s flagship tyre brand has entered the European market in style at a lavish event in Milan, Italy. Hosting tyre distributors and dealers from all around Europe the brand chose the European fashion capital as its launchpad to signify its bullish expectations for the new range, which arrives offering fitments for a comprehensive range of applications, premiumised technologies, and a European marketing strategy openly setting mid-range-plus targets from the off. During a day of driving workshops at Alfa Romeo’s historic La Pista circuit, Tyres & Accessories was able to trial two Prinx tyres fitted to Tesla Models 3 and Y, and Mercedes AMG A Class hatchback and SUV models: the Xnex Sport EV UHP tyre designed for electric vehicle compatibility, and the Quattura 4S all-season tyre. T&A also spoke to several representatives from the brand’s European team, including the manufacturer’s European CEO Thomas Wohlgemuth who is heading up the rollout of the brand around the continent, about its new products and aspiration to make its mark on the European tyre segment.
If you would like the latest news from the Chinese tyre industry in Chinese, visit our partner site TyrepressChina.com. Or click below to continue on Tyrepress.
Prinx Chengshan
Prinx