Iris Tyres enters new market segments

As new tariffs on Chinese tires continue to emerge worldwide, a significant number of suppliers from Africa and India have joined the participant list for The Tire Cologne 2026 exhibition, including Algerian company Iris Tyres, whose Sales and Marketing Director, Yahia Jafari, shared insights into the tire manufacturer's history and future plans.

According to him, the project to launch tire production originated as part of expanding a family business that had operated in the home appliances sector for over 20 years. "The idea to enter the automotive sector emerged in 2014. We assessed our prospects and realized that manufacturing tires could be an excellent opportunity, especially considering that many years ago Michelin had a plant in Algeria," he noted.

Bringing the project to life required several years of preparation and "significant investments," with the first Iris tire produced in 2019, after which the factory continued expanding its capacity. "We started at 2 million tires per year, and in 2022 we launched a project to double our capacity," Jafari said. "Today, our annual capacity stands at 4 million tires, and our products are exported to more than 32 countries worldwide, with a strong presence across Europe, North and South Africa, Brazil, and the USA."

Iris has confirmed its compliance with international standards such as ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and IATF, enabling the company to begin collaborations with automakers. "Currently, we are accredited as an OEM supplier and actively work with Fiat and the entire Stellantis group," Jafari stated. "In particular, we supply tires for the Fiat Doblo K9, both commercial and passenger versions, as well as for the Fiat Dolcevita, which is assembled locally in Algeria. Additionally, the new Fiat Panda will also be equipped with Iris tires, which we specifically developed for this model."

Jafari added that beyond Stellantis, the company aims to cooperate with other automakers, and current discussions are underway regarding supply partnerships with Hyundai, Toyota, Chery, Dayun, and Volvo. Furthermore, the factory has also expanded its product range.

"Previously, we only produced passenger car tires, but this year we officially launched production of truck tires," he said. "We are also building a plant for solid tire manufacturing and are considering entering the OTR segment and the two-wheeled vehicle tire market, for example, tires for scooters."

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