Petlas: Now we have new advantages

During the The Tire Cologne 2024 exhibition in Cologne, the Turkish Petlas introduced several innovations, but the main emphasis was on the fact that the manufacturer can now supply products without being affected by the complexities related to container shortages and the crisis in the Red Sea. The plans of Petlas were told in an interview with Pneus News by the company's marketing and sales director for the international market, Oguz Ay.

How was the exhibition, and what new products did you showcase?

Petlas participated in The Tire Cologne for the third time, and these were intense days filled with meetings with stand visitors. What's most interesting is that there were many clients not only from Europe but also from all over the world, including South America, Africa, the Middle East, and many visitors from Asia. We introduced two new winter tires [SnowMaster 2 and SnowMaster 2 Sport], a new off-road tire [Peaklander M/T], as well as new models for trucks and buses, products for aviation, and a special tire for cranes.

In addition to expanding our product range, we are also investing significant funds in increasing our production capacity. The construction of our second factory near the first one has already begun, and this is currently one of the largest investment projects in the industry. After its completion, we will have additional capacity of 10 million passenger and 1.2 million truck/bus tires. We will be able to produce up to 22 million passenger and 2.2 million truck/bus tires per year, and our goal is to increase exports, primarily to Europe, the USA, and South America. The difficulties with delivering products from Asia, the shortage of containers, and the activity of Houthi pirates make Turkey a country with obvious advantages in terms of logistics. We can deliver tires to more than 50 countries in seven days, and Europe is a particularly interesting market, given its geographical proximity.

Which European markets are most important to you?

We are present in all European countries, but due to proximity, Eastern Europe and, in particular, the Balkan states are the most important. Italy is also an important market in terms of supplying both agricultural and automotive tires.

What projects are you currently implementing?

We are currently developing a new summer UHP tire, which will be ready in 7-10 months. If we have time, we would like to present it at the Autopromotec 2025 exhibition [in Bologna, Italy]. In addition, Petlas is part of an industrial holding that also owns wheel and battery factories and is engaged in tire recycling.