Sailun has confirmed plans to build a plant in Europe

Chinese Sailun, which recently launched new tire plants in Indonesia and Mexico, intends to localize production in Europe in the future, and the corresponding plans were confirmed by the marketing director of the company's European division, Stefan Zimbal, during the recent Autorpromotec 2025 exhibition in Bologna.

"Regarding the European plant, I can say that it will definitely be opened," he noted. "Where and when exactly, it's hard to say. But, as we've always said, if you want to work in the European market's primary equipment sector, have a large share of the local market, and a wide distribution network, you need a plant in the region."

Regarding the stage of the project, Zimbal replied that "theoretically, the first tires could be released as early as next year." "Building a plant is actually very easy for us, since we not only produce tires, but also equipment for their production, together with Mesnac," he stated.

During Autopromotec, it became known that the European Commission is launching an anti-dumping investigation into passenger and light truck tires from China, which may lead to the introduction of new duties and may theoretically become an additional reason for Chinese companies to open their own plants in Europe.

"Regarding duties, I won't comment on the situation, because, to be honest, I don't know what to say," the Sailun representative noted. "I understand the purpose of this investigation. For us and all other manufacturers, nothing will change particularly, since we all work under more or less the same conditions. But there will be certain changes in the European market."

According to the Sailun website, the company is capable of producing over 6.5 million commercial and 40 million passenger tires per year, which are supplied to 150 countries worldwide. Sales in Europe amount to around 7 million tires and "continue to grow steadily."

So far, the only Chinese tire company to have opened a plant in Europe is Linglong, which has its own production in Serbia.