In ZC Rubber, they talked about plans for the development of the Tianli brand
The Tianli brand, owned by the Chinese company ZCRubber and present in the segment of tires for agricultural and other types of special equipment, recently participated in the EIMA 2024 exhibition. During the event, several new tires were presented, and the sales director of agro tires Tianli in the European market, Mark Turner, in an interview with Pneus News, told about the planned future development of the brand.
Tianli brand is relatively new to the European market. Tell us about what it is.
Tianli is a brand of tires for agricultural, forestry, and other specialized equipment from the ZC Rubber portfolio, the ninth largest tire manufacturer in the world. The brand was acquired by ZC Rubber in 2020, and over the past two years, we have been working on building a sales network across Europe, which now covers most markets in the region.
At the moment, we have several projects underway, but by the end of the year, coverage should spread across the entire continent. Therefore, now is the time to work on the product line, in the creation of which we are constantly introducing new innovations. We have many new products and sizes that are being worked on in Tianjin, where our scientific center and production site for agro and OTR tires are located, the largest in Asia for these segments.
What did you bring to EIMA?
We showed the new Road King tire for tractors used during snow clearing. Additionally, a new radial tire Agro Trac was demonstrated, which we first launch on the market in large sizes, and then move on to more compact ones. For the forestry industry, a new flotation tire was presented.
We are also working a lot on the introduction of new technologies, and last year we released the VF version of AgriKing tires for tractors, which caused great interest. [VF technology - Very High Flexion - allows the use of tires at reduced pressure, reducing soil compaction].
That's a lot...
Yes, and that's not all. We are currently implementing an investment program worth $400 million, aimed at launching a third plant in addition to the two already operating. It is planned that the new enterprise will receive a carbon neutrality certificate within the next two years. At the same time, ZC Rubber has also launched a new plant in Indonesia, and another one is currently being built in Mexico, and these are just two of the latest projects. If we talk about products, many new products are at the development stage, and our goal is to become a manufacturer of special tires that can meet the demand for products of all categories, from the smallest agricultural to super-large 63-inch OTR tires.
What did Tianli gain from joining ZC Rubber?
First of all, stability. Thanks to the financial support from ZC Rubber, we have the necessary opportunities for creating innovations, developing and releasing new tire models and sizes, expanding the range and bringing it in line with market requirements. From a marketing point of view, we were able to become a sponsor of the football club "Arsenal", which is very useful for increasing brand recognition. Ultimately, for Tianli, it is extremely beneficial to be part of ZC Rubber, and we have very good prospects for the future.
Photo: Pneus News.