In the global tyre market, Japanese company Kinto Tyres is gradually establishing its global presence through a strategic blend of Japanese engineering know-how and low-cost manufacturing facility in Thailand. Tyre Trends interviewed Melvin Ho Mun Hoong, International Sales Manager of Kinto Tyres, to learn about the company’s strategy and expansion plans.

JAPANESE HERITAGE, STRATEGIC MANUFACTURING

“Kinto represents the Japanese commitment to technology and innovation,” explained Melvin Ho Mun Hoong, International Sales Manager of Kinto Tyres, during his interview at the TyreXpo Singapore 2025, the company’s second appearance at this regional trade show. “Japanese tyre technology has long been recognised for superior quality. Our founders wanted to deliver this level of performance at more accessible price points.”

Kinto comes into the business of premium tyre manufacturing alongside other major Japanese tyre brands, although with a differentiated approach to manufacture and market. Although Japanese, the company based its main plant in Thailand, not Japan, in 2022.

“Even in our home market of Japan, competition from national brands is exceptionally strong due to established consumer loyalty,” Ho noted. “The competitive environment led us to establish manufacturing operations in Thailand while maintaining our R&D capabilities and headquarters in Japan.”

This strategic move has enabled Kinto to manage production expenses while maintaining engineering quality typical of Japanese tyre production. The factory in Thailand is the company’s manufacturing centre that facilitates export activities to over a dozen countries, with major markets in Southeast Asia being the Philippines, Cambodia, Myanmar and Malaysia. The company also has established market presence in Egypt, Hong Kong and China.

“Malaysia is now one of our most resilient markets,” Ho said. “Our products have picked up very well there, proving the success of our strategy to bring Japanese technology at more affordable price points.”

DIVERSIFIED PRODUCT RANGE

Kinto’s existing product portfolio includes passenger car radials (PCR), truck and bus radials (TBR), agricultural tyres and all-terrain products. Each segment meets Japanese engineering standards but is produced at the company’s Thailand plant.

When asked about potential expansion into motorcycle tyres, Ho indicated interest but suggested a more collaborative approach might be appropriate for that specialised segment. “For motorcycle tyres, particularly in markets like Vietnam where usage is extensive, we’re considering partnership opportunities with established producers. We would provide the technology while they handle the production aspects,” Ho explained.

This practical diversification strategy mirrors Kinto’s overall corporate plan of focused growth in markets in which they are able to maintain competitive edge via their Japanese engineering heritage.

MARKET DIFFERENTIATOR VIA QUALITY ASSURANCE

One of the pillars of Kinto’s market strategy is its warranty programme, which Ho labels as ‘100 days Unconditional Warranty’. This all-encompassing system of quality assurance has proven as a unique selling point for distributors and retailers.

“We provide this special warranty to ensure our distribution partners can sell with confidence,” Ho explained. “It offers a one-to-one exchange for road hazard damage beyond repair. Customers can claim without extensive questioning, provided the damage isn’t from deliberate abuse, vehicle mechanical failure, and improper car maintenance or normal tread wear.”

As explained by Ho, this warranty programme has helped build the company’s reputation for reliability, with the firm enjoying ‘very low claim rates’ in its markets. The policy demonstrates Kinto’s faith in the quality of its products, as well as in confronting prospective concerns over a fairly new brand in certain markets.

MARKET CHALLENGES AND COMPETITIVE DYNAMICS

When referring to recent market issues, Ho cited growing price competition from Chinese producers as a main influencing factor in the global tyre sector: “Chinese prices are becoming more aggressive because of domestic competition. They are giving extremely competitive prices to use their capacity.”

This pressure on prices has built a more difficult scenario for all tyre makers, pressuring Kinto to be highly efficient in production in order to stay competitive and meet the expected standard of quality demanded of a Japanese-designed product.

“We’re not positioning ourselves as the lowest-priced option,” Ho clarified. “We’re offering Japanese engineering standards at reasonable prices. Our development costs remain manageable because we’re operating in a mature technical environment, focusing on optimising formulations to meet specific market requirements.”

Unlike certain makers that diversify to contract manufacturing for purposes of facility maximisation utilisation, Kinto stays single-focused. “We are focusing only on our own brand development and distribution. We have no intentions of making for other companies,” Ho said emphatically.

STRATEGIC EXPANSION PLANS

Kinto’s global expansion plan focuses on a number of priority markets for short-term development. Ho named the United States, Latin America, the Middle East and Oceania as the top markets of interest, with the company actively pursuing distribution partners in these markets.

“For South Asia – India, Bangladesh and Pakistan in particular – we’re exploring potential distribution partners now,” he said. “We’ve set up in Sri Lanka, which is our first beachhead into that region.”

Even with its emphasis on overseas expansion, Kinto has not neglected its domestic market. “We still have plans to build a stronger presence in Japan, probably in the near future,” Ho disclosed. “We’ve had many enquiries from Japanese buyers looking for cheaper alternatives to high-end national brands, where prices are much higher.”

This prospective re-entry into Japan’s market would be a milestone in the development of the company, finally completing its value proposition of Japanese engineering for competitive prices in a full circle to where it originated.

MANUFACTURING EFFICIENCY AND PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT

Although Ho would not give precise production capacity details for the Thai plant, he stressed the focus of the company on manufacturing efficiency. “We’ve put in advanced production technology to provide consistent quality at the right cost,” he said.

Product development is still based in Japan, where the engineering staff of the company develops formulation improvements for various markets and uses. “Our technical development process takes into account specific regional conditions,” Ho said. “Road conditions, climatic conditions and usage patterns typical to the region all influence our product specifications.”

This balance between centralised development and regional adaptation allows Kinto to have core engineering standards while meeting the unique needs of various international markets.

DISTRIBUTION STRATEGY AND PARTNER CHOICE

While Kinto goes on expanding, Ho underlined the significance of choosing the right distribution partners for each market: “We’re looking for distributors who comprehend our value proposition and can effectively articulate it to retailers and consumers.”

The company gives extensive support, such as marketing material, technical training and warranty administration systems, to distribution partners. This holistic strategy is intended to provide uniform brand representation in varied markets.

“Our goal is to create long-term relationships with distributors who, like us, are dedicated to quality and customer satisfaction,” Ho said. “The correct partnerships are essential to our long-term success.”

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Linglong Tire has announced the promotion of Alessio Iacovelli to Deputy Director of Replacement Sales for Western Europe, effective 1 September 2025. In this elevated role, Iacovelli will take on leadership of the regional sales team with a mandate to accelerate business development. His key objectives will include forging strategic alliances and implementing programmes to strengthen customer loyalty. Iacovelli will report directly to Lisa Zhao, the Director of Replacement Sales for Western Europe, and will collaborate with her to manage key markets, including Germany, the UK, Italy and Spain.

Iacovelli, who began his career with Goodyear and Nexen, first joined Linglong Tire at the end of 2022 as a Sales Manager. In that capacity, he demonstrated significant success in developing the Southern European aftermarket, where he expanded the brand's footprint, defined effective growth strategies and secured robust partnerships with distributors. This strategic appointment and the restructuring of the sales leadership underscore Linglong Tire's intensified focus on achieving its ambitious growth targets across the European continent.

Iacovelli said, "I am very pleased to have been promoted to Deputy Director Replacement Sales West Europe at Linglong Tire. We have fantastic products such as the Sport Master 4S and the Sport Master Winter, both successfully tested in the recently published tyre tests. We have a state-of-the-art development centre in Germany and a new tyre plant in Europe and are successful in original equipment – ideal conditions for achieving our ambitious goals together with my team and the colleagues in Hannover and continuing to grow, especially in Europe."

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German synthetic rubber maker ARLANXEO has launched consultations with worker representatives over the potential closure of its Port Jerome facility in France, citing persistent weak demand and declining competitiveness in the European chemicals industry.

The company, which is majority-owned by Saudi Aramco, had begun an information and consultation period with the Works Council at the site, located in northern France. A final decision on the closure will be taken after the mandatory consultation process concludes and approval is obtained from the French labour authorities, DREETS.

“The European chemical industry continues to face persistent weak demand and declining competitiveness driven by rising costs, unbalanced global markets, and increased regulatory pressure,” said Stephan van Santbrink, ARLANXEO chief executive.

“These conditions have generated a significant burden on the sector across the regional value chain. ARLANXEO has not been an exception to these challenges. The Port Jerome site has remained in a structurally loss-making position. Despite numerous improvement efforts, we do not foresee a viable path to a sustained structural improvement.”

The company did not disclose how many jobs would be affected by a potential closure, nor did it provide details on the facility’s production capacity or annual output.

Van Santbrink acknowledged the impact on workers, saying: “We recognise the impact a potential closure may have on our employees, and we regret the need to consider these steps. We will continue to treat all employees with respect. If we decide to cease operations at the site, we will do our utmost to assist in finding alternative solutions for all impacted employees. In addition, we intend to provide impacted employees with a social plan which reflects their valued contribution to ARLANXEO.”

The announcement adds to a growing list of European chemical producers struggling with high energy costs, sluggish demand and competition from lower-cost producers in Asia and the United States.

ARLANXEO said it would work closely with all affected internal and external stakeholders to minimise the impact of the intended closure.

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Continental's Tires group sector has strengthened its leadership team with two key internal appointments, effective 1 September 2025. Jana Striezel has been named the new head of global purchasing for Continental Tires, while Dennis Bellmund has assumed leadership of the global original equipment business for both passenger and commercial vehicles. Both executives will report directly to Christian Kötz, the member of Continental AG's Executive Board who leads the Tires group sector.

In her new capacity, Striezel will oversee worldwide strategic and operational purchasing. She brings extensive experience from the automotive industry, having previously held several procurement management roles at Renault, where she led purchasing for the Renault brand and its alliance with Nissan and Mitsubishi in Europe. Her career began at Volkswagen in 2014.

Bellmund, who has a 25-year tenure with Continental, steps into his role following the departure of his predecessor, Manja Greimeier, to the ContiTech sector. His extensive background within the company includes recent responsibility for Continental’s tyre retail operations, alongside prior leadership roles in EMEA supply chain management and sales direction for the European replacement tyre business. These appointments signal a strategic reinforcement of Continental's tyre division leadership.

Kötz said, “We’re delighted to welcome Jana Striezel, a highly skilled manager, to our team. She brings extensive expertise in international procurement and will focus on driving forward our purchasing strategy. In Dennis Bellmund, our global original equipment business has gained a highly experienced leader. Thanks to his many years at Continental, he is familiar with our company and our customers’ needs from many different angles. On behalf of the entire management team, I wish both of them every success in their new roles and look forward to working together.”

“On behalf of the entire team, I would like to thank Manja Greimeier for her successful leadership of our original equipment business and wish her all the best and continued success,” added Kötz.

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In a significant leadership update, LD Carbon (LDC) has announced a restructuring of the chief executive office at the company. The company confirmed that Seong-Moon Baek will now serve as the sole CEO. This move follows the departure of former co-CEO Yong-Kyung Hwang from the executive position.

The change is effective immediately as the company continues to advance its initiatives in the sustainable materials sector. Chief Commercial Officer Bumseek Kim (BK) formally communicated the development in a statement, saying, “Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at any time.”

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