FONTANA, Calif. (Oct. 29, 2009) — Falken Tire Corp. will become the North American distributor for Ohtsu-brand medium truck tires on March 1, 2010.
Falken said it will launch its new medium truck tire program by offering 14 different lines of Ohtsu medium truck tires, as well as introduce three low rolling resistance truck tires during the second half of 2010.
The tire marketer said it will stock all of its truck tire offerings in all of its four U.S. distribution centers—in Irving, Texas, Mount Juliet, Tenn., Dayton, N.J., and Fontana.
This marks the return of the Ohtsu brand to Falken´s domain. It handled the brand in the eastern U.S. for a time before turning over rights to the brand for all of North America in 2004 to Itochu International Inc., which now does business as ITA.
Falken´s parent company Sumitomo Rubber Industries Ltd. owns the Ohtsu brand and makes it in Asia.
In a separate announcement, Falken said it expect to open a fifth distribution center during the fourth quarter of 2010 or the first quarter of 2011.