CHINO, Calif.—Vee Rubber America Inc. has added a third brand, Veento, to its range of passenger tires as part of a multi-brand strategy to broaden distribution.
The first tire in the line is the G-3, an all-season high-performance tire, available initially in 14- to 17-inch rim diameter sizes.
Instead of just adding more distributors for its current products, Vee Rubber is adding the Veento to its existing Vee Rubber- and Nika-brand passenger lines to support a multi-brand strategy, said Patrick Hyland, sales and marketing manager for Vee Rubber, the Chino-based importer of the tire from Vee Rubber Co. Ltd. of Thailand. This way, it does not “cannibalize” its dealers' or distributors' sales.
“The Veento line was designed specifically for a national tire dealer distribution channel,” he added.
The G-3 is the only Veento product available in the U.S. so far, Mr. Hyland said, but Vee Rubber is looking to expand the line.
The tire features a “Dual-Nature” asymmetric tread design that Vee Rubber calls “ground breaking” because it can be mounted with either side outwards and can be customized to a driver's performance preferences, Mr. Hyland said. “With one side out, the G-3 has slightly better dry cornering performance. With the other side out, the wet/snow cornering performance is optimized.”
Other features include a “supple, but sporty ride, confident handling, and low noise and vibration,” he said, along with a 40,000-mile limited treadwear warranty.
Shipments of the tire have begun. The line was launched officially at the 2013 Specialty Equipment Market Association Show.
The G-3 is being sold in the U.S., Europe, Asia and South America. In the U.S., Discount Tire/America's Tire is among the dealerships offering the Veento brand and, according to Mr. Hyland, “Vee Rubber continues to have opportunities for dealers and wholesalers in the Vee Rubber brand in select markets” in the U.S., Canada and Mexico.