En Englais: Chinese company opens 2nd Mexican tire store

CANCUN, Mexico — China's Hangzhou Zhongce Rubber Co. Ltd. opened a Westlake-branded tire store in Cancun, late last year.

 It is the company's second store in Mexico and latest in a move to build a distribution network there.

 The most recent outlet covers 3,250 square feet and concentrates on the Westlake commercial and consumer tire lines, the company said.

 ZC Rubber Vice President Guorong Ge attended the store's recent opening, where he hosted a dealer meeting with the local Westlake distributor that same day.

 The company said it is working closely in Mexico with Avante Group, an industrial real estate developer, to build a store network.

 Mr. Ge described Mexico as one of ZC Rubber's most important export markets. He said ZC generates about $900 million in export sales out of $4 billion in annual revenue.

 The executive also noted that 2015 was a year of challenges and opportunities because of the various factors — such as the global economic slowdown, slower economic growth in China, the long-term instability of raw materials, the fall in crude oil prices and exchange-rate devaluation.

 ZC Rubber opened its first Mexican store in 2014 in Monterrey and said it has plans for more outlets in Mexico City, Guadalajara and other sites.