LOUISVILLE, Ky. — ZC Rubber Americas Inc. is gearing up for an expanded presence in North America for its Arisun truck tire line now that the U.S. has determined it won't impose elevated import duties on Chinese truck and bus tires.
"Arisun tire will play an important role on the U.S. market and more premium products and sizes will be launched for the local customers," the Norwalk, Calif.-based firm said at the recent Mid-America Trucking Show in Louisville.
The company, a subsidiary of China's Zhongce Rubber Group Co. Ltd., also disclosed that it has achieved SmartWay verification for its Arisun AD759 long-haul drive-position radial under the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's program.
ZC Rubber Americas claims the tire, which features 30/32nd inch tread depth and three circumferential grooves and a solid closed shoulder, is rated at lower than the target SmartWay rolling resistance level.
The AD759 is available in the four sizes — 11R22.5, 295/75R22.5, 11R24.5 and 285/75R24.5 — with new sizes being considered "as per market demand," the company said.
The drive tire joins two other Arisun-brand tires, the AT570 long-haul trailer tire and AD778 regional drive tire, as SmartWay-verified tires in the brand's portfolio.
ZC Rubber launched the Arisun brand in 2012 as a premium truck tire line targeted at the North American market.
Parent China's Zhongce Rubber Group recently disclosed it's targeting growth this year of 25 percent in passenger tire production and 10 percent in truck radial production.