DOT issues 65 new tire plant ID codes

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Transportation issued 65 new DOT plant identification codes in the past year for tire factories worldwide, including five for plants in the U.S. and 35 for plants in China.

Tire manufacturers wishing to sell tires intended for use on U.S. roadways must have a DOT code for each plant, and that code must be molded into the sidewalls of each such tire, according to DOT regulations.

The alphanumeric code on the tire sidewall indicates the tire maker certifies tires bearing the mark meet all U.S. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard requirements.

The manufacturer is not required to test the tires, but if they are sold in the U.S., they are subject to random testing by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), with penalties assessed if the tires fail to be in compliance with federal standards.

• This article appears in the Feb. 12 print edition of Tire Business.

Tires found not in compliance will be subject to recall, and the manufacturer is subject to civil penalties of up to $6,000 per tire — up to a maximum of $17.4 million for any related series of violations, according to agency documents

The new codes bring to 1,040 the number of plants worldwide with at least one DOT code.

Fourteen of the new plant codes are for multinational tire companies, including:

Bridgestone Corp., 1E2, for its Bridgestone do Brazil Industrial e Comercio Ltda. subsidiary's plant in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Cheng Shin Rubber/Maxxis International, 01J, for a plant being built in Ahmedabad/Gujarat, India.

Continental A.G., 02P, for the truck tire plant being built in Bolton, Miss., and 036 for a car and truck tire plant being built in Rayong, Thailand.

Federal Corp., 01R, for the company's new plant in Guanyin, Taoyuan, Taiwan.

GITI Tire Manufacturing (USA) Ltd., 01B, for the plant opened last year in Richburg, S.C.

JK Industries, 1AG, for the passenger tire plant in Cuidad de Mexico operated by its Cia. Hulera Tornel S.A. de C.V. subsidiary.

Kenda Rubber Industrial Co. Ltd., 02R, for a motorcycle tire and tube plant in Serang/Banten, Indonesia, and 02T for a car and light truck tire plant in Trang Bom/Dong Nai, Vietnam.

MRF Ltd., 17R, for its plant in Pondicherry, India.

Nexen Tire Co., 035, for the company's passenger/light truck tire plant under construction in Smichov, Czech Republic.

Qingdao Ge Rui Da Rubber Co., 032, for the Cooper Tire & Rubber Co. majority-owned venture in Qingao, China.

Trelleborg Wheel Systems, 01H, for the radial farm tire plant opened in 2016 in Spartanburg, S.C.;

Yokohama Rubber Co., 01C, for the OTR tire plant in Dahej, India, operated by its ATC Tires Pvt. Ltd. subsidiary.

Other new codes issued in the past year include:

• DNA Specialty Inc., Compton, Calif. — 01M

• Eurl Saterex-Iris, Setif, Algeria — 033

• Golden Horse Rubber Sdn. Bhd., Palau Indah/Selangor, Malaysia — 02H

• Hebei Wanda Tyre Co. Ltd., Xintai/Hebai, China — 038

• Huayi Group (Thailand) Co. Ltd., Tumbol/Rayong, Thailand — 02J

• Jiangsu Duhow Rubber Co. Ltd., Shuyang/Jiangsu, China — 031

• Jiangsu Gunade Tyre Co. Ltd., Jiangsu, Changzhou, China — 01A

• Jiangsu Hua'an Tyre Technology Co. Ltd., Shuyang/Jiangsu, China — 01D

• Jiangsu Sanyuan Tire Co. Ltd., Suqian/Jiangsu, China — 013

• Jining Shenzhou Tyre Co. Ltd., Jining/Shandong, China — 034

• J.S.C. Nizhnekamskshina, Nizhnekamsk, Russia — 1YU

• J.S.C. Yaroslavl, Yaroslavl, Russia — 1UB

• Keich International Tyre Co., Ltd., Wattana, Thailand — 02K

• Mark Ma Tire Co. Ltd., Miaoli City, Taiwan — 02M

• MRL Tyres Ltd., Noida/Uttar Pradesh, India — 02N

• MS Tyre Industries Sdn. Bhd., Menglembu Ipoh/Perak, Malaysia — 037

• Ningxia Shenzhou Tire Co. Ltd., Shizuishan/Ningxia, China — 01F

• Omexey Rubber Industrial Corp., Tan Uyen/Binh Duong, Vietnam — 02C

• Otani Tire Co. Ltd., Nakornpathom, Thailand — 212

• Qingdao Ailite Rubber Co. Ltd., Qingdao/Shandong, China — 02Y

• Qingdao Century Fung Tire Co. Ltd., Qingdao/Shandong, China — 01V

• Qingdao Rili Tyre Co. Ltd., Pingdu/Shandong, China — 01W

• Qingdao Visastone Industry & Trade Co. Ltd., Qingdao/Shandong, China — 02V

• Qingdao Wanshixing Rubber & Plastic Co. Ltd., Qingdao/Shandong, China — 039

• Qingdao Wantai Rubber Products Co. Ltd., Qingdao/Shandong, China — 01Y

• Qingdao Zhenhua Barrow Manufacturing Co. Ltd., Qingdao/Shandong, China — 12N

• Refaccionaria Valati S.A. de C.V., Juarez/Chihuahua, Mexico — 252

• Rizhao Younai Tires Co. Ltd., Ju County/Shandong, China — 01T

• Sao Vang Rubber J.S.C., Hanoi, Vietnam — 02X

• Shandong Changhong Rubber Technology Co. Ltd., Linyi/Shandong, China — 1W6

• Shandong Cocrea Tyres Co. Ltd., Linyi/Shandong, China — 1BT

• Shandong Dreamaker Tire Co. Ltd., Shandong, China — 02E

• Shandong Guopeng Rubber Co. Ltd., Shouguang/Shandong, China — 1V5

• Shandong Jiluer Tyre Co. Ltd., Tengzhou/Shandong, China — 01L

• Shandong Kupo Tire Co. Ltd., Linyi/Shandong, China — 02L

• Shandong Mirage Tyres Co. Ltd., Weifang City/Shandong, China — 02W

• Shandong Yiwei Rubber Co. Ltd., Dongying/Shandong, China — 02U

• Shandong Yuanfeng Rubber Technology Co. Ltd., Weifang City/Shandong, China — 01X

• Shanghai Baosteel Wheels Co. Ltd., Shanghai, China — 02D

• Shih Fa Rubber Industries (VN) Co. Ltd., Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam — 030

• Suzhou Chenxin Tire Co. Ltd., Wujiang/Jiangsu, China — 02B

• Tianjin Heng Tai Gallop Technology Co. Ltd., Tianjin, China — 01A

• Tongli Tyre Co. Ltd., Jining/Shandong, China — 01E

• Toyomoto Corp., Beijing, China — 02F

• Weifang Goldshield Tire Co. Ltd., Weifang/Shandong, Chian — 01U

• Weifang Huantai Rubber Co. Ltd., Changyi/Shandong, China — 01K

• Weifang Luyi Rubber Products Co. Ltd., Changyi City/Shandong, China — 1TN

• Weihai Huayang Rubber Technology Branch Co., Weihai/Shandong, China — 01P

• Yancheng Luxeway Tires Co. Ltd., Yancheng/Jiangsu, China — 029

• Zhongce Rubber (Fuyang) Co. Ltd., Fuyang/Zhejiang, China — 01N

Of the companies issued DOT codes for the first time:

DNA Specialty Inc. is a Compton, Calif.-based distributor of motorcycle parts, including Forte- and Vee-brand tires.

Eurl Saterex-Iris is the name of a project financed by Eurl Saterix-Iris — an Algerian consumer electronics and household appliances group — to re-establish tire manufacturing in Algeria.

Golden Horse Rubber Sdn. Bhd. is a joint venture being established in Malaysia by China's Qingdao FullRun Tyre Corp. with local investors from the natural rubber sector. Also known as Jinma Rubber & Tyre Tech Corp. Ltd.

Huayi Group (Thailand) Co. Ltd. is a subsidiary of China's Shanghai Huayi (Group) Co., the holding company for Double Coin Holdings. The plant in Tumbol, Thailand, produces truck, bus and industrial tires.

Jiangsu Duhow Rubber Co. Ltd. produces bicycle and motorcycle tires and tubes at a plant in Shuyang, Jiangsu, China.

Jiangsu Sanyuan Tire Co. Ltd. produces bicycle and motorcycle tires and tubes at a plant in Suqian, Jiangsu, China. Also goes by the name Jiangsu Seyoun Tire Co. Ltd. and goes to market under the Yokifa and NJK brand names.

Jining Shenzhou Tyre Co. Ltd. — also known as Road One Tire — is a joint venture involving China's Hixih Group and Italy's Pirelli & C. S.p.A., with one plant in Jining/Shandong, China, producing truck and other industrial tires. The business also operates under the name Tongli Tyre Co. Ltd., for which the DOT has issued a separate code.

J.S.C. Nizhnekamskshina, a business unit of Russian oil conglomerate Tatneft Group, is a producer of radial truck tires and is an offtake production partner of Continental A.G. This new code is the seventh the DOT has issued for this plant.

J.S.C. Yaroslavl is a unit of Russian tire producer J.S.C. Cordiant. The new code is the fourth the DOT has issued for this plant.

Mark Ma Tire Co. Ltd. is the new manufacturing arm of Tri-Ace Tire Co. Ltd., whose car and light truck tire plant in Miaoli City, Taiwan, is scheduled to start producing in 2018.

MRL Tyres Ltd. — formerly known as Malhotra Rubbers Ltd. — is a family-run producer of farm, commercial and industrial tires at a single plant in Uttar Pradesh, India. The plant has two other codes under the Malhotra Rubbers name.

MS Tyre Industries Sdn. Bhd. is a bicycle and motorcycle tire and tube producer based in Menglembu, Malaysia, going to market with the brands MS Tyre and United Tyre.

Ningxia Shenzhou Tire Co. Ltd. is the producer of Landy-brand tires. The new code is assigned to a radial truck tire plant the company broke ground on in late 2015 in Shizuishan in China's Ningxia Province.

Omexey Rubber Industrial Corp. is a diversified manufacturer whose tire business operates under the Sobek Tire name and has one plant in Tan Uyen in Vietnam's Binh Duong province, producing motorcycle, agricultural and implement tires and tubes.

Otani Tire Co. Ltd. is a family-controlled producer of passenger and truck/bus tires at plants in Thailand.

Qingdao Century Fung Tire Co. Ltd. is a producer of two-wheeler and ATV tires and tubes at a plant in Qingdao, China.

Qingdao Rili Tyre Co. Ltd. is a producer of light truck, agricultural, industrial, OTR, etc. tires at a plant in Pingdu in China's Shandong province.

Qingdao Visastone Industry & Trade Co. Ltd. is a producer of motorcycle, implement and light commercial tires and tubes at a plant in Qingdao, China, also known as Combest Int'l Industrial Co. Ltd.

Qingdao Wanshixing Rubber & Plastic Co. Ltd. is a producer of motorcycle tires at a plant in Qing-dao, China, and tubes a separate factory.

Qingdao Wantai Rubber Products Co. Ltd. is a producer of bicycle, motorcycle and industrial tires and tubes at a plant in Qingdao.

Qingdao Zhenhua Barrow Manufacturing Co. Ltd. is a Qing-dao, China-based producer of wheels and tires for a variety of industrial and implement tires.

Refaccionaria Valati S.A. de C.V. is a Juarez, Mexico-based producer of retreads and crumb rubber.

Rizhao Younai Tires Co. Ltd. is a Ju County, Shandong, China-based producer of motorcycle tires and tubes.

Sao Vang Rubber J.S.C. is a publicly held Vietnamese company producing motorcycle, car and aircraft tires and tubes at a plant in Hanoi.

Shandong Changhong Rubber Technology Co. Ltd. is a producer of radial light and medium truck, agricultural and OTR tires at a plant in Linyi, Shandong, China, sold under the Charmhoo brand.

Shandong Cocrea Tyres Co. Ltd. is a producer of truck, agricultural and OTR tires under the Cocrea and Allround brands at a plant in Linyi, Shandong, China.

Shandong Guopeng Rubber Co. Ltd. is a producer of radial car and medium truck tires at a plant in Shouguang, Shandong, China.

Shandong Jiluer Tyre Co. Ltd. is a producer of bicycle and motorcycle tires and tubes at a plant in Tengzhou/Shandong, China, under the Jiluer brand.

Shandong Mirage Tyres Co. Ltd. is one of six manufacturing units of Shandong Henfeng Tire Co. Ltd., a producer of radial truck tires under the Cachland, Hifly, Mirage, Ovation and Sunfull brands.

Shandong Yiwei Rubber Co. Ltd. produces medium truck, industrial and OTR tires under the Yiwei and Schichite brands at a plant in Dongying/Shandong, China.

Shandong Yuanfeng Rubber Technology Co. Ltd. — formerly Weifang Zhenfu Industry & Trade Co. Ltd. — produces OTR and radial car and truck tires at a plant in Weifang City, Shandong, China.

Shih Fa Rubber Industries (VN) Co. Ltd. is the Vietnamese subsidiary of Taiwan's Shih Fa Rubber Industries, producing industrial and implement tires at a plant in Ho Chi Minh City.

Suzhou Chenxin Tire Co. Ltd. produces motorcycle tires and tubes at a plant in Wujiang, Jiangsu, China.

Tianjin Heng Tai Gallop Technology Co. Ltd. produces motorcycle tires and tubes under the Kingtyre brand at a plant in Tianjin, China.

Toyomoto Corp. is a producer of radial truck tires at a plant in Beijing, China.

Weifang Goldshield Tire Co. Ltd. — also known as Weifang Huadong Rubber Co. Ltd. — produces radial truck tires at a plant in Weifang.

Weifang Luyi Rubber Products Co. Ltd. is a producer of agricultural tires at a plant in Changyi City in China's Shandong province.

Zhongce Rubber (Fuyang) Co. Ltd. is ZC Rubber Group's third factory in China.

Tire Business was unable to find reliable information on eight other companies with new codes:

Hebei Wanda Tyre Co. Ltd.; Jiangsu Hua'an Tyre Technology Co. Ltd.; Keich International Tyre Co. Ltd.; Qingdao Ailite Rubber Co. Ltd.; Shandong Dreamaker Tire Co. Ltd; Shandong Kupo Tire Co. Ltd.; Shanghai Baosteel Wheels Co. Ltd.; and Weihai Huayang Rubber Technology Branch Co.

Of the 1,040-plus codes listed, about 80 are for plants that are closed or no longer make tires, while another 30 or so are for retread plants, factories that don't make tires or make only bicycle tires and/or tubes.

The number of codes issued by the DOT essentially doubled in 2015-16 when the DOT began implementing a three-place alpha-numeric code system to replace the two-place identity in use for the past several decades.

The agency opted for this change out of concern the two-place system didn't offer enough possibilities to accommodate the anticipated demand for new codes.

In all but a few cases, the DOT simply added a "1" in front of the existing code to create the new code. The exceptions were those codes that included "G," "S" or "Q" due to potential for misreading a G or an S for a 2 or Q for 0, for example.