New tire factory to be built in the U.S. by Giti

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I just happened to be reading about a brand of tires I hadn't heard of previously (Dextero) and I found the maker, Giti Tire, is building a big new factory in the U.S.

Last month, Singapore-based Giti announced they'd build a factory in South Carolina creating up to 1,700 jobs in 10 years.
http://www.greenvilleonline.com/story/mo...-hire/10574211/
Quote:
RICHBURG — Giti Tire Co. is building its first U.S. facility in Chester County which over 10 years could bring 1,700 jobs to the state.

Giti is family owned company founded in 1951. It ships tires to 100 countries and is ranked 9th globally in sales revenues. Its first U.S. facility is a $560 million investment.

Giti sells tires in the U.S. under the brands Primewell, Dextero, GT Radial, Runway and probably others. They have one factory in Indonesia and seven in China.

You can read more about them here:
http://www.giti.com/corp/corporateen.asp#Manufacturing_Facilities

That made me do a little more googling, and I found that Hankook last year announced their first U.S. factory will be built in Tennessee and employ nearly 2,000 people. I hadn't heard about that until now.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/cars...nessee/2980689/
Quote:
CLARKSVILLE, TENN. — State officials confirmed Monday that South Korean Hankook Tire Co. will indeed build its first U.S. manufacturing facility in Clarksville, creating nearly 2,000 direct jobs.

The company is expected to break ground on the new plant by the end of 2014 and begin tire production by 2016.

Hankook will invest over $800 million for the new state-of-the-art plant, its first in the United States. The new plant will provide additional capacity for Hankook's growing business in the U.S. market and create approximately 1,800 full-time jobs for the region.
 
I'd totally rock a set of US-made tires from Hankook or Giti. Assuming they were equally as good as other tires, that is! Primewell so far hasn't impressed me at all.
 
Originally Posted By: sciphi
I'd totally rock a set of US-made tires from Hankook or Giti. Assuming they were equally as good as other tires, that is! Primewell so far hasn't impressed me at all.


I was thinking a similar thing when it comes to Hankook because I've been pleased with other Hankooks I've owned.

Primewells definitely aren't great from what I've read, but they're also aimed at the very bottom of the tire market. I wonder if Giti will try to take the brand upmarket or will introduce any better tires/new brands to capitalize on this new U.S. factory?

They're a big tire company and an OE supplier, so I suspect they have the capability to design and build something better than tires aimed at the very cheapest buyers. But who knows, maybe I'm wrong.
 
Originally Posted By: stephen9666
sciphi said:
capitalize on this new U.S. factory?

They're a big tire company and an OE supplier, so I suspect they have the capability to design and build something better than tires aimed at the very cheapest buyers. But who knows, maybe I'm wrong.



...like BMW, they have a Plant down in that area, considering logistics, they may under bid the current BMW supplier!
 
The BMW plant in Greenville, SC, is supplied by Michelin which is right next door.

The Hancook plant in Tennessee will be a supplier to the Volkswagen factory. Hancook is an OEM supplier to VW but not to BMW at present.

This Giti factory appears to be going up in an area of very depressed economic surroundings. I'd say they've gotten great tax incentives and expect low labor expenses in order to produce their product. It's great news for the region. South Carolina needs all the help it can get.
 
Originally Posted By: Doog
Skilled labor pool in SC for tire companies.


Originally Posted By: FowVay
It's great news for the region. South Carolina needs all the help it can get.


Yup!.Sure is, for Locals and Northern folks who moved here for a reason,and they are a lot.
 
Good news! As we have shipped our manufacturing jobs overseas, I welcome anyone who wants to come here and make stuff.
 
Good news indeed. I was in the Carolina's a few years ago and was depressed by seeing closed textile and furniture factories dotted about. I was told those factories were low wage jobs and yet they moved overseas.
 
Quite a few things to comment on:

Originally Posted By: sciphi
I'd totally rock a set of US-made tires from Hankook or Giti. Assuming they were equally as good as other tires, that is!.....


I am of the opinion that where a tire is made is not nearly as important as the design of the tire - that is, the specified materials and what processes are used to put them together.

So while I am happy someone is building a factory in the US, I don't think that automatically means high quality or high performing tires.

Originally Posted By: FowVay
The BMW plant in Greenville, SC, is supplied by Michelin which is right next door.....[/quote}

The plant also gets 3 other brands of tires from all over the globe.

FowVay said:
......The Hancook plant in Tennessee will be a supplier to the Volkswagen factory. Hancook is an OEM supplier to VW but not to BMW at present.......


Just because a tire factory is near a vehicle assembly plant doesn't mean one will be supplying the other. I've seen tires come from all over to assembly plants - and I've seen nearby tire factories NOT supply at all.

And lastly, I don't think Giti will be supplying BMW anytime soon. There is a high bar to pass to be able to supply an OEM - and I didn't see anything about them supplying ANY OEM on their web site. They would be well served to start supplying a Ford or a GM, or a Toyota first. - and may be that is the plan.
 
Originally Posted By: CapriRacer

I am of the opinion that where a tire is made is not nearly as important as the design of the tire - that is, the specified materials and what processes are used to put them together.

So while I am happy someone is building a factory in the US, I don't think that automatically means high quality or high performing tires.

But, now that they have a facility in the U.S., will they try to go upmarket and release better tires for sale in the U.S.? That's the question. I don't think any of us believe that the same low-end Primewell tires will be better if they're suddenly made in the U.S.

They are an OE supplier and a large company, so I suspect they have decent R&D capabilities.

Originally Posted By: CapriRacer


And lastly, I don't think Giti will be supplying BMW anytime soon. There is a high bar to pass to be able to supply an OEM - and I didn't see anything about them supplying ANY OEM on their web site. They would be well served to start supplying a Ford or a GM, or a Toyota first. - and may be that is the plan.

They actually are a GM supplier. I don't know where you looked on their site. They're also a Fiat OE supplier and a supplier to a bunch of other brands not sold in the U.S. I don't think any GM or Fiat cars sold in the U.S. come with Giti tires, but they do supply tires to those companies.

They claim to have won supplier awards from both GM and Fiat. Here's some info on the GM supplier awards:
http://www.giti.com/corp/corporate.asp?referenceid=16&menuid=368&language=1&id=458
Quote:
GM Best Supplier Merit Award 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009 and Supplier Quality Excellence Award 2012, 2013 in recognition of performance in the areas of quality, service, technology and price.
 
Regardless that is Made in the States, I will stay far away from those tires. Michelins are also Made in US, so much smarter choice.
As for being OEM supplier to BMW: Yeah right!
 
Originally Posted By: stephen9666
But, now that they have a facility in the U.S., will they try to go upmarket and release better tires for sale in the U.S.? That's the question. I don't think any of us believe that the same low-end Primewell tires will be better if they're suddenly made in the U.S.

They are an OE supplier and a large company, so I suspect they have decent R&D capabilities.

They actually are a GM supplier. I don't know where you looked on their site. They're also a Fiat OE supplier and a supplier to a bunch of other brands not sold in the U.S. I don't think any GM or Fiat cars sold in the U.S. come with Giti tires, but they do supply tires to those companies.

They claim to have won supplier awards from both GM and Fiat. Here's some info on the GM supplier awards:
http://www.giti.com/corp/corporate.asp?referenceid=16&menuid=368&language=1&id=458
Quote:
GM Best Supplier Merit Award 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009 and Supplier Quality Excellence Award 2012, 2013 in recognition of performance in the areas of quality, service, technology and price.



I do not know why I missed that bit about their OE connection. It was not exactly obvious and their website isn't the best for searching out pertinent facts - like where their new US R&D center is located. Nevertheless, I just plain missed it.

Now my whole perception of them has changed. The thing that jumps out at me is how quickly they've expanded. My experience is that growth always causes issues - and, naturally, the faster that growth, the larger the problems.

But now that we've brought up their connection to GM, I know that GM likes their suppliers to be based in the US for their US assembly plants. In some respects, this is an off-shoot of their "Not Invented Here" syndrome. I wonder if GM didn't suggest that their status would be enhanced by opening a US facility. OTOH, their new R&D center is in California, not Detroit!
 
I'm bumping this because I just saw a two-page ad for Giti in the newest Motor Trend. I also read some additional articles saying the U.S. plant will be aimed at producing aftermarket and OE tires.

It sort of seems Giti is trying to up their game and stature in the U.S. instead of just sticking to low-end tires. I guess we will see how it plays out.

2im2v4g.jpg
 
Originally Posted By: edyvw
Regardless that is Made in the States, I will stay far away from those tires. Michelins are also Made in US, so much smarter choice.
As for being OEM supplier to BMW: Yeah right!



Except the Defender Tires of course.
 
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More US investment from a foreign company? Welcome to the global economy...

That being said, if they prove to be solid tires, I'd consider a set. Keep that mind open, ya know...
 
The GITI factory is up and running.

http://www.tyrepress.com/2017/10/giti-ti...-america-tyres/

Quote:
...One factor supporting Giti Tire’s decision to establish a manufacturing site in the USA was the Walmart retail chain’s commitment to invest US$250 billion in American-made products by 2023 – an initiative that is expected to result in the creation of around 250,000 direct manufacturing jobs. The Giti Tire plant in Richburg will employ around 1,700 people and will supply growing demand for tyres from Walmart as well as within the wider North American market…

...Walmart holds exclusive rights to sell Giti Tire’s Dextero brand in the USA, and the tyre maker states production at the new factory for the remainder of 2017 will include “several hundred thousand units” of Dextero-branded tyres for Walmart. Capacity will reach “several million tyres” next year, with more passenger car and light truck sizes added in the future….
 
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