Linglong Tire's Guangxi plant comes into operation on May 6,2015, which realized Linglong Tire's "3+3" strategy in domestic market.
According to Wang Feng, chairman of Linglong Tire, the company plans to build up three plants in Mainland China. Two are in Shandong Province, one near our headquarters in Zhaoyuan and the other in Dezhou. The third plant is in Guangxi Province.
After Guangxi palnt's completion, the company will have the capacity to produce about 65 million PCR (radial passenger and light truck) units a year in China. About 40 million of that comes from Zhaoyuan. We also can produce 10 million radial truck tires annually, and about 1.5 million bias tires, which include trailer tires, some small diameter golf cart tires, some light truck tires and about 200,000 industrial tires.
About 50% of our production is for domestic use. Our plan for the future is 70% of our total production will be dedicated outside of China.
Meanwhile, Linglong Tire also plans to build up three plants overseas, according to their "3+3" strategy.
The first one has been chosen to set up in Thailand, which is already up and running.
The plant in Thailand could produce 8 million PCR tires and 600,000 radial truck tires this year. When all the phases are completed, it will be able to manufacture 12 million PCR tires and 1.2 million truck tires.
Wang said, the Thailand factory is dedicated to outside of the China market. In that case, the company could export tires to any country, although if a new tariff on Chinese exports is implemented in the U.S., we may export 100% of the production to the United States. For the long-term plan, that could change. For Linglong, the long-term strategy is to compete in a global market. The most important thing is we want to develop such a brand that’s recognized globally by everybody.
Sunthon Chaemthong handles a tire in the curing area of Linglong’s new plant in Thailand. Although still under construction, it is aleady producing radial passenger tires.
Sunthon Chaemthong handles a tire in the curing area of Linglong’s new plant in Thailand. Although still under construction, it is aleady producing radial passenger tires."
By the end of 2020, Linglong Tire will have a total of six tire factories, Wang said, "We are still investigating which areas or which countries we will build them in".
