Private-brand tire marketer Keter Tire USA is planning to expand the size range of its NeoTerra passenger and light-truck tire lines by as many as 130 SKUs over the coming 15 months, starting in September.
The company, a subsidiary of China's Qingdao Keter Tyre Co. Ltd., is planning to add 10 to 15 SKUs every month to the line "for the foreseeable future," covering sizes ranging from 16 to 24 inches in rim diameter, according to Keter CEO Rick Phillips.
Qingdao Keter founded Keter Tire USA and launched the NeoTerra brand in inJune 2020. The first 20 new SKUs should be available for order in September, Mr. Phillips said, and will comprise new sizes for the NeoTrax-AT (eight SKUs), NeoMax-MT (five), NeoMax-RT (four), NeoSport-UHP (two) and NeoTour-HP (one).Qingdao Keter sources the NeoTerra line from Jiangsu General Science Technology Co. Ltd.'s recently opened plant in Thailand.
"This is great news for us and a significant step forward," Mr. Phillips said. "The impact of COVID slowed the development plan a bit, but we are happy to be back on track and actually looking to make up some ground this year."
The expansion calls for 15 new SKUs in November, 15 more each in January and February 2022, and 10 each in March, April, May and June 2022. When the expansion is complete, Keter will have added 53 SKUs to its NeoSport-UHP line.
Mr. Phillips said Nashville-based Keter has been "working on a revised plan with our development team and the factory and were able to get everyone on board with the scope and time frame of the project."
Last November, Keter launched two drive tires in its Neoterra truck/bus tire line: the CD301 closed-shoulder and OD311 open-shoulder. The product features an extra wide footprint for handling and stability and a tread design that delivers smooth and even wear, according to the company.
More details on the line expansion are available at neoterratireusa.com.
Qingdao Keter Tyre, founded in 2009 in Qingdao, China, specializes in distributing a number of Chinese tire brands around the world.
