When American Omni Trading Co. (AOT) wanted to showcase how well its new Thunderer Mach I Plus and its Americus Recon Tour tires perform, it invited several key customers to MSR Houston Speedway in Texas to give them a first-hand experience of the tires’ capabilities.
The dealers also heard directly from AOT executives about the tire lines before participating in the ride-and-drive event.
AOT CEO Tom Brackin started off the event by telling dealers that “our job is to make it easy for you to go to market with our tires.”
He said AOT wants its customers to be confident and comfortable selling its tires.
Brackin said both the Thunderer and Americus tire lines are manufactured for AOT by Deestone Co. Ltd., headquartered in Thailand.
To illustrate the importance of the event, Deestone CEO Jane Vongsariyavanich, as well as CMO Ying Ongpaisanratsamee and three other officials from the company, were in attendance.
Deestone currently has three factories in Thailand.
Brackin said AOT has been sourcing tires from Deestone since 1994.
He told MTD during the event that AOT owns the molds for both the Americus and Thunderer tire lines. AOT distributes its Americus tire line through multiple dealers, while the Thunderer line goes through regional wholesalers, according to Brackin.
Both Tom Brackin and his son, Chris, who is the president of AOT, said the two brands are in the “tier four-plus market segment, but are quickly moving up to tier-three" status.
Jon Vance, AOT director of business development, said, “Our job is to follow the market and be proactive. It all starts with ‘why’?”
The “why,” according to Vance, is the input the company has received from its dealers requesting newer designs and a portfolio that is easier to stock and easier to sell.
Vance also said, “Consumers are increasingly seeking out value-priced products without sacrificing safety and reliability.”
That is the segment that both the Americus and Thunderer lines of tires serve.
In looking at its product portfolio, AOT has consolidated its Thunderer Mach I, Mach II, Mach III and Mach IV lines into its Mach I Plus touring tire line. The Mach V UHP tire and the Ranger 007 tire for SUV, CUV and light duty trucks round out the line.
On the Americus side, the Touring Plus and Sport HP have been consolidated into the Recon Tour line.
The ride-and-drive event consisted of a wet handling course, with the Thunderer Mach I Plus tire being fitted to a BMW 3-series car, as well as a second BMW 3-series car fitted with a tier-two tire for comparison purposes. For the dry handling portion, the Thunderer Mach I Plus was used, along with the Thunderer Mach V UHP tire.
The Mach 1 Plus is a premium touring tire engineered for sedans, CUVs, and SUVs, “giving drivers a quiet and comfortable ride, with great handling and a long tread life,” American Omni said when the tire was first introduced at the SEMA Show in 2022.
Jim Fleckner, AOT director of product development, said the tire features wide circumferential grooves, a specially formulated high silica compound and high-density siping for excellent traction in rain and light snow conditions. A five-rib design with a strategically grooved center rib gives the tire grip and steering control, said Fleckner. He added that the tire’s low noise makes it a good candidate for hybrid vehicles.
Both the Mach 1 Plus and Recon Tour come in more than 40 popular sizes, ranging from 14 inches to 20 inches in diameter, and feature a 70,000-mile warranty.
As with all AOT tires, they carry the No Questions Asked, 25/365 Free Replacement Limited Protection Policy that will fully cover (100% credit) all eligible Americus and Thunderer brand passenger, light truck and specialty trailer tires, should one become unserviceable due to defective workmanship, materials, road hazard or a condition other than those listed below during the first 25% of usable treadwear or one year from date of purchase, whichever occurs first.
