Petlas consumer tires are coming to the United States. And Gus Lima is the man responsible.
Lima, president of Oriente Triangle Latin America Inc., is also CEO of the Latin Expo Group LLC, which organizes several tradeshows. He is responsible for bringing the Latin American and Caribbean Tyre Expo, Latin Auto Parts Expo and North American Tire & Retread Expo to life.
Despite his success as both an independent tire distributor in Latin America and tradeshow organizer, he says he has dreamed of distributing an exclusive line in the U.S. Petlas Tire Industry and Trade Co. made that happen by offering its nearly full-line of passenger and light truck tires to Lima and Marco Zigni, principals in the new Oriente Tire USA LLC.
"It was on my bucket list," says Lima, who will run the company out of Miami. "I feel there is room in the U.S. for a high-quality European tire, a Tier 2.1 tire marketed at a competitive price. Petlas is produced in Turkey, so the tires don’t have trade barriers into this country. It was the perfect storm for us."
Oriente Tire USA will be distributing the following lines:
Passenger
- PT311-Elegant
- PT515-Imperium
- PT525-Progreen
- PT535 Imperium
- PT711 Velos Sport
- PT721 Velox Sport
- PT731 Velox Sport
- PT741 Velox Sport (also in run-flat)
- W601 Snow Master
- W651 Snow Master
- PT555 Multi Action (four season)
4x4 SUV
- PT411 Explero A/S
- PT421 Explero A/T
- PT431 Explero H/T
- W671 Explero ( MS winter)
Light truck radial
- PT825 Full Power
- PT825 Full Power Plus
- PT835 Full Power
- PT875 Advente MS
- PT925 Full Grip (MS winter)
- PT935 Full Grip (winter tire)
- PT945 Full Grip (winter tire)
Thanks to expanded production, the plant, based in Kırşehir, Turkey, has enough capacity to supply the U.S. with a nearly full-line of passenger tires, including ultra-high performance, winter and run-flat tires. The light truck tire line covers segments from highway-terrain to 4x4 SUV.
"Key U.S. market LT/SUV sizes are scheduled to be introduced in 2019," he says. Only larger sizes in the all-season passenger tire line and a mud-terrain tire are missing from the lineup; Lima says plans "are being formulated to introduce those tires to the market."
"We are interviewing for a team to run the company in the U.S.," says Lima. "We are looking for a president to put together a sales and marketing team, with our full support."
Petlas and Starmaxx agricultural and OTR tires will continue to be distributed separately by Petlas Tire USA LLC, which is located in Cheyenne, Wyo. But Lima says the two companies will work together when possible.
For more information, check out "Petlas Names Oriente Tire Its Exclusive Distributor of Consumer Tires in the U.S."
