Hangzhou Zhongce Rubber Co. Ltd. says it has found "no reason to believe" that the tires it built that are under recall by Foreign Tire Sales Inc. (FTS) are "defective or dangerous."
Hangzhou issued the following statement earlier today, July 6:
"Hangzhou Zhongce Rubber Co. Ltd. has been committed to producing quality products for approximately 50 years and has received internationally recognized certification for its quality control systems.
"Although our light truck radial (LTR) tires -- including Westlake, Compass, and YKS brands -- meet or exceed all U.S. safety and quality standards, we place product safety above all else and fully support taking voluntary measures, when necessary, to evaluate safety concerns preemptively.
"We are investigating the allegations and have found no reason to believe that our tires are defective or dangerous.
"Hangzhou Zhongce is fully engaged with the United States National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) on this important matter and will continue to cooperate fully with NHTSA. Our cooperation is with NHTSA. We respectfully disagree with the conclusions of Foreign Tire Sales Inc.
"We remain steadfast in our commitment to provide all of our customers with excellent quality, safe and reliable products, and outstanding service."
FTS plans to start recalling up to 450,000 Hangzhou-manufactured tires on July 16.
