As the markets it serves continue to improve, Titan International Inc. will be there for its customers, Paul Reitz, the company's president and CEO, tells MTD.

MTD: Can you bring us up to speed on Titan's business in the U.S. this year? What have been some of the company's challenges and achievements?

Reitz: You control what you can control and do the best you can and in that regard, you move forward and you feel like you're making progress. I think Titan's done a good job of it. (With) a lot of our plants, we create initiatives that are based upon ... how can we better serve the customer. So how can we improve our quality, our scraps, our fill rates and our first yield pass? How can we continue to innovate and better serve our customers? I feel like Titan has done a good job in accomplishing that this year - in particular, in Des Moines. We've made some pretty significant investments that have led to improvements in Bryan. (Editor’s note: Among other locations, Titan has plants in Des Moines, Iowa, and Bryan, Ohio.) We've continued to invest in very significant ways that have improved our performance. Out of our Aiken plant, we're servicing our customers better than we ever have.

At Titan, we feel like we have to continue to invest in our products ... our innovation. And so when I look at it from my vantage point - and from the board of directors' standpoint - we do not curtail investment that will make us better at servicing our customers. We will continue to do that. We will invest in innovation, we'll invest in our plants, we'll invest in our people - trying to make sure we're better serving our customers. So I feel like in what we control, we have continued to make some good strides. 

The other part of the question is the outside world - the external forces at play. And they're constant. For Titan, it’s not just the U.S. perspective of those external geopolitical forces. We operate in most places around the world. It's everywhere. We're all in the same game. No matter what country you sit in, it is a highly uncertain, volatile landscape. And you look at the U.S. farmer ... a lot of the products we produce in the U.S. go that direction. They're in the middle of it. You know, right now (China President Jinping Xi and (U.S. President Donald) Trump are meeting. (Editor’s note: this interview was conducted in May.) One of the hot topics that they’re going to be negotiating over is soybeans and the purchases that China has agreed to make in the past. We see some positive things that are coming. I could talk about the (Iran) War and all the impact it has on energy. Interest rates have been highly volatile. We thought rates were coming down. Who knows? Even with wars coming in, they might not. Those external forces are tough and it's tough on farmers, it's tough on our customers and it has (presented) challenges for our company. So when you ask about challenges, I tie a lot of the challenges to all these external forces that are just moving at a rapid pace. I didn't even bring up tariffs, but obviously tariffs have had a big impact, as well. 

MTD: I think it’s safe to say that for the U.S. ag tire market, last year was fairly challenging. Do you expect to see a turnaround this year? And if so, what factors will contribute to that?

Reitz: I think if you look at the factors of just inventory management and the correction that has taken place as used equipment's been worked through, I think that dealers - the well-capitalized dealers - have done a very good job of making sure that used (equipment) is continuing to healthily move through the market, making way for new. Obviously, the new hasn't really kicked in. A lot of it's highly correlated, as we all know, to farmer income.

Do we have any indications or forecasts that it's going to turn in 2026? To be honest, you're going back to what we just said previously. There are so many external forces that are volatile right now. We're not really even predicting or trying to say if it's going to happen this year or not. It may or may not. We need to be able to handle whatever comes at us. If we do see that uptick, we need to be able to take care of our customers. Likewise, if it doesn't happen, are we managing our plants and still servicing our customers the right way to be able to keep our costs in line with where demands is at? And so I don't have a static position to answer your question. I'm kind of telling you internally how we approach it. We need to be prepared for wherever it may go. And I think that's how we've been running Titan ... how we position it with our investors and with our board of directors. 

I do think a turn is coming. I really do. Again, I could give you 10 reasons why I believe it. I think those factors are meaningful. I think they're stacking up, they're lining up and the day will come. I think our farmers are going to get some support. They're going to get some things bouncing their way. Human psychology is when things are bad, it's always going to stay bad. When things are good, like the stock market now, it's always going to stay good. We both know neither of those statements are true, right? 

MTD: Looking at the OTR tire market, replacement demand in the U.S. was a little more robust during 2025, especially in the construction segment. Do you expect to see sustained demand in OTR replacement this year? 

Reitz: I do. I think OTR is operating on different fundamentals. We have solid infrastructure support. The need to continue to invest in those areas from the business and the government landscape is really strong. I think that's going to be the case. In the U.S., in Europe ... wherever you turn, there's going to be a lot of government support and business support for continuing to make sure that our populations are being better served. Take kind of the springboard that comes from government infrastructure support. Businesses are really good at following that, as well. So I think construction will stay in a pretty healthy place - maybe little ticks up or down here or there, but I think there's a really good foundation for that to continue to be in a good position. 

MTD: Titan announced that its Jackson, Tenn., plant will close this year. Why is Titan closing the plant? Will production be transferred to other facilities or does it just exit the footprint completely? Does this signal a bigger restructuring of Titan's overall U.S. manufacturing footprint? 

Reitz: It’s always tough closing a plant, no matter who you are. For us, it's a difficult process and it's not something that I think is a total surprise to our investors – to people looking at Titan from the outside. When we did the Carlstar acquisition, we brought together two really strong companies that have great presence in U.S. manufacturing. But you start looking at the capacity that is available in the U.S.. Why didn't we do it right after the acquisition? To be honest with you, a lot had to do with tariffs. When the (Trump) administration was implementing tariffs, we didn't know what that would mean exactly. Would it bring back a resurgence of U.S. manufacturing? I think at one point, if you asked some folks last year, there was a thought that's what the administration was going to succeed at doing ... that there would be this resurgence in U.S. manufacturing. Has it resulted in that? I think when you look at all the employment figures, the answer is no. There's been a reduction in industrial jobs. 

To answer your question about, 'Are we going to continue to produce those products?', the answer is yes. We have the ability to do it in other plants. In our manufacturing, we're not doing semiconductor chips. We're not just doing assembly of components that can be produced by others. We're taking raw materials and converting them into a finished good. The tariff policies didn't have the direct impact that were intended. They've now been rolled back. And so we looked at it and said, 'We have the capacity. We have the capabilities to produce those products at other plants. This is the best decision.' Some of the people who were employed at Jackson will have opportunities and are taking the opportunity to move to some other Titan locations, but we will continue to produce all those products. Some of it will obviously stay in the U.S. It will go to our Union City, Tenn., plant ... to Des Moines. Some of it will go to our overseas facilities. The administration's tariff policies are the reason for that - not what we desire to do.

MTD: You mentioned the Des Moines plant a minute ago. How's the investment there coming along?

Reitz: We just had the Economic Development Authority of Iowa through there. The folks out of Des Moines who make all the decisions economically came and visited our plant just last week. They're close with the governor's office and were excited. They were highly impressed and proud. I think that's the best way I would describe what's going on in Des Moines. We're really proud of it. We've made tremendous investments in that facility. If you looked at where it was 10 years ago to where it is today, it has been completely redesigned. Our efficiencies - our capabilities - are all much higher. And what we're doing in Des Moines is we're saying, 'Look, this is going to be a plant ... (that will) be one of the best in the world.' And we're getting there. We are with our redesigns, the products ... some of the products we're producing there, we can do them highly efficiently, effectively and (with a) great team. It’s been multi, multi years of one, making the investments - some really high-tech pieces of equipment coming in there - but also with the team (and) what they've done. I don't want to overlook that part. We have an incredible team. We’re proud of what they're doing. Customers are proud of it. 

We have to keep moving forward. We have to compete in a global landscape. You can't expect tariffs to help you. We have to go figure out how we (continue to compete) on a global stage. And that's what we're using Des Moines as - a flagship to do that. We're going to keep on that path and are really proud of what we're doing. 

MTD: Let's talk about Carlstar. How's that integration coming along? What does the addition and the integration of Carlstar bring to Titan and Titan's customers?

Reitz: We do spend quite a bit of time studying and analyzing moves like this before we do it. And one of the key elements behind it - as were talking about with our management team and working with our board of directors - was they have a great group of people (and a) strong manufacturing footprint. That's a very similar culture as to who Titan is and that makes it much easier to accomplish and have a successful integration when you can bring companies that operate in similar ways together. You can start running instead of having to slow down and kind of figure out who you're going to be. I think we've been very effective at saying, ‘OK, we know who we are because we're very similar. Let's just run faster at doing it.’  And so that part I think we've done. I think it's gone very well. We are going to continue to do more.

If you think about who Titan is now, you know, we cover ATD and UTV (tires) ... we do turf work (all the) way up to small ag and dairy ... and get into large ag tractors combines. You combine that with our wheel business that does the same and we are a one-stop shop in two regards. With our product portfolio, we can service the market in all aspects. Our vice president of sales likes to say there are about 400 different tires that a farm could typically use. We make like 375. So the proof is in the pudding and we do have those capabilities.

What we’ve learned from Carlstar is they were very effective at how they took this one stop-shop with their product portfolio and the segments they were serving and how they distributed to the market. They had a very effective distribution channel mechanism with their distribution centers that had their product availability (that’s) second-to-none in the industry here in the U.S. And now for us, it's just how much more can we continue to grow  that? And I think that's where both teams get excited is that we have a good footprint. We have a similar culture. The people have come together now. What's that next step? How do we continue to put that foot on the gas and grow? It’s exciting. When I meet with our team (at) legacy Titan plants or meet with our folks from Carlstar, there is a sense of excitement about, ‘There's a lot of room for opportunity in the future.' It's creating the opportunities for them and letting them run with it. 

MTD: Titan recently entered the track market. Can you talk a little bit about that?

Reitz: How we look at it is, 'Between our own manufacturing plants - (and) the partners, we work with, our joint ventures - where is there a need in the marketplace (and) how can we service it?’ And then we look at that need and go, ‘OK, do we have the capabilities and in any of those capacities to do that?’ And if the answer is yes, then we'll quickly make the decision. Tracks is one of those areas. We’re starting off with some of the lighter industrial-type tracks and we'll kind of see where it goes from there. A lot of our capabilities will allow us to continue to serve more products and more niches than we currently are now. Again, it just takes a little bit of time on the technical side getting everything aligned. But I think that's a good example where we just have to continue. I call it innovation, but it's a little bit deeper than that. I'm excited about where it's going. Our team's excited.

MTD: What can we expect to see from Titan during the rest of the year and into 2027?

Reitz: We’ll continue to be focused on our people, our products, our plants and our innovation. I am hopeful as we start talking about 2027, the markets will turn. I think this global noise - the geopolitical forces in play, the struggles the farmers have had - are going to turn in a more positive way. Is it going to be snap-of-your-fingers overnight? I'm not necessarily saying that. But I think we have to look at it optimistically to say that the forces are aligning in a number of important ways that give us a foundation that if we get some positive movement, I really think the market can start turning. And I think that's where Titan has to be positioned. 

So as I look to 2027, we have to be positioned to be able to handle that. It's the best problem in the world to have ... that your customers need you. But it's also something (where) you don't just wake up on a Tuesday morning and it just happens. You have to be ready to run hard. You have to be able to do things and push your team and push yourselves to take care of those customers' needs. And I think that moment's coming. I think the markets are going to improve. I think the farmers are ... they've had a tough challenge over the last three years now. I think there's going to be a point where they start to get some relief and Titan has to be there to help them with that. Our team is geared up for it. Like I said, it's not something you just wake up and go do. You have to be prepared to do it. And so I think as I look to 2027, I am ensuring our team is ready to do that. As markets improve, we'll be there for our customers.