MTD Mid-Year Q&A: Nitto 'Committed to Making Bold Decisions’
Keiko Brockel, president and CEO of Nitto Tire U.S.A., discusses the pillars of Nitto’s strategy, including the company's focus on dealers.
MTD: Can you bring us up to speed on Nitto's performance so far this year? What have some of the company's achievements and challenges been?
Brockel: 2025 is off to a strong start, with solid growth compared to last year with a growth of 8.5%. A key driver has been the continued strength of the Nitto brand and the loyalty it has earned in the market, which I personally view as second to none.
However, we are facing the same challenges that our customers are. The news is full of reports about economic uncertainty, tariffs and changing consumer behavior – and things seem to change daily, making it harder to plan for the long term. So contingency planning and flexibility will be key. We are committed to making bold decisions that prioritize long-term growth over short-term gains.
But most importantly, our focus at Nitto remains the same: people. Our success has always come from the loyalty of our customers, the passion of our Enthusiast Circuit (dealer program) members and our relationships with our partners. I am committed to continuing to focus on people and building our trust with them in everything we do.
MTD: What's your take on the state of the U.S. consumer tire market? What's demand like? What are you hearing from your customers?
Brockel: Demand for our core products has remained strong and that reflects the strength of the Nitto brand. We’ve built a brand that stands out in the market and customers continue to respond to that. At the same time, we’re seeing more focus on value. But value today goes beyond just low prices. Customers are looking for quality, performance, design and features that matter to them. So we listened to the market’s demand for value and responded with an increased warranty on our new Terra Grappler G3 product, featuring our best limited treadwear warranty of 70,000 miles for hard metric sizes and 55,000 miles for LT/flotation sizes.
MTD: Nitto continues to maintain a steady cadence of new product roll-outs, most recently with the Terra Grappler G3. Why is this important for both Nitto and its distributors and dealers?
Brockel: The all-terrain light truck segment continues to be a core part of the market and the Terra Grappler G3 is our answer to what today’s consumer is really looking for: value that goes beyond price. We took everything that made the Terra Grappler strong and made it even better. Our key words in answering this demand for value are 'manufactured in America; up to (a) 70,000-mile warranty; 3PMS (3-Peak Mountain Snowflake) certification; a full power line of sizes on the way; and an innovative design with quiet performance.' It’s a tire designed to give customers confidence in their purchase and to give our dealers a strong, competitive product they can stand behind. We believe the Terra Grappler G3 is the best light truck tire we’ve ever built and we’re proud of what it brings to the market.
MTD: As you mentioned, Nitto continues to invest in its Enthusiast Circuit dealer program. Are you planning to add new features to the program in 2025?
Brockel: Associate dealer programs continue to grow in importance across the industry and I’ll be the first to say there’s room for us to improve. We’re putting focused efforts into elevating the Enthusiast Circuit to match the same high-touch marketing approach that’s made Nitto so successful with consumers. As the count of member dealers grows, it will further accelerate our business growth. My goal is for the Enthusiast Circuit to become one of the strongest dealer programs in the industry, but with Nitto’s unique style. We’re starting by listening closely to our distributor partners and current Enthusiast Circuit members to learn how we can improve and better serve them. We’re committed to making the right moves in 2025, so stay tuned.
MTD: What can we expect to see from Nitto during the rest of 2025?
Brockel: For the rest of 2025, Nitto will stay flexible as the market continues to shift, but our focus stays the same. We remain committed to the people we serve: our customers, our Enthusiast Circuit members and our partners. As a lean organization, we work with a selective group of elite customers and partners. That’s why building trust, strengthening relationships and delivering real value in every interaction are our top priorities. That commitment drives us and will keep us moving forward.