In this MTD exclusive, Tom Clark, president of Ascenso Tires North America, discusses the company's big achievements this year and provides a preview of what's next.

MTD: Can you update us on Ascenso's performance in the U.S. during 2026 so far? What have been some of the company's challenges and achievements?

Clark: It's been a good year so far and a busy one. We started 2026 with real momentum and it's continued to build. After navigating a tough tariff environment in 2025, we made a deliberate decision to position ourselves as the steady hand for our dealers when things became unpredictable. That approach is paying off. We've kept growing, added the right people and gotten closer to our dealers, which is really the whole game for us. More people are giving Ascenso a try, our brand keeps showing up in new places and the dealers we've brought on are sticking with us. That tells us we're building the right way.

A few things have really driven that growth. We expanded our U.S. warehouse capacity by around 20% because we learned in 2025 that having product on the shelf when a dealer needs it is everything. We also built more flexibility into our ERP and partner communication systems, which let us enter 2026 with customized programs for individual customers. That's helped a lot of partners consolidate their business with Ascenso. On the product side, we've grown from a focused ag tire company into a full supplier. Ascenso has one mega- plant that manufacturers all our products and provides customers with the opportunity to mix and match all categories of products into a single order. We now offer radial OTR and solid tires and through the summer we'll be releasing a complete range of E4/L4 and L5 mining tires, all the way up to the 35/65R33 - all in just our fourth year of existence. That's a big deal for our partners because it truly makes us a one-stop shop.

But honestly, what we're most proud of is our team. Great strategy only works if great people execute it and we've been fortunate to have exactly that. 

MTD: What's your take on the state of the replacement OTR and ag tire segments? What are you hearing from your distributors and dealers?

Clark: Mixed, but not gloomy. On the ag side, farmers are being smart with their money and waiting a beat before they buy - totally understandable given everything going on. A long, heavy winter in Canada and the Northeast left some dealers sitting on more inventory than they'd like and drought conditions across parts of the U.S. haven't helped sell-through. OTR has held up better. Construction tied to energy infrastructure and AI data center buildouts has kept things moving and demand fairly steady.

That said, there are real bright spots. Dealers who stocked up on the right sizes last year are growing year-over-year right now. They made a smart call and it's paying off. And we're cautiously optimistic that Farm Bill funds flowing to farmers later this year adds another boost to the ag market.

What we're hearing most consistently from our partners is simple: they want quality they can trust, they want it in stock and they want a partner who picks up the phone. That's exactly what we're built to do. Our distribution model helps, too. Dealers can protect their margins, build a strong local brand and earn repeat business from end users. In a tough market, that's been critical to keeping our dealers successful financially.

MTD: Did the Trump tariffs have an impact on Ascenso's supply chain? What investments are you making in your supply chain and manufacturing capabilities?

Clark: Tariffs make everybody do a little more math - no question. The frequent changes and varying structures across countries added real complexity - in some cases, making certain products unviable at competitive margins and making demand forecasting a lot harder as customers got more cautious. One silver lining has been that logistics costs stayed relatively low due to softer overall demand, which helped off-set some pressure elsewhere. Our response has been to plan further out and stay flexible instead of getting caught flat-footed. We're investing on both ends - in our manufacturing capabilities and in our supply and distribution infrastructure here in the States.

A practical example is a freight analysis tool we implemented that automatically compares shipping quotes and finds the best option. It sounds simple, but it saved us real money at a time when freight costs were elevated. The goal with all of it is to keep products flowing steadily so a dealer in Ohio or Texas knows exactly what's coming and when.

MTD: Ascenso has a big presence in OTR, ag and material handling. Do you plan to put more emphasis on your TBR tire range?

Clark: Our focus stays off-the-road - ag, OTR (and) material handling. That's where we're strongest and where we'll keep pushing. We do support TBR through our partnership with ZC Rubber, offering over 100 SKUs, including a complete mixed-service portfolio available both on a direct container basis and out of our stateside facilities. But TBR isn't where we're pointing the ship. So while TBR isn't the center of our story, it's a part of how we support our dealers. The goal has always been to make doing business with Ascenso as easy and complete as possible and having a solid TBR offering helps us do exactly that.

MTD: In 2024, Ascenso rolled out its Farm Service Technician program. How was that received? What other investments are you making in your dealer network?

Clark: Really well - better than we hoped. The idea was simple: get out from behind the desk and into the field, where our techs help dealers with fitment, service and getting the most out of the tire right there on the farm. Dealers liked that we came to help, not just to sell. It was instrumental in positioning Ascenso as a brand that genuinely understands the importance of service and how much this industry depends on the people doing that work every day.

We've built on that with our (very-high flexion) VF (tire) market events, putting our VF tires in front of farmers and dealers so they can see the pay-off first hand: running higher loads at lower air pressure, which is easier on the field and on equipment.

Looking ahead, we're investing in a dealer portal that goes well beyond basic price and availability. Dealers will be able to manage warranties, track customer rebates, build shopping carts and access selling tools and market intelligence right from their phones. The thread through all of it is the same: train our people, support our dealers and stay consistent. When our dealers win, we win.

MTD: What can we expect from Ascenso for the rest of 2026 and into next year?

Clark: More new products, a wider footprint and more support for the people who sell and service our tires. Most people in the industry would describe Ascenso right now as the new kid on the block making waves, (with a) fresh product portfolio, one of the lowest warranty rates in the industry and a distribution strategy that's genuinely different.

As we move into 2027, the work we've been doing in product strategy, channel development and technology to boost customer service will be the primary reason you hear from customers about why they want to be associated with Ascenso. We're playing the long game - building something dependable rather than chasing a quick splash.