Prinx Chengshan Tire North America (PCTNA) continues to invest in products, manufacturing and distribution, Samuel Felberbaum, the company's president, tells MTD.
MTD: How has PCTNA’s business been so far in 2026? What have been some of the company’s challenges and achievements?
Felberbaum: In 2026, our PLT business continues to be strong. Our TBR business started slower than anticipated due to customer inventory levels being higher than anticipated in 1Q, but has rebounded in a positive direction in Q2 and we look forward to this positive momentum continuing for the remainder of 2026. We’ve also moved our STR (specialty trailer radial tire) molds from Chnia to Thailand to be more price competitive. Some of our challenges have been navigating the governmental changes in tariff rulings and the conflict in the Middle East from an ocean freight standpoint. My goal – and PCTNA’s goal – is to maintain consistent pricing for our customers, which has been a challenge.
From an achievement standpoint, we continue to add customers in the U.S. and Canada because there's demand for both the Prinx and Fortune brands. We're looking for ways to continue to fill the open areas we have in both countries.
MTD: What's your assessment of the PLT and TBR markets in the U.S. at the moment? What are you hearing from your distributors and dealers?
Felberbaum: We're hearing that consumers and commercial customers continue to have limited funds and therefore tires in our segment continue to be in high demand ... and our value is resonating with customers. I believe that this will continue for the foreseeable future. Our customers are very pleased with our new consumer Fortune and Prinx 4S and AT2 products and they’ve been very well-received by consumers at large.
MTD: You parent company continues to invest in manufacturing. How's the new plant in Malaysia coming along? Is construction on schedule and is the plant still on track to begin production in October? Why is this an important development for PCTNA and its customers?
Felberbaum: From November 2025, when I was there for the groundbreaking, to today, the plant is actually rising out of the ground. Recent photos that have been sent to me have shown that we have the foundations in place for both the PLT and TBR factories. Construction is on schedule. I was just at our head office in China at the end of April and was told that all is on track. Our first tire is still scheduled to roll out in October. This is important for PCTNA and its customers because demand for Prinx and Fortune is very high. (The plant) will help us supply our customers’ needs and will allow us to bring new products to life with the additional capacity that is allocated for the U.S. and Canadian markets. In the next 24 months, we’ll be rolling out new HP (high performance), UHP (ultra-high performance) and H/T (highway-terrain) tires, so it will be really exciting for PCTNA and our customers. We will also have new closed shoulder and open shoulder drive (TBR) tires for the commercial market (in) both brands.
MTD: Can you bring us up to speed on PCTNA's distribution center in Kentucky? Is PCTNA's California warehouse project still on track?
Felberbaum: The new distribution center in Kentucky started slower than anticipated, but we are now rolling and we are pleased with our sellout. In terms of California, we’re looking at many options and will be pushing this back into 2027, unless we receive an offer we can’t refuse.
MTD: Why are these initiatives important for your company?
Felberbaum: There are needs that come up and having warehouse distribution allows our customers to remain consistent with our products when the end user wants them. It’s really important to have warehouse distribution.
MTD: We saw the announcement about PCTNA’s partnership with Gnosis Freight. Can you talk a little bit about the partnership with Gnosis and the company's artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled capabilities? Do you foresee other applications for AI In PCTNA’s business?
Felberbaum: Mark Chandler, our vice president of supply chain, interviewed many companies and Gnosis was the winner. It has been a fantastic container tracking tool for us and our customers, providing excellent visibility from the moment the container gets on the ship until it’s delivered to our customers' door. Our customers are telling us that the visibility is helping them manager the inbound flow or Fortune or Prinx containers, depending on the customer. They know exactly what products will arrive and the quantities for each SKU. It has been a game-changer for us.
In terms of other types of AI applications within our business, I do see some for our back office items, such as automated invoice reconciliation and invoice approvals. But nothing – and I mean noting – will supplant face-to-face interactions with our customers and prospective customers as long as I'm in this position at PCTNA.
MTD: What can we expect to see form PCTNA during the rest of 2026 and into next year?
Felberbaum: PCTNA offers Prinx and Fortune brands to the U.S. and Canada. We have great products in the PLT, STR and TBR segments to meet commercial and consumer needs. Our product lines are deep and we'll continue to add sizes to our PLT and TBR line-ups as needed. PCTNA’s goal is to continue to provide the highest-quality products (and) best service and the commitment of my team is second to none.
