FRANKLIN, Tenn.—“A seed on steroids” is how Ding YuHua, chairman of Triangle Group Co. Ltd., described plans of his company to expand its business and build its brand globally.
The cornerstone of that business plan was laid Nov. 2 at a ribbon-cutting ceremony in Franklin for Triangle Tire U.S.A. L.L.C., the U.S. sales company for Triangle.
Triangle Tire North America is a 75/25 joint venture between Triangle—third largest tire maker in China and 14th largest in the world—and Oriente Triangle, the Miami-based distributor of the Triangle brand throughout Latin America.
Accompanying Ding at the ceremony were many Chinese and U.S. dignitaries, including Gustavo Lima, CEO of Oriente Triangle Latin America Inc.; Zhao XiDian, deputy mayor of Weihai, China, Triangle's headquarters city; Ken Moore, mayor of Franklin; Rogers Anderson, mayor of Williamson County, Tenn.; and Matt Largen of the Williamson County Chamber of Commerce.
On April 8—traditionally the Buddha's birthday—Triangle will celebrate its 40th anniversary in Weihai, Ding said at the ceremony, noting the company distributes its tires in more than 170 countries.
Triangle Tire USA will coordinate its efforts with those of A3T L.L.C., its Akron technical liaison office, which employs more than 20, he said. This is in keeping with Triangle's commitment to technological advancement, Ding said.
Triangle has the only national laboratory for tires in China, he claimed. The company holds more than 340 patents in China and more than 80 worldwide, and in 2008 won China's National Technology Prize for its new tire technology, he said.