Sourcing Tires from China

The tire industry in China has seen incredible opportunity and expansion in the last few years and has emerged globally as the largest manufacturer, exporter, and consumer of tires. Chinese domestic demand for automobiles can be attributed for the lion share of the success of the tire industry but obstacles remain. This blog will give you a brief introduction to sourcing tires from China and the different standardizations required.

International and Domestic Standardization

One of the barriers to exporting tires is obtaining the different required certificates to meet the standards of the destination country. Some of the tire manufacturing certificates ensuring different levels of international and domestic quality are:

• TS16949
• ISO9001
• ISO14001
• ECE
• DOT

This certification method of standardization is created by national organizations, like the European Tyre and Rim Technical Organization (ETRTO) and the Tire and Rim Association (TRA) for the European Union and the US respectively.  Some of those listed above are ISO technical specifications, while others are national regulations, like Economic Commission of Europe (ECE) for the EU and the Department of Transportation (DOT) for the US. These national regulatory bodies can enforce these regulations to ensure that quality is provided for maximum safety.

Chinese Tire Manufacturer
(source: Business Insider)

ECE Certificate

When exporting to the EU, there are several codes that must be verified. Chinese tire manufacturers have to obtain a specific certificate, the ECE certificate in order to export to the EU.  The ECE certificate indicates uniformities are in line with the European Union tire codes in the following areas:

• Physical dimensions
• Sidewall branding
• Durability
• High-speed endurance requirements
• Sound generated by rolling tires
• Wet traction

In order to be ECE certified, the parts must be tested by an authorized organization to verify the European required safety standards are met. ECE certification is complicated and an intricate process across many dimensions, so if you want to read more then check out the next blog that is more in depth about ECE tire codes.

International Tire Expo

If you’re interested in sourcing tires from China, you might also be interested in the annual International Rubber Tire and Automobile Accessories Exhibition in Guangrao, Shandong, located south of Beijing. This exposition attracts more than 450 domestic and international enterprises over the three-day period and is expanding every year. Guangrao has named itself as the center of tire manufacturing due to manufactured tires being a pillar of industry in the region.

I hope this blog has been informative to those of you interested in Chinese tire manufacturing and sourcing. Please don't hesitate to comment, we would love to hear your thoughts about sourcing tires from China.