Turkey's Ozka Tires to increase capacity in early 2020

Izmet, Turkey — Turkey's Özka Lastik ve Kauçuk, a manufacturer of specialty tires and products for the retreading industry, is planning to increase its radial tire production capacity by 55% early next year, with the addition of its second factory in Turkey.

Capacity today stands at 130 tonnes of tires per day.

Özka Tire produces 318 SKUs of bias and radial tractor front, tractor rear, harvester, garden-field, trailer, industrial, light truck and military tires, most of which are tires for industrial vehicles working on difficult field conditions. The tire maker employs 900.

Özka did not elaborate on its plans for a second factory.

Özka said it exports a significant part of its capacity to more than 80 countries. It said it has experienced 440% export growth since 2017. The tire maker said it offers a limited five-year warranty against manufacturing defects.

Importer/distributor Taray International Corp., a US corporation established in 1979, has been distributing Özka's tires and tread rubber and throughout the Americas since 2016.

Özka said it has sold more than 80,000 tires in the US market the last three years. Tire production began in 2005 and the manufacturing facility and warehousing were expanded in 2011.

Taray International has been active in the tire and retreading industry since 1979, representing a number of companies offering retreading materials and equipment, tire repair materials, curing tubes, etc.

Özka is part of Turkey's Kanik Group, which also includes IRC Automotive Inc, a producer of air springs, and ?lka Plastik, a producer of polyester bags, plastic carry bags, polyethylene films. Kanik Group was established in 1991.