Kenda USA, the U.S. division of Kenda Rubber Ind. based in Taiwan, hosted the RNC Taiwanese delegation for an exclusive luncheon and tour of several Kenda facilities near Akron on Thursday, the last day of the Republican National Convention in Cleveland.
“This is very exciting not only for the Republicans, but also the world because the U.S. is a model of a democratic country as is Taiwan, which is also a democratic country,” said Calvin Chen-huan Ho, director general of Taiwan’s Taipei Economic & Cultural Office in Chicago. “We share the same values such as human rights and political systems. We are here basically to observe how a democratic system operates. The U.S. is our longtime good friend.”
Special guests of the Taipei Economic & Cultural Office, the delegation attended the RNC to observe the U.S.’s political affairs and associate with important state politicians, which also gave Kenda the opportunity to show the delegates the tiremaker’s business operations in the U.S.
“Kenda is a very established and well-known company in Taiwan,” said Jimmy Yang, Kenda USA president, “so this is also good for Kenda promotion to let this important politicians know what do we do here in America. The relationship between Taiwan and the states is always important and they always come to a business like Kenda sometimes as a bridge to meet these politicians.”
In addition to the luncheon at the legendary Firestone Country Club, Kenda also took the delegation to tour its Martin Wheel Co. facility in Akron and its North American Technical Center (KATC) in Green, which Yang says are both great representations for Taiwanese businesses in the Midwest.
“The KATC will give them a more complete introduction of who Kenda is,” said Yang. “They all know who Kenda is, but I want to give them an idea about what the Kenda operations are like in America… Now the U.S. government is promoting manufacturing returning to the states and Kenda has been manufacturing in the U.S. for long time. I wanted to show them how this company can operate successfully,” Yang said.
Yang also shared with Tire Review that Kenda will never rule out the possibility of building a tire manufacturing plant in the U.S., adding that South Carolina has been aggressive and other states such as Alabama, Mississippi, and Tennessee are potential places of interest.
“Now we have wheel manufacturing, we’re accumulating manufacturing experience in the states and paving the road down the road for a tire factory,” Yang adds. “It’s always possible.”
Taiwan delegates visiting the RNC included six representatives of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), the party in power with its chairwoman, Tsai Ing-wen, serving as the current and first female president of Taiwan; three representatives from Kuomintang (KMT); and one representative from the People’s First Party (PFP).
