Falken Tire Corp. is back in the medium truck tire business, once again becoming the North American distributor for Ohtsu brand medium truck radials.
Falken will take over marketing, sales and distribution of the Ohtsu brand as of Mar. 1, 2010. The Ohtsu brand is owned and produced by Sumitomo Rubber Industries, which also controls the Falken brand.
Falken had been distributing Ohtsu truck lines until January 2005 when it turned control of the product over to Westlake Village, Calif.-based Itochu International.
With the change, Falken said it would launch its effort with 14 Ohtsu medium tuck tire lines, and plans to add three low rolling resistance lines in the second half of 2010.
Falken said it would stock Ohtsu truck products in each of its four U.S. distribution centers in Irving, Texas; Fontana, Calif.; Mount Juliet, Tenn.; and Dayton, N.J. The tire company said it plans open a new distribution center in late 2010/early 2011.
“The addition of the Ohtsu medium truck tires, along with numerous other soon-to-launch new product lines, should serve to demonstrate Falken’s continued commitment to enhancing its product offerings and service levels to its North American customer base,” said Falken president and COO Richard Smallwood.
