Exclusive: Turkey’s Mesalas launches new $350m tire manufacturing project

Hanover, Germany — A new tire manufacturing project in Turkey is taking shape, with Mesalas launching production at its plant in central Turkey.

The multi-phase $350-million (€300 million) investment programme covers the production of a broad range of tire types over the next few years, general manager Murat Hepdurluk told ERJ.

Launched by Turkish construction major Mesa Holding, the project began two years ago, with the first phase involving an investment of $100 million to build the plant in Afyon, 1.5 hours away from Ankara.

The first production phase, which entered full operation at the start of this year, focuses on bias agricultural and industrial tires.

These include front and rear tractor tires, implement tires, backhoe loader tires, and pneumatic and solid forklift tires.

The initial capacity of the plant is around 30 tonnes per day, with the factory currently operating three production shifts and sales already underway.

According to Hepdurluk, Mesalas is now preparing to launch the second phase of the project, with an estimated investment of $130-$140 million, to expand the product range and capacity.

The second phase will involve the construction of a new truck and bus radial (TBR) tire building, set to begin shortly, with installation and construction planned within 2026.

Following development and testing work, commercial production is expected shortly after installations, Hepdurluk said.

The planned TBR line will have a capacity of around 1,500 tires per day, equivalent to roughly 80 tonnes per day.

The second phase will also include radial agricultural tire production, which is expected to reach around 15 tonnes per day.

According to Hedurluk, a third phase, costed at $110 million, will be introduced by around 2029 to add capacity for passenger car radial (PCR) and off-the-road (OTR) tire production.

Currently under market evaluation, the PCR facility is expected to add a capacity for 10,000 – 12,000 PCR tires per day, while no volume target has been defined for the OTR project.

The final phase will have a two-year ramp-up period once production begins in the next few years.

While the Turkish domestic market will be the primary focus initially, the company is targeting a broader export footprint.

North Africa and Europe are key markets for several product segments, while the US market is seen as a strong destination for agricultural tires and TBR, Hepdurluk said.

“Turkey has a strong tire manufacturing culture and supporting industries,” Hepdurluk said. “This makes it a good hub to produce tires and export to other markets.”

The company is also holding technical discussions with several major global tire manufacturers regarding potential strategic partnerships or licensing agreements, which could support technology development and international market entry.