Firemax secures approval for major tire plant expansion

Weifang, China – China's Shouguang Firemax Tyre Co. has secured environmental approval for a Yuan1.57 billion (€210 million) project to expand passenger car tire production in Shandong province.

In a 21 Oct official notice, the Weifang Ecology and Environment Bureau said it had approved the environmental impact assessment (EIA) for the proposed expansion.

The investment will add annual capacity for 12 million 'environmentally oriented' semi-steel radial UHP tires at Firemax's existing facility in Shouguang.

The expansion will be implemented in two phases, each adding capacity for 6 million tires annually, according to project details published during the environmental review process.

The project will occupy 250,100 sqm within the company's existing premises, with a planned building area of 307,200 sqm. No additional land acquisition is required.

Production will target the high-end passenger car and electric vehicle markets, incorporating technologies including nitrogen curing and electron-beam irradiation.

Firemax also plans to introduce digital production management systems and enclosed manufacturing processes to improve energy efficiency and reduce emissions.

Established in 2011, Firemax manufactures passenger car, SUV and light truck tires under brands including Firemax and Kpatos.

The tire maker currently has an installed capacity to produce 13 million units of tires, including 12 million units of PCR and 1 million units of all-steel truck & bus tires at its facility in Shouguang. 

The company has also been expanding overseas, having launched a $190 million tire manufacturing project in Cambodia in April 2024.

That facility, in Kratie province, was designed to produce 9.2 million radial tires annually and create around 1,500 jobs.

Firemax has not disclosed a construction timetable or production start date for the Shouguang expansion.