I. Introduction
In 2026, Zhongce Rubber Group secured approval for a 5-million-unit annual capacity semi-steel radial tire project in Vietnam. With an investment of approximately RMB 1.04 billion, the facility is scheduled for construction in July 2026 with a 12-month timeline, making Vietnam the company’s fourth overseas production base following Thailand, Indonesia, and Mexico. Zhongce Rubber cited local manufacturing cost advantages and free trade agreement benefits as key factors. As global trade frictions intensify, establishing multi-country manufacturing footprints has become a core strategy for tire enterprises to manage trade risks and maintain price competitiveness.
Zhongce Rubber’s expansion reflects the Vietnam tire market’s rising position in the global supply chain. The following analysis examines 2025 export data from the Vietnam tire market across market landscape, supply chain structure, product categories, and trade risks.
II. Export Overview: Volume Growth with Structural Divergence
In 2025, the Vietnam tire market recorded total exports of $1.90 billion under HS code 401120, up 27.22% year-over-year. Export volume reached approximately 17.95 million units, up 29.08%.
North America remained the largest destination, with procurement of $752.29 million** (39.62% of total, +26.87%). Europe ranked second with **$585.74 million (30.85%, +23.37%). South America and Africa grew 35.33% and 35.48% respectively, making them the fastest-growing regional markets for tires made in Vietnam.
In product structure, medium/heavy truck radial tires dominated with $1.66 billion (87% of exports, +29.04%). Light truck radial tires recorded the highest growth at 65.19%, while other/wide-base truck tires declined 13.36%.
III. Key Destination Market Analysis
1. United States
The U.S. remained the largest destination for the Vietnam tire market, with procurement of $635.41 million** (**33.46%** of total, **+23.93%**). Monthly procurement ranged from **$42.29M to $62.50M, peaking in April, though December saw a 21.10% decline. The U.S. has imposed anti-dumping and countervailing duties on Vietnamese tires since 2021, with additional tariffs in 2025 bringing combined rates above 30%. Despite these barriers, first-half 2025 exports to the U.S. grew 84.07%, demonstrating strong demand resilience.
2. Brazil
Brazil ranked second with procurement of $280.09 million**, up **35.76%**, with volume growth of **43.79%**. November saw monthly procurement reach **$35.08 million, a 141.11% year-over-year increase. In December 2025, monthly export value rose 74.4%.
3. Russia
Russia ranked third with procurement of $190.73 million**, up **28.11%**, with volume growth of **34.79%**. Monthly export values peaked at **$22.16 million in September.
4. High-Growth Emerging Markets
| Destination | 2025 Procurement | YoY Growth | Key Characteristics |
| Mexico | $59.49M | 123.48% | Volume up 166.59% |
| Poland | $71.56M | 45.38% | Volume up 70.48% |
| Egypt | $61.03M | 81.67% | Volume up 101.77% |
| India | $6.36M | 366.49% | Low-base high growth |
| South Korea | $3.75M | 141.65% | Emerging Asian demand |
| Czech Republic | $5.15M | 118.72% | Central European hub |
5.Markets Requiring Caution
The following markets experienced significant procurement declines in 2025 and warrant cautious assessment:
Iran: -74.89%
Yemen: -73.45%
Turkey: -41.18%
South Africa: -30.49%
Canada: +4.09% (well below the overall average, nearing stagnation)
IV. Supplier Landscape Analysis
In 2025, the top ten suppliers in the Vietnam tire market achieved combined exports of $1.87 billion, accounting for 98.46% of total exports.
| Rank | Supplier | 2025 Export Value | YoY Growth | Key Export Destinations | Key Features |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | JINYU (VIETNAM) TIRE | $377.66M | 16.12% | Brazil, Russia, USA, Poland | 74-country coverage; balanced distribution |
| 2 | ACTR COMPANY | $371.22M | 16.00% | USA (55.5%), Canada | High concentration in U.S. market |
| 3 | ADVANCE TYRE (VIETNAM) | $296.26M | 21.94% | USA (37.9%), Russia, Brazil | Highest U.S. market share among suppliers |
| 4 | SAILUN (VIETNAM) | $267.35M | 29.06% | Russia (21.9%), USA, Mexico | 93-country coverage; Sailun tires made in Vietnam feature prominently in global markets |
| 5 | VIETNAM COFO TIRES | $180.53M | +173.79% | Brazil (38.3%), USA (23%) | Fastest growth; significant capacity expansion |
| 6 | HAOHUA (VIETNAM) | $108.99M | +100% | USA (52.9%), Brazil, Russia | New entrant to top 10; rapid growth |
| 7 | DANANG RUBBER | $97.51M | 4.53% | USA (44.8%), Brazil (44.3%) | Local brand; sluggish growth |
| 8 | KENDA RUBBER (VIETNAM) | $94.20M | -28.17% | USA (83.5%) | Market share erosion |
| 9 | KUMHO TIRE (VIETNAM) | $50.74M | 25.12% | USA (44.1%), Australia | Korean brand; stable growth |
| 10 | SOUTHERN RUBBER | $25.10M | -33.32% | Brazil (44.6%), Malaysia | Local brand; steepest decline |
Key Supplier Observations:
VIETNAM COFO (+173.79%) and HAOHUA (+100%) demonstrate rapid capacity release.
JINYU, ACTR, and ADVANCE together account for over $1 billion, representing 56% of total exports.
ACTR (55.5%), HAOHUA (52.9%), and ADVANCE (37.9%) show high U.S. market dependence.
V. Buyer Landscape Analysis
In 2025, the top ten buyers in the Vietnam tire market recorded combined procurement of $1.44 billion, accounting for 75.87% of total exports, indicating extreme industry concentration.
| Rank | Buyer | 2025 Procurement | YoY Growth | Primary Sourcing Countries |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | SAILUN GROUP (HONGKONG) | $537.07M | 13.90% | USA, Russia |
| 2 | JINYU TIRE (HONGKONG) | $289.07M | 10.90% | Brazil, Russia, Poland |
| 3 | ADVANCE HOLDINGS | $228.89M | 20.30% | USA, Brazil |
| 4 | GOODYEAR | $74.58M | +104.46% | USA |
| 5 | KENDA RUBBER | $65.33M | -11.16% | USA |
| 6 | HAOHUA TIRE NORTH AMERICA | $57.52M | +100% | USA |
| 7 | JINYU TIRE USA | $51.96M | 52.72% | USA |
| 8 | KUMHO TIRE | $50.74M | 25.12% | USA, Australia |
| 9 | LATITUDE (SINGAPORE) | $48.85M | +100% | Brazil, Russia |
| 10 | SUNSET TIRES | $36.50M | +331.42% | Brazil |
Key Buyer Observations:
Major Buyers Expanding: GOODYEAR (+104%), HAOHUA (+100%), LATITUDE (+100%), and SUNSET (+331%) are growing well above the industry average, indicating that international tire majors are accelerating integration of the Vietnam tire market into their global procurement networks.
SAILUN GROUP Holds Top Position: With $537 million in procurement, SAILUN leads by a wide margin, though its 13.90% growth rate falls below the industry average, suggesting some procurement share dilution.
KENDA RUBBER the Only Decliner: The -11.16% drop likely reflects supply chain strategy adjustments or perceived declining competitiveness of Vietnam tyre manufacturers supplying this buyer.
VI. Vietnam Tyre Manufacturers: Product Category Analysis
The Vietnam tire market exports across five distinct product categories under HS code 401120. The following table presents performance data for each category:
| Product Category | 2025 Export Value | YoY Growth | 2025 Export Volume | YoY Growth | Key Characteristics |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medium/Heavy Truck Radial Tires | $1.66B | 29.04% | 13.44M | 29.27% | Absolute majority; balanced price-volume growth |
| Light Truck Radial Tires | $89.55M | +65.19% | 2.49M | +78.94% | Fastest growth; rapid demand release |
| Medium/Heavy Truck Bias Tires | $70.94M | -1.78% | 1.43M | -3.89% | Stable scale; slight contraction |
| Other Truck Tires | $38.05M | 9.36% | 169.77K | 8.19% | Small segment; stable operation |
| Other/Wide-Base Truck Tires | $37.21M | -13.36% | 428.72K | -11.83% | Continuous contraction; eroding competitiveness |
Category Strategy Insights:
Medium/Heavy Truck Radial Tires: The cornerstone product category of the Vietnam tire market, offering the most stable demand and suitable for large-volume procurement. However, this category faces the most trade barriers and requires close monitoring of anti-dumping developments.
Light Truck Radial Tires: Growing fastest at 65%, this segment’s competitive landscape has not yet solidified, presenting first-mover opportunities. Vietnam tyre manufacturers in this segment may offer favorable terms for trial orders.
Other/Wide-Base Truck Tires: Continued decline suggests this lower-value or specialty category is being phased out; procurement allocation should be reduced gradually.
VII. Transportation Mode Analysis
| Transportation Mode | Value | Share | Primary Coverage Regions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sea Freight | $1.87B | 98.31% | North America 39.62%, Europe 30.81% |
| Others | $0.02B | 1.25% | Primarily Asia |
| Rail | <$0.01B | 0.26% | Asia, Europe |
| Land | <$0.01B | 0.16% | Asia |
| Air | <$0.01B | 0.01% | Asia, Europe |
Logistics Assessment: Sea freight dominates the Vietnam tire market’s export logistics at 98.31%, making tire trade highly dependent on maritime transport. North American and European routes constitute the core shipping channels. Buyers should monitor freight rate volatility and its impact on total procurement costs.
VIII. Trade Risks Facing the Vietnam Tire Market
1 Anti-Dumping and Tariff Barriers
United States: Anti-dumping and countervailing duties on Vietnamese PLT tires have been in effect since 2021, with additional tariffs applied in 2025. Current combined tariff rates for tires made in Vietnam entering the U.S. exceed 30%.
Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU): In November 2025, the EAEU initiated anti-dumping investigations on Vietnamese and Thai truck tires (HS 4011201000, 4011209000), alleging dumping margins of 19.59%. Final rulings will significantly impact the Russia and broader EAEU markets for the Vietnam tire market.
Multi-Country Follow-up Actions: Brazil, South Africa, and Egypt have already imposed trade remedy measures on Vietnamese tires, with risk of additional countries following suit.
2. Stricter Rules of Origin Scrutiny
Vietnam’s Ministry of Industry and Trade is accelerating the development of “Made in Vietnam” certification standards to scrutinize products with insufficient local value addition. U.S. tariff policies on transshipment goods further compress the trade space for “pass-through” Vietnam exports. This helps explain why investments from enterprises like Zhongce Rubber focus on full-process manufacturing facilities in Vietnam rather than simple assembly operations.
3. Raw Material Cost Pressures
Natural rubber and other raw material prices remained elevated throughout 2025, while export price competition intensified, placing Vietnam tyre manufacturers in a “volume growth with thin margins” dilemma. Danang Rubber reported a 9.3% year-over-year net profit decline in Q3 2025, reflecting broader industry profitability pressures.
IX. Procurement Recommendations
1. Market Strategy
United States: Maintain stable supply while closely monitoring tariff policy developments. Prioritize suppliers with strong U.S. export compliance records (ACTR, ADVANCE TYRE, HAOHUA) and assess tariff cost-sharing arrangements.
Brazil and Russia: Core growth markets with balanced price-volume expansion; establish stable long-term procurement relationships.
Mexico, Poland, Egypt: High-growth emerging markets with clear North American supply chain restructuring benefits and regional gateway value; consider establishing regional distribution nodes.
Canada: Near-stagnant growth (+4.09%); maintain existing scale without additional investment.
Iran, Yemen, Turkey: Significant procurement declines; assess geopolitical risks carefully.
2. Supplier Selection
Tier 1 Suppliers: JINYU, ACTR, ADVANCE offer stable export scale and broad customer distribution with high supply chain security; suitable as primary suppliers.
Growth Suppliers: VIETNAM COFO (+174%) and HAOHUA (+100%) show rapid capacity release and may offer pricing flexibility or service advantages; suitable as supplementary or validation suppliers.
Declining Suppliers: KENDA RUBBER (-28%) and SOUTHERN RUBBER (-33%) are experiencing share erosion; evaluate capacity stability and quality consistency.
3. Category Strategy
Medium/Heavy Truck Radial Tires: Most stable demand, suitable for long-term large-volume procurement, but faces the most trade barriers; monitor anti-dumping developments across countries.
Light Truck Radial Tires: Fastest-growing segment (+65%), competitive landscape not yet solidified; consider trial orders to capture early-mover advantage. Vietnam tyre manufacturers with capacity in this segment warrant evaluation.
Other/Wide-Base Truck Tires: Continued contraction; reduce procurement allocation gradually.
4. Logistics Planning
Sea freight is the core transportation mode for the Vietnam tire market. Buyers should consider medium-to-long-term freight rate agreements with shipping lines to lock in transportation costs on North American and European routes. Monitor geopolitical factors affecting shipping schedules, including Red Sea developments.
X. Conclusion
The Vietnam tire market’s 2025 export performance—$1.90 billion in total value, 27.22% year-over-year growth, and expanding footprints in Mexico, Brazil, and Africa—confirms the region’s rising significance in the global tire supply chain. The ongoing capacity expansion by major manufacturers, including Zhongce Rubber’s new Vietnam facility, signals sustained confidence in Southeast Asia’s manufacturing advantages.
This report is compiled and published by Frico Tire. Frico operates tire factories in Thailand (Rayong) and Cambodia, with annual capacities of 1.2M all-steel TBR tires plus 30K OTR tires in Thailand, and 8.5M radial tires (7M PCR + 1.5M TBR) in Cambodia.
Our product range includes TBR, PCR, and OTR tires. Frico holds U.S. DOT, European ECE, Brazil INMETRO, and German TÜV MARK certifications.
For any tire needs or inquiries, please contact Frico.
