“We’re excited to have another made-in-the-U.S. product” in the Milestar Patagonia A/T Pro, says Andrew Hoit, executive vice president, brand division, for Tireco Inc.
The light truck tire, which was unveiled during the 2022 SEMA Show, is the second Tireco product that’s manufactured in the United States.
The first, the Milestar Weatherguard AS710 Sport all-season, was rolled out in March 2021.
Hoit says domestic production presents several advantages.
First, he explains, it translates into shorter lead times for Tireco since finished products are “closer to our warehouses and closer to our customers. You also have consumers who want tires that are built in America.”
These factors, combined with the Patagonia A/T Pro and Milestar Weatherguard AS710 Sport’s price points, “should be a compelling storyline for our distributors.”
Growth segments
The Patagonia A/T Pro is available in 61 sizes, giving it 86% market coverage, says Hoit.
“Almost all of the tire’s P-metric sizes ae finished developing and there are other sizes we’re still developing,” including some LT and high-flotation SKUs.
“I think some economic headwinds have caused some softness in the rugged-terrain and mud-terrain segments because those are enthusiast categories.
“But the all-terrain (A/T) market has continued to be very strong. We have a bullish outlook on the A/T segment.”
Hoit says he would “stack” the Patagonia A/T Pro “up against any well-known A/T product.”
Tireco also is investing in the ultra-high performance (UHP) all-season tire segment.
The company recently introduced the Milestar Interceptor AS810 UHP all-season tire, which is available in 68 sizes, fitting wheels ranging from 17 inches to 24 inches in diameter.
The tire’s SKU lineup includes sizes for some electric vehicles (EVs.)
“Customers are used to purchasing UHP all-season tires from us, so acceptance” of the Interceptor AS810 “has been very high,” says Mike Park, assistant director of marketing, brand division, Tireco. (The Interceptor AS810 is built at Tireco’s plant in Vietnam.)
However, Tireco received feedback that some of its dealers “weren’t necessarily looking for an EV-specific tire,” explains Park.
“We took that feedback into consideration” when determining the Interceptor AS810’s size range, “so you’ll see, for example, a 21-inch size that fits Tesla.
“We didn’t want to design a specific EV tire because we didn’t want to create additional complexity,” says Park.
“I know everyone likes to talk about EVs and the impact they’re going to make, although the infrastructure needed for full-blown EV... we have a long way to go before that becomes a reality,” says Hoit. “But EVs are here and they’re here to stay.”
Both the Interceptor AS810 and the Patagonia A/T Pro come with a road hazard warranty and a 30-day ride guarantee.
“The Patagonia A/T Pro also is 3-Peak Mountain Snowflake-certified,” says Hoit.
“We’re not benchmarking against tier-three brands when we’re developing new products,” he explains. “We’re benchmarking against top-tier brands.”
