4 Tire Brands That Are Owned By European Companies

There are loads of tire brands currently on the market, and there’s a lot more to them than their logos and models — for example, the real owners behind many of the biggest tire brands. These companies call different areas of the world home. The likes of Goodyear, Cooper, and Kelly have become recognized as some of the most prominent tire labels with their ownership based in the United States. As you’d expect, Europe is also home for various well-known tire brands. 

It should be clarified that just because a tire brand’s parent company is based in Europe doesn’t mean it’s necessarily a lesser-known brand in the U.S. While there are those more commonly seen on European streets as a result, as it turns out, many of the biggest names in tires in America can be traced back to European companies. This can be due to brand expansion throughout the years, corporate-level buyouts, or other circumstances that brought these prominent American-market tires to European ownership.

Among other things, you really care about buying American-made and American-owned products, you should do some digging into your preferred tire brand. You may find it’s actually owned by a European company. 

Though it’s not one of the most prominent names in tires, Nordman has carved out a fine spot for itself in the tire landscape. This is admirable considering that, in comparison to most other tire lines out there, higher-end and budget-friendly alike, Nordman is a relatively recent creation.

One of several cheap yet relatively high-quality tire options, Nordman has only been around since 2004, but its parent company has been around far longer. Nordman is an offshoot of Nokian Tires, which is based in Finland and has existed formally since the 1980s — though its roots extend almost a century further back.

The seeds were planted for the creation of Nokian when Suomen Gummitehdas Osakeyhtiö, or the Finnish Rubber Factory, was founded in 1898. By 1934, the company produced the first winter tire, and just over 50 years later in 1988, Nokian Tires Ltd. officially came together. Nokian remains a fixture in Europe, as evidenced by its operation factories in Nokia, Finland and Oradea, Romania. Nokian has expanded production to the United States, too, with a plant located in Dayton, Tennessee. Its Nordman tires are sold primarily within Nordic countries as well as in North America, offering drivers what Nokian Tires itself describes as affordable, proven tires that balance cost and quality.

Out of all the major tire brands, few are as well-known and trusted as Michelin. The reality is, this reputation isn’t limited to a single region, seeing as Michelin tires have hit streets all over the world. In fact, the brand’s parent company, the Michelin Group, has sold tires in over 170 different countries. Tracing the history, though, we can narrow things down and find that it’s actually a Europe-based entity. Michelin comes from France, specifically the city of Clermont-Ferrand, the headquarters for the entire Michelin Group.

At this point, the Michelin name has been a European staple for almost two centuries. The company formally began in the early 1830s when entrepreneur Edouard Daubrée and his cousin Aristide Barbier established their own agricultural machinery business. 

However, the company didn’t begin dabbling in tire technology until the early 1890s. It proved fruitful, to say the least, so the company expanded its reach into areas like London, England, Turin, Italy, and even across the Atlantic Ocean to the United States to kick off the 1900s. In the century-plus that followed, what’s now known as the Michelin Group expanded further and innovated its tire options to become the global juggernaut it’s recognized as today.

It’s no secret that Continental Tires has made its presence felt in the United States as one of the premier tire brands around. In fact, some of its product is even manufactured in the U.S., with one state able to claim having the biggest Continental plant in the country. Still, as impressive as that accolade is, none of this means that Continental is a strictly American brand. 

The Continental tire brand is owned by the parent company Continental AG, which is a German entity based in Hanover. Moreover, Continental tires themselves were developed and popularized in Germany and Europe at large before expanding around the world. Continental has been around since 1871, initially providing various rubber products – rubber covers for horse hooves, rubberized fabrics for different forms of air travel, and other unusual items filled the Continental catalogue heading into the 1900s. 

Continental’s first tread-enhanced automobile tire was finally unveiled in 1904, leading to further automobile tire improvements like detachable rims and the use of carbon black for improved tire durability. It eventually took its enterprise international, expanding into various markets outside Germany. October 8, 2021 marked Continental’s 150th anniversary, and by that point, it had become a powerhouse in Europe, North America, Asia, and other parts of the globe.

If you’re not looking to opt for a set of absurdly expensive, high-end tires, but don’t want to go with the bottom of the barrel, General Tire is a solid brand to consider. Its all-season options perform well, and according to Kelley Blue Book’s take on the best winter tires, General Tire delivers on seasonal options, too. This is another brand that, despite being a frequent sight in the United States and elsewhere, is actually owned by a European company. Like Continental, General Tire is owned by Continental AG, but it wasn’t always part of a Europe-based company’s portfolio.

Similarly to other notable tire brands, General Tire goes back to the turn of the 20th century. William O’Neil and Winfred Fouse created the General Tire and Rubber Company in 1915 in Akron, Ohio. The company expanded throughout the following decades, eventually becoming part of the larger GenCorp entity: a holding company formed in 1984 that included several other major businesses. 

Come the first few months of 1987, though, Continental AG stepped into the picture to purchase General Tire, adding it to its now-lengthy list of owned brands. The company, previously named GenCorp, rebranded to Aerojet, GenCorp Automotive and GenCorp Polymer Products, and General Tire endures as a brand wholly owned by Continental AG.