Tire brand
Triangle
Triangle is a Chinese tire manufacturer founded in 1976 in Weihai, in Shandong province.
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Brand profile
Triangle is a Chinese tire manufacturer founded in 1976 in Weihai, in Shandong province. Today a privately held group exporting to more than 130 countries, it covers a very broad range: passenger car and SUV tires, light truck, heavy truck (TBR), off-the-road (OTR) tires for construction and mining, as well as agricultural, trailer and aircraft tires. Triangle ranks among the world's largest tire producers.
Positioning: Full-line manufacturer: passenger, light truck, heavy truck (TBR) and off-the-road (OTR).
History
Triangle was born in 1976 under the name Weihai Tire Factory, a state-owned enterprise created by the municipal government of Weihai, in Shandong province, China. At a time when China's automotive industry was still in its infancy, the factory mainly produced small tires for bicycles and motorcycles, then supplied wheels for carts and light commercial vehicles. The turning point came in 1993: a new management plan reorganized the company into a competitive player, with investments in modern production lines and tighter manufacturing discipline. Through the 2000s, Triangle aligned its accounting with international standards and continued to modernize its industrial operations, moving up-market toward radial tires for passenger cars, trucks and off-road applications. The company, now a privately held group, rose to become one of the world's largest tire manufacturers and also ranks among the leading producers of off-the-road tires. On the research side, Triangle has forged partnerships with institutions such as the University of Akron (polymer research, 2011) and the Harbin Institute of Technology (aircraft tires, 2012). In North America, Triangle opened its regional headquarters in Franklin, Tennessee in 2015 to structure the distribution of its heavy truck (TBR) and off-the-road (OTR) tires in the U.S. market. In 2017, the group announced plans for a U.S. plant in Edgecombe County, North Carolina, a project ultimately abandoned in 2022 due to the changing investment climate and the pandemic. In Canada, Triangle is present through a distribution network and a dedicated website (triangletire.ca), covering the passenger, SUV, light truck, heavy truck and off-road segments. All manufacturing remains concentrated at the Weihai industrial complex, organized into several plants specialized by product type.
Technologies
Triangle has built its expertise around the modern radial tire across its various segments. For passenger cars and SUVs, the brand relies on multi-rib tread patterns and rubber compounds designed to balance wet and dry grip, rolling resistance and acoustic comfort. Its ultra-high-performance (UHP) models use tread patterns optimized for high-speed stability along with reinforced rim-flange protection. For light trucks and 4x4s, Triangle works on widened lug shoulders, belt angles and carcass structures made of shrink-resistant polyester to deliver sidewall rigidity and resistance to off-road impacts. On the heavy truck (TBR) side, the tires feature specific compounds, deep blocks, wide grooves with stone ejectors and reinforced sipes. In off-the-road (OTR) applications, Triangle produces both radial and bias-ply tires, up to giant sizes for loaders and haul trucks.
Innovations
Triangle's innovation efforts are built on collaborations with the academic and scientific community. In 2011, the brand partnered with the University of Akron, renowned for polymer science, to advance its rubber compounds. In 2012, a partnership with the Harbin Institute of Technology focused on aircraft tire research, a segment that demands high thermal and structural resistance. The group has also emphasized moving its off-the-road tires up-market, including giant radials intended for the construction, mining and aggregates sectors, which requires mastery of large carcasses and compounds resistant to abrasion and cutting. On the industrial front, Triangle has continually invested in more sophisticated production lines and automation. Its diversification into ultra-high-performance passenger tires, low-rolling-resistance heavy truck tires and specialized applications (trailer, aircraft) reflects an R&D program that has broadened over the decades rather than focusing on a single niche.
Manufacturing
Triangle concentrates its manufacturing at its industrial complex in Weihai, in Shandong province, China, organized into specialized plants: production of passenger tires and giant radials, commercial vehicle tires, high-performance passenger and SUV tires, retreading, as well as a unit dedicated to bias-ply tires. In North America, the group opened a regional headquarters in Franklin, Tennessee in 2015 to structure its distribution; a plant project in North Carolina, announced in 2017, was abandoned in 2022. In Canada and Quebec, Triangle has no factory: the brand is distributed through partners and a dealer network, with a dedicated Canadian website covering passenger, SUV, light truck, heavy truck and off-road segments.
Reputation
Triangle is seen as a mid-range, affordably priced tire brand, positioned below the major premium manufacturers. In the North American market, it is best known for its heavy truck (TBR) and off-the-road (OTR) tires, valued by fleets and operators for their price-to-value ratio. On the passenger and SUV side, reviews are mixed: the models offer an attractive purchase price, but independent tests generally place them behind the leading brands on grip and braking. In Quebec, you should check the 3PMSF (mountain snowflake) certification on a case-by-case basis before buying, since the use of approved winter tires is mandatory from December 1 to March 15; several Triangle products (UHP summer, off-road, heavy truck) are not intended for that winter road use.
Models and families
Related Triangle models
These families are presented for reference. Actual availability depends on the catalogue and sizes.