Tire brand
ZC Rubber / Westlake / Goodride
ZC Rubber (Zhongce Rubber Group) is China's largest tire manufacturer, headquartered in Hangzhou.
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Brand profile
ZC Rubber (Zhongce Rubber Group) is China's largest tire manufacturer, headquartered in Hangzhou. The group oversees several brands, including Westlake, Goodride, Chaoyang, Trazano and Arisun. Its lineup spans passenger cars, SUVs and light trucks, heavy trucks and buses, motorcycles, bicycles, as well as agricultural, industrial and off-road tires, sold in more than 160 countries.
Positioning: Positioning: Affordably priced consumer and commercial tires across multiple segments, designed and manufactured in China at high volume.
History
The group's history dates back to 1958 with the founding of the Hangzhou Haichao rubber factory, which initially made rubber footwear, rain boots and bicycle tires. In 1966, the operation became the Hangzhou Rubber Factory and that same year launched the Chaoyang brand, its oldest. The Westlake brand was created in 1986, marking the manufacturer's entry into export markets, followed by Goodride in 1997, aimed at international markets. The modern entity, Zhongce Rubber Group Co., Ltd. (ZC Rubber), gradually established itself as China's leading tire producer and now ranks among the ten largest manufacturers worldwide, with revenue on the order of 35 billion yuan (roughly US$4.5 billion) in 2023. The group operates several plants, mainly in China, around Hangzhou and Zhejiang province, along with a significant overseas operation: its plant in Rayong, Thailand, its first outside China, opened to serve Southeast Asia and the export market. This Thai plant produces passenger car radial (PCR) tires and truck and bus radial (TBR) tires, with successive expansion phases representing an investment of several hundred million dollars. In June 2025, ZC Rubber went public on the Shanghai Stock Exchange (SSE: 603049), completing one of the year's largest A-share initial public offerings and raising roughly 4 billion yuan to fund its growth. In Canada, Westlake tires have been distributed since the mid-1990s, with an established commercial presence in Ontario (the Mississauga area) and a coast-to-coast dealer network. Goodride and Trazano are also offered there through various distributors and online sales platforms.
Technologies
ZC Rubber's brands rely on silica-enhanced rubber compounds to lower rolling resistance and improve wet-road grip, particularly in their performance and fuel-efficient lines. Passenger tires combine asymmetric or directional tread patterns, rigid center ribs for high-speed stability, and wide circumferential grooves to channel water and limit hydroplaning. On the light-truck and SUV side, all-terrain models use rugged blocks, aggressive shoulders and deep grooves for off-road traction. The heavy-truck radial (TBR) lines feature steel-belted casings optimized for mileage, retreading and heat dissipation. The group invests in plant automation and in energy-saving production processes.
Innovations
ZC Rubber maintains research and development centers and takes part in comparative tests published by specialized organizations and media, including some tests conducted in winter conditions and following German-style protocols. The group develops fuel-efficient lines (the ZuperEco families) that aim to reduce fuel consumption through lower rolling resistance, as well as high-performance tires (the SA and SV series) targeting sporty handling. It has also expanded its portfolio into specialty tires: agricultural, industrial, material handling, off-the-road (OTR), motorcycle and bicycle, reflecting a strategy of full segment coverage. Its commitment to sustainability comes through material optimization, extending casing life for the retreading of commercial tires, and modernizing its production processes in China and Thailand.
Manufacturing
The head office and the core of production are located in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, China, where ZC Rubber operates several sites. Its first overseas plant is in Rayong, Thailand, and manufactures passenger car tires and heavy-truck/bus radials for export and Southeast Asia. The group has subsidiaries and offices in Europe, North and South America, and Asia. There is no manufacturing plant in Quebec or Canada: local supply relies on imports and a network of distributors. The Westlake brand has been present in Canada since the mid-1990s, with a commercial base in Ontario.
Reputation
In Quebec and Canada, ZC Rubber's brands are seen as budget-friendly options offering appealing value for tight budgets. Independent tests yield mixed results: some performance or all-terrain models perform respectably, while entry-level tires fall behind premium benchmarks in braking and wet-road handling. For Quebec drivers, it is important to distinguish all-season and summer tires from winter-rated models: only tires bearing the 3PMSF pictogram (the mountain and snowflake symbol) meet the provincial requirement in effect from December 1 to March 15. ZC Rubber offers dedicated winter lines (the SW series) that satisfy this requirement.
Models and families
Related ZC Rubber / Westlake / Goodride models
These families are presented for reference. Actual availability depends on the catalogue and sizes.