Trelleborg Group inaugurated a new facility in Xingtai, Hebei, China, on June 27 to manufacture high-performance specialty tires, primarily for the agricultural industry. The manufacturing site produces both radial and bias technology tires for farming, forestry, and agro-industrial applications, and Trelleborg expects the facility to strengthen its competitiveness in markets other than the Chinese, by broadening its range and through more efficient production. “There is enormous potential within the agricultural sector in China. Today, more than half of farming operations in the country are conducted manually and industry mechanization is taking place rapidly. The demand for high-performance agricultural tires is favorable,” said Business Area President, Trelleborg Wheel Systems, Maurizio Vischi. “Through this establishment, Trelleborg becomes the first global manufacturer of agricultural tires to have its own production in China. The facility provides proximity to Chinese customers, but also support to European and U.S. customers in the local Chinese market.” The Trelleborg Group has several other manufacturing facilities in China—in Huizhou, Shanghai, Wuxi, and Qingdao. The facilities manufacture a range of engineered products and solutions based on polymer technology, such as marine systems, specialty components, industrial anti-vibration, and precision seals.