Prior to 2009, Cooper Tire & Rubber Co. handled distribution of Kenda-brand car and light truck tires in the U.S.
Kenda expects to hit or exceed a 1-percent share of the U.S. consumer market this year, Mr. Yang said, and could double this by 2018, based on the programs being introduced and an enlarged product portfolio.
Much of what Kenda is doing is aimed at establishing the Kenda brand as “not just another brand from Asia,” Mr. Yang said, explaining Kenda is an anglicized version of the Chinese phrase for “keep growing.”