Nitto makes affordable, aesthetically pleasing, and stable tires across the board. Yet, they aren’t as widely known as some other brands, such as Kelly, Mickey Thompson, or Firestone. Despite the ignorance of the market, Nitto has been manufacturing some classic and legendary tires for the past 70 years.
Unfortunately, they have always remained out of the discussion for unknown reasons. I mean, they build good tires with awesome quality. Still, most people are unaware of who makes Nitto tires.
Toy Tire and Rubber Company is the owner of Nitto Tires. Under Toyo, Nitto works as a North American tire subsidiary. They make a tire for passenger cars, SUVs, trucks, competitions, etc. In fact, Nitto is an affordable tire sub-brand of Toyo known for its premium and expensive tires.
Who Makes Nitto Tires
Nitto tire was established as an independent manufacturer in Japan in 1949. They set up their tire plant shortly after the Second World War. So, they gained popularity for their affordable yet high-quality tires for people of all classes in Japan.
As Japan underwent an economic recess after the war, people looked for affordable tires. Nitto took advantage of this demand and started producing mass tires at an incredibly lower price. However, the company never compromised with its rubber quality and tire production.
Thus, they have become a great choice for Japanese people. Following their success, Toyo acquired the company in 1979. Since then, Nitto has been manufacturing tires as a subsidiary company of Toyo Tire and Rubber Company.
These days, Nitto is a North American tire subsidiary of Toyo. They introduced it in the American market to compete in the less expensive tire segment. It was a great decision since introducing Nitto in the American market increased Toyo’s sales by 21% in the last decade.
A Brief History of Nitto Tires
Nitto tires were never a big controller of the tire market. They have operated rather modestly since its establishment in 1949. Nonetheless, the company grew steadily and enjoyed a good reputation in the Japanese tire market.
Their biggest leap came in 1979 when Toyo brought the company. The merger was a great business strategy as it helped Toyo to strengthen its foothold in the American tire market.
It is mentionable that Toyo was the first Japanese tire manufacturer to enter the American market in 1966. It was even before Bridgestone.
Toyo, with the acquisition of Nitto tires, competed brilliantly with Bridgestone as it also entered the USA tire industry. They focused solely on the USA market. It left Nitto tires to shrink its market share in Japan.
In fact, by the 1900s, Nitto tires had almost 0% of the market share in the Japanese tire industry. But, it didn’t affect its business as it had grabbed the USA segment strongly by then. In the last three decades, Nitto tires have grown continuously there.
Where Is Nitto Tires Made
In the past few decades, Nitto tires have increased its sales steadily in the American market. As a result, they have established many production plants across the globe to cope with the demand. So, where are these manufacturing facilities situated?
Currently, Nitto has six factories in four different countries. It includes:
- United States
- Japan
- China
- Malaysia
You don’t need to worry about the origin of the tires. Nitto ensures the same standard and quality for their tires in all six manufacturing plants. It is a great initiative that has helped the company to assure their clients of exceptional quality maintenance.
A Social Media Freak Company
Many marketing experts suggest that Nitto’s success in America depends on its social media and online presence. It is true since Nitto was amongst the first tire manufacturers to start their online sales.
When Facebook started its journey, Nitto also braced the platform gleefully. They have more than 11 million fan followers on their official Facebook page. It makes them the largest fan-following tire manufacturer on the social media platform.
Their strong online presence has helped them reach clients easily. Also, they keep their followers engaged with daily posts, stories, etc. It has helped them increase Nitto’s brand awareness among the clients recently.
See More: who makes Mickey Thompson tires
Build Quality of Nitto Tires
Nitto maintains the latest standard set in the worldwide tire segment. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has prepared multiple assessment and ranking methodology for tires. Nitto strongly follows these rules.
Traction
The traction refers to the gripping capacity of the tires on the roads. It has different ratings for various surfaces. Clients have reported that Nitto has excellent traction on most surfaces. It assures better grip and stability on both on and off-road riding.
Tread Pattern
The tread pattern, aka treadwear, controls both the longevity and gripping capacity of the tires. A control tire has a 100 rating, and the treadwear of all the tires is measured with this comparison. For instance, a tire with a 300 treadwear rating will last 3X more than the control tires.
As clients report, Nitto tires mostly have a 400 to 500 treadwear rating. So, these tires enjoy a greater lifespan. They will easily last for 50000 to 70000 miles.
Temperature Resistance
The heat resistance of the tire suggests how much heat the tires can successfully withstand. It is expressed with A, B, and C letters. These three letters suggest different temperature endurance of the tires and show where they are most efficient.
Usually, Nitto tires have high-temperature resistance for extreme road conditions. It enables car owners to ride through the harshest road conditions with ease.
Nitto Tire Types
Nitto focuses on bringing various tires to cater to the needs of their customers. Hence, they have one of the broadest tire ranges in the American market. Their most common tires are:
- Nitto Mud GrapplerNitto Terra Grappler G2
- Nitto Terra Grappler
- Nitto NT420S
- Nitto NT05R
- Nitto NT05
- Nitto Neo Gen
- Nitto NT555 G2
- Nitto NT421Q
- Nitto Motivo
- Nitto Dune Grappler:
- Nitto Ridge Grappler
- Nitto Trail Grappler M/T
Frequently Asked Questions
Nitto tires are affordable, and you will get the cheapest ones from $80 to $305. Also, their price range for all tires varies from $80 to $1300 for each tire.
Nitto is a Japanese word that means knitted fabric. It is closely related to the rubber and refers to Nitto’s link between knitting technology and rubber.
Conclusion
Nitto is a sub-brand of the Toyo Tire and Rubber Company. Its business is focused on America. The company has 11 million followers on its Facebook page and heavily depends on online sales. Plus, their affordable pricing of the tires has helped the company to enjoy a greater market share.
