August 2024 – Ghandhara Tyre and Rubber Company Limited (GTR) and Shandong Huasheng Rubber Co., Ltd. (SHRC), a leading technology service provider in the global tyre industry headquartered in China, came together for a signing ceremony held in Dubai to mark their strategic collaboration and explore opportunities in Pakistan’s tyre manufacturing sector.

The collaboration outlines the intention to explore the establishment of a Joint Venture (JV) in Pakistan for the manufacturing, marketing, sales, and supply of Truck Bus Radial (TBR) and Passenger Car Radial (PCR) tyres.

Based in Dongying, Shandong, China, SHRC has a global production capacity of 30 million PCR tyres and 9 million TBR tyres, with exports to more than 100 countries. In 2023, the company recorded a business volume of up to USD 1.5 billion.

Speaking about the collaboration, Mr. Hussain Kuli Khan, CEO of GTR, highlighted SHRC’s global expertise in tyre manufacturing, supported by its advanced R&D centre and high-performance Tyre Green Engineering Laboratory. These capabilities enable advanced material testing and innovation, strengthening the technical foundation for the proposed collaboration. He further emphasized that the proposed joint venture would prioritize the export of TBR and PCR tyres.

In September 2024, GTR subsequently entered into a seven-year Technical Service Agreement with SHRC to enhance its manufacturing processes by leveraging SHRC’s advanced technical expertise and proprietary knowledge.

The collaboration is expected to contribute to Pakistan’s economic development by supporting foreign exchange generation, creating employment opportunities, meeting growing local tyre demand, and reducing reliance on imports, thereby helping conserve valuable foreign reserves.