At Performance Plus Tire customers often ask “Who makes this tire brand?” Knowing the corporate manufacturer behind each brand helps you choose products backed by decades of engineering and safety experience. As an independent tire retailer, we strive to provide accurate, transparent answers based on authoritative sources.
This page groups the major brands offered on our Buy Tires page by their parent company. We also cover many of the specialty and private label brands popular with classic car enthusiasts, drag racers and trailer owners. Where possible we cite official histories or credible industry news to support our statements.
Michelin is a French tire giant founded in 1889. The company pioneered the radial tire and owns several brands that appeal to different segments of the market.
| Brand | Manufacturer | Citations |
|---|---|---|
| Michelin | Manufactured by the Michelin Group. | |
| BFGoodrich | Made by Michelin; Michelin acquired Uniroyal Goodrich Tire Company in 1989. | [1] |
Bridgestone, founded in Japan in 1931 by Shojiro Ishibashi, is one of the world’s largest tire manufacturers. The company purchased Firestone in 1988, creating a global powerhouse.
| Brand | Manufacturer | Citations |
|---|---|---|
| Bridgestone | Manufactured by Bridgestone Corporation. | |
| Firestone | Produced by Bridgestone; Bridgestone acquired The Firestone Tire & Rubber Company in 1988. | [2] |
Continental AG, headquartered in Hanover, Germany, was founded in 1871. In addition to tires, it produces automotive electronics and mobility solutions.
| Brand | Manufacturer | Citations |
|---|---|---|
| Continental | Manufactured by Continental AG. | [3] |
Goodyear is an iconic American tire maker founded in 1898. In 2021 Goodyear acquired Cooper Tire & Rubber Company.
| Brand | Manufacturer | Citations |
|---|---|---|
| Cooper | Produced by Goodyear following Goodyear’s 2021 acquisition of Cooper Tire. | [4] |
| Mickey Thompson | Mickey Thompson is a performance oriented brand originally founded by racer Mickey Thompson. It became part of Cooper and is therefore now under the Goodyear umbrella. |
Sumitomo Rubber Industries (SRN/A) is a Japanese manufacturer with roots dating back to 1909. It produces Falken and Dunlop tires (outside North America) and operates factories worldwide.
| Brand | Manufacturer | Citations |
|---|---|---|
| Falken | Made by Sumitomo Rubber Industries; Sumitomo absorbed its subsidiary Ohtsu Tire & Rubber Co., bringing Falken under its umbrella. | [5] |
Hankook Tire & Technology is a South Korean manufacturer owned by the holding company Hankook & Company. Since starting as Chosun Tire in 1941, the company has grown into a global player with manufacturing plants in Korea, China and the United States.
| Brand | Manufacturer | Citations |
|---|---|---|
| Hankook | Manufactured by Hankook Tire & Technology Co., Ltd., a company owned by Hankook & Company. | [6] |
| Laufenn | A budget friendly sub brand developed by Hankook to offer quality tires at competitive prices. | [7] |
The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd. was established in 1917. It built its first plant in 1920 and has grown into a global producer of performance and racing tires.
| Brand | Manufacturer | Citations |
|---|---|---|
| Yokohama | Produced by Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd., established in 1917. | [8] |
Toyo Tire Corporation is a publicly traded Japanese company. Mitsubishi Corporation became its largest shareholder by increasing its stake to 20 % in 2018.
| Brand | Manufacturer | Citations |
|---|---|---|
| Toyo | Manufactured by Toyo Tire Corporation. | [9] |
| Nitto | Produced by Nitto Tire U.S.A. but owned by Toyo; Nitto was acquired by Toyo in 1979 and operates as a subsidiary. | [11] |
Cheng Shin Rubber Industrial Co., Ltd., operating internationally as Maxxis, is one of the world’s largest bicycle and specialty tire makers. It employs more than 20,000 people and produces tires for bicycles, motorcycles, ATVs, autos and trucks.
| Brand | Manufacturer | Citations |
|---|---|---|
| Maxxis | Made by Cheng Shin Rubber Industrial Co. (Maxxis International). | [12] |
| CST | CST (Cheng Shin Tire) is another brand offered by the Cheng Shin group. | [12] |
Wheel Pros and MHT Luxury Wheels merged under private equity ownership. The merger brought brands such as Fuel Off Road under a single company.
| Brand | Manufacturer | Citations |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel Off Road | Part of MHT Luxury Wheels / Wheel Pros; the merger announcement identifies Fuel as one of MHT’s premier brands. | [10] |
| EFX | EFX produces ATV/UTV and golf cart tires. The EFX Tires privacy policy states that the site is owned and operated by Wheel Pros, LLC. | [13] |
Coker is the leading supplier of vintage style tires. A 2018 news report notes that the Coker Group includes Coker Tire, Wheel Vintiques, Universal Vintage Tire, Phoenix Race Tires, Specialty Wheel and Roadster Wire Wheel brands.
| Brand | Manufacturer | Citations |
|---|---|---|
| Coker Classic / Coker Tire | Produced by the Coker Group; Coker specializes in classic and vintage style tires. | [14] |
| Universal Vintage Tire | Manufactured by Universal Vintage Tire Co., part of the Coker Group. | [16] |
| Phoenix Race Tires | Made by Coker Tire Co. | [15] |
| Premium Sport & Excelsior | Also produced by Coker Tire Co.; the brandsglance list shows these vintage labels under Coker. | [15] |
Interco Tire produces specialty off road and drag racing tires. In 2001 Marvin Rifchin sold the M&H Racemaster brand to Warren Guidry’s Interco Tire company.
| Brand | Manufacturer | Citations |
|---|---|---|
| M&H Racemaster | Owned by Interco Tire Corp.; Rifchin sold M&H to Warren Guidry’s Interco Tire company in 2001. | [18] |
Hercules Tire & Rubber Company is part of American Tire Distributors (ATD). The brandsglance list groups both Hercules and its value line Ironman under this manufacturer.
| Brand | Manufacturer | Citations |
|---|---|---|
| Hercules | Made by Hercules Tire & Rubber Company. | [19] |
| Ironman | A value oriented line produced by Hercules Tire & Rubber Company. | [19] |
Kumho is a South Korean tire maker that operates globally. In the United States its products are sold through Kumho Tire USA.
| Brand | Manufacturer | Citations |
|---|---|---|
| Kumho | Manufactured by Kumho Tire USA Inc., a subsidiary of Kumho Tire. | [20] |
Transamerica Tire Co., Ltd. is a Memphis based importer whose portfolio includes several trailer and light truck brands. Its “About Us” page lists Venom Power, Predator, Freedom Hauler and Transeagle tires among its brands.
| Brand | Manufacturer | Citations |
|---|---|---|
| Freedom Hauler | One of Transamerica’s specialty tire brands. | [21] |
American Omni Trading Co. supplies private label tires to retailers across North America. The brandsglance list shows that the Thunderer brand is made by American Omni.
| Brand | Manufacturer | Citations |
|---|---|---|
| Thunderer | Produced by American Omni Trading Co. | [22] |
Unicorn Tire Corporation, headquartered in Memphis, owns the Travelstar brand. A 2025 article notes that Travelstar is a Unicorn subsidiary and that manufacturing is handled by several Chinese companies.
| Brand | Manufacturer | Citations |
|---|---|---|
| Travelstar | Owned by Unicorn Tire Corporation; manufacturing is performed by Chinese partners such as Jiangsu General Science, Linglong and ZC Rubber. | [23] |
Omni United is a Singapore based tire company with U.S. operations. The brandsglance list associates its Speedway line with Omni United USA.
| Brand | Manufacturer | Citations |
|---|---|---|
| Speedway | Manufactured by Omni United USA. | [24] |
Specialty Tires of America (STA) produces niche radial and bias ply tires in the United States. The brandsglance listing shows the Specialty/STA brand under this manufacturer.
| Brand | Manufacturer | Citations |
|---|---|---|
| STA (Specialty) | Produced by Specialty Tires of America. | [25] |
Discount Tire (also known as America’s Tire in California) sells several private label brands. The brandsglance document lists Vision among its in house labels.
| Brand | Manufacturer | Citations |
|---|---|---|
| Vision | A private label brand sold by Discount Tire / America’s Tire. | [17] |
Kontio Tyres is a Finnish manufacturer based in Nokia, Finland. The company produces wide whitewall tires for classic cars and notes that it has revolutionized pricing by introducing an affordable premium whitewall tire.
| Brand | Manufacturer | Citations |
|---|---|---|
| Kontio | Manufactured by Kontio Tyres of Finland. | [27] |
Performance Plus Tire also carries niche brands like Diamond, Ensign and other specialty labels for antique vehicles and trailers. Manufacturer information for these brands is limited. Customers should consult product packaging or contact our sales team for the most up to date data.
Disclaimer: Brand ownership can change over time through mergers and acquisitions. The information here reflects research available as of September 2025. Always verify the latest manufacturer data before making purchasing decisions.
[1] The UPI report on Michelin’s purchase of Uniroyal Goodrich explains that Michelin acquired the Uniroyal Goodrich Tire Co., making BFGoodrich a subsidiary.
[2] Bridgestone’s history page notes that it purchased Firestone in 1988.
[3] A SlashGear overview states that Continental AG, founded in 1871, is a German automotive technology company and one of the top tire makers.
[4] Modern Tire Dealer reports that Goodyear completed its acquisition of Cooper Tire & Rubber Co. on June 7, 2021.
[5] A history of Falken explains that Sumitomo absorbed Ohtsu Tire & Rubber Company in 2003, bringing Falken under Sumitomo’s umbrella.
[6] SlashGear profiles note that Hankook Tire & Technology is a South Korean company owned by Hankook & Company.
[7] WheelHero confirms that Laufenn is a budget sub brand developed by Hankook Tire.
[8] The Yokohama Rubber Co.’s 2022 integrated report recounts that the company was founded in 1917 and has grown into an industry leader.
[9] A 2025 SlashGear article notes that Toyo Tire is publicly traded and that Mitsubishi Corporation increased its stake to 20 % in 2018.
[10] A Clearlake Capital news release notes that MHT Luxury Wheels brought brands like Fuel Off Road to its merger with Wheel Pros.
[11] A history of Nitto notes that Nitto Tires was acquired by Toyo Tires in 1979 and is now a subsidiary of Toyo.
[12] The CST Tire “About” page states that CST brand tires are offered by Cheng Shin Rubber Ind. Co., Ltd. (Cheng Shin Tire), which employs more than 20,000 people and produces tires for bicycles, motorcycles, ATVs, autos and trucks.
[13] The EFX Tires privacy policy states that the site is owned and operated by Wheel Pros, LLC.
[14] Modern Tire Dealer reports that the Coker Group includes Coker Tire, Wheel Vintiques, Universal Vintage Tire, Phoenix Race Tires and other brands.
[15] The brandsglance list associates Phoenix Race Tires and Premium Sport labels with Coker Tire Co.
[16] The brandsglance list shows Universal under Universal Vintage Tire Co., part of the Coker Group.
[17] The brandsglance list identifies Vision as a private label brand sold by Discount Tire / America’s Tire.
[18] A tribute to Marvin Rifchin notes that in January 2001 he sold the M&H brand to Warren Guidry, owner of Interco Tire, and stayed on as a consultant.
[19] The brandsglance list groups both Hercules and Ironman under Hercules Tire & Rubber Co.
[20] The brandsglance list associates the Kumho brand with Kumho Tire USA Inc.
[21] Transamerica Tire’s “About Us” page lists its brands as Venom Power, Predator, Freedom Hauler and Transeagle.
[22] The brandsglance document lists Thunderer under American Omni Trading Co.
[23] A 2025 article explains that Travelstar is owned by Unicorn Tire Corporation and manufactured by Chinese companies including Jiangsu General Science, Linglong and ZC Rubber.
[24] The brandsglance list associates the Speedway brand with Omni United USA.
[25] The brandsglance list shows that Specialty / STA tires are produced by Specialty Tires of America.
[27] Kontio Tyres’ website states that the company is a new tyre manufacturer from Nokia, Finland and has launched premium wide whitewall tires.
