KENDA are not necessarily the first brand that springs to mind when mountain bikers think of tires. Yet the Taiwanese company ranks among the largest tire manufacturers in the world, mountain bike rubber included. Together with MTB icon John Tomac, KENDA also created one of the sport’s true legends, the Nevegal. Time for a visit unlike any other.

From the outside, the building in front of us hardly looks like a factory at first glance. Yet inside, high quality tires for cars, commercial vehicles and every kind of bicycle are made from rubber, carbon black, chemicals and around 200 other raw materials. In fact, the atmosphere couldn’t be more different. It’s quiet, spotless and bathed in summer sunshine. That first impression is matched by the warm welcome we receive as we step into the headquarters of KENDA Rubber Industrial Co. Ltd., one of the world’s largest tire manufacturers. We’re in Taiwan, more precisely in Yuanlin, just south of Taichung, right next door to MERIDA and MAXXIS.

We felt genuinely welcome from the moment we arrived.

Four members of staff accompany us on our tour of one of Taiwan’s largest tire factories, answering our many questions openly and in remarkable detail. And we have plenty of them. The moment we step onto the factory floor, our first impression changes completely. The unmistakable scent of new tires fills the air, a blend of woody, earthy natural compounds and the sharp, smoky notes of industrial chemicals. At the same time, there’s an almost tangible sense of purpose throughout the factory. It’s not frantic, but calm, focused and perfectly coordinated. It’s immediately clear that every process has been refined over decades and every production step has been meticulously optimised. With more than 60 years of experience behind them, that’s hardly surprising.

The entire KENDA tire range is produced here, including the new Double Black, a versatile gravity tire.

Despite the high level of automation and the professionalism on display, people remain at the heart of production. Everywhere we look, skilled workers are still carrying out crucial manufacturing steps by hand. They handle the raw materials and individual tire components with almost remarkable care. As we watch the production process unfold and admire the craftsmanship involved, it’s easy to forget that we’re standing inside a tire factory. Of course, there are also areas where it’s loud, hot and humid. After all, tires have to be cured.

It’s only under intense heat, high pressure and precisely controlled curing times that the individual rubber components are transformed into a finished tire inside moulds designed specifically for each tread pattern. This vulcanisation process is one of the most critical stages in the entire manufacturing process.

Who Are KENDA and Where Did They Come From?

Founded in 1962, KENDA began by manufacturing bicycle inner tubes and tires. Over the years, the company steadily expanded its portfolio and today produces tires for bicycles, cars, agricultural and industrial machinery, as well as vans and light trucks. This growth has made KENDA Taiwan’s second largest tire manufacturer, with almost 12,000 employees across the group. Globally, the company ranks as the world’s 28th largest tire manufacturer. For comparison, Taiwan’s largest tire manufacturer by a considerable margin is Cheng Shin Rubber, best known to cyclists worldwide through its MAXXIS brand and employing more than 30,000 people globally. Even so, KENDA are a major player in the industry, something reflected in their consistently strong financial performance. Between 2014 and 2024, annual revenue held remarkably stable at around US$1.2 billion, against Cheng Shin’s approximately US$2.7 billion.

Where Do KENDA Develop and Sell Their Products?

KENDA have their headquarters and three production facilities in Taiwan, while also manufacturing tires in China, Vietnam and Indonesia. The company also operates four global R&D centres in Ohio, the USA, China, Taiwan and Hamburg, which serves the European market. While the team in Hamburg develops tires for European trails, the engineers in Ohio focus on the demands of the North American market. This global development network isn’t about prestige but necessity. A tire designed for the wet, root-rich trails of Germany’s Black Forest demands entirely different characteristics from one built for California’s dry, dusty terrain. The regional centers also allow KENDA to react faster and more precisely to changing market demands and local riding conditions. As for where the tires end up: the USA leads with around 40% of total sales, followed by China at approximately 30%.

Why Don’t We Think of KENDA as One of the Biggest Names in the Tire Segments?

In 2012, KENDA received the Taipei International Bicycle Innovation Award for their in-house SCT technology (Sidewall Casing Technology), which marked their entry into the tubeless MTB tire markets. SCT was designed to combine the benefits of liquid sealant with a stronger casing, improving puncture resistance while at the same time reducing wear. So KENDA are a major force in the tire industry, especially in the mountain bike segment. Back in the early 2000s, the company teamed up with MTB icon John Tomac to develop the legendary Nevegal, a tire that became the benchmark for downhill riding for years and firmly put KENDA on the radar of mountain bikers around the world. Even so, KENDA don’t enjoy the same level of brand recognition among cyclists as tire heavyweights like MAXXIS, Continental or Schwalbe. Why is that? Part of the answer comes down to geography. As mentioned earlier, KENDA’s biggest markets are the USA and China, which together account for around 70% of the company’s total sales. Another key reason is that KENDA is one of the world’s largest OEM tire manufacturers, supplying original equipment tires to leading bicycle and automotive brands across the globe. Many of these tires never carry the KENDA logo. So there’s a good chance you’ve ridden on KENDA tires before without ever realising it. After all, the company manufactures tires for some of the biggest bike brands in the world. At the same time, KENDA offer an extensive range of MTB tires under their own name, with multiple casing options and tread patterns covering almost every riding discipline, as our MTB tire group test demonstrates. KENDA are anything but a budget brand. They firmly belong in the premium segment of the tire market, a reputation backed up by numerous industry awards in recent years. The company has also been recognised repeatedly for its commitment to social responsibility and environmental sustainability.

How Do Environmental Protection and Sustainability Fit into the Tire Business?

At first glance, tire manufacturing, petroleum and carbon black don’t exactly sound like environmental protection and sustainability. Like many industries, tire production still has a long way to go. But that’s no reason not to set ambitious goals and pursue them consistently. One example is KENDA’s use of renewable energy. At one of their most advanced tire manufacturing facilities, almost 85% of the energy now comes from green sources, including the company’s own solar installations, purchased renewable electricity and renewable energy certificates. That’s a significant achievement in such an energy-intensive industry. The company has also made steady progress in energy management. Between 2015 and 2021, KENDA achieved a cumulative electricity saving of 1.59%, and in 2021 introduced additional measures to meet the annual 1% target set by Taiwan’s Bureau of Energy. A recycling program for inner tubes recovered from commercial waste streams followed, processing around 600 tubes by 2024.

What Does the Future of Tire Manufacturing Look Like?

The future of tire manufacturing will revolve around two key themes: digitalisation and sustainability. Tomorrow’s tires could be equipped with sensors that monitor tire pressure in real time, and systems like these already exist in the cycling world. Beyond that, tire manufacturers are developing smart tires that could one day detect wear and damage as well. In the mountain bike sector, however, the technology is still in development. Even more importantly, petroleum-based materials are expected to be replaced by renewable raw materials. Natural rubber, for example, could increasingly be sourced from dandelions or guayule, a drought-resistant desert shrub. Recycling is another crucial area, and one where the tire industry is still only at the beginning of its journey. The long-term goal has to be a zero-waste approach, ensuring that tires are no longer disposable products and that valuable raw materials remain in circulation for as long as possible. That won’t turn tire manufacturing into a clean industry overnight, or even in the medium term. But the direction of travel is encouraging. Some manufacturers are already bringing tires to market that are made largely from recycled materials (check out the test by our sister magazine GRAN FONDO). It’s an example the rest of the industry would do well to follow.

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Words: Patrick Gruber Photos: Max-Philip Schmitt