Triangle Tyre Group, China’s largest privately owned tire manufacturer, has established its U.S. headquarters in Franklin, Tenn. and named Manny Cicero CEO of Triangle Tire USA.

The company opened a technical center in Akron, Ohio, in 2011 to help develop tires specifically for the U.S. market and is hopeful to enter the U.S. market during the first half of this year.

Triangle Tire USA will market and sell medium/heavy (TBR) truck tires to the American trucking industry, as well as a line-up of passenger and light truck tires, including ultra high performance (UHP), winter and specialty trailer tires. The company says it will also serve the North American construction, mining and aggregates industries here with off-the-road (OTR) tires, including giant radials.

Cicero who has previously held positions with Alliance Tire Americas Inc., Michelin North America, Bridgestone Americas and Denman Tire Corp., is currently working to build Triangle Tire USA’s executive team, and meeting with potential distributors to get the company’s tires to market.