An announcement made by Shandong Linglong Tire at the Auto Shanghai show marks the introduction of a long-established US tyre brand into the Chinese market. At a press conference held on 22 April, company chairman and president Wang Feng welcomed the Atlas brand to China. The launch portfolio consists of seven passenger car and SUV product lines.

The Atlas brand dates back to 1935, at which time it was exclusively distributed in the USA by Standard Oil. The brand was acquired by Shandong Linglong Tire in 2009. The tyre maker states that Atlas is now being officially launched in China after years of research, development and testing. sg