Who Owns Sumitomo Tires And Where Are They Made?

In the world of automotive tech and components, there are a huge number of brands and manufacturers that produce these parts. Tires, in particular, represent an area full of different companies, each vying for the top spot on roads all over the world. Because there are so many options to choose from when buying new tires, it can be confusing for drivers to pick the right brand for them. It's important to do your research and look into as many different manufacturers as possible to make the right choice. One brand that may not be as popular as names like BFGoodrich and Michelin Tires is Sumitomo Tires, but that doesn't mean the company isn't worth exploring.

Sumitomo Tires is owned by Sumitomo Rubber Industries Ltd., which is itself part of the Japanese Sumitomo Corporation. The company's history dates back hundreds of years, when its founder, Masatomo Sumitomo, opened a medicine and book store in Kyoto in the early 1600s. Masatomo, an early exponent of business philosophy, left a collection of teachings and business principles, which are known as the "Founder's Precepts." In his writing, Masatomo laid out his guidelines for conducting business, and today, the Sumitomo Corporation continues to follow these teachings in the form of its "Sumitomo Business Philosophy."  

In the centuries that followed Masatomo Sumitomo's life, his family company has continued to expand and is now involved in industries ranging from steel and automotive tech to urban planning and more. When it comes to tires, Sumitomo is involved in various ways. If you're interested in learning more about Sumitomo Tires, like where they're made, as well as other tire brands that fall under the Sumitomo umbrella, stick around.

Sumitomo does not provide extensive information about where it builds its tires. However, the company does provide a timeline of important events on its Sumitomo Rubber Industries page. Based on information about the opening of factories throughout the manufacturer's history, we can determine that most of Sumitomo's production plants are located in Asia. Locations include places like the company's home country of Japan, as well as Malaysia, Indonesia, China, Thailand, and Vietnam. In addition to those Asian nations, the timeline also notes factories located in Turkey and Slovenia. 

That same timeline also mentions that in 2015, Sumitomo acquired a factory in the United States and opened a technical center, also in the U.S., in 2017. The timeline stops at 2023, which may explain the exclusion of the fact that Sumitomo's Buffalo, New York location ceased production in 2024. The Buffalo factory is the same factory that was mentioned as opening in 2015, when Sumitomo acquired the location after absorbing Goodyear Dunlop Tires North America Ltd. 

Based on all of that available information, it's safe to assume that most if not all new Sumitomo tires are manufactured overseas. However, that isn't a reason to think less of the company, as the country of origin has little to no influence on a product's quality, and most modern manufacturers rely on, at least in part, on foreign production centers.

Sumitomo Tires may be the namesake tire company associated with the Sumitomo Corporation. However, it's not the only tire manufacturer connected to or owned by the business. In reality, Sumitomo Rubber Industries is one of the most prolific tire manufacturers in the world. While Sumitomo Tires represents the company's premium tire export brand, the rubber producer has partnerships with various other tire brands and also maintains a couple subsidiary tire companies. That should come as no surprise, as many of today's top tire manufacturers maintain subsidiaries and partner brands, in order to offer tires at various price points and for numerous driving styles, which is why it may not always be worth it to spend extra money on expensive tires.

When it comes to Sumitomo Rubber Industries, besides Sumitomo Tires, the company also owns Dunlop and Falken. Both brands are relatively well-known, and you may actually be more familiar with these two names than you are with Sumitomo. Dunlop Tires was founded in the late 19th century and has a long history of partnership with Sumitomo Rubber. In the past century, Sumitomo has taken various steps to become more involved with the Dunlop brand, and in 2025, Sumitomo Rubber Industries officially bought the Dunlop name from Goodyear. Falken Tires is a much newer brand and was founded in Japan in 1983, by Sumitomo subsidiary, Ohtsu Tire & Rubber Company, which Sumitomo absorbed in 2003.