Petlas (Company)

Petlas is a domestic tire company established in 1976 with its production facility located in Kırşehir and its headquarters in Ankara. At its factory, Petlas manufactures various tire sizes for land and air vehicles across multiple sectors. Through its R&D investments, Petlas has enabled its main plant in Kırşehir to achieve production capacity meeting global standards and has become the fourth company worldwide in this field to obtain certification.

Visual Representing Petlas’ Product Range (Petlas)

History of Petlas

Petlas was founded in 1976 by Abdülkadir Özcan under the name Abdülkadir A.Ş. and is currently managed by Mustafa Özcan (Chairman of the Board of Directors) and Sabri Özcan (Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors), sons of A. Özcan. Petlas produced its first aircraft tires in 1992. The company was privatized in 1998 and acquired in 2005 by AKO Group (Abdülkadir Özcan A.Ş.). Petlas began producing radial tractor tires and subsequently manufactured Turkey’s first domestically produced certified bus and truck tires, the country’s first local Run-Flat tire (a tire type that allows continued driving at low speed even after puncture), and the first fully steel radial industrial vehicle tire. The company has also developed its own advanced tire test track and implemented self-sealing technology (a feature that automatically seals small punctures in tires). Petlas’s main production plant is located in the Kındam district of Kırşehir along Ankara-Kayseri Road. Its headquarters is situated on Eskişehir Road in the Çankaya district of Ankara.

Headquarters Building of AKO Group in Ankara/Çankaya (Guardian Glass / Construction Project Partner)

Petlas operates under AKO Group A.Ş. Within the AKO umbrella, the company also develops advanced military tires for the defense industry. It is stated that Petlas, as part of AKO Group, continues to pursue various international goals and has announced a 16.4 percent reduction in its carbon footprint, with a target of reaching approximately 58 percent reduction by 2030.

Petlas Production Facility in Kırşehir (Petlas)

Petlas Product Range

Petlas manufactures tires for passenger-SUV, light commercial, truck-bus, agricultural, construction machinery and forklift categories. The company also produces tires for military and aviation applications. In the passenger-SUV segment, tires have been developed for both passenger cars and off-road recreational vehicles; the high-performance PT741 tire stands out in this category. The Full Power PT825 model, known for its durability, is preferred for light commercial vehicles. In the truck and bus segment, the SH110 tire, noted for its long mileage life suitable for long-haul transportation, is prominent.

The TD30 tractor tire developed for agricultural vehicles is described as designed to enhance farming efficiency. In the construction machinery segment, the PT9 series is produced for use under heavy-duty operating conditions. For forklift and industrial applications, the Solid Pro series is observed to be preferred due to its high load-carrying capacity. In addition, Petlas produces specialized high-security tires for military vehicles and aircraft tires for the aviation sector, offering its products for both civilian and military use.

Petlas Tire Model Prestige Sport Designed for Passenger Vehicles (Petlas)

Petlas in the Defense Industry

Petlas is active in the production of tires for aerospace applications and possesses an accredited test center capable of testing aircraft tires. Globally, only four companies including Petlas hold this accreditation. Most recently, Petlas exhibited tires from various product lines at SAHA EXPO 2022, SAHA EXPO 2024 and TEKNOFEST 2024.

Aircraft

Tires produced by Petlas are used in TUSAŞ-developed manned aircraft such as KAAN, Atak I, Atak II, Gökbey and Hürkuş, as well as in unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs) Anka S and Aksungur. They are also used in Baykar’s Akıncı, Kızılelma, TB3 and TB2 SİHA projects. In addition, Petlas manufactures tires for other manned fighter aircraft such as the F-104 and F-16.

Representative Image of TUSAŞ KAAN Manned Combat Aircraft with Tires Produced by Petlas (Petlas)

Flight of Baykar Kızılelma Unmanned Combat Aircraft with Tires Produced by Petlas (Petlas)

Land Vehicles

Petlas also offers a diverse product range for land vehicles. Tires manufactured by Petlas are supplied to national armored ground vehicles produced in Türkiye. Examples include BMC Tulga, FNSS PARS, FNSS 4×4 STA, Kirpi I, Kirpi II, Kobra I, Kobra II, Vuran, Hızır, Kıraç, Tulpar, Ejder Yalçın III, Seyit 8×8, FNSS ÖMTTZA and Otokar Ural 4x4.

Petlas RM900 Armored Vehicle Tire (Petlas)