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 types in different sizes for land and air vehicles. Through its R&D investments, Petlas has enabled its main plant in Kırşehir to achieve production capacity meeting international standards and has become the fourth company worldwide to earn certification in this field.

^{Visual Representing Petlas’ Product Range (}Petlas⁾

Petlas was founded in 1976 by Abdülkadir Özcan under the name Abdülkadir A.Ş. Today, it is managed by Mustafa Özcan (Chairman of the Board of Directors) and Sabri Özcan (Deputy 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, followed by Turkey’s first domestically manufactured ISO-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 with state-of-the-art technology and implemented self-sealing technology (a feature that automatically seals small punctures in tires). Petlas’ 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 Partner⁾

Petlas operates within the AKO Group A.Ş. structure. Under the AKO umbrella, the company also develops advanced technology military tires for the defense industry. It is stated that Petlas, within the AKO Group, continues to pursue various international objectives and has announced a 16.4% reduction in its carbon footprint, with a target of reaching approximately 58% reduction by 2030.

^{Petlas’ Production Facility in Kırşehir (}Petlas⁾

Petlas produces tires for passenger-SUV, light commercial, truck-bus, agricultural, construction machinery and forklift categories. The company also manufactures tires for defense and aviation applications. In the passenger-SUV segment, tires have been developed for both passenger vehicles 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 prominently featured.

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 forklifts 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, operating across both civilian and military markets.

^{Petlas’ Prestige Sport Tire for Passenger Vehicles (}Petlas⁾

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.

Petlas tires are used in TUSAŞ-developed manned aircraft including KAAN, Atak I, Atak II, Gökbey and Hürkuş, as well as in unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs) such as Anka S and Aksungur. They are also employed in Baykar’s Akıncı, Kızılelma, TB3 and TB2 UCAV projects. In addition, Petlas manufactures tires for other manned combat aircraft such as the F104 and F16.

^{Representative Image of the TUSAŞ KAAN Manned Combat Aircraft with Petlas-Produced Tires (}Petlas⁾

^{Flight of the Bayraktar Kızılelma Unmanned Combat Aircraft with Petlas-Produced Tires (}Petlas⁾

Petlas also offers a diverse product range for land vehicles. Tires produced by Petlas are supplied to nationally developed armored ground vehicles 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⁾