Warrior, a domestic tire brand, has returned to the local market after a two-year absence.

The Shanghai Huayi Group, its affiliated company Double Coin Holdings Ltd and French tire maker Michelin launched new Warrior tires in Shanghai on Tuesday.

The tires are made at a new 3.2 billion yuan ($504.80 million) plant at the Anhui Industrial Park.

Three series of Warrior passenger car tires with 26 specifications will be supplied to the local market to meet the growing demand from medium- and high-end consumers, said Jiang Bin, deputy general manager of Double Coin.

Jiang, also general manager of Double Coin (Anhui) Warrior Tire Co Ltd, said Huayi had to give up the rights to the traditional Chinese brand in 2001 when it set up a joint venture with Michelin, which controlled 70 percent of the JV.

The JV company made Warrior tires, but the brand lost market share as it only produced about 6 million tires in 10 years.

China Daily-Agencies