Liberia Gears Up for First Locally Made Tires: Jeety Rubber Sets 2028 Milestone

Liberia may be on the verge of a historic industrial milestone. Upjit Singh Sachdeva, owner of Jeety Rubber LLC, has set a target to produce the country’s first locally made tires by mid-2028 — an ambition that depends on securing a daily supply of 550 tonnes of raw rubber from domestic sources.

Speaking during a recognition ceremony in Kakata, Sachdeva framed the project as more than a business venture: it is a national industrial aspiration aimed at transforming Liberia’s rubber sector from a primarily raw-material exporter into a hub for value-added manufacturing.

According to Jeety Rubber, the tires will meet international safety and performance standards, intended for both local and regional markets. The company envisions a variety of products including passenger car tires, truck and bus tires, and agricultural and industrial tires. The production would rely on modern technology and locally sourced rubber, signaling a departure from Liberia’s historical pattern of exporting raw materials for foreign processing.

Rubber has long been one of Liberia’s most important cash crops. The country is home to some of Africa’s largest rubber plantations, including Firestone Liberia, established in 1926, which for decades dominated both production and export. Other major producers include Cavalla Rubber Corporation and Sime Darby, making Liberia a key player in global natural rubber markets.

Despite this potential, the country has historically exported raw latex and semi-processed rubber rather than finished products. While Liberia produces thousands of tons of rubber annually, value addition within the country has remained minimal, limiting employment opportunities and broader economic benefits.

Efforts to develop downstream rubber industries in Liberia have faced several challenges, including infrastructure gaps such as poor roads, electricity, and industrial logistics; export policies favoring raw materials over domestic value addition; limited investment in modern machinery; and small-scale initiatives that often stalled due to inconsistent supply or lack of government support. These factors meant that even though Liberia produced vast quantities of rubber, it did not retain much of the economic value within the country.

Jeety Rubber’s US$18 million factory expansion, scheduled to double production capacity by 2026, represents a new model for Liberia’s rubber industry. If the company’s 2028 tire milestone is realized, it could create hundreds of direct manufacturing jobs, provide additional opportunities for smallholder rubber farmers, increase rural income, and strengthen community development.

Industrial growth would be supported through diversification of Liberia’s industrial base and the establishment of downstream manufacturing capability in West Africa. Regionally, Liberia could emerge as a value-added rubber hub, reducing dependence on imported tires and strengthening negotiating power in trade and supply chains.

Sachdeva has urged the government to restrict exports of unprocessed rubber and support local supply chains, arguing that stronger domestic pricing and supply would allow Liberia to keep more value within the country.

The proposed project could reshape Liberia’s rubber economy. For decades, the country has been a major raw material supplier, but with limited industrial benefit. A locally made tire represents both a symbol of national capability and a practical step toward industrial self-reliance, rural development, and regional competitiveness.

Jeety Rubber’s vision, if fully realized, may not only produce the first “Made-in-Liberia” tires, but also signal a broader economic transformation: turning Liberia’s rubber wealth into tangible, homegrown prosperity.