Who Makes Crossmax CT 1 Tires? | Brand Owner And Buying Clues

The CT-1 comes from Crossmax, a private tire brand owned and marketed by Horizon Tire Inc. in the United States.

If you’re trying to pin down who stands behind Crossmax CT-1 tires, the clean answer is Horizon Tire Inc. Crossmax is the brand name on the sidewall, and the CT-1 is one of the passenger-car models in that lineup.

That clears up the brand side of the question. The factory side takes one more step. In tires, the name you buy and the plant that molded the rubber are not always the same business. That’s why this topic can feel fuzzy when you search it online.

Who Makes Crossmax CT 1 Tires And What That Means

According to Horizon Tire’s Crossmax brand page, Crossmax is owned and marketed by Horizon Tire Inc., a U.S.-based private brand marketer and distribution company. On the same page, Horizon places the CT-1 in its Crossmax line as a touring tire built for wet and dry driving, fuel economy, ride quietness, and long tread life.

So when someone asks who makes Crossmax CT-1 tires, they usually want one of two answers:

• Brand answer: Horizon Tire Inc. is the company behind Crossmax.
• Plant answer: The exact factory is tied to the tire’s sidewall marking, not just the brand name.

That split matters. Many drivers only want to know who owns the line, handles warranty terms, and ships the product into the market. For that, Horizon is the name that matters. If you want the plant-level story for a set already on a car, you need to read the DOT code on the tire itself.

Why The Name Can Throw Buyers Off

Crossmax sounds like a stand-alone manufacturer, so it’s easy to assume there’s one big Crossmax factory somewhere turning out every CT-1. The public record shown on Horizon’s own brand page points a little differently. Crossmax works as the tire brand, while Horizon Tire runs the brand and distribution side.

That setup is common in the replacement-tire market. It also explains why shoppers sometimes see mixed wording across retailer pages. One store may name Crossmax as the maker because that is the brand on the tire. Another may name Horizon because that is the company behind the label.

What The Crossmax CT-1 Is Built To Be

The CT-1 is not pitched as a mud tire, a winter tire, or a track tire. Horizon positions it as a touring all-season option for passenger vehicles. That tells you a lot before you even get into size charts or tread photos.

In plain terms, the CT-1 is meant for daily driving. Think sedans, coupes, hatchbacks, and many small crossovers that use passenger-car sizing. The sales pitch leans on a quiet ride, steady wet-road manners, fuel-saving rolling behavior, and mileage that should make sense for a commuter car.

Here’s the practical read on those claims:

• If your driving is mostly city streets, highways, errands, and school runs, the CT-1 fits that job.
• If you want a tire with a long stated treadwear promise, the CT-1’s listed 60,000-mile limited treadwear figure will catch your eye.
• If you drive in heavy snow for long stretches, an all-season touring tire is still a compromise.

Detail	What Horizon Lists	What That Tells You
Brand owner	Crossmax is owned and marketed by Horizon Tire Inc.	Horizon is the company behind the CT-1 brand line.
Company base	U.S.-based private brand marketer and distribution company	The brand is run from the U.S. market side, not presented as a stand-alone factory brand.
Founded	Horizon says it has operated since 2004	The brand owner is not a brand-new seller with no operating history.
Warehouses	Los Angeles, Houston, and Memphis	That points to broad U.S. distribution and easier retail supply.
CT-1 category	Touring tire	The tire is built for everyday road use, not severe off-road work.
Road manners	Wet and dry handling, quiet ride, comfort	The pitch is daily-driver balance, not raw grip at all costs.
Efficiency angle	Fuel-economy minded design notes	Rolling resistance is part of the CT-1 sales pitch.
Treadwear claim	60,000-mile limited treadwear	The tire is sold as a mileage-minded option in its class.

What To Check On The Tire Itself Before You Buy

If you want more than the brand-owner answer, the sidewall is where the real trail starts. Under NHTSA’s tire ID marking rules, tires sold in the United States carry a Tire Identification Number with a manufacturer mark and a date code. That means the tire on the rack can tell you more than the product title on a store page.

For a buyer, that turns into a simple checklist. Look at the sidewall before install, not after months of driving. You want to know what you are buying, how fresh it is, and whether the specs match your car door-jamb label.

Read These Marks In Order

Start with the size. Then check the load index and speed rating. After that, read the DOT code and its last four digits for the build week and year. Last, scan the UTQG grades if your size carries them. Those marks won’t tell you everything about ride feel, but they will tell you whether the tire is the right physical and service match for your vehicle.

A lot of bad tire buys happen for boring reasons: the wrong load rating, old stock, or a speed rating that does not line up with the car’s need. None of that shows up in a flashy ad line. It shows up on the sidewall and on your vehicle placard.

Check Before Purchase	Why It Matters	What You Want
Tire size	Wrong size can throw off fit, ride, and speedometer reading	An exact match to your approved size range
Load index	Too low can leave the tire under-rated for the car	Equal to or above the vehicle requirement
Speed rating	It sets the service ceiling built into the tire	A rating that matches the car maker’s spec
DOT date code	Fresh stock is better than a tire that has sat for years	A recent build date from the last year or two
UTQG grades	They give another clue on treadwear, traction, and heat	Grades that fit your daily driving needs
Warranty terms	The mileage number only counts when claim rules are met	A receipt, rotation records, and clear seller terms

When The CT-1 Makes Sense

The CT-1 makes the most sense for drivers who want a lower-cost all-season tire from a private label that still spells out its market position clearly. Horizon gives the model a neat lane: touring comfort, everyday wet and dry use, and a stated 60,000-mile treadwear figure.

That can be a solid match if your car spends most of its life in these conditions:

• Daily commuting on paved roads
• Mixed city and freeway miles
• Mild winter areas where true snow tires are not needed year-round
• Drivers who care more about value and ride calm than sporty cornering

It may be a weaker fit if you drive in deep snow, tow heavy loads with a vehicle that needs a tougher tire class, or want a sharper steering feel than a comfort-first touring tire usually gives. That does not make the CT-1 a bad tire. It just means the tire has a lane, and life gets easier when your car stays in that lane.

What The Answer Means For You

So, who makes Crossmax CT-1 tires? The brand answer is Horizon Tire Inc. That is the company that owns and markets Crossmax in the U.S. If you want the factory answer for a tire in your driveway or on a shop rack, read the DOT/TIN marking on that exact tire.

That’s the clean way to think about it. Brand owner tells you who stands behind the line. Sidewall markings tell you the finer production details for the tire you may buy. Put those two pieces together, and the Crossmax CT-1 stops being a mystery and starts looking like what it is: a touring all-season tire sold under Horizon’s Crossmax label for everyday road use.