Korean tire company building tech centre in North America

SEOUL, South Korea — Nexen Tire, a global tire manufacturer, has broken ground for its new tire technology centre in Richfield, Ohio. The US$5-million, 3,159-square metre (34,000 square feet) building will include offices, labs, test machines, and a warehouse, and will also be the first building in the new Richfield Crossroads Development District.

The new technology centre demonstrates Nexen Tire’s commitment to the North and South American markets and will provide advanced and innovative technologies for the development of cutting-edge and eco-friendly tires for both the Original Equipment and Replacement markets.

Established in 1942, Nexen Tire is a global tire manufacturer headquartered in Yangsan and Seoul, South Korea. Ranked 18th globally, it has presented aggressive growth plans to become one of the global top 10 manufacturers by 2025.

As one of the world’s fastest growing tire manufacturer working with dealers in 141 countries around the world, the company has established R&D centres globally in Korea, the US, China and Germany, carrying out diverse research and development activities for Nexen Tire’s top-quality tires.

Nexen Tire is also currently operating three manufacturing plants — two in Korea (Yangsan and Changnyeong) and one in Qingdao, China. A new plant is under construction in Zatec, Czech Republic and will be operational by 2018. Nexen Tire’s Changnyeong plant has been recognized as one of the most advanced, state-of-the-art tire manufacturing plants in the world with an annual output of 12 million units. Additional plans for a North American plant is also in progress, with production start-up goal aiming for 2021.

Nexen Tire produces 42 million tires a year for passenger cars, SUVs, and light trucks utilizing advanced technology and with unsurpassed uniformity, quality and excellence in design. It supplies OE tires to over twenty global car makers in North and South America, Asia and Europe.