Nokian Tyres opens its first US factory in Tennessee

Nokian Tyres has had the official opening of its North American production factory in Dayton, Tennessee. The 830,000-square foot complex, inaugurated on October 2, is one of the most advanced tyre production facilities in the industry.

The Dayton plant will produce approximately four million tyres per year at the factory once it reaches full capacity. At that stage, the company will employ as many as 400 workers. The factory is currently in the trial production stage and will be ready to make tyres for commercial use in early 2020.

Nokian Tyres has set a goal to double its North American sales in five years. “The grand opening of the Dayton Factory is a key milestone in our growth journey,” said Nokian Tyres President and CEO Hille Korhonen.

Nokian Tyres CEO Hille Korhonen:  The North American factory provides a premium relationship with our customers by making safe, sustainable products that are tailored to the needs of North American consumers. (Photo: Neelu Eldurkar)

“Our hard-working multinational team has brought our company’s vision to life through relentless teamwork, and we’re eager to celebrate their accomplishment. The North American factory provides a premium relationship with our customers by making safe, sustainable products that are tailored to the needs of North American consumers.”

Founded and headquartered in Finland, Nokian Tyres invented the winter and all-weather tyres and continues to craft premium products in all major passenger segments, including the all-season tyre market, at its other facilities in Finland and Russia. At the Dayton factory, the company aims to fill expanding North American demand and seize on opportunities in the all-season and all-weather markets.

The new Dayton factory is the result of around-the-clock collaboration between North American leadership, experts from Finland and Russia, construction workers, equipment installers and an enthusiastic first set of local employees eager to make some of the safest, most sustainable tires on the continent.

Nokian Tyres says it will maintain strict sustainability standards at the factory to minimise waste and emissions. Solar panels will be installed in the parking lot, and the company will recycle excess materials that result from production. The solar array in the parking lot will generate 3 megawatts of electricity to be utilised at the facility. In September, the company was selected to the Dow Jones Sustainability Index for the third consecutive year. Only the top 10 percent of the most sustainable companies in the world are included in the index.

The eco-friendly facility will build a robust mix of all-season and all-weather products to meet consumer needs and fill rising demand for its products. It will also enable the company to more efficiently deliver its products to customers. The factory will help Nokian Tyres align its global production network to meet the demands of customers in other regions, freeing up capacity to tailor products to those markets and enrich responsiveness to its customers there.