Hankook Tire Opens Its Own European Test Center for Winter Tires in Finland

• - Hankook Tire opened Technotrac, its own European test facility for winter tires in Finland, further consolidating technology leadership in the automotive industry
• - Through this innovative test infra, the company once again successfully leverages its integrated approach in the field of tire development and production in Europe

28 February 2017 (Seoul, Korea) – Premium tire maker Hankook Tire has officially opened its very own European winter tire test facility, named ‘Technotrac’ in Ivalo, Finland, located approximately 300 km north of the Arctic Circle. Finnish company Test World Oy was commissioned to build the facility at the end of 2015. The opening of Technotrac marks another milestone for Hankook Tire, as it proves that winter tires for the European market are not just developed and produced in Europe, but they can even be tested under real European winter conditions.

The new test facility consists of flat tracks used for testing braking, traction and lateral stability on snow or ice, as well as two snow handling tracks for subjective tire evaluation, specifically designed to meet the needs of premium vehicle manufacturers located in Germany. The site also boasts an excellent infrastructure, with offices, conference rooms and even state-of-the-art workshops, as well as a large cold-storage warehouse. The stable and prolonged winter conditions in Ivalo was one of the key factors that influenced the decision to build the most northerly winter test facility in the world, in this location.

Through Technotrac, Ivalo, Hankook Tire is able to secure its own original technology with strengthened basic applied research, including new material technology, winter tire pattern and profile. The test infra also enables for over two thousand sets of tire evaluations, increasing the accuracy of test conditions for winter tires. Furthermore, it enables for a timely response to OE demand and customers in the European market.

With its history based on strong research and development, Hankook Tire has been striving to achieve technology leadership in global market. The company has aggressively and consistently invested in research and development to improve its innovative technology, successfully proving its achievement for global top-tier technology and superior quality.

“Technotrac, Ivalo, is another testimony that represents our strong global competitiveness through technology leadership,” said Mr. Seung-Hwa Suh, Vice Chairman and CEO of Hankook Tire. “By facing rapid changes in the business environment proactively and by delivering products optimized for various customer needs, we will continue to acquire more robust, advanced research and development capabilities as a global premium tire brand.”