Hankook opens test center for winter tires in Finland
Hankook Tire Co. Ltd. has opened its European winter tire test facility in Ivalo, Finland. Named Technotrac, the testing center is located about 185 miles north of the Arctic Circle.
Hankook says the opening of Technotrac proves that the company’s 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 has offices, conference rooms and even state-of-the-art workshops, as well as a large cold-storage warehouse.
Hankook says the stable and prolonged winter conditions in Ivalo were a key factor in the decision to build the most northerly winter tire test facility in the world. The test center was built by Finnish company Test World Oy.
Through Technotrac,Hankook says it 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 original equipment demand and customers in the European market.
Hankook says it is building on its history of strong research and development to achieve technology leadership in global market. The company says it 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,” says Seung-Hwa Suh, vice chairman and CEO of Hankook. “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.”
Hankook produces radial tires for passenger cars, 4x4s, SUVs, light trucks, campers, trucks, buses and motorsport vehicles. It currently employs approximately 22,000 people around the world, and its products are available in over 180 countries. For more information, visit www.hankooktire.com/global.
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