Nokian Tyres has started producing tires for commercial sale at its North American factory in Dayton, Tennessee.
Production took place on schedule, and the company says it plans to steadily increase volume throughout the year.
Nokian says the factory will craft safe, sustainable products tailored to the needs of North American drivers, serving the company’s goal to double sales in the region between 2018 and 2023. Nokian Tyres made the first test tire at the facility on July 1, 2019 and continues to certify a growing number of tire models and sizes.
The 830,000-square-foot complex is designed to craft premium all-season and all-weather tires tailored to the needs of North American drivers, the company says.
Nokian Tyres will ultimately employ as many as 400 workers at the facility 40 miles north of Chattanooga. Currently, just over 100 team members work at the factory.
The start of commercial production is one of several milestones Nokian Tyres will celebrate this year, the company says. Later in 2020, Nokian says it will dedicate a solar-powered administration building that will feature offices, meeting spaces, employee wellness facilities and a sauna. The company says it is also building a highly-automated warehouse on the property that will be able to store as many as 600,000 tires. The company is preparing to introduce new products for North American drivers in the coming months and years.
