In 1959, the company underwent privatisation and was reorganized as Nankang Rubber Tire Co. Ltd., as it has been for the past 50 years. To meet the growth of business scale, a second plant was established in Shin-Fung, Hsinchu County in 1973. In 1997, the latest plant, Nankang International Co., was finally set up in Zhangjiagang free trade zone, Jiangsu Province, People’s Republic of China, with the highest production capacity of 37,000 pieces a day.
This month, as the company reaches the half century mark, Tyres & Accessories looks over the company’s five decades of history.
Back to 50 years ago, when the economic and industrial infrastructure was insufficient, and when the technology and raw material of the rubber industry was not easily accessible, Nankang Rubber Tire Co. had to rely on its own to overcome the challenges in terms of technical procedure, design and facilities.
Currently, Nankang is focussing on further developing its range of passenger and light truck radials and winter tyres. The company’s production has already been recognised by impartial institutions and has achieved numerous certifications, including: DNV ISO-9001, ISO/TS-16949, ISO-14001, European E-Mark, Brazilian IN-Mark, C.C.C. (China), European RDW noise test, etc. According to the company, products are exported and well-accepted in the U.S., Europe, Japan, the Middle East, and more than 80 countries all over the world.
In the past three years, the design team has scored numerous technical successes, such as the AS-1, which has an asymmetrical pattern, offering outstanding manoeuvrability and comfort; the 20- to 24-inch SUV series of low profile tyres; the fuel-saving ECO-1, as well as the latest UHPT line, NS-20, with the introduction of cutting-edge technology.
In the recent years, commercial vans, light trucks, and 4×4 vehicles have been designed for greater capacity and enhanced driving experience, consequently, the tyres are expected to perform better than before. Nankang has also made advances in its LTR series. Traditionally LTR tyres are thought of as noisy, less comfortable, and inferior in terms of handling however Nankang’s new LTR tyres are said to have achieved breakthroughs due to “computerised multi-pitch simulation technology to reduce noise-generation and to increase driving pleasure.” The new manufacturing techniques, devised collaboratively with a major Japanese manufacturer, have led to acclaim for the CW-20, the next generation LTR tyre, and the FT-7 for 4×4 vehicles.
Nankang has also invested in the development of its range of snow tyres for “slippery winter driving surfaces.” The studless SN-1 tyre has reportedly passed the challenging slope-climbing test in Hokkaido, Japan and its quality has won trust as well as orders from a number of customers there. The Nankang design team has also tailor-made specific studded or studless snow tyres for customers from Scandinavia and central, as well as southern Europe to meet their unique and differing needs.
These successes, however, have not stopped Nankang from continuously striving to come up with even more improved products. As a result, the company created a new-generation studded winter tyre, the SW-7 and the studless winter tyre SV-2. Nankang’s newly developed patterns and prototype skills, integrated with the technique for producing winter light truck tyres, have also enabled the company to produce and supply top-quality studless winter tyres, the SL-6, for European motorists.
In most countries, to investigate a new model’s endurance and high-speed stability, the testing operations regulated by authorities are often conducted and monitored indoors. However, in order to evaluate a tyre’s actual performance on various featured road surfaces, Nankang fully realises the installation of a proving ground is a basic requirement for a professional tyre manufacturer.
The proving ground at the Shin-Feng plant consists of test lanes for dry/wet surfaces, oval track, brake-measurement lanes, as well as surfaces with many different friction characteristics, all of which are constructed to the same standard of Taiwan Automotive Research and Testing Center (ARTC). In terms of equipment, up to date anemometers, sound level meters, opto-electric sensors, and GPS-based equipment are all used to empirically test the products.
In light of the fact that fuel energy resources are expected to sharply decline around the world in the near future, saving energy and cutting carbon dioxide emissions have become urgent issues under the terms of the Kyoto Protocol. To make the development of “Eco tyres” one of its top production goals, Nankang has been working to produce tyres that are both oil saving and that can contribute to safe driving at the same time. Meanwhile, Nankang will work to create lines that have low profiles but high loading capacity to be used in commercial vehicles, demanding both comfort and improved performance.
Tyre manufacturers tend to increase silica mixture in the rubber compounds for tyres, which will in turn help increase the vehicles’ horsepower and speed. Likewise, Nankang has equipped its factories with the latest rubber compound mixing technology and equipment to better mix rubber compounds with a high silica content.
Big-name tyremakers from around the world have recognised and respected tyres manufactured by Nankang. Company representatives say Nankang is resolved to make breakthroughs by constantly introducing innovative production techniques and products, while offering “best possible services to its customers all over the globe.” (Tyres & Accessories/Staffordshire, U.K.)
