TYRES FOR
EXTREME
Nokian Tyres is a global leader in the development and manufacture of heavy-duty tyres for extreme environments. Philip Yorke talked to Jarkko Puikkonen, the company’s global marketing director, about its latest developments for tyres for the mining and forestry sectors and its move into new markets.
CONDITIONS
N
okian Tyres was founded in 1988 and was first listed on the Helsinki stock exchange in 1995. However, the company’s roots date back to 1898 when Suomen Gummitehdas Oy, or the Finnish Rubber Factory, was established. Passenger tyre production commenced in 1932 and the company’s first winter tyre was produced in 1934. Nokian’s best known tyre brand, the Nokian Hakkapeliitta, was launched in 1936 and remains a brand leader in its field today. The company’s key products are studded and non-studded winter tyres and high-speed summer tyres and these two
24 Industry Europe
examples represent Nokian Tyres’ fastest growing product segments. Today the company’s most important brands include the Nokian Hakkapeliitta, the Nokian Kaaka and the Nokian Nordman. In 2012 winter tyres represented over 74 per cent of all Nokian car tyres sales. However, another strong growth market contender is its range of special heavy-duty tyres for the agriculture, forestry, construction and mining sectors. This Nokian Tyre division is responsible for more than 10 per cent of the company’s global sales. In 2012, Nokian Tyres employed over 4000 people worldwide and recorded sales of more than €1.6 billion.
Pioneers in challenging environments Since its earliest days Nokian has been committed to pioneering the development of tyres for harsh conditions, and today it leads the world in this high-tech area. Uncompromising testing and constant product improvements have earned the company a reputation for superior safety and control in arctic weather conditions. The main objective of Nokian Tyres’ R&D programme is to reinforce the company’s status as the manufacturer of the world’s best winter and forestry tyres. Development is based upon the principle of sustainable safety, which translates as ensuring
