Nexen Tire opens new R&D centre in Seoul

South Korean tyre manufacturer Nexen Tire has launched ‘The Nexen UniverCity,’ a building that includes research and business complexes spanning over 57,000-sqm located at the Magok Industrial Complex in western Seoul, South Korea. Nexen invested US$178 million through two years on the centre, which stands eight stories above ground and two stories underground.The grand opening ceremony was attended by more than 300 people, including Nexen Tire’s Chairman Kang Byeong Jung and Global CEO Travis Kang, VIPs, executives and Nexen Central Research Institute staff.

The Nexen UniverCity concept combines the company’s core values and business philosophy that displays infinite possibilities and values that Nexen can accomplish.

The UniverCity workspace is an open-plan design to maximise concentration and teamwork among employees.Its smart technology facilities include an R&D centre that can predict and implement optimal performances such as original equipment (OE)/replacement equipment (RE) product manufacturing, AI technology and virtual tyre technique, a performance research centre to evaluate the performance of tyres and vehicles, and a material research centre to analyse diverse nano/macro dimensions on various materials.

The courtyard and multi-helix green roof design underlines Nexen’s communication and cooperation-focused corporate culture while the exterior is materialised with tyre tread patterns that defines the industry’s attributes. The environment-friendly building incorporates a solar power system, a dual ventilation system, and thermal protective roofing. These practical features allowed Nexen to obtain a Level 1 building energy-efficiency rating certificate from the Korean Energy Agency.

Kang has said: “The Magok Central Research Institute really defines Nexen’s growth DNA and its identity that has advanced faster than any other company in the world; Nexen will carry out a pivotal and global role that will raise the value of the movement, shifting the paradigm in the tyre industry by creating new changes and future values that no one has seen before.” 

The Magok Central Research Institute – inaugurated on the 77th anniversary of Nexen Tire’s founding – will be an R&D hub for its local and global R&D centres. The global tyre-maker has established infrastructure for future growth with new expansion of the R&D centres in Germany and the US, including the operation of the tyre plant in the Czech Republic and the opening of Nexen UniverCity.