HANKOOK Tire Co. Ltd. will build a US$240 million tyre proving grounds – the firm’s first, and engineering centre on a 1,420-acre site southeast of Seoul over a seven-year period as part of its strategy to improve its global research and development assets.
The investment is in addition to US$133 million Hankook has allocated for a dedicated research and development centre in Daejeon, South Korea.
The firm also operates R&D facilities at Uniontown, Ohio; Hannover, Germany; Jiaxing, China; and Osaka, Japan.
The Hankook Tire Test Engineering Centre will be built near Sangju City, Gyeongsang Province in a rural area 100 miles southeast of Seoul. The firm says that the centre will be a “global standard” tyre testing facility allowing testing of tyres ranging from ultra-high performance (UHP) to truck and bus tyres.
Moreover, the facility will have an 18-mile-long test track capable of simulating road conditions from around the world in a variety of climatic conditions, allowing the company to test products designed for varying markets. It is also expected to house an estimated 370 staff, and will include a driving centre and children’s safety experience zone.
The new R&D and testing facilities will become the centre of Hankook’s global technology and development efforts, says Seun Hwa Suh, Vice Chairman and CEO of Hankook.