Hankook Celebrates Opening of First North American Production Facility

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. -- Hankook Tire America Corp. recently celebrated the grand opening of its very first North American manufacturing facility, one of the most advanced tire production plants in the world. The opening ceremony, attended by Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam and approximately 300 dignitaries, Hankook executives, customers and corporate partners, took place on October 17 at Hankook Tire's Tennessee Plant in Clarksville, Tennessee. 

The event, which included a formal ceremony, ribbon cutting, plant tours and luncheon, was hosted by Hankook Tire CEO and Vice Chairman Mr. Seung Hwa Suh. A number of government officials delivered congratulatory remarks at the ceremony, including Governor Bill Haslam, United States Congresswoman Marsha Blackburn, United States Senator Bob Corker, ECD Commissioner Bob Rolfe, Mayor of Clarksville Kim McMillan, Mayor of Montgomery County Jim Durrett and Korean Consul General Seung-Jin Kim. 

The New Tennessee Plant is located just over 40 miles from Hankook's American Headquarters in Nashville, which the company relocated from New Jersey in July 2016. The facility sits on 469 acres and boasts a staggering 1.5 million square feet. It currently employs nearly 1,000 employees and is on track to hire an additional 800 in the coming years after phase two of its construction is complete. Phase one of the plant will produce 5.5 million tires annually when operating at full capacity and could produce up to 11 million tires per year with the addition of a phase two. 

Hankook extends special thanks to its executives, local, state and government officials, construction partners, corporate partners, dealers and employees for making the grand opening of its Tennessee Plant a monumental success.