Nokian produces first tyre at new Romania factory

Nokian Tyres’ new passenger car tyre factory being built in Oradea, Romania has produced its first tyre.

The milestone was reached as planned on 1st July, and the building project is progressing in budget and on schedule for commercial tyre production to start in early 2025. The groundbreaking of the factory was celebrated in May 2023.

Adrian Kaczmarczyk, SVP, operation excellence from Nokian Tyres said: “With the first tyre we have been able to test the production capabilities of the new factory, and the processes work as planned.

“We have also successfully trained the new Nokian Tyres team members to produce premium tyres in the same uncompromising way as our other factories. It is thanks to the hard work of the whole team that we are now celebrating the production of the first made in Romania Nokian Tyres tyre.”

The annual capacity of the Nokian Tyres Romania factory will be six million tyres once the factory is fully operational, with expansion potential in the future, and the combined built-up area totals some 100,000 m2.

The investment is estimated to total approximately €650 million. The tyres produced in the Romania factory will be primarily sold in the Central European market, and it is strategically located close to the customers of that area.

The first tyre produced in the Romania factory was the Nokian Tyres Snowproof 2 non-studded winter tyre designed for Central European passenger car drivers.

“Nokian Tyres invented the winter tyre in 1934. It is only fitting that 90 years later we commemorate the occasion by producing one of our flagship winter products in our newest factory,” Kaczmarczyk added.

When finished, Nokian Tyres claims its Romania factory will be the world’s first zero CO2 emission tyre factory.