Hankook Gains Saturn OE Spot

(Akron/Tire Review) Hankook Tire Corp. has earned an optional equipment position on the 2006 Saturn Ion. The South Korea tyre manufacturer will supply Hankook H725A tyres in size P205/55R16H to GM for the vehicle. Hankook CEO Choong-hwan Cho said the new OE contract “has not only brought recognition of Hankook Tire’s technology within the advanced auto market, but will also result in a significant boost to exports and overseas brand recognition.”

The new deal with GM pushes Hankook’s non-domestic OE business past $100 million annually, the company said. Hankook currently supplies tyres to Ford, Volkswagen, Renault, Daihatsu and Mitsubishi, among others. Hankook’s overseas OE business will rise to 10 per cent of its total exports, the company said.