Nokian becomes Ikon in Russia

The terms of the license agreement signed when the Nokian Tyres operation in Russia changed hands compel the new owner to cease using all trademarks and names belonging to the Finnish tyre maker, except Nordman. The Tatneft-owned business has thus rebranded from Nokian to Ikon Tyres.

Explaining the choice of name, the company points to similarities between Ikon and the English word ‘icon’, which when translated into Russian can mean ‘benchmark’ or ‘standard’. It considers Ikon a name “worthy of the leading company on the Russian tyre market.”

The business now known as Ikon Tyres produced its first tyre in Russia in 2005 and became market leader in the A and B segments a year later. The operation achieved a record Russian market share of 16.6 per cent in all segments (unit tyre sales to distributors) in 2021.

Following the transfer of the former Nokian Tyres business at the end of March 2023, the new owner continues to produce a “wide range” of tyres in the factory in Vsevolozhsk, near St Petersburg, maintaining all the plant’s “production processes and technology to ensure the highest quality of products.” This equipment possibly includes Nokian’s tyre moulds, which the Finnish firm has been unable to repatriate due to countersanctions.

The Vsevolozhsk plant currently produces medium-price segment tyres under the Nordman brand name and premium tyres under the new Ikon Tyres parent brand.

Warranty commitment

Ikon Tyres states that in addition to manufacturing the Nokian range under the Ikon name, it will assume responsibility for the extended warranty on Nokian tyres previously sold in the Russian Federation, irrespective of their country of origin. It will also support retail marketing programmes for tyres under both the old and new brand names.

The company announced in March that it had rebranded the former Nokian Tyres Vianor retail tyre centre network in Russia as Ivanor. Upon doing so, it promised the new brand will continue the network’s sustainable development and draw upon the Vianor network’s years of experience and professionalism to offer consumers a consistently high level of service.