Ocean freight is in the midst of a predicament. The global shortage of shipping containers, primarily caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, has led to continued port congestion and freight prices at all-time highs. Hankook Tire & Technology has worked with Hapag-Lloyd AG, the world’s fifth largest liner shipping company, for more than 20 years and now aims to strengthen its logistics capabilities through a new partnership.
SpeedMate claims to be South Korea’s leading automotive aftermarket brand, and tyres are just one of many products sold through its outlets and Tire Pick O2O platform. The SK Group company has now entered into an agreement with Hankook Tire & Technology for the supply of an exclusive tyre brand, Roadmate.
Business sustainability ratings provider EcoVadis has awarded Hankook Tire & Technology a platinum medal in its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) 2021 assessment. Platinum is, the tyre maker notes, a status bestowed upon companies whose performance is within the top one per cent of their industry sector. The current platinum medal is Hankook’s third back-to-back top-tier EcoVadis award; it earned the then highest gold award in 2019, followed by a platinum award upon the introduction of this recognition last year.
Hankook Tire is introducing an ESG (Environment, Social, Governance) committee to strengthen its Board of Directors’ responsibility and activities in the area of sustainable management. The ESG committee will be responsible for consulting, deliberating, and recommending directions regarding environmental, social and governance businesses.
Hankook Tire & Technology Group is the latest tyre manufacturer to partner with Tyre Stewardship Australia (TSA), an organisation set up to promote the development of viable markets for end-of-life tyres, and as such is now contributing to the National Tyre Product Stewardship Scheme. The Korean tyre maker’s engagement lifts the number of participating tyre importers to nine; in addition to Hankook, Bridgestone, Continental, Goodyear & Dunlop, Kumho, Michelin, Pirelli, Toyo, Yokohama are involved with the scheme.
Within the next few hours, production will recommence at Hankook Tire & Technology’s Geumsan plant in South Korea following a 48-hour pause that began on 24 July after a number of workers tested positive for Covid-19. Health authorities have set up a test centre at the plant and intend to test around 3,000 employees early this week.
Under extensions to an agreement first signed in 2019, tyre maker Hankook and the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) will continue and expand operations at the HK-KAIST Digital Innovation Center, which is located within the Hankook Technodome in Daejeon, Korea.
After missing a year due to its corona-related cancellation, W Series is back in 2021. Returning with it is exclusive tyre partner Hankook, supplying Ventus Race tyres to all entries in the single-seater series.
Solutions provided by Tableau Software are driving digitalisation within Hankook Tire. The tyre maker shares that thanks to Tableau’s data-driven analytics platform, it has gained “next-generation business intelligence.”
Hankook Tire & Technology Co., Ltd. Is jointly developing a road hazard detection solution with SK Planet. According to the companies, the sensor is designed to determine road conditions using artificial intelligence and deep learning technology in order to pre-emptively respond to road hazards. Analyzed road surface condition, and risk factors include rainfall, snowfall, black ice and accidents.
Cho Hyun-bum, chief executive of tyre maker Hankook Tire & Technology, has received a suspended prison sentence after being indicted on charges of accepting bribes and embezzling corporate funds.
Artificial intelligence (AI) and digital sensor technology is being employed to automate the inspection of freshly-manufactured tyres at Hankook Tire & Technology’s production facilities. Hankook says its automatic inspection system will improve efficiency and consistency at the final stage of product testing.
Hankook Tire concedes that its response to last year’s “extremely challenging” business environment and the rapidly-changing trends influencing the tyre industry was “not fully sufficient” to combat downward pressure upon its business. Hyun Shick Cho, vice chairman and chief executive officer of Hankook Technology Group, has addressed this issue in a letter to shareholders, discussing means of responding preemptively to these changing trends.
Hankook Tire Europe says it is “repositioning itself for the new decade,” and to support this has given Sang Hoon Lee responsibility for its operative business in the Europe and CIS regions. As chief operation officer and president, Lee succeeds Han-Jun Kim as head of Hankook’s European headquarters.
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