When Rinspeed presented its microSNAP, a vehicle system with interchangeable chassis and bodies, at this year’s Geneva Motor Show, eagle-eyed visitors may have spotted the display vehicle’s Hankook rubber. It wouldn’t wear anything else: Hankook Tire has been named official tyre partner to the microSNAP project, and the vehicle is kitted out in size 195/40R17 Hankook Ventus S1 evo tyres.
Yesterday the Federation of Chemical Workers of Hungary (VDSZ) announced the start of an indefinite strike at the Hankook Tire factory in Rácalmás, Hungary. With this measure, the trade union is placing pressure upon the tyre maker to modify the terms of the wage increase it announced for 2019. What then is Hankook Tire offering plant workers, and why doesn’t the VDSZ like it?
As reported yesterday, wage negotiations between management at Hankook Tire’s factory in Rácalmás, Hungary and the union representing plant workers have reached a stalemate. Today, the Federation of Chemical Workers of Hungary (VDSZ) announced the start of an indefinite strike at the factory.
The trade union representing workers at Hankook Tire’s factory in Hungary warns further strikes will take place unless pay rise demands are met. In a statement, the Federation of Chemical Workers of Hungary (VDSZ) warns that strikes could occur as soon as today.
Hankook Tire has been named a winner in two categories of the iF Design Award 2019. We won’t know all the details until the awards ceremony is held on 15 March, however the tyre maker says it is receiving three awards in total in the ‘Professional Concept’ and ‘Product’ award categories for its work on the Hexonic and HLS-23 concept tyres and its Hankook Kinergy 4S² all-season car tyre.
Ford’s new Focus Active is available from the factory with Hankook tyres, reports the tyre maker. As of December 2018, the crossover wears Hankook’s Ventus Prime 3 in sizes 215/50R18V and 215/55R17V.
Hankook Tire says it “is ready for winter” with its Winter i*cept RS 2, Winter i*cept Evo 2 and Winter i*Pike RS 2 ranges, and to prove points to the tyres’ performance in independent tyre tests conducted in Germany, Finland, Russia, Sweden and the UK. The tyre maker notes that the testers praised “above all” the handling and braking characteristics of the Hankook tyres on snow.
Quoting sources from the “investment banking industry,” BusinessKorea reports that “a number of global tyre companies” have shown interest in acquiring Indonesia’s second-largest tyre maker, PT Multistrada Arah Sarana Tbk. The publication names Hankook Tire and Michelin as two of the interested parties.
Hankook Tire has been named exclusive tyre supplier for two race series in the USA, the F4 United States Championship and the new F3 Americas Championship, and has announced its return as official sponsor for the 24H Circuit of the Americas (COTA) race in Texas.
Hankook Tire has announced its financial results for Q3 2018. In the three months to 30 September, the tyre maker achieved consolidated global sales of KRW 1.7557 trillion (£1.2 billion), 3.8 per cent less than in the third quarter of 2017. At KRW 184.6 billion (£126.0 million), operating profit was down 13.8 per cent.
Hankook Tire is the latest tyre maker to establish a policy setting out social responsibility within the natural rubber value chain. The policy aims to ensure each link in the natural rubber supply chain is economically, socially and environmentally sustainable.
Volkswagen has approved the all-season Hankook Ventus S1 noble 2 [Pattern H452] as an original equipment tyre for the 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan R-Line. Two Ventus S1 noble 2 sizes – 255/45R19H and 255/40R20V XL – are being fitted to versions of the SUV sold in the USA.
Hankook Tire’s recently-released electric vehicle tyre has already snapped up its first award. At last month’s International Design Excellence Awards (IDEA), the Hankook Kinergy AS EV was honoured in the automotive and transportation category. This is the first time Hankook Tire has received an IDEA award for a production model, having previously only gained this distinction with concept tyres, such as its ‘climate change’ concepts in 2015 and its ‘Birth On Nature’ (BON) tyre two years later.
A third-place finish at the Hockenheimring in Germany yesterday sufficed for Gary Paffett to clinch his second DTM title. The British driver ended the season with 255 points, four points ahead of last year’s champion René Rast. This year’s victory in the touring car championship comes 13 years after Paffett won his first DTM title.
The range of Hankook tyres for construction site applications has been expanded through the addition of new mixed on/off-road patterns to the SmartWork line. These are the SmartWork AM11 steer axle tyre, DM11 drive axle fitment and TM11 trailer tyre.
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