Hankook has been adopted as the brand of choice by Austria’s Point S network. This new partnership took effect 1 February 2015 and applies to the more than 60 Point S outlets throughout the country. Hankook tyres are now available in all centres belonging to a network said to command a 17 per cent share of the Austrian market.
Hankook Tyre UK will host HRH The Princess Royal at the Aviva Premiership Rugby Union match between Northampton Saints and Saracens at StadiumMK, Milton Keynes, in April. The invitation was extended to The Princess Royal in her role as patron of Transaid, Hankook Tyre UK’s charity partner since 2006. Hankook is also established as a strong supporter of top class rugby union in England, having been an Elite Sponsor of current Aviva Premiership champions Northampton Saints since 2009. The Princess Royal has strong links with the sport too, being patron of both the Gloucestershire Rugby Football Union and the Scottish Rugby Union.
During the course of the last decade, the 4×4 vehicle sector has rapidly evolved out of its utilitarian roots and – thanks to the advent of the Sports Utility Vehicle or SUV – become a distinct category of often luxury road-going cars. The speed of this evolution has increased thanks to the arrival of the Crossover Utility Vehicle or CUV. In-turn these changes necessarily impact the make-up and even the definition of the 4×4 tyre market. All this has been further impacted by the European legislation putting pressure on reducing noise levels produced by out-and-out off-road tyres in particular. The result is a market that is now much more SUV than off-road or even mixed-use driven.
Tyrenet has become the first truck tyre dealer network to sign on with CAM International’s e-jobsheet. Tyrenet will utilise the open-access, digital tablet-based service work platform for truck, bus and van to improve the efficiency of its operations, which include exclusive service work for Hankook in the UK via the independent dealer network, Hankook Truck Masters.
The original equipment supply relationship between Hankook Tire and truck trailer manufacturer Schmitz Cargobull AG has been extended by the signing of an agreement said to detail the two companies’ further long-term cooperation. According to the terms of this agreement, Hankook’s original equipment business with Schmitz Cargobull will initially concentrate on the European market. Nine 19.5 and 22.5 inch trailer sizes from the e-cube range, including the new 455/40 R 22.5 e-cube MAX, and the SmartWork range will be supplied to the trailer manufacturer.
There’s an all-new Ford Mustang, and Michelin has already reported that it is supplying tyres to certain models, specifically the Shelby GT350R Mustang and the Shelby GT350 Mustang. Hankook Tire will also provide tyres to the 2015 version of the ‘pony car’. The company says it has been selected as an original equipment supplier for the Ford Mustang V6 and EcoBoost. Both the V6 and EcoBoost base level vehicles will be factory equipped with Hankook Tire’s Ventus S1 noble2 (Pattern Code: H452) all-season tyre in size 235/55R17H.
A number of recent original equipment deals have acted as an endorsement for the Hankook range’s quality. Audi’s TT and TTS models, the Mercedes-Benz C Class and the BMW 4-Series Coupé will be fitted with the manufacturer’s flagship Ventus S1 evo². The tyre, produced exclusively at the company’s EU manufacturing facility in Hungary, features an especially high grip combined with high long-term durability and a low rolling resistance.
Hankook Tyre UK will once again exhibit at Britain’s largest three-day commercial vehicle show. The products it plans to peacock at the Commercial Vehicle Show between 14 and 16 April include the SmartFlex AH31 – recently the recipient of an increased load index size designed specifically for the new Euro5 and Euro6 vehicles – and the TL02 trailer tyre, which has been adapted for use in the car transporter industry. Hankook will be located in Hall 5 of the National Exhibition Centre (NEC) in Birmingham, at stand 5F111.
On 27 January the UK economy registered growth of 2.6 per cent in 2014. Of course it has not been the same across Europe, but with record new car registrations in the UK and 32 consecutive months of growth in that figure, you could be forgiven for asking why the UK tyre market came out as flat according to both the sell-in and sell-out measurements in 2014. At the same time it is important to set all this into its wider European context, something which this month’s analysis of the passenger car tyre market attempts to embark on.
Following on from the release of its fourth quarter figures, Hankook Tire has published its full-year 2014 results and describes its performance during the year as “solid”. On the back of sales amounting to KRW 6,679.5 billion (£4.0 billion), a result 5.5 per cent below that achieved in 2013, the tyre maker managed to maintain operating profit, which at KRW 1,031.1 billion (£620.0 million) was virtually the same as a year earlier. The profit to sales ratio was 15.4 per cent.
Hankook Tire reports that its sales during the fourth quarter of 2014 declined 5.2 per cent year-on-year, while operating profit decreased 4.3 per cent. In a disclosure lodged with the Korea Stock Exchange on 30 January, the tyre maker gave its sales for the final quarter of last year as KRW 1,628.1 billion (£982.6 million). Sales were KRW 1,715.5 billion in the third quarter of 2014 and KRW 1,171.9 billion in the fourth quarter of 2013.
The gap at the top of Hankook Tyre UK’s management following Gaugseung Lee’s appointment as vice-president of marketing and sales for Europe has been filled by Jong Jin Park. Mr. Park is now managing director of Hankook’s second largest entity in Europe, and joins Hankook Tyre UK with more than ten years of experience in various positions within the company.
Hankook has confirmed reports of Gangseung ‘Tony’ Lee’s appointment as vice president of marketing and sales for Europe. The manufacturer said his appointment reflects both the continual and long-term growth of the Hankook brand in the European tyre market as well as the increasing importance of the European business unit within the group. The appointment was effective from New Year’s Day 2015.
Starting 5 January, Stephen Marsh has taken on the role of retail development manager at Hankook Tyre UK. Marsh brings with him 30 years of industry experience at numerous companies, including Kwik Fit, Pirelli, CPK Auto Products and Stapleton’s Tyre Services, and he is tasked with the goal of contributing to the further development and expansion of the Hankook Masters Program in the UK. The tyre maker views his extensive experience as a trainer as an important skill that will allow him to provide added value to the network. Marsh will also work with other regional retailers and assist in developing the reach of Hankook’s portfolio.
The 24H Dubai is currently taking place, and for the first time ever, Hankook Tire is serving as title sponsor and exclusive tyre partner to the event. Qualifying and night practice for the race began yesterday, with the Hankook 24H Dubai 2015 race itself getting underway at 1.30pm local time (9.30am GMT/UTC). This season-opener in the United Arab Emirates doubles as the flagship event and curtain-raiser for the ‘24H Series powered by Hankook,’ which was recently granted official international series status by the FIA.
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