Hankook Tire achieved a global sales revenue of KRW 1.48 trillion (1.19 billion euros) and an operating profit of KRW 203.2 billion (164 million euros) in the first quarter of 2015, both figures down on the previous year period.
The strong representation of the tyre and wheel business at April’s Commercial Vehicle Show 2015 proved that the show is considered an increasingly important platform for those within the business. Indeed, Giti Tire’s notably larger stand, effectively re-launching its corporate identity, and the presence of Pirelli after a decade of non-attendance – alongside strong commitments from all the leading UK CV brands; major CV tyre wholesalers, Kirkby Tyres, RH Claydon and Kings Road Tyres; fleet servicing companies; and garage machinery providers.
Hankook’s Commercial Vehicle Show stand contained its CV tyre portfolio, with the recent adapted products for Euro V and VI vehicles taking centre stage. The SmartFlex AH31 and the TL02 trailer tyre were the key products in this respect, while the manufacturer also emphasised its Alphatread, retread range, which was extended with the addition of the popular 315/70R22.5 size, made available in January 2015. Hankook also hosted a football competition on its large Hall 5 stand, run in conjunction with its sponsorship of the UEFA Europa League.
2 May sees the beginning of the 2015 DTM season at the Hockenheimring, marking the fifth year of Hankook’s tyre supply to the championship. The brand’s presence in top line German motorsport has functioned as a component of its process of premiumisation – not only has the manufacturer been producing high specification track tyres accepted by DTM; it has been able to function as an exclusive tyre partner with Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz within the series.
Official UEFA Europa League partner Hankook Tire is offering fans two pairs of tickets to attend the 2015 final in Warsaw. Those interested in winning the tickets must visit the fansfinal.hankooktire-eu.com site before 28 April and answer three easy questions. Other prizes up for grabs include a set of Ventus S1 EVO² or Ventus Prime² tyres and official UEFA Europa League match balls.
Owners of Hyundai Genesis models in a number of markets are being offered a substitute for the tyres fitted to their car as original equipment. The Korean vehicle maker reports vibration and road noise issues related to the Hankook Venus S1 Noble 2 tyres that were fitted as standard equipment to all models of the luxury saloon, and as a result owners are being offered alternative tyres – regardless of whether they have experienced any problems or not.
Korean tyre maker Hankook Tire has gained its first Porsche original equipment fitment with the supply of two size combinations to the Macan. The Porsche deal covers 18 and 19-inch versions of the Ventus S1 evo² SUV; the Hankook tyres will be supplied in either sizes 235/60 R 18 for the front wheels and 255/55 R 18 for the rear or 235/55 R 19 front and 255/50 R 19 rear.
The weekend’s round at Silverstone marked the start of Hankook Tire’s fourth year as official tyre supplier of the Formula 3 European Championship. The current season consists of 11 rounds and a total of 33 races, and will see competitors take to the track on the Ventus F200 slick and Ventus Z207 wet surface tyres. Hankook says this rubber – which it developed exclusively for the championship – has been ‘enhanced’ for the new season.
This one almost slipped through under the Tyrepress.com radar – in late February, Gute Fahrt – a German magazine dedicated to the Volkswagen and Audi brands – put ten summer tyres to the test. An Audi A3 and VW Golf were used to evaluate the size 225/45 R17 tyres at Pirelli’s Vizzola test facility in Italy. The result? Three tyres – the Dunlop SP SportMaxx RT, Hankook Ventus S1 evo2 and Pirelli Cinturato P7 Blue ended the test with exactly the same number of points and a rating of ‘very good’, and were named joint winners.
Hankook’s Smart Control AW02 has received the prestigious Red Dot Award: Product Design 2015 in the Vehicle Accessories category. The manufacturer says the tyre met the international panel of judges’ expectations for innovation, functionality, ecological compatibility, and durability. The tyre was one among 5,000 entries from 56 countries.
With coverage of ChemChina’s purchase of Pirelli waning, various newswires have been reporting market rumours that Bridgestone has been preparing a counterbid for Pirelli. However, in an interview with Reuters on 26 March, Pirelli CEO Marco Tronchetti Provera said that such a move would be “a disaster”. He supported ChemChina’s bid, on the other hand, saying it is: “good for the future of Pirelli and guarantees its global growth”.
All English clubs may have already been knocked out, but eight teams remain in with a chance to win this year’s Europa League final, which will take place in Warsaw, Poland on 27 May. If your favourite team is still in the running, your support could pay off. In association with the UEFA Europa League, Hankook Tire has launched the ‘Hankook Digital Fan Match’ campaign and invites fans to show their support for the quarter finalists.
The CV Show has become an increasingly important event for the tyre and wheel segment in recent years, and the trend will continue with the 2015 edition. The UK segment’s biggest manufacturers – Hankook, Goodyear, Michelin, Continental, Bridgestone, Pirelli and Giti will all be present, as will the ambitious Sailun and Aeolus brands and retreader Bandvulc – and related companies such as wholesaler RH Claydon, and Pro-Align with the new Hunter commercial vehicle wheel aligner.
Hankook has been awarded an iF Design Award for its all-season truck tyre SmartFlex AH31. Incorporating advanced design and technology to improve performance, Hankook’s SmartFlex AH31 line-up will be extended significantly in 2015. The tyre will be displayed at the CV Show in April.
In September Tyres & Accessories published a truck tyre market analysis suggesting there has been a massive shift in UK truck tyre market share distribution in the five years since the last time we did a study of this kind. In short, we found that the market is no longer the three-horse race it was in 2009 when Bridgestone and Michelin were fairly evenly matched ahead of Hankook in third place. Instead it looked like it had become a five-horse race, with Hankook and Goodyear Dunlop duking it out at the top. Of course, we have to be conscious that this all refers to sales volume data (tyre unit sales) as opposed to sales values (and the pound notes tell a wholly different story), however the overall point remains extremely pertinent to understanding what is going in the market.
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