Nokian Tyres
Anne Leskelä, Nokian Tyres’ chief financial officer and vice-president of Finance and IR, announced today her resignation from the company. She will continue in her position until the beginning of July 2018, and the Finnish tyre maker reports that the recruitment process to find a new chief financial officer will commence immediately.
From June 2018, Päivi Antola will take on the role of vice-president of Investor Relations & Corporate Communications at Nokian Tyres. She is joining the Finnish tyre maker from Amer Sports Corporation, where for the last eight years she has served as head of Corporate Communications and Investor Relations.
Nokian Tyres has appointed Mark Earl vice-president of its Americas business area. He will start in this position on 1 May 2018 and report to Hille Korhonen, the tyre maker’s president and chief executive officer.
Nokian Tyres has published its Annual Review and Financial Review 2017 and Corporate Sustainability Report 2017.
The latest winter product from Nokian Tyres is a new range for sport utility and crossover vehicles. Called the Nokian WR SUV4, the tyre was developed with a focus upon handling on slushy roads as well as solid performance in suddenly changing weather conditions. The new tyre is offered in H, V and W speed rated versions and a total of 57 dimensions for 16- to 21-inch rim diameters. Retail sales of the Nokian WR SUV 4 will begin in autumn 2018.
Nokian Tyres recently received the Bronze Class distinction in the Auto Components category of the RobecoSAM Sustainability Yearbook 2018, which was published last week. RobecoSAM is an expert on sustainability whose annual assessment is considered to be a particularly reliable and comprehensive report of how sustainability is implemented in companies around the world.
Van and campervan tyres can lead hard lives. The vehicles they are fitted to are often driven fully loaded on poor roads and gravel surfaces. The tyres must bear the entire weight of the vehicle and provide safe and stable handling under all conditions. To give these products more strength, Nokian Tyres is now introducing its Aramid Sidewall technology into all Nokian van and campervan product lines. From 1 January 2018, it is present in the Nokian WR C3, cLine Van, cLine Cargo and Weatherproof C ranges. Nokian SUV tyres have been manufactured with aramid sidewalls for several years now, and in addition to the abovementioned products the material can be found in 15 Nokian tyre lines.
Nokian Tyres has created a new management position, senior vice-president, People & Culture, and has appointed Tytti Bergman to this role. Ms Bergman will commence on 16 April 2018 and report directly to Hille Korhonen, president and chief executive officer of Nokian Tyres.
Four entirely new Nokian winter tyre ranges are to be introduced in time for the colder months in 2018/19. These lines will start shipping to retailers in spring, with a large size portfolio available to consumers this coming autumn.
Through an investment of around 70 million euros in its factory in Nokia, Finland, Nokian Tyres group company Nokian Heavy Tyres Ltd. will increase its production capacity by 50 per cent over the coming three years. The maximum capacity for heavy tyre production will grow from approximately 20 million kilogrammes a year to 32 million kilogrammes. Alongside this capacity boost, approximately 50 additional people will be hired for the production of heavy tyres.
Over the years, we’ve known Nokian Tyres primarily for its activities in the replacement tyre market. Nevertheless, the Finnish manufacturer has also cooperated with vehicle manufacturers and is working towards increasing the share of its turnover earned in the original equipment segment. It has now announced a BMW Group approval – the Nokian WR D4 will be fitted as an original equipment winter tyre on the BMW X1.
On 1 January 2018, a new organisational structure will take effect at Nokian Tyres. While the company’s business unit structure – Passenger Car Tyres, Nokian Heavy Tyres and Vianor – will remain unchanged and its external reporting model will continue to include business units and geographical areas, from the start of next year the Passenger Car Tyres business unit will be divided into three new business areas. A new unit, named Products and Technologies, is also being established.
A concept displayed by Nokian Heavy Tyres at Agritechnica suggests what form tomorrow’s tractor tyre may take. With this tyre, known simply as the Concept Tyre, Nokian has aimed to address declining of specialisation amongst small scale-farmers and a growing tendency to diversify activities, such as farmers who earn a portion of their income through carrying out contracting services.
Nokian Tyres is the main partner and title sponsor for the first Ironman triathlon race to take place in Finland. The first Nokian Tyres Ironman 70.3 Finland event will be organised in Lahti, Finland on 30 June 2018. “The exciting sport of triathlon perfectly matches Nokian Tyres’ values that promote mobility and an active lifestyle while boosting the company’s brand visibility globally”, Nokian representatives said in a statement.
Every year for the past three decades, Popular Science has reviewed the latest innovations and recognised the pick of the bunch in its Best of What’s New awards. In 2017, the world’s largest science and technology magazine has selected the Nokian Hakkapeliitta 9 as an awardee. The studded tyre is one of 100 winners honoured in 11 categories.
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