Nokian Tyres
Heuver Tyres is now a co-distributor of Nokian agricultural and industrial tyres in France. Nokian Heavy Tyres previously serviced the French market solely via wholesaler Sonamia, however Pierre Choubert, business manager at Nokian Tyres, explains that developments in the industrial tyre market and changes in the existing partner network mean Nokian could not remain with a single distribution model.
Nokian Heavy Tyres now has a second partner in the UK. RH Claydon Ltd. is distributing Nokian forestry and agricultural tyres from its warehouses after entering into an agreement with the tyre maker. RH Claydon reports that it now stocks these products in most popular tread patterns and sizes, with next-day availability in certain locations.
In spite of a steep year-on-year drop in operating profit during Q2 2023, Nokian Tyres believes it has made significant progress towards rebuilding the company following the decision to cut its ties with Russia. It expects a stronger second half to 2023 due to winter and all-season tyre sales and the contribution made by contract manufacturing.
Announcing the arrival of a new size 9.00-20 tyre, Nokian Tyres states that its Armor Gard 2 Mine “provides exceptional cut resistance, superb handling, and a prolonged service life,” making it an “ideal choice for drill rigs operating in demanding mining environments.” The 9.00-20 tyre joins a 10.00-20 size product in the range.
Nokian Heavy Tyres Ltd. has completed negotiations regarding plans to lower production at its factory in Nokia, Finland. As the tyre maker previously announced, temporary layoffs will affect approximately 160 people.
Nokian Tyres is taking part in a research project that aims to improve the quality and yield of recycled carbon black from end-of-life tyres, with the goal of using this material more extensively in tyre and rubber products. The two-year development project is coordinated by Windspace Group A/S and co-financed by government initiative the Danish Eco-Innovation Program.
Nokian Tyres has initiated work on its Oradea, Romania passenger car tyre factory, billed as the tyre industry’s first zero CO2 emission plant. An event marking the groundbreaking was attended by the Prime Minister of Romania, Nicolae Ciucă. The President of the Bihor County Council, Ilie Bolojan, and other high-level Romanian and Finnish officials also participated along with the chair of Nokian Tyres’s board of directors Jukka Hienonen. The first tyres are estimated to be produced in the second half of 2024. Commercial tyre production is expected to start in early 2025.
When Continental first discussed setting up a plant in Russia back in 2011, it spoke of an investment of around 220 million euros. According to sources within Russia, the German company may only recover a fraction of this amount when divesting its local operation to S8 Capital. Moscow-based newspaper Kommersant states that the transaction is valued at 7 to 10 billion roubles, or just 80 million to 114 million euros, a figure in line with the “impaired assets of around 87 million euros” that Continental reported in connection with its business activity in Russia on 8 March 2023.
A week after parent company Nokian Tyres reported an operating loss of 18.8 million euros for the first quarter of the year, Nokian Heavy Tyres has announced commencing what it calls “change negotiations” to lower production at its Nokia, Finland plant in line with “the market and demand situation.” Approximately 160 employees are affected.
With 28 years’ experience at Nokian Tyres, Ari Törmä has learned much about how tyres work structurally and what typically gives in. One of the most crucial points he emphasises is the importance of correct tyre pressures.
The terms of the license agreement signed when the Nokian Tyres operation in Russia changed hands compel the new owner to cease using all trademarks and names belonging to the Finnish tyre maker, except Nordman. The Tatneft-owned business has thus rebranded from Nokian to Ikon Tyres.
Nokian Tyres has presented its first quarterly results since the company sold its Russian operations to Tatneft its resultant production gap. In short, first quarter 2023 net sales were 236.4 million euros down 26.8 per cent compare with 322.9 million euros during the same period last year. That meant an operating loss of 18.8 million euros compared with 21.5 million euros of operating profit in the first quarter of 2022.
Nokian Tyres’s well-publicised exit from Russia has left it with a similarly well-reported production gap that continues to impact the company’s ongoing business. Speaking as part of the company’s first quarter 2023 results presentation, Nokian Tyres executives emphasised that “new capacity is our #1 priority” and shared further details of how they are planning to fill the firm’s production gap. We already knew that Nokian plans to expand its existing factories in Nokia, Finland and Dayton, USA as well as build a new factory in Romania and make off-take contracts with third-party manufacturers, what’s new is the detail and time frames associated with “building the new Nokian Tyres”.
Bahri Kurter, who was Nokian Tyres’ executive vice-president Central Europe until leaving to “pursue his career” outside the company last year, is the new chief executive officer at toy manufacturer Playmobil. He commenced in this role in March 2023.
In a stock exchange release published this morning, Nokian Tyres plc confirms it has completed the sale of its operations in Russia to vertically integrated oil and gas company PJSC Tatneft after finishing local registration formalities. The Finnish company has “now ended all its operations in Russia,” but this doesn’t mean that the Nokian name will immediately disappear from this market.
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Valokuvaaja/Nokian Tyres