Nokian Tyres has published its first Corporate Sustainability Report to have been drawn up according to GRI (Global Reporting Initiative) guidelines; the report describes the goals, plans, actions, and results of the group’s sustainability programme during 2012. Added perspective has been introduced by describing Nokian Tyres’ activities from the past few years.
Bridgestone Europe will transfer its shares in Nokian Tyres plc to Bridgestone Corporation on 7 May, the Japanese tyre maker told Nokian. This agreement decreases Bridgestone Europe’s ownership in Nokian to less than five per cent of share capital and Bridgestone Corporation’s ownership to over 15 per cent of the share capital.
Approximately 40 Nokian Tyres plc staff members – people identified as “key” employees – will benefit from an incentive programme approved by the company’s Board of Directors. According to Nokian, the aim of the programme is to combine shareholder and key employee objectives in order to “increase the value of the company, to commit the key employees to the company, and to offer them a competitive reward plan based on earning the company’s shares.”
This autumn, Nokian Tyres will release a new product for the growing SUV markets in Europe, Russia and the Ukraine. The WR SUV 3 is a non-studded, symmetric and directional tread pattern that Nokian says will feel at home in Europe’s varying winter conditions Europe. The tyre maker claims strengths in winter grip and driving response, including effective resistance to slush planing and aquaplaning.
Following the news that Bridgestone is investing in the construction of a passenger car tyre plant in Russia, market analysts have shared various views on the impact this move will have on the local market. For its part Deutsche Bank took the opportunity to situate the news in the context of wider domestic market development.
The North American premium touring tyre segment is the stated target for Nokian’s newest all-season tyre, the Nokian WR G3. The Finnish manufacturer says the combination of its “solid winter experience” plus the use of “environmentally friendly premium products” such as nanotechnology and canola oil in the tyre “guarantee their reliable functionality in the typically varying weather conditions of North America.”
Janne Laitinen is the fastest driver on ice….in the world. The Finnish test driver teamed up with Nokian Tyres to break the record on the ice covering the Gulf of Bothnia, the Baltic Sea’s northerly cul-de-sac. For the record attempt on 9 March, Laitenen drove an Audi RS6 fitted with size 255/35R20 97 T XL Nokian Hakkapeliitta 8 studded tyres. In freezing winter weather, Laitenen’s Nokian-shod car reached an eye watering 208.602 mph (335.713 km/h).
Two new products, the Nordman Forest F and the Forest King F2, have been added to Nokian Heavy Tyres’ forestry range.
As the successor to a multi-test winning winter product, Nokian believes its new Hakkapeliitta R2 non-studded winter tyre exemplifies the company’s latest winter tyre innovations. Chief among these is the Nokian Cryo Crystal Concept compound, which has cystal-esque particles designed to “grab the icy driving surface” in order to improve grip. The cryo-silane based winter silica compound works across a wide temperature range, achieving better winter surface grip and improved wear resistance. It is also optimised for reduced rolling resistance.
At the tail end of 2012, Nokian Tyres plc has signed a co-operation agreement with the Wissol Group conglomerate to expand its Vianor retail chain into Georgia. With this agreement, Wissol Group’s 15 existing “AutoExpress” retail outlets will be re-branded as Vianor. In the future, the chain will also be further developed and expanded under the Vianor brand.
Three new products have been added to Nokian Tyres’ Hakkapeliitta winter tyre range for the Nordic market and two new winter tyres have also been introduced for the Central European and North American markets. Announcing the five new products, company president and CEO Kim Gran stated “this is the biggest launch in the history of our company as we renew most of our winter tyre range. The new generation of Hakkapeliitta tyres is a significant upgrade to our long line of test winning products. We are looking forward to introducing the finely tuned safety and handling properties to the consumers.”
As the manufacturer of more than 20 test-topping winter tyres in 2012 tests conducted by German car magazines “Auto Bild”, “Auto Motor Sport” and “AUTOStraßenverkehr”, Nokian knows a thing or two about winter driving. And to help its customers supplement their knowledge and skills the Nokian Tyres Hakkapeliitta Winter Driving School is now online, available in English, Russian, Swedish, Norwegian, and Finnish.
In the run-up to Nokian’s publication of fourth quarter financial results, some financial analysts are asking if the Finnish company’s earnings are losing traction. The reason is said to be that “decelerating Russian sales and an unexciting European winter tyre season are a recipe for disappointment”.
The statutory negotiations Nokian Tyres commenced in early November wound up on 17 December and the tyre maker has announced the cuts it will implement at its plant in Nokia, Finland. Antti-Jussi Tähtinen, vice-president of marketing and communications for Nokian, reports the planned improvements in productivity and production adjustments will be mainly achieved via temporary lay-offs. In addition, 28 production workers and officials will be laid off permanently.
Sweden’s government has decided that from the start of 2013, trucks operating within the country must have tyres with at least 5 mm pattern depth and winter tyres on their drive axles between 1 December and 31 March, whenever winter conditions occur. This new requirement has been applauded by Nokian Tyres, which says it “can be expected to substantially increase road safety during the winter season.”
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