Nokian Renkaat Oyj history, profile and history video
Nokian Renkaat Oyj is a Finland-based company active in the tire manufacturing industry. The Company diversifies its activities into four main business segments: Passenger Car Tires; Heavy Tires; Vianor, and other operations. The Passenger Car Tires business segment comprises the development and production of summer and winter tires for cars and vans. The Heavy Tires business segment comprises tires for forestry machinery, special tires and agricultural machinery, tractors and industrial machinery. The Vianor business segment sells car, van and truck tires under the Nokian brand, as well as other tire brands, and other automotive products and services. The other operations business segment includes retreading and truck tires business, among others. The Company diversifies its activities also into eight geographical segments: Finland; Sweden; Norway; Russia and the CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States); Eastern Europe; the rest of Europe, North America and the rest of the world.”
“Nokian Tyres History
Nokian Tyres plc was founded in 1988 and was listed on the Helsinki Stock Exchange in 1995. The company’s roots go back all the way to 1898, when Suomen Gummitehdas Oy, or Finnish Rubber Factory, was established. Passenger car tyre production began in 1932 and the world’s first winter tyre was produced in 1934.
1846 – Mr. R.W.Thomson invents the pneumatic tyre
1886 – The first car to use a combustion engine is developed
1898 – The Finnish Rubber Works is founded
1904 – Factory set up in the town of Nokia
1925 – Bicycle tyre production starts
1932 – Car tyre production starts
1934 – The world’s first winter tyre for trucks, The Weather tyre
1936 – The Snow Hakkapeliitta – winner on snowy roads. The launching of legendary Hakkapeliitta winter tyres.
1945 – New tyre factory built in Nokia
1959 – From Suomen Gummitehdas to Suomen Kumitehdas Oy
1959 – Marketing company in Sweden, Finska Gummi AB, later Nokian Däck AB
1967 – Nokia Corporation established – Rubber, Cable and Paper Divisions
1968 – Tyre factory expansion
1974 – Production of bicycle tyres and inner tubes starts in Lieksa
1978 – Marketing company in Norway, Norsk Traktorkompani A/S, later Nokian Dekk AS
1980 – Marketing company in Canada, Nokia Products Ltd., Canada, later Nokian Tyres North America Ltd., USA)
1981 – Tyre factory expansion
1982 – Marketing company in Germany, Nokia GmbH, later Nokian Reifen GmbH
1986 – The world’s most northern own test centre in Ivalo, Finnish Lapland, north of the Arctic Circle.
1988 – Nokian Tyres Limited established as a joint-venture company
1989 – Marketing company in Switzerland, Nokian Reifen AG, Switzerland
1995 – Nokian Tyres plc shares float on the Helsinki Stock Exchange
1996-2001 – Tyre factory expansions
1998 – First own retail sales outlets in Sweden and Latvia, marketing company OOO Nokian Shina in Russia
1999-2000 – Own tyre chain expanded to Finland and Estonia –> launch of Vianor name started
2002 – A new Logistics centre was established in Nokia
2003 – Nokia’s ownership in Nokian Tyres ended; Bridgestone Europe NV/SA became the largest shareholder.
2005 – Nokian Tyres’ second factory started production in Vsevolozhsk, Russia.
2005 – Naturally Nokian Tyres. The first tyre manufacturer in the world to start using only purified, lowaromatic oils in its production.
2006 – Marketing company in Ukraine, Nokian Shina TOV. Marketing company in Czech Republic, Nokian Tyres s.r.o.
2006 – The aquaplaning indicator. In addition to the Driving Safety Indicator, the Nokian Hakka summer
tyres also feature the aquaplaning indicator.
2006 – Nokian Forest Rider forestry tyre. The first radial forestry tyre for CTL (cut-to-length) forestry machines.
2007 – Marketing company in Kazakhstan, TOO Nokian Tyres
2007 – Nokian Hakkapeliitta Truck E. Hakkapeliitta tyres also for heavyweight professional driving.
2008 – The lightly rolling Nokian Hakkapeliitta R non-studded winter tyre.
2009 – The test winner Nokian Hakkapeliitta 7 studded tyre and the Air Claw Technology.
2010 – Marketing company in Belarus, Nokian Shina LLC
2011 – Marketing company in China, Nokian Tyres Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd.
2012 – New factory built next to existing one in Vsevolozhsk, Russia
2012 – Vianor tyre chain expanded to Serbia, France, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, among others
2013 – New Nokian Hakkapeliitta 8 and new world record for fastest car on ice, 335.713 km/h (208.602 mph)
2013 – New generation of Hakkapeliitta winter tyres. Studded Nokian Hakkapeliitta 8 and non-studded Nokian Hakkapeliitta R2.
2014 – The Hakkapeliitta winter tyre family grows. The studded Nokian Hakkapeliitta 8 SUV and the Nokian Hakkapeliitta C3 and Nokian Hakkapeliitta CR3 van tyres .
2014 – The world’s first winter tyre with pop-out studs.”
*Information from Forbes.com and Nokiantyres.com
**Video published on YouTube by “NokianTyresCom“