Hankook has broken ground on the expansion of its European production plant in Rácalmás, Hungary. The building phase, which is scheduled for completion in 2027, will result in a new production line for truck and bus tires at the site, with a capacity of up to 800,000 units per year. In the future, the new facility will produce Hankook’s premium products for long-haul and mixed application, SmartLine AL/DL 50 and SmartFlex AL/DL 51, as well as tires from the new e-Smart series, specifically designed for electric commercial vehicles. The production line will enable Hankook to meet the needs of European customers with further products for all areas of application, from long-distance and regional transportation to construction site and winter use.
“We are very happy with the progress so far,” said Jongho Park, president and COO of Hankook Tire Europe. “After getting necessary approvals, we were able to commence the building works as planned and preparatory soil construction is underway. Once the new production line is complete, we will be manufacturing truck and bus tires for the European market in Europe, which will shorten our transport routes. With the investment, we are strengthening the European business location and creating more jobs.”
The Rácalmás plant has been in operation since 2007 and is a strategic pillar for Hankook’s expansion in Europe. The plant currently has a production capacity of 17 million tires for passenger cars and light commercial vehicles. The new facility will also employ the latest technologies in tire production, such as sustainable, renewable and recycled materials as well as 3D additive manufacturing for tread molds. The Hungarian plant attained ISCC Plus certification, which underlines the sustainability of the production site’s overall approach.
Hankook is investing around €540m (US$567m) until 2027 in the expansion project, which will also create 450 new jobs. At present, Hankook has eight production sites worldwide with a total capacity of about 100 million tires per year.
