Nexen Tire Corp. is planning to open an engineering research and development facility in Northeast Ohio.
The Korea-based company has hired a pair of engineers, George Kamvouris and Gary Zolton, to head up the facility. Each has been in the tire industry for more than 20 years. Kamvouris most recently worked for Continental Tire North America Inc., while Zolton has been with both Continental and Denman Tire Corp.
"George and Gary will help Nexen Tire America develop application specific tire needs for the ever evolving North America market," says Chris Tolbert, Nexen's Northeast territory manager. "They are currently finalizing leasing options on a facility in Northeast Ohio."
(Two other Korean tire manufacturers, Kumho Tire U.S.A. Inc. and Hankook Tire America Corp., also have R&D centers in Northeast Ohio.)
In 2007, Nexen, through its Nexen Tire America Inc. subsidiary, expanded and opened distribution centers in Atlanta, Chicago and Little Ferry, N.J. It also has a distribution center in Ontario, Calif.
The parent company recently started production at its second tire plant, which is located Qingdao China. Nexen says it will achieve production of six million tires by 2010.
Nexen Tire specializes in ultra-high performance tires featuring its patented "Nano-tire" technology.
