TBR tire production at Hankook Tire America Corp.’s Clarksville, Tenn., plant is expected to begin as early as this year, according to Rob Williams, the company’s president.
The plant, which will be Hankook’s first TBR tire manufacturing facility in the U.S., is currently in the second phase of a multi-year, $1.6 billion investment that will also double the factory's consumer tire production capacity.
Initial, daily TBR tire production targets at the plant will total 3,000 units, with “annual, total production of about one million” tires, Williams recently told MTD.
“It is a priority for Hankook to invest in the U.S. market as a growth driver, which includes the TBR market. Hankook is already producing TBR products at its global production bases. Our Tennessee plant positions Hankook to enable local-to-local production, improving supply chain efficiencies with some of our key suppliers” and customers.
“This ensures a stable supply and helps strategically position us to pass on the localized cost savings to the end consumer. In addition to strengthening our production positioning with suppliers and customers, bringing TBR production to the U.S. enhances Hankook’s agility and speed to market. These go hand-in-hand with strengthening our overall supply chain, especially for domestic manufacturers. It (also) enables Hankook to secure a competitive advantage in the North American market by responding flexibly to the continued increase in demand for TBR products.”
At the moment, the majority of TBR tires that Hankook sells in North America are sourced from South Korea, with a “minority” built in China, said Williams.
“In consideration of the changing tariff environment, we significantly expanded our U.S. inventory” during the fourth quarter of 2024.”
‘Hankook Smart’
Hankook recently introduced a new name for its TBR range, Hankook Smart, which includes medium truck tire products like Hankook’s SmartFlex, SmartWork and SmartCity tires.
The Hankook Smart line represents “a culmination of all the technologies we currently possess, including those that have been in previous TBR lines,” said Williams. “However, there are new innovations that enhance what was included in previous generations” of Hankook commercial truck tires.
“We look forward to strengthening our upcoming TBR production in the U.S., including plans to diversify our product line further with the new nomenclature of Hankook Smart” in conjunction with (the words) Line, Work, City, Touring or Control. This will help customers better understand our products, their intended use case and application and fulfill their range of needs going forward.”
