Nokian's plant expansion takes shape

Construction is under way on a new 3,500 sqm R&D facility at the Nokian Heavy Tyres complex. The facility is part of the company's plan to increase the production of commercial tyres by up to 50% and more than double the number of new products. The total investment will be approximately EUR70 million (USD78.6 million). Matti Kaunisto, development manager at Nokian Tyres, is thrilled to see the vast new building taking shape. "Seeing it on a screen is one thing, but being able to walk there is another. The size gets lost in the computer screen, but once you stand there, you really sense the space. "The construction schedule was ambitious, but we have kept it well," he adds. "Once the building is finished, it will boost our innovation work and speed up the time to market." Plant director Pasi Antinmaa says Nokian will reach the full capacity in 2021. "The next milestone will be the highly automated visual inspection and tyre buffer storage in August, taking advantage of the scheduled annual maintenance break." Nokian Heavy Tyres Ltd, part of the Nokian Tyres Group, focuses on special tyres - particularly in the field of forestry. It produces an extensive range of tyres for materials handling applications, from forklifts to straddle carriers and telescopic loaders.