Hankook Tennessee to Begin Truck and Bus Radial Production

Hankook Tire Manufacturing Tennessee, LP says its Clarksville plant will soon start producing truck and bus radial (TBR) tyres, marking a major capability step for the US site. A cross-functional TBR Launch Team will spend one month in South Korea on intensive training before the line goes live. The move aligns with the company’s multi-phase expansion of its Tennessee operations and North American supply goals.

A new level of visibility for North American supply

Hankook’s US factory expansion has long signalled local TBR production. The company approved a US$1.6 billion, multi-phase build-out to add capacity and introduce TBR manufacturing at Clarksville, alongside more passenger and light truck volumes. State filings and company statements point to roughly 1,200 additional jobs as the project scales. Hankook+1

Training first, then ramp-up

To prepare operators and engineers for TBR-specific processes, Hankook has formed a dedicated launch team drawn from skilled staff across the plant. That team will complete a one-month programme in South Korea before commissioning begins on site, ensuring process control and quality disciplines are embedded from day one, the company said.

Capacity targets and timing

Hankook has indicated an initial daily target of around 3,000 TBR units at Clarksville, building toward approximately one million tyres annually once the line stabilises. Company briefings this year also referenced Phase 2 and Phase 3 construction proceeding in parallel to accelerate completion.

Local TBR output reduces lead times for fleets and dealers in North America, improves resilience against ocean freight disruption, and broadens Hankook’s US-made portfolio for public tenders and large mileage contracts. As Rob Williams, president of Hankook Tire America Corp., said at the TMC meeting, the forum is an opportunity to showcase “innovations and exciting updates happening on the TBR side”.

Hankook’s UK arm has expanded commercial coverage and capability this year, appointing senior truck and bus specialists to support fleet customers, as reported in Tyre News’ piece on expanding the Truck and Bus team amid UK growth plans. The opening of Hankook House in Daventry further underlines logistics readiness for the market. These developments show the brand aligning sales, service and supply as new TBR capacity comes online.

Local investment backdrop

Tennessee officials previously confirmed substantial incentives and job creation linked to Hankook’s expansion in Montgomery County, placing the project among the state’s recent industrial wins. These state disclosures help frame the scale and significance of adding TBR to Clarksville.

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Tagged with: Hankook Tennessee, TBR production, Clarksville plant, US tyre manufacturing, fleet supply, training programme, North American capacity, plant expansion, truck and bus tyres, local sourcing

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