Falken Tyre Europe joyfully commemorates its 40th anniversary this year, celebrating with a momentous event featuring speeches from Tomohiko Masuta, Senior Executive Manager, CEO, and Managing Director of Falken Tyre Europe, along with Dr. Felix Schwenke, Mayor of Offenbach.
Back in 1983, Falken launched its very first tyre, the FK06C, while operating from a modest central warehouse in Dortmund with a stock of just 15,000 tyres. Despite the modest beginnings, as a subsidiary of Sumitomo Rubber Industries Ltd. (SRI), Falken experienced rapid growth and progress.
The theme for the anniversary year, "Falken - 40 Years of Performance," culminated in a festive celebration held in the historic city of Frankfurt, situated close to Falken Tyre Europe's 'home' in Offenbach, where the brand established itself in 1988.
Markus Bögner, Managing Director and President of Falken Tyre Europe, elucidates the birth of the Falken brand with a specific purpose - to be the high-performance line for SRI, delivering top-notch quality and value to customers worldwide. Even after four decades of remarkable advancements in tyre technology, automotive growth, and innovation, Falken maintains its unwavering commitment to high performance, exceptional quality, and great value across all premium products.
A significant milestone in Falken's history is the establishment of its motorsport division in 1985, guided by the philosophy of 'from the racetrack to the road,' which remains a driving force to this day. By setting up the Offenbach location in 1988, Falken took the lead in Europe, outpacing the USA by three years, underscoring the European market's importance. While Falken Tyre Europe officially came into being in 2008, the company now supplies over 8,000 dealers, vehicle manufacturers, and tyre fitting companies throughout the continent, maintaining more than two million Falken and SRI branded tyres in 20 state-of-the-art warehouses across Europe.
The iconic teal and blue livery introduced by Falken upon moving to its Offenbach location has become instantly recognizable among motorsport enthusiasts today. Securing their first championship win in the Mirage Cup International series in Japan in 1988 solidified Falken's reputation as a manufacturer of high-performance products. Over the years, Falken has achieved several successes on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife, including a podium finish at the 24-hour race in 2015, establishing the brand firmly on the competitive stage.
Falken's core values, including teamwork, passion, and a drive for success, extend beyond the track. This has led to fruitful partnerships with renowned European sporting entities like Liverpool FC, the Bundesliga Supercup, World Handball Championships, ski teams, the Red Bull Air Race, and The Nines, significantly enhancing Falken's brand recognition.
The blend of quality and customer support has contributed to Falken's growth as an original equipment manufacturer over the years. Notably, the Sincera tyre earned a standard factory fit for the VW up! in 2012, and prestigious automakers like Mercedes-Benz, Audi, and Porsche also entrust Falken tyres. The brand's first run-flat tyre hit the market in 2014, and the e ZIEX, specially designed for hybrids and EVs, incorporates innovative technologies aimed at maximising efficiency for users.
The company's commitment to innovation and technological leadership is underscored by excellent results in independent trade magazine tests and accolades such as the "Tire Technology International Award for Innovation and Excellence" and the "R&D Breakthrough of the Year" award.
As the fifth-largest tyre manufacturer globally, SRI places significant emphasis on sustainability in conjunction with practical product characteristics. Since 2008, Falken has been producing tyres from 97 percent non-fossil materials and aims to create entirely sustainable and durable tyres by 2050. Leveraging access to Japan's most powerful supercomputer and employing artificial intelligence in R&D, Falken continues its research into special sensor technologies. In the realm of sustainability in manufacturing, SRI plans to commission the world's largest rooftop solar panel installation on a single facility - an area equivalent to 18 football fields - at its Thai plant next year.
Despite attaining international success, Falken Tyre Europe acknowledges that none of it would have been possible without its dedicated colleagues. Starting with just three employees in Offenbach, the workforce has grown to 225 individuals, each contributing with unwavering dedication to the company's success. The ideal base for Falken's future endeavours is provided by the Offenbach City Tower, where researchers and developers collaborate diligently, located conveniently in the heart of Germany, close to Frankfurt airport and Hanau. Additionally, to support its European sales, Falken established a production facility in Turkey in 2015 and acquired UK wholesaler, Micheldever, in 2017.
Markus Bögner praises the incredible resilience of his colleagues, who have successfully navigated through challenges like Brexit and the COVID pandemic. Together with customers, brand enthusiasts, and their dedicated colleagues, Falken has fostered a unique community known as the FalkenFam, eagerly looking forward to the next 40 years with optimism and confidence.
