Earlier this month, Nexen Tire announced that it has been able to manufacture more than half a billion tires since the year 2000. The company did this without issuing any recalls. For the longest time, it has been hailed as a global leader in producing high-performance, SUV/light truck, winter, and passenger tire technology.
The achievement was thanks to its precision tire-manufacturing procedures that are followed in all four manufacturing plants. Nexen tires are produced in one plant located in Qingdao, China; two located in Yangsan and Changnyeong in South Korea, and the newest of all that’s located in Zatech, Czech Republic.
All tires are made to meet Nexen’s strict global manufacturing standards. The company manufactures about 42 million tires every year for CUV/SUVs, light trucks, and passenger vehicles. It has also partnered with more than 20 car makers across the globe to whom it supplies Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) tires. Most of these carmakers are found in North and South America, Europe, and Asia.
Nexen utilizes advanced technology, unsurpassed uniformity, and quality design. Each tire is taken through a series of processes before being released for sale. They are all then stored at one of three regional distribution centers in the United States once they get out of the plant.
The process of manufacturing a Nexen tire takes seven highly sophisticated steps. It starts with mixing compounds and ends with curing. The company uses automated machines that deliver high-quality products.
Nexen Tire differentiates itself from other tire manufacturers by having a unique testing process. The last step involves subjecting tires to an additional checklist of 5 items before being shipped to a distribution center. The testing includes:
- Visual inspection to confirm that the interior, bead, and exterior are perfect.
- Weight distribution – This is tested using an ultrasonic beam before doing wheel assembly
- Dynamic balance – The tires are balanced and tested for optimal pressure once they are assembled into the wheel.
- Uniformity test – This ensures rigidity and uniformity of the tire’s size.
- X-Ray – This step helps to verify the internal structure of the tires and confirms that the belts are free from any foreign objects or manufacturing defects.
Nexen Tire has three tire technology centers across the globe that run high-speed uniformity simulations and rolling resistance tests using indoor test wheels in rubber-testing labs. The company opened a new tire technology center in 2020 in Richfield, Ohio that has helped position the company as it continues to meet strict production demands set by OEMs in North America.
“Nexen Tire is known globally for having some of the most stringent quality control standards in the tire industry, and we feel our milestone of 21 years with zero recalls is truly a testament to our commitment to safety,” said John Hagan, executive vice president of sales for Nexen Tire America, Inc. “We plan to build on this incredible achievement with an aggressive growth plan to become a global top 10 tire manufacturer by 2025, and we are confident our proven manufacturing process will get us there.”
Nexen Tire plans to provide 23 top-tier solutions for aftermarket and OEM applications. It recently included four more OEM applications to this year’s portfolio.