Kumho launches 'technical transformation' at Chinese tire plant

Nanjing, China – Kumho Tire Co. has launched a 'technical transformation' project at its tire manufacturing site in Nanjing, China, to address growing demand for ‘new-energy’ tires.

In an environmental assessment report published by Nanjing City 2 April, the tire maker said it was investing Yuan200 (€25 million) in the plant to install a new production line for high-performance tires for new-energy vehicles.

Kumho moved to the Nanjing Pukou economic development zone in 2017 where it consolidated its truck & bus and passenger car tire production into one plant.

According to the report, the plant was initially to be developed in three phases, which included the capacity to produce 5 million units of passenger car tires in phase I and 440,000 truck and bus tires in phase II.

In phase III, Kumho planned to add the capacity for another 3.5 million units of passenger car tires.

The recent 'technical transformation' project involves phase III which was not constructed as initially planned.

As part of the project, Kumho will partially transform the production area and build a production line to produce 1.78 million units of high-performance new energy vehicle tires.

This will also involve reintroducing new equipment and not using the 30 vulcanisation units originally intended for phase III, Kumho added.

Furthermore, Kumho said it will introduce a phase IV for the project to address the production of the remaining 1.72 million units of passenger car tire, as initially intended.

Kumho said the focus on emerging industries will enable further innovation and ‘cultivate new momentum for development’ within the company.