Nexen Tire Celebrates the Opening of a R&D Center in North America
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The company to strengthen its presence in the North American market with a direct investment of $5.2 million in the new facility
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Travis Kang, the Global CEO of Nexen Tire held the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the facility’s grand opening, celebrating the momentous occasion
Nexen Tire, a leading global tire manufacturer, held the official grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony for the up-and-running North America R&D Center in Richfield, Ohio, on November 13, wrapping up a milestone investment in the United States, one of the company’s four major global networks.
Built on the outskirts of the U.S. rubber capital, Akron, the $5.2 million facility is the newest addition to Nexen’s four major global R&D and production networks; ‘THE NEXEN univerCITY,’ the global R&D hub located in Seoul, South Korea, a technical center in Kelkheim, Germany and the Europe Plant in Žatec, the Czech Republic. The North America R&D Center will be responsible for OE tire development for US-based car makers and select replacement tire product development.
Nexen Tire’s Global CEO Travis Kang, accompanied by his wife Wonsun Jung, Mayor of Richfield Bobbie Beshara, Joe Welch and Dan Wysocki of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, President of Nexen Tire America Jong Sun Kim, Head of North America R&D Center Don Lee, and Gary Zolton, a retired Nexen engineer who was instrumental in the building’s design and overseeing construction attended the grand opening to do the honor of ribbon-cutting.
“We are very excited to introduce the new R&D Center in the United States, where we plan to devote our efforts to developing the best quality of OE tires and other products for the American customers and partners,” said Travis Kang, the Global CEO of Nexen Tire. “We hope that this facility stands as a testament to Nexen Tire’s long-term commitment to our customers in North America.”
Recently, the North America R&D Center saw the ROADIAN HTX tires fitted on the 2019 Ram 1500, which won the Motor Trend Truck of the Year, and the ROADIAN GTX tires developed for the revolutionary Canoo EV revealed in September. In addition, the North American team also designed and developed the ROADIAN MTX tire, which has received positive reviews from off-road enthusiasts.
The grand opening ceremony of the North American R&D Center marked the completion of Nexen Tire’s four major global R&D and production networks. The extensive global networks demonstrate Nexen Tire’s determination and commitment to offer differentiated products and services for its worldwide partners and customers.
Right: North America R&D Center / Left: (From left to right) Jong Sun Kim, President of Nexen Tire America, Joe Welch of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, Wonsun Jung, the wife of Travis Kang, Travis Kang, Global CEO of Nexen Tire, Bobbie Beshara, the Mayor of Richfield, Dan Wysocki of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, Don Lee, the Head of North America R&D Center and Gary Zolton, a retired Nexen engineer, gathered for ribbon cutting ceremony of Nexen Tire’s North America R&D Center.