Hankook launches North American commercial truck tire manufacturing

Enhancing supply chain stability for North American commercial motor carriers, Hankook Tire initiates domestic manufacturing of its heavy-duty truck and bus radial line.

Hankook Tire America Corp. has officially expanded its manufacturing capabilities at its Clarksville, Tennessee facility to produce heavy-duty Truck and Bus Radial (TBR) tires. Backed by a $1.6 billion plant expansion that expanded facility footprint beyond two million square feet, the site is projected to achieve an annual TBR production capacity of one million units by 2028.

For commercial fleet operators, freight carriers, and tire distributors, local manufacturing addresses lead-time volatility and shipping overhead, aligning with Hankook’s strategy to produce up to 90 percent of its North American tire volume domestically.

“From 2017 to 2026, we went from building zero domestic units to what will soon be 11 million,” explained Rob Williams, President of Hankook’s U.S. operations. “That’ll make us the fastest-growing tire manufacturer in North America.”

With tires representing a fleet’s third-highest operational expense behind driver compensation and fuel, Hankook’s TBR product development focuses on casing retreadability, fuel efficiency, and structural durability to capture market share among commercial transport fleets.