Hankook accelerates U.S. truck tire production at Tennessee plant

Hankook is ramping up truck tire manufacturing at its Clarksville, Tennessee plant, currently operating at 30% capacity with full production targeted by the end of 2027. The facility, which began operations in 2017 focusing on passenger and light-truck tires, is now expanding into commercial truck and bus radial (TBR) tires for the first time. By the end of 2027, Hankook expects the plant to produce 1 million truck and bus radial tires annually, supplying 85%-90% of its U.S. truck tire sales. The expansion doubles the plant’s overall tire output to 10 million units, including passenger and light-truck tires. Hankook Tire North America President and CEO Rob Williams confirmed the ramp-up timeline, noting that typical ramp-up periods for new operations range from 18 to 24 months. The $1.6 billion investment in the Clarksville plant was planned before the Trump administration imposed heavy tariffs on imports from South Korea in 2025, including a 25% tariff on all materials and a 12.5% Section 301 duty on U.S. imports. Williams stated that tariffs were not a factor in the company’s expansion decisions. The plant, which employed 900 workers at launch, will expand to approximately 2,600 employees upon completion of the Phase 3 expansion. Hankook is actively recruiting machine operators and engineers for the TBR plant, with some equipment still being installed as of August 17. The company has also been hiring former employees from Bridgestone’s shuttered La Vergne, Tennessee commercial tire plant to bolster its team. Currently, the Clarksville facility produces four tread patterns (AL 52, DL 12, DL 52, and DL 21) and plans to add four more in September. Hankook is expanding its sales team, particularly targeting fleets, and increasing its points of sale to support the new truck tire offerings. The move comes amid a broader contraction in U.S. truck tire manufacturing, with three major tire plants closing since early 2025: Yokohama in Salem, Virginia (March 2026, passenger and light-truck tires), Yokohama in Spartanburg, South Carolina (February 2025, agricultural radial tires), and Bridgestone in La Vergne, Tennessee (July 2025, commercial tires). Despite a U.S. Tire Manufacturing Association forecast predicting a 5.5% decline in truck tire demand for 2026 (27.5 million units vs. 29.1 million in 2025), Hankook remains optimistic about its Tennessee plant’s impact. The company recently won an International Motors Diamond Supplier award for 2026, recognizing its product quality, sustainability, responsiveness, and supply chain dependability. Hankook supplies original equipment and replacement drive and steer tires for International’s HV Series and MV Series trucks, as well as IC Bus school and transit buses.