The Finland-based tire manufacturer, Nokian Tyres, is ramping up its regional presence by adding 100 new jobs to its factory in Dayton, Tennessee. The company is set to increase its Tennessee workforce over the next couple years, with most of the hiring taking place in late 2022 and 2023, the Times Free Press reports.
Last year, the tiremaker exceeded sales projections with the launch of their all-season tire, the Nokian Tyres One. Exclusively designed to handle North American roads, Nokian Tyres One is the company’s first passenger tire infused with puncture-resistant, Aramid sidewalls.
Locally, the Dayton team nearly doubled in size, growing from 175 to 325 employees in 2021. The $360 million factory began operations in 2019 and has since increased operations from a single shift to a 24-hour, seven-day-a-week production cycle.
The company aims to continue this expansion moving forward. On Wednesday the tiremaker launched a new family of all-terrain tires, Outpost AT, which will eventually reach production in Tennessee. With this line of tires, Nokian hopes to capture a large portion of the American SUV and light truck market by offering an aggressive tread pattern with puncture-resistant fibers embedded beneath the tread and sidewalls.
As production increases, the Dayton factory has positioned itself as one of the leading drivers of Nokian’s success in North America. To help secure qualified candidates, the company has partnered with local schools including Rhea County High School to provide opportunities for students pursuing STEM careers.
The Dayton factory produced an astounding 1 million tires in 2021 and is set to reach the 2 million tire mark this year, per the Times Free Press. At full production, the factory plans to produce 4 million tires a year and employ 400 workers — solidifying its place as one of the largest manufactures in the Chattanooga area.
Learn more about Nokian Tyres in Dayton by visiting their website, here.
