This tire factory is the world's No. 1

Under the global trend of low-carbon and environmental protection, the next generation of factories is definitely an energy-saving and environmentally friendly sustainable factory. Maybe tire people don't have a concept yet, but Nokian has demonstrated the appearance of the next generation of tire factories with practical actions. That is Nokian Tires' first zero-CO2 emission factory in the world.

Recently, Nokian Tires signed a long-term contract with renewable energy supplier ENERY to provide services for Nokian Tires' zero-CO2 factory in Romania. Provide technical support for Nokian Tires' new passenger car tire factory. The contract will last for 11 years starting in 2025 to ensure the support of renewable energy.

The world's first, zero-carbon factory
At the Nokian Tyres Oradea factory, no energy generated by fossil fuels is used, which enables the entire factory to achieve zero CO2 emissions. Nokian said this was achieved through a combination of multiple solutions.

“Part of the electricity used in the plant is generated by on-site solar generators. The steam used to vulcanize the tires is produced by an innovative electric boiler that uses completely CO2-free electricity instead of the usual fossil fuels such as coal or natural gas. In addition, the tire manufacturing process is very energy-efficient because we only utilize state-of-the-art technology and machinery,” said Adrian Kaczmarczyk, senior vice president of operational excellence at Nokian Tyres. “With our new Oradea plant, we are truly demonstrating our commitment to sustainability.”

“A strategic pivot for Nokian”
The plant produced its first tire in July 2024 and the project will increase its annual production capacity to 6 million tires, with future expansion potential, Nokian said. The plant will focus on the production of passenger car tires, mainly for the Central European market, as it is strategically located close to customers in the region.

The total plant area is approximately 54 hectares, Nokian said. The facility includes production units, distribution facilities for tire storage and distribution, as well as mixing, utility and administrative buildings. The total floor area is approximately 100,000 square meters (approximately 1,076,391 square feet).

Nokian said it chose Oradea in northwestern Romania as the location for the new tire factory after a comprehensive evaluation that included more than 40 locations in various European countries. Nokian said the criteria supporting the decision included talent, business environment, infrastructure, real estate and utilities, operating costs and risks.

Nokian said the total value of the project is approximately 650 million euros (approximately 723.34 million U.S. dollars), making the Finnish company one of the largest foreign investors in Romania in recent years. To finance its sustainable tire manufacturing investment, Nokian will receive state aid worth approximately 100 million euros (approximately 111.28 million U.S. dollars) from the Romanian government and an investment loan worth 150 million euros (approximately 166.93 million U.S. dollars) from the European Investment Bank.