CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (Oct. 10, 2015) — Calling it a “wedding of an extraordinary company and an incredible community,” Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam helped Hankook Tire Co. Ltd. Oct. 9 mark the start of construction on its $800 million car and light truck tire plant near Clarksville in north central Tennessee.
With hundreds of acres of land already cleared at the site, Hankook Tire expects to start construction on the 1.5 million-sq.-ft. plant as soon as possible in order to begin production by January 2016, according to Hankook Tire CEO Seung Hwa Suh.
The plant is expected to employ 1,200 workers in the first phase, Hankook said, which represents annual output of 5.5 million car and light truck tires. The second phase, due on stream by 2018, will double capacity to 11 million units and create 600 more jobs.