Nokian hires Tennessee plant manager, human resources leader

DAYTON, Tenn. — Nokian Tyres P.L.C. has hired two members of the leadership team for its first North American tire facility, a 830,000-sq.-ft. plant in Dayton that is on schedule to produce products in 2020.

Peter Chia was hired as plant manager and operations director, while Gabriele Weber was named human resources operations manager.

Mr. Chia will be responsible for overseeing all aspects of the tire production process at the Dayton-based plant while upholding the company's strict environmental and safety standards. He has more than three decades of experience as a manager and director in the global automotive industry, including time at IAC North America in Dayton.

Most recently, Mr. Chia was director of operations at Biamp Systems, a manufacturer of audio-visual products in Portland, Ore.

Ms. Weber will oversee human resources, including hiring, at the Dayton factory. She has nearly 25 years of experience in the U.S. and Germany, including her most recent job as human resource manager the Charleston, Tenn., production plant of Wacker Chemie A.G., a chemicals manufacturer based in Germany.

Ms. Weber, originally from Germany, helped to lead employment ramp-up at Wacker's plant in Vance, Ala., near the Mercedes-Benz plant in the same city. She chairs the human resources board of the Chattanooga Regional Manufacturers' Association and served on the board of directors for United Way of the Ocoee Region.

"Peter and Gabriele are talented additions to our Nokian Tyres team with roots in Southeast Tennessee," said Mark Earl, SVP of Nokian Tyres, Americas. "We are fortunate they bring local knowledge to help us build a high-functioning manufacturing team and an exceptional work environment within our state-of-the-art Dayton factory."

The factory will produce four million tires per year once it reaches full capacity and employ approximately 400 workers. The company will begin hiring in early 2019 and is encouraging those interested in employment to join its network on LinkedIn, where it will post hiring updates and company news.