ZATEC, Czech Republic — Nexen Tire Europe is awaiting permission from "appropriate authorities" to start trial production at its $1 billion greenfield tire plant in Zatec in northeastern Czech Republic.
The company, a business unit of South Korea's Nexen Tire Crop., is focused on completing finishing touches at the Zatec plant, external communications official Ivan Dzido told European Rubber Journal, a Tire Business sister publication.
Nexen broke ground on the project in October 2015. Start-up of the first phase of the factory, producing roughly 15,000 units a day, was scheduled for 2018.
In his correspondence, Mr. Dzido declined to comment on the reasons behind the delay. Nexen plans to increase the plant's production capacity gradually to over 12 million units a year.
Zatec is Nexen's second tire plant outside Korea; the other is in Qingdao, China.
"It will be one of the most modern tire manufacturing plants not only in the Czech Republic and Europe, but also in the world," the spokesman stated.
The plant, according to Nexen, will meet the growing demands of the European market, and ensure a stable supply of OE tires for global car manufacturers.
Zatec is a town of about 20,000 inhabitants roughly 50 miles northeast of Prague.