Nokian says warehouse remains set to open in 2024

DAYTON, Tenn. — It won't be long before Nokian Tyres P.L.C. will be able to house more tires at its North American factory near Chattanooga.

The Nokia, Finland-based tire maker said construction of a tire warehouse at its Dayton plant is on schedule and slated to open in summer 2024. The warehouse will hold as many as 600,000 tires as demand continues to grow in the U.S. and Canada, according to Nokian Tyres.

The company said the foundation of the 350,000-sq.-ft. facility is in place, tilt walls have been erected, and workers are completing installation of 240 tons of steel columns, joists and decking materials. Conveyor installation will begin this spring. The construction team has used 7,500 cubic yards of material sourced from the local market, according to Nokian Tyres.

The new D/C is part of $174 million investment parent Nokian Tyres P.L.C. announced in January covering the capacity expansion and improvements at the four-year-old Dayton factory.

The new warehouse sits adjacent to the Dayton plant, which has plans to double production in 2024. Nokian announced earlier this year that it had completed adding 125 employees to the factory, increasing the workforce to approximately 475 team members.

When the warehouse is complete, it will be Nokian's 10th warehouse in the U.S. and Canada, serving "a growing volume of customers in the Sun Belt, according to the tire maker.

Nokian Tyres and BC Construction Group broke ground in early March on the warehouse, designed by Pieper O'Brien Herr Architects. Nokian's long-term partner, AtkinsRéalis (formerly Faithful+Gould), is providing project management services for the facility.

Dayton Factory Operations Director David Korda said the warehouse "will be a big help as we expand production to fulfill growing demand from North American customers and drivers."

BC Construction President Chris Burns construction is ahead of schedule "as we enter the winter months and move crews to interior work at the facility."

Nokian Tyres produces all-season and all-weather tires at the facility. The warehouse will serve as a high-tech addition to the growing North American factory; automated conveyors will transport tires from the production building into storage.

According to Nokian, the Dayton factory is the only tire production facility in the world with LEED v4 Silver certification, and its LEED v4 Gold-certified administration building is powered by energy generated from onsite solar panels.