NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Hankook Tire America Corp., which is expanding truck/bus tire capacity at its Clarksville, Tenn., plant, disclosed this week that going forward all of its truck/bus tires will be marketed under the "Smart" moniker.
Hankook made the announcements at the 2025 TMC Annual Meeting and Transportation Technology Exhibition held March 10-13 in Nashville, where it also launched three truck/bus tire products.
The Clarksville plant is undergoing Phase 2 of the passenger and light truck (P/LT) tire line expansion, and Phase 3 of the truck/bus radial (TBR) line is happening concurrently.
Upon completion of the expansion plan, the facility will employ about 2,200 and have a rated annual production capacity of 10 million P/LT tires and 1 million TBR tires.
Aligning with the planned plant expansion, the new additions to Hankook's TBR line and all future truck and bus tire products will be brought to market under the Hankook Smart Brand, the tire maker said.
Smart Brand tires use Hankook's Smartec technology philosophy, integrating innovations such as Self-Generated 3D Sipe technology and new tread compounds.
The new tires Hankook showcased at TMC 2025 include:
- Smart Flex: AH51 / DH51 / DH52 – Premium performance all-condition tire for extended mileage and lifespan; AH51 and DH52 available in the second quarter of 2025, DH51 in the third quarter of 2025;
- Smart Line: TL52 – Smart trailer tire optimized for long-haul performance manufactured at Hankook Tire's U.S. manufacturing plant in Clarksville, Tenn.; available later this year; and
- Smart Line: eSmart City AU56 – Exclusive electric commercial vehicle tire for high load capacity, extended battery efficiency and tread life; available in the fourth quarter of 2025.