DAYTON, Tenn. — Nokian Tyres P.L.C.'s tire plant in Dayton is safer today, thanks to the opening last month of a new entrance.
The Nokia, Finland-based tire maker said the new entrance, on Nokian Tyres Drive, will provide smooth transportation for growing traffic in and out of the facility. The 3,100-foot entrance road from Tennesse Highway 27 features a bridge over the railroad tracks that serves the employees and delivery drivers entering the facility.
Nokian said the Tennessee Department of Transportation, officials from Dayton and Rhea County and Dement Construction collaborated on the entrance.
Constructing the entrance was part of the agreement that Nokian signed with officials to bring the factory to Dayton. The facility opened in 2019, with the goal to strengthen the tire maker's North American portfolio while reducing delivery lead times to customers.
"Safety and efficiency are top priorities for us, and Nokian Tyres Drive helps in both of those areas," Dayton Factory Operations Director David Korda said. "We're thankful for the state and local partners who worked with us to create this new entrance."
Nokian said its factory set a monthly production record in April as the company continues to work toward full capacity. Today, around 350 work at the LEED v4 Silver-certified production factory, which is rated to produce more than a million tires a year.
According to the company, production ramp-up remains on schedule. Nokian manufactures most of its most popular all-season and all-weather tires in Dayton.
The Dayton factory has earned awards for its sustainability and workplace culture, including Tennessee Governor's Environmental Stewardship Award for Sustainable Performance, and Company of the Year honors from the Chattanooga Regional Manufacturers Association.
Nokian recently announced that because of the war in Ukraine and the recent sanctions imposed on Russia by the European Union (EU) it is expediting plans to increase capacity at its plants in Nokia, Finland and in Dayton.
Meanwhile, Nokian recently reported double-digit gains in revenue and earnings in the quarter ended March 31, but the company cautioned shareholders that the war in Ukraine will impact its financial results throughout the rest of fiscal 2022
