As a pretty popular Asian tire brand in the market, Hankook Tire has earned its place in the hearts of car owners. Its involvement with soccer clubs and TV reality shows made the brand famous. But have you ever thought about who makes Hankook Tires?
Hankook Tire & Technology manufactures Hankook tires. High-quality raw materials, a simple production process, unique tread designing, and extreme quality inspection are the reasons behind its success.
These tires are best for SUVs and small trucks, which are given a particular model name. The Ventus V12 may seem weak, but the performance is impressive.
The Asian brand offers some benefits along with some cons. Remembering these cons will help you recognize a bad tire. Plus, it will help you fix the problem as early as possible.
Chronicle Of Hankook Tires
Hankook Tire & Technology, an Asian tire brand, was established in Seoul, South Korea, in 1941. The company started producing tires in the next year, delivering 110,000 tires per year. Today Hankook makes 100 million tires every year.
The company became the first Korean tire brand to export tires in 1952. This popular tire brand created its first radial passenger tire in 1974. Hankook Tires entered the American tire market in 1981.
The Asian tire giants have also set their foot in the sports world. It is the official sponsor of football clubs like Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund, and AS Monaco. Hankook Tires directly sponsor the TV series Car Warriors.
| Established | 10th May 1941 |
| Owner | Hankook Tire & Technology |
| Headquarter | Bundang-gu, South Korea |
| Employee Number | 21,000 |
| Official Website | www.hankooktire.com |
| Revenue | 6.45 trillion South Korean won |
How A Hankook Tire Is Made
Hankook follows some interesting steps to make a tire. This process includes the selection of materials, design, and production process.
Here is an elaborated explanation of the making process of a Hankook tire.
Used Materials
Natural rubbers, synthetic rubbers, and petroleum-based oils are the main ingredients of a Hankook tire. The mixture of these elements delivers the best result for a durable tire.
Hankook is forwarding toward a more environment-friendly product by applying green technology to its tire.
Production Process
The Daejeon facility is equipped with some of the best cutting-edge techs in the world. Involvement of seven people while making a prototype reduces the mistake rate.
A robotic forklift unloads the rubber sheets from the bins. Then a conveyor belt takes the rubber sheets to a molding machine for further processing. The laser-guided machine forms a layer of carcasses to create the basic shape of the tire.
A quality control officer checks the basic form to find any fault. The tire is allowed for further processing if there are no mistakes in the tire.
Tread Designing
The tread designing lab performs the wonders of making strong and flexible tread patterns.
Engineers use computers along with hand carving to make tread patterns on the tire. This tire is used as a demo before designing at a mass scale.
Quality Inspection
Hankook has recruited experienced specialists to inspect the quality of the tire. Tests like abrasion test, performance test, gripping ability, and cornering while hard braking are a few tests a Hankook tire goes through.
Renowned Types Of Hankook Tires
Hankook makes tires depending on vehicle type. Passenger cars, SUVs, and Trucks are the primary user of Hankook tires.
Let’s take a detailed look at the kinds of Hankook tires.
Hankook Dynapro MT2
You’ll find these tires in light trucks and SUVs. The pattern of the tire offers proper grip on any land. The diameter of Dynapro generally ranges from 15 to 18 inches.
This unique seamless tread design gives a pleasing outlook to the tire while increasing the handling.
Hankook Dynapro HP2
The Hankook Dynapro HP2 is the perfect SUV tire. Maximized longevity and better handling in wet and dry conditions made it a people’s favorite. Using a 4-straight-channel-waterway, it can resist aquaplaning and hydroplaning simultaneously.
Hankook Dynapro AT2
Hankook Dynapro AT2 tire reduces noise on rocky pitches using the Aero Shoulder Technology. This all-terrain tire is suited best for SUVs and trucks.
Above all, it provides better fuel economy no matter the weather condition. The new design increased the tire’s gripping ability in any weather condition.
Hankook Ventus V12 Evo2
Ventus V12 is also known as the Hankook Summer tire. It’s used in passenger car tires. The tire may seem fragile, but its gripping will surprise you. It is the first choice for wet roads and has a superb cornering ability.
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Pros Of Using Hankook Tires
Hankook provides some high-end quality advantages, which are the reasons behind its popularity. Here’s a quick look at the benefits depending on tire type.
Pros Of Using Dynapro MT2
- Provides excellent grip on any kind of road.
- Available for SUVs like Jeep Wrangler and Toyota.
- Offers a vast collection of tires varying in diameter.
Pros Of Using Dynapro HP2
- Possible to enjoy a smooth ride on every journey.
- Outstanding handling in both wet and dry conditions.
- Dynapro Hp2 gives high resistance to hydroplaning.
Pros Of Using Dynapro AT2
- Better performance in every season.
- Saves a lot of fuel.
- Makes less noise than most all-terrain tires.
Apart From These Advantages
- Hankook tires are popular in sedans and passenger cars.
- The tread warranty is reliable.
- Most importantly, customer feedback is positive.
Cons Of Using Hankook Tires
Hankook tires come with some cons too. There aren’t many, but knowing them thoroughly will help you scrutinize the tires.
- Hankook tires are not cheap like other tire brands.
- Most of the tire models have average traction in wet conditions.
- Maximum Hankook tires don’t have the better fuel economy.
- Sidewalls of the tire bulge and ruptures faster than other tires.
- Unstable radial wires in the tire make the tire shaky.
- Makes high-level vibration and noise in a sports car.
- You’ll need a third party to buy Hankook tires from the official website.
- Uses less curating agent, which is responsible for faster tread separation.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Actually, the lifespan depends on how you maintain and drive the car. A Hankook tire can go 12,000 to 15,000 miles a year. But quality tires can serve up to three to six years.
No, Hankook tires don’t make loud noises. This famous tire brand uses noise reduction and sound absorber technology to decrease the sound level. According to some experts, the reduced vibration of the tire made it one of the less noisy tires in the world.
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Final Words
Hankook is a great and reliable brand in the tire industry. Better quality at a low price made Hankook a famous brand both in Asia and the USA. The Ventus V12, an all-season tire, is the most favored type of this brand.
We hope the analysis on who makes Hankook tires have provided you with more information about this tire brand. Being aware of the advantages will help you find out the best tire for your car. Remember to check out the price list as it changes over time.