Nokian Tyres to lead Finnish FutureProof programme

Nokia, Finland – Nokian Tyres is to lead a Finnish initiative to address the challenges of future mobility, via advances in the digitalisation of tires and traffic, sustainable product lifecycle and advanced manufacturing technologies.

Called FutureProof, the five-year R&D programme aims to deliver “resilient European on- and off-road mobility by crosslinking industries to join the common cause,” said Nokian’s 26 Feb announcement.

The national scheme is funded with €20 million by Business Finland, a Finnish industry-support agency, which also funds the ‘ecosystem’ with €50 million.

Aiming to attract over 100 partners, FutureProof  responds to “challenges such as climate change and increasing vulnerability of the global value chains with innovations across business, process, and technical domains,” stated Nokian.

Nokian’s FutureProof programme comprises four main themes: Future mobility and business; Sustainable tire lifecycle; Digital foundation; and Advanced manufacturing.

The programme will “drive growth for both Nokian Tyres and the ecosystem partners while creating concrete benefits for drivers,” said Paolo Pompei, President and CEO from Nokian Tyres.

“Results of the cooperation can vary from a new innovative form of technology used in a tire to a new business opportunity for the mobility sector,” explained Pompei.

Spending on initiative by Nokian and the ecosystem partners combined is expected to increase significantly during the five-year programme, which has a remit to create “hundreds of new jobs” in Finland by 2034.