Nexen to establish winter tire testing centre in Finland

Seoul – Nexen Tire is setting up a dedicated winter tire testing centre in Ivalo, Finland, to advance its winter tire R&D in Europe.

The facility will serve as a hub for winter tire testing and development, Nexen said in a 9 April announcement.

Located within UTAC’s proving ground 300km north of the Arctic Circle, the centre will include R&D offices, workshops, and snow and ice tracks about 2km long.

Automotive testing company UTAC will oversee its construction and operation, with full-scale testing set to begin in December.

Nexen has previously used UTAC’s Finland site under short-term contracts, but increasing demand for test slots has made scheduling difficult, it said.

The new centre will provide consistent winter testing throughout the season, extending Nexen’s testing period from one month to four.

Among other services, the facility will conduct tests for the 3PMSF (three-peak mountain snowflake) certification, the standard for winter tires in Europe, which will enhance Nexen’s competitiveness in the region.

“The establishment of this test center will be key to maximising the efficiency of Nexen Tire’s integrated testing systems,” the company said.