NEXEN TIRE, a leading global tyre manufacturer, announced the official opening of the Purple Snow Ivalo Centre, its dedicated testing facility for winter and all-weather tyres located in Ivalo, Finland. The event was attended by Jong Myung Kim, Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of NEXEN TIRE, along with representatives from European automotive media outlets. Guests had the opportunity to participate in a winter tyre test-driving program and take an excursion at UTAC’s indoor and outdoor testing facilities, experiencing firsthand the advanced testing capabilities of the centre.
To strengthen its winter tyre development capabilities, NEXEN TIRE has established in-house research facilities, including a dedicated laboratory for studying the surface characteristics of winter roads. The company has also secured a long-term lease for its newly designed proving ground, which features snow handling tracks of varying gradients and curves, including a large-scale flat track.
The testing centre is located within the Union Technique de l’Automobile, du Motocycle et du Cycle (UTAC) proving ground in Ivalo, Finland, near the Arctic Circle in Northern Europe. UTAC, Europe’s largest automotive testing organisation, operates comprehensive indoor and outdoor testing infrastructure capable of replicating extreme winter road conditions.
By operating this new testing centre in Finland, NEXEN TIRE expects to further strengthen its competitiveness in the key European market, which accounts for more than 40% of its total revenue. Major European countries such as Germany, Italy, Czech Republic and Sweden, now require the use of certified winter tyres with the Three-Peak Mountain Snowflake (3PMSF) marking during winter, making winter tyre development capabilities increasingly important.
Notably, NEXEN TIRE has secured a dedicated test track for evaluating the durability of studded tyres, which are designed for icy road conditions in extremely cold regions such as Northern Europe. This will enable the company to respond more strategically to the growing demand for winter tyres in the European market.
The centre also serves as a link between NEXEN TIRE’s virtual development processes and real-world vehicle testing. The company introduced the Korean automotive industry’s first high-dynamic driving simulator last year, and its performance predictions can now be immediately cross-validated through on-snow driving tests.
Through this approach, NEXEN TIRE plans to further advance its AI-backed virtual development technologies, generate new opportunities to participate in original equipment (OE) projects, and strengthen its foundation for developing high-performance tyres.
The new testing centre is only one part of NEXEN TIRE’s multi-faceted approach to the winter tyre market. On the product front, the company launched the WINGUARD Sport 3 model in the European market last year and has continued to expand the sales size lineup of the N’BLUE 4Season 2, an all-weather tyre that meets winter tyre requirements.
“This testing centre brings together a uniquely favourable northern European location with a long winter season and the operational expertise of a leading testing specialist. It will serve as a key hub for advancing our research and development capabilities for winter and all-weather tyres,” said John Bosco (Hyeon Suk) Kim, CEO of NEXEN TIRE. “Based on this foundation, we will continue to enhance our testing and research capabilities in line with the requirements of the European and global markets, and further strengthen our competitive position.”
