Nokian Tyres has begun testing in the new Test Centre in Santa Cruz de la Zarza, Spain. All 10 tracks are being used to test the tyres in extreme conditions, and the crown jewel of the Test Centre is the 7-kilometer-long oval track that circles the area.
“All our test centres are investments in innovation, and the expansion of testing activities is a big and important leap for us. The versatile tracks and modern equipment of the Spain test centre enable us to test tyres on wet and dry, so that heavy rain or intense heat will not bring any surprises. The Spain Test Centre, combined with our Ivalo winter Test Centre in Lapland, takes our overall testing capability to the highest possible level,” says Olli Seppälä, Head of R&D.
The Test Centre enables the company to speed up the product development cycles and to strengthen its position as a manufacturer of premium tyres.
“Now we can test our tyres in our own test centre in all the conditions they are developed for. This is a big competitive advantage for us, especially when considering the products developed for the Central European market as well as for the North American market,” Seppälä continues.
The new test centre already has a nickname: Hakka Ring. In an internal name competition, Nokian Tyres’ employees suggested around 150 different nicknames for the new test centre. Hakka Ring was the winner as Hakka and Hakkapeliitta are the well-known products brands by Nokian Tyres, and as the most famous tracks in the world are called ‘Ring’.
Construction work of the test centre began in 2018. Due to COVID19, construction work was halted for a brief period but continued once the situation stabilised and necessary safety measures were taken. The project is an important part of Nokian Tyres’ growth.
“Similar test centres are rarely built in the world, and the world-class test conditions increase our credibility as a premium tyre manufacturer,” says Jukka Kasi, SVP Products and Innovations.
Now all the different tracks have been finalised, a team is being gathered around the test centre, and also the round building in the heart of the testing centre, the Visitor Centre, is ready for use.
“The entire project has required long-term concentration, as well as great passion, aspiration and professionalism to turn a dream into reality,” Kasi praises the Nokian Tyres team.
Nokian Tyres Spain Test Centre Facts:
- The location in Spain enables year-round testing of summer, all-season, and winter tyres.
- In the 300-hectare area, there are several test tracks for dry and wet testing, as well as the high-speed oval enabling testing in the speed of up to 300 km/h.
- The centre uses many environmentally friendly technologies, such as over 1,000 solar panels, water recycling, and white roofs.
- Nokian Tyres is involved in researching new bio-based materials near the site to enable even more sustainable tyre production in the future.
- Spain test centre is our third testing facility. It complements our tyre testing network, which consists of a 700-hectare site in Ivalo, Finnish Lapland, and a site near our Finnish headquarters in Nokia.
