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History

Old photo of an exhibition floor with tires on display.
Old photo of an exhibition floor with tires on display.

Nokian Tyres plc was founded in 1988

1898
Nokian Tyres plc (earlier Nokia Tyres Ltd) was founded in 1988 and the company’s roots go back all the way to 1898, when Suomen Gummitehdas Osakeyhtiö, or Finnish Rubber Factory, was established.
1934

Innovating for safer driving has been a key contributor to Nokian Tyres’ success ever since we invented the world’s first winter tire in 1934. The world's first winter tire, and the predecessor of the Nokian Tyres Hakkapeliitta was the Kelirengas (“Weather Tire”).

1936

The first Hakkapeliitta branded winter tire was introduced. The legendary Hakkapeliitta is still Nokian Tyres' most popular winter tire brand in the Nordic countries.

1988

Nokia Tyres Ltd was founded.

1995

Nokian Tyres plc shares float on the Helsinki Stock Exchange.

2019

Nokian Tyres passenger car tire factory in Dayton Tennessee, US was opened.  

2021
Testing began at the Nokian Tyres Spain Test Center, Hakka Ring.
2022

Production capacity at the Nokia factory in Finland expanded.

2022

Decision was made to invest in a zero CO2 emission tire factory in Oradea, Romania.

2023

Russia exit was completed and all Nokian Tyres operations in the country ended.

2024

The world's first zero CO2 tire factory opens in Oradea Romania. The first tire was produced in July and commercial production will start in 2025.

Over 120 years of success

Our long and colourful history continues to carry us forward. The expertise of the northern-born master of extreme conditions can be seen in innovations that offer safe drive and peace of mind to millions of road users.

Person inspecting a tire closely.

History by decades

With roots stretching back over a century, we showcase decades of expertise through innovations ensuring safe driving and peace of mind to millions. 

Old photo of a person standing inside a factory with large machines around

History by theme

Read about the history of Nokian Tyres by theme.

Closeup shot of the old weather tire.

Winter tire over 85 years

The world's first winter tire, and the predecessor of the Nokian Hakkapeliitta was the Kelirengas (“Weather Tire”) that Suomen Gummitehdas Osakeyhtiö, the company that later on became Nokian Tyres, introduced into the market in 1934. 

Past Nokian Tyres' tire designers at their drawing boards.

Explore history galleries

Dive deeper into the history of Nokian Tyres with interesting videos and photos from past decades. 

Nokian Tyres history timeline

1846–1925

1846 Mr. R.W.Thomson invents the pneumatic tire

1886 The first car to use a combustion engine is developed

1898 The Finnish Rubber Works is founded

1904 Factory set up in the town of Nokia, Finland

1925 Bicycle tire production starts

1932–2000

1932 Car tire production starts

1934 The world’s first winter tire for trucks, The Weather tire

1936 The Snow Hakkapeliitta - winner on snowy roads. The launching of legendary Hakkapeliitta winter tires.

1945 New tire factory built in Nokia, Finland

1959 From Suomen Gummitehdas to Suomen Kumitehdas Oy

1959 Marketing company in Sweden, Finska Gummi AB, later Nokian Däck AB

1967 Nokia Corporation established - Rubber, Cable and Paper Divisions

1968 Tire factory expansion in Nokia, Finland

1974 Production of bicycle tires and inner tubes starts in Lieksa, Finland

1978 Marketing company in Norway, Norsk Traktorkompani A/S, later Nokian Dekk AS

1980 Marketing company in Canada, Nokia Products Ltd., Canada, later Nokian Tyres North America Ltd., USA

1981 Tire factory expansion in Nokia, Finland

1982 Marketing company in Germany, Nokia GmbH, later Nokian Reifen GmbH

1986 The world's most northern own test centre in Ivalo, Finnish Lapland, north of the Arctic Circle

1988 Nokian Tyres Limited established as a joint-venture company

1989 Marketing company in Switzerland, Nokian Reifen AG, Switzerland

1995 Nokian Tyres plc shares float on the Helsinki Stock Exchange

1996–2001 Tire factory expansions in Nokia, Finland

1998 First own retail sales outlets in Sweden and Latvia, marketing company OOO Nokian Shina in Russia

1999–2000 Own tire chain expanded to Finland and Estonia → launch of Vianor name started 

2000–2009

2002 A new Logistics centre was established in Nokia, Finland

2003 Nokia's ownership in Nokian Tyres ended; Bridgestone Europe NV/SA became the largest shareholder

2005 Nokian Tyres' second factory started production in Vsevolozhsk, Russia

2005 Naturally Nokian Tyres. The first tire manufacturer in the world to start using only purified, low aromatic oils in its production.

2006 Marketing company in Ukraine, Nokian Shina TOV. Marketing company in Czech Republic, Nokian Tyres s.r.o.

2006 The aquaplaning indicator. In addition to the Driving Safety Indicator, the Nokian Hakka summer tires also feature the aquaplaning indicator.

2006 Nokian Forest Rider forestry tire. The first radial forestry tire for CTL (cut-to-length) forestry machines.

2007 Marketing company in Kazakhstan, TOO Nokian Tyres

2007 Nokian Hakkapeliitta Truck E. Hakkapeliitta tires also for heavyweight professional driving

2008 The lightly rolling Nokian Hakkapeliitta R non-studded winter tire

2009 The test winner Nokian Hakkapeliitta 7 studded tire and the Air Claw Technology

2010–2019

2010 Marketing company in Belarus, Nokian Shina LLC

2011 Marketing company in China, Nokian Tyres Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd.

2012 New factory built next to existing one in Vsevolozhsk, Russia

2012 Vianor tire chain expanded to Serbia, France, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, among others

2013 New Nokian Hakkapeliitta 8 and new world record for fastest car on ice, 335.713 km/h (208.602 mph) 

2013 New generation of Hakkapeliitta winter tires. Studded Nokian Hakkapeliitta 8 and non-studded Nokian Hakkapeliitta R2.

2014 The Hakkapeliitta winter tire family grows. The studded Nokian Hakkapeliitta 8 SUV and the Nokian Hakkapeliitta C3 and Nokian Hakkapeliitta CR3 van tires, 

2014 The world’s first winter tire with pop-out studs. Nokian Hakkapeliitta concept tire.

2014 New Nokian Hakkapeliitta R2 for electric cars. The world's first winter tire with an A energy rating.

2015 The renewed Nokian WR winter tire family. The Nokian WR D4 – the world’s first winter tire with wet grip in the EU tire label’s best A class. 

2015 Nokian Weatherproof. The Nokian All-Weather concept ensures safe driving comfort all year long. 

2015 The world’s first winter tire with wet grip and fuel efficiency in the EU tire label’s best A class. The renewed Nokian WR SUV 3.

2016 The Nokian Hakkapeliitta R2. The world’s most energy-efficient winter tire. The Tire Technology of the Year 2016 award.

2016 80th anniversary of the Nokian Hakkapeliitta. Born, raised and tested in the north.

2016 World record for the fastest side wheelie, 186.269 km/h (115.742 mph) using summer tires with Aramid Sidewall technology.

2017 New testing center for summer and winter tires being built in Santa Cruz de la Zarza, Spain

2017 New-generation studded tires, Nokian Hakkapeliitta 9 and Nokian Hakkapeliitta 9 SUV

2018 Celebrating 120 years as a tire industry pioneer

2018 Nokian Hakkapeliitta R3, Nokian Hakkapeliitta R3 SUV, Nokian WR SUV 4 and Nokian WR G4 introduced

2018 SnapSkan service launched

2018 The construction of the new test center in Spain starts

2018 Nokian Tyres joins the Science Based Targets initiative

2018 Nokian Wetproof and Nokian Powerproof summer tires introduced

2019 Work started on the administration building at Dayton, USA

2019 The first test tire produced at the Dayton factory, USA

2020–

2020 Commercial production begins at Dayton factory (USA)

2020 The first tire company to have its greenhouse gas recuction targets approved

2020 Hakka Van and Hakka Green 3 summer tires introduced

2020 The Dayton factory (USA) receives a LEED v4 Silver certification

2020 World record set with Nokian Tyres tires: the fastest time to push a car one mile

2020 Nokian Heavy Tyres R&D center up and running

2021 Hakkapeliitta 10 studded winter tire introduced

2021 The administration building in Dayton (USA) earns LEED v4 Silver certification

2021 Testing begins at the Spain test center Hakka Ring

2021 The Visitor Center (Spain) building at Hakka Ring earns LEED v4 platinum certification

2022 Hakkapeliitta R5, Hakkapeliitta C4 and Hakkapeliitta CR 4 winter tires are introduced

2022 Green Step concept tire made with 93% of recycled or renewable materials

2022 Decision to exit Russia

2022 Decision to invest in a zero CO2 emission factory in Romania

2022 Nokian factory capacity expansion

2022 Nokian Tyres again included in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index, and also achieved an A- score by CDP

2023 The FAST RACE, BIG CHANGE sustainable tire innovation challenge finals held in Ivalo, Finland

2023 The company proceeds with Dayton factory (USA) expansion

2023 The Nokian Tyres Outpost nAT, a made-in-USA all-terrain tire

2023 ISO 45001 certification to our North American factory in Dayton

2023 The new Nokian Tyres Snowproof family for Central European drivers

2023 Nokian Tyres announces its commitment to further reduce greenhouse gas emissions, aiming to achieve the Net-Zero Standard by 2050

2023 Russia exit completed

2023 The groundbreaking for the tire industry’s first zero CO2 emission factory in Romania

2023 Nokian Tyres introduced new ELECTRIC FIT™ symbol to help the growing number of electric vehicle drivers find suitable tires for their cars

2023 Nokian Tyres Soil King VF and Nokian Tyres Float King VF with the unique Nokian Tyres Flexforce VF technology launched

2023 Nokian Tyres becomes the main partner of Cross-Country Ski Team Finland

2023 One of the science-based greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets, cutting the factories’ CO2 emissions by 52% per production ton by 2030, reached seven years ahead of schedule

2023 Nokian Tyres joins the Polestar 0 project to create the first climate-neutral car

2023 Nokian Tyres Powerproof 1 and Nokian Tyres Wetproof 1 launched

2023 Included in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index – among the most sustainable listed companies in Europe

2023 Foundation laid, construction on schedule at Nokian Tyres’ Tennessee warehouse

2024 More choices, more load-carrying capacity – Nokian Tyres Tractor King gets three new sizes

2024 Nokian Tyres signs a purchase agreement for recovered carbon black – aiming to create even more sustainable tires and accelerating circular economy

2024 Nokian Tyres scored an A- from CDP for its actions aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions and mitigating climate change-related risks.   

2024 Nokian Tyres new summer and all-season tires excel in driving safety and comfort, thanks to the exceptional testing capabilities at the company´s test centers

2024 Nokian Tyres’ Finnish factory earns ISCC PLUS certification that enables increasing the share of sustainable raw materials in tires

2024 The European Commission has approved EUR 99.5 million Romanian state aid measure to support Nokian Tyres' new zero CO2 emission
tire factory in Romania

2024 Nokian Tyres has signed a development agreement aiming to add renewable material made from residue birch bark to tires

2024 Nokian Tyres inaugurates its passenger car tire factory in Oradea, Romania - the world’s first full-scale zero CO2 emission tire factory

2024 Nokian Tyres celebrated the 90th anniversary of its innovation, the winter tire

2025 Paolo Pompei started as a President and CEO of Nokian Tyres

Futuristic tire with lights inside the grooves.
Futuristic tire with lights inside the grooves.

A smart and bio-based future of mobility

Looking at driving 20 years from now, we will see revolutions in smart traffic technology, mobile autonomy, electric vehicles - and more.

Read about our innovations

Authors and references

Feedback

Send questions, comments and feedback: info(at)nokiantyres.com

Archive sources

Nokian Tyres plc archive, Nokia
Nokia Corporation archive, Espoo

Photographs

Nokian Tyres plc archive, Nokia
Museum Centre Vapriikki photo archive, Tampere

Films

National Audiovisual Archive KAVA, Helsinki
Nokian Tyres plc archive, Nokia

Literature

60 vuotta kumia – Suomen Gummitehdas Osakeyhtiö 1898–1958.
Hoving, Victor. Suomen Gummitehdas Osakeyhtiö 1898–1948.
Häikiö, Martti. Fuusio. Yhdistymisen kautta suomalaiseksi monialayritykseksi 1865–1982. Nokia Oyj:n historia 1. Edita, Helsinki 2001.
Kumi – Kumin ja Suomen kumiteollisuuden historia. Tampereen museot & Kumiteollisuusyhdistys, Hämeen Kirjapaino Oy 1998.
Ruusukallio, Pekka. 50 vuotta suomalaisia autonrenkaita 1932–1982. Tampereen kirjapaino Oy 1982.
Toiskallio, Kalle; Viettelyksen vaunu. Autoilukulttuurin muutos Suomessa. Gummerus Oy, Jyväskylä 2001.

Magazines

Nokian Kirjeitä
Nokian Kumiviesti
Tekniikan Maailma
Tuulilasi