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2010: Safety pioneer
The company is now over one hundred years old and it continues along the path of the Hakkapeliittas, focusing on heavy specialisation and excellence under Northern conditions. During the early stages of its production, Suomen Gummitehdas Osakeyhtiö created a far-reaching innovation – the winter tire for demanding driving conditions.
As a pioneer of the industry, Nokian Tyres has a strong position on the worldwide market. Entrepreneurship, innovation and team spirit are still held in high regard.
Cooperation with leading car manufacturers
Globally established car manufacturers can also appreciate unique winter tire expertise. Cooperation with the leading car manufacturers has been a cornerstone of the product development of Hakkapeliitta tires from the beginning. Strict standards and demanding tests with the best partners in the industry allow for the total utilisation of the state-of-the-art features of different car models. Over 20 quality brands have chosen products from Nokian Tyres for their winter tire programme.
Nokian Tyres works in close cooperation with the world’s leading car manufacturers. Over 20 quality brands have chosen products from Nokian Tyres for their winter tire programme. Testing cooperation with contractors plays a key role in the development of Nokian special tires. The community of Hakkapeliitta Test Drivers was also created in 2011 in order to share experiences of tires and traffic for the benefit of all road users.
Tailored and tested safety
The most part of product development for winter tires takes place in Finland. The quality, durability and eco-friendliness of winter tires are based on careful structural development and testing. Over half of Nokian Tyres’ product development resources are spent on testing under realistic, harsh conditions. The heart of winter testing for the Hakkapeliittas is the 700-hectare Ivalo Testing Center, affectionately known as White Hell, which is located north of the Arctic Circle. Temperatures can vary by up to 40°C within 24 hours.
Product development makes new innovations in the fields of rubber compound composition and technical solutions alike. The rubber compound of the winter tire was updated to the intelligent eSilica. Diamond-like Cryo Crystals were added to the rubber compound of the new-generation Nokian Hakkapeliitta R2 non-studded tire in order to ensure grip.
From carbon black to silica
Carbon black is a traditional bonding agent in tire material, and it was involved in the manufacture of the rubber compound already in the 1930s, when the winter tire was born. At the Nokia factory, those working with carbon black were known by their black overalls and they had a separate table at the canteen.
An entirely new generation of Nokian Hakkapeliitta winter tires was launched in 2013. The Nokian Hakkapeliitta 8 studded tire dominated winter tire tests in the Nordic countries and Russia. This modern pioneer combines superior grip on ice and precise handling in any weather. Stud technology was updated to the Nokian Eco Stud 8 concept that has 50% more studs than before. The multiple test-winning Nokian Hakkapeliitta 8 studded tires achieved the latest world record for the fastest car on ice, 335.713 km/h (208.602 mph).
Aramid sidewall technology
What is the most common reason for tire damage? An impact to the tire sidewall when driving into a pothole, for example. Hitting the kerb when parking carelessly can also be destructive.
The sturdy Nokian Hakkapeliitta 8 SUV is a new studded tire for sports utility vehicles; its key features are the grip provided by the new stud technology and the strength derived from the Aramid reinforced sidewall structure.
Nokian Cryo Crystal grip particles
The skid stopper can also be inside the rubber compound! Microscopic, chamfered crystals added into the rubber compound of the non-studded winter tire improve its lateral and longitudinal grip especially on ice. The diamond-tough Cryo Crystal particles grab onto the driving surface and improve grip. New crystals will continuously start to appear as the surface of the tire wears down.
Image: Nokian Cryo Crystal Concept. In a way, the crystals act as built-in studs by gripping the surface with their sharp and hard edges.
In the winter of 2014, Nokian Tyres presented something completely new: a non-studded tire with studs that the driver can activate at the press of a button. This allows for using the best features of studded and non-studded tires according to the current weather conditions. This innovative concept is not yet available for consumers, but it paves the way for the future of studded tire technology.
Modern stud technology
The revolutionary stud placement, ensure superior grip and soft stud contact on all driving surfaces. Instead of placing studs on rows, they are evenly divided across the entire tread surface of the tire. This means that no stud is behind another, which balances the longitudinal and lateral grip of the tire and maintains steering.
Modern driving offers increasingly more choices. The Nokian Hakkapeliitta R2, launched in 2014 and tailored for the Northern winter, has record-breaking low rolling resistance. This non-studded winter tire has the world's highest energy efficiency and it is designed for electric cars whose range can be substantially extended by using this tire model. The high fuel efficiency placed the new Hakkapeliitta in the best class A of the EU tire label.
Testing at the extremes
In recent years, Nokian Tyres has dominated the world records for the fastest car on ice. Test driver Janne Laitinen clocked the latest record of 335.713 km/h (208.602 mph) in March 2013 on the ice of the Gulf of Bothnia, near Oulu. The car was an Audi RS6 equipped with Nokian Hakkapeliitta 8 studded tires. At the record speed, the car travelled over 93 metres per second. The earlier record was also set by Laitinen: 331.61 km/h (206.05 mph).
The world’s first winter tire for tractors, the Nokian Hakkapeliitta TRI, was introduced in 2014. The multi-edged block-pattern tread and sipe activators provide grip, but the length variations in the tread pattern keep rolling noise low. The tire was immediately used to set the speed record for tractors with the help of rally legend Juha Kankkunen.
Non-studded tire with studs
Changing driving conditions are becoming increasingly common in winter traffic. The winter tire needs to adapt to all sorts of conditions, such as bare motorways, slippery ramps and bridges, unpredictable crossroads and other challenging locations.
A new factory was opened in Vsevolozshk, Russia in 2012, which increased the annual production capacity in Finland and Russia to over 20 million tires. The company's headquarters and product development are located in Nokia, Finland. Hille Korhonen started as the President and CEO in 2017.
The Vianor chain continues along a path of strong growth. Tire sales and service is now available in 27 countries via 1,300 outlets. You can also purchase Nokian tires online.
High quality products and new innovations from Nokian Tyres continue to improve road safety. The strengths of the Hakkapeliittas are still needed when facing even more varying and demanding winter conditions.
Nokian Hakkapeliitta R2
Nokian Tyres developed the world’s first winter tire with an A rolling resistance rating. The new Nokian Hakkapeliitta R2 is a non-studded winter tire that is especially designed for BMW’s unique i3 electric car. This genuine Hakkapeliitta winter tire is tailored for the Northern winter and it combines extremely low rolling resistance, first-class grip and exceptional driving comfort.
Nokian Hakkapeliitta Tri
The speed record for tractors was achieved in Finnish Lapland, on the emergency airfield of Vuojärvi in February 2015. The vehicle was Valtra’s latest tractor model, the T234. First-class snow grip and handling were ensured by the Nokian Hakkapeliitta TRI, the world's first winter tire for tractors. Behind the wheel was Juha Kankkunen, multiple World Champion in rallying – who, by his own admission, was driving a tractor at high speed for the first time. The world record was set at an amazing 130.165 km/h (80.898 mph).
Image: Setting a record pace: Nokian Hakkapeliitta TRI, Valtra T234 and Juha Kankkunen, multiple World Champion in rallying.
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