How many tire companies are known? The first thing that comes to mind is Nokian, which is the undisputed leader and largest tire manufacturer in Northern Europe. Let's plunge into history and go on an interesting journey.
Start
ATTENTION! Found a completely simple way to reduce fuel consumption! Don't believe? An auto mechanic with 15 years of experience also did not believe until he tried it. And now he saves 35,000 rubles a year on gasoline!
The company was founded back in 1898. This year was marked by the creation in Finland of the first factory specializing in the manufacture of rubber. At that time, rubber was produced only for domestic purposes. Five years later, a whole factory was opened in the city of Nokia. At the beginning of the 20th century, there was an increase in the volume of transport communications, so in the 20s of the last century, a Finnish company decided to make tires for bicycles. According to history, at that time in Finland there were about 30 thousand different vehicles.
In 1926, the number of tires produced increased dramatically. This was the impetus for the fact that the company brought its products to the market of foreign countries. For this moment, she also sold tires to other countries, however, not on such a scale. Since that moment, the company's specialists have set themselves the goal of expanding sales of goods in foreign countries.
Company principle
The company adhered to the following principle: meeting the demand of the domestic market came to the fore, and the rest of the products were sold abroad.
The management of the company was able to find that export is characterized by obtaining information about the international markets of an identical product.
Since 1932, Nokian has been producing car tires. After seven years, the company has grown a lot in terms of tire technology. At that time, the number of produced car tires reached hundreds.
1936 is considered a turning point and a unique year for the company. It was this year that Nokian launched the Hakkapeliitta tire. In addition, that year, manufacturers decided to develop tires specifically for use in northern climates. The first example of such a tire is the Hakkapeliitta model, which is characterized by a special cutting of checkers.
Sale of products
Exports of products increased significantly, however, during the war period, this figure began to decline, due to the high demand for tires. The sale stopped altogether during the war. The end of the war made it possible to open a new factory. In the 60s of the last century, products began to arrive in the countries of the USSR. The domestic market did not pose a danger of demand for the company, however, the external one could spoil the nerves. But, the company has mastered this problem, as it has been producing tires designed for use in harsh northern conditions for many decades.
Tire Technology
The technology includes 4 main stages:
In the production of tires, the company adheres to the following principle: safety is an integral part of any product. It is this principle that has made Nokian products a leader not only in Russia, but also far beyond its borders.
Nokian manufactures the following types of tires:
- Winter.
- Summer.
- All season.
Summer tires Hakka Green
Hakka Green automotive tires are the best in this area. Green products have excellent driving performance and radically change the opinion that the manufacturer knows only in winter tires.
Due to the wide selection of sizes, tires can be purchased for any car. Buyers should take into account the fact that such rubber can only be used in the northern regions. For the most productive performance of its functions, rubber must have the best and thought out to the smallest detail design of the working surface.
Such rubber is characterized by the presence of a tread that has a directional asymmetric pattern plus a pronounced longitudinal channel. These indicators indicate that the rubber is rain. The manufacturer took care and provided several info-sections for the product. Thanks to the four grooves, which have a smooth and matte surface, the rubber looks not only stylish, dynamic, but also perfectly removes liquid from the contact patch.
All Hakka Green rubber channels are designed according to Silent Groove technology.
The essence of the technology involves applying unique recesses to the walls of the longitudinal ribs, which are identical to the surface of the ball used for golf. This feature makes it possible to reduce the combination of air flows in the process of movement. This, in turn, increases the level of noise comfort. In addition to the above benefits, Silent Groove technology significantly increases the overall tire mileage.
Rezina Nordman
Nordman RS winter tires are specially designed for cars that are used directly in harsh winter conditions. The running surface tread pattern was developed using computer simulations. This approach makes it possible to achieve the highest level of grip and wheel traction. Due to the special elements of the pattern, directional stability and mobility are achieved.
Tires Nordman have improved properties. This was made possible by means of serrated lamellas. Nordman rubber is also equipped with an innovative tread structure, which is characterized by a noise reduction system for any sounds resulting from rubber friction with the road.
Summer tires Nordman SX are ideal not only for comfortable, but also solid movement. This model is characterized by low noise and long service life. The tire is designed with an asymmetric tread pattern. This feature has significantly reduced the noise level.
When developing this model, Nokian specialists took into account the quality of Russian roads. It is for this reason that the Nordman SX is characterized by good wear resistance and handling. During production, great attention was paid to the resistance of the rubber to hydroplaning. The special structure of the longitudinal and transverse channels allows you to remove water quickly and efficiently from the contact patch. At the same time, during the rain, the safety and reliability of the grip is maintained.
The manufacturer Nokian associates its products not only with a durable, economical product, but also with a mobile and sustainable one. Confirmation of these words are the positive comments of the owners of the car. As for the place of production, it is not worth going far. Products are manufactured in the Russian Federation, at a plant located in the city of Vsevolozhsk. 
We are no worse
The plant in Vsevolozhsk operates around the clock, seven days a week. The facility closes twice a year for maintenance. The concentration of production is approximately 50 percent. The plant makes a full line of tires for cars - 29 models. If we take into account the different sizes, then the number of models increases to 700.
Products made in this city, just like Finnish products, must have a Hakka guarantee. The Russian analogue of the Nokian plant is characterized by a complete production cycle from the receipt of raw materials to quality control and testing.
In addition, winter tires are studded at the plant on laser-guided machines.
We can and want
In conclusion, I would like to note that the Russian response to the Finns was a success. There is an opinion that quality products are not produced in Russia. This opinion does not apply to the Vsevolozhsk plant. These are not just words, but confirmed facts – the export of products manufactured at the Russian plant is about 50 percent, covering the whole world. What else can be argued about, even if the country in which tire production was first established exports the products of a Russian plant.
A few years ago, Nokian Nordman tires began to appear on the shelves of Russian stores, outwardly resembling the well-known Nokian Hakkapeliitta tires in Russia.
Moreover, the names of the models were very consonant - Nokian Nordman 7 was very similar to the Nokian Hakkapeliitta 7, and Nokian Nordman 5 was very similar to the Nokian Hakkapeliitta 5 tire, etc.
From this article you will learn:
Many car owners, of those who have tried these tires, wrote in reviews that the similarity, if any, is very slight. While many auto journalists who have tested these tires write otherwise, there are plenty of similarities between these tires.
So how, in fact, are there really so many differences in Nokian Nordman and Nokian Hakkapeliitta tires really? Let's take a closer look.
Brand Nokian Nordman
To begin with, let's figure out why, in fact, such a well-known company as Nokian came up with another independent tire brand -.
Not surprisingly, for northernmost tire manufacturer Nokian, winter tires are the company's main profit-making product. Moreover, 70% of tires sold under the Nokian brand are studded tires, which are prohibited in most European countries.
In turn, in Russia - as in a northern country - studded tires are allowed, so Russia is the main sales market for the Finnish company Nokian.
However, under the Nokian brand, the Finns, as a rule, sold tires of the premium segment, quite expensive, which not all Russian car owners could afford. In order to drastically increase sales, the Finnish company needed to introduce economy-class tires to the market, the cost of which would no longer scare away the majority of potential buyers.
Economy tires didn't fit well with the Nokian brand, which has always positioned itself as a premium brand. Therefore, it was decided to bring economy class tires to the Russian market under the Nordman brand.
Nordman tire production
The production of tires under the Nordman brand was initially established at the facilities of a joint venture with the tire brand Amtel, well known to Russian car owners. Moreover, the raw materials for Finnish tires were Russian, and the production technologies were Finnish, which made the final product of sufficient quality, buyers liked it.
However, after some time, the joint venture broke up and the Finns had to transfer the production of tires of their economy brand to China, which drastically worsened the quality of the products. Accordingly, demand for tires under the Nodrman brand dropped sharply and this situation could not continue for a long time.
By that time, Nokian itself had reached its design capacity at a plant in Russia (near St. Petersburg) and the management of the Finnish company decided to transfer the production of Nordman tires to Russia. To the same plant where tires under the main Nokian brand are produced.
Nokian Nordman 7 and Nokian Hakkapeliitta 7
One of the most famous winter models under the Nordman brand is the Nordman 7, which bears a strong resemblance to the Nokian Hakkapeliitta 7.
The first thing to say about this tire is that the Nordman 7 model (and the Nokian Nordman 7 suv model for crossovers and minivans), like its "prototype" Nokian Hakkapeliitta 7, has a pronounced Scandinavian (Arctic) type. That is, the tire is designed for northern climates with harsh temperatures and heavy snowfalls.
When creating this model, Finnish engineers took the right path: they took all the best that they had accumulated experience in operating the unconditional hit of their time - the Nokian Hakkapeliitta 7 model and supplemented it with some innovations.
The Nokian Nordman 7 tire (and Nokian Nordman 7 suv) has almost the same rubber compound and tread pattern as the Nokian Hakkapeliitta 7. True, with one caveat - the materials for the rubber compound are now Russian, not Finnish. But in general, both the tread and the rubber compound have already shown their best side over the years of sales of the Hakkapeliitta 7, so there was no need to make changes.
The main changes that were made to the Nordman 7 tread concerned only the studs.
First, an "air claw" has been added, a patented technology that is a special shock-absorbing pad located in front of the stud to prevent excessive damage to the stud during fast movement.
Secondly, the technology of "bear claw" (bear claw) was added, a special six-sided pommel that allows the spike to always remain in an upright position.
Thirdly, the Eco Stud System technology (developed for Hakkapeliitta 8) was added to the Nokian Nordman 7 suv model, which prevents unnecessary damage to the stud when driving a rather heavy crossover and minivan for which this model is intended.
Nokian Nordman 5 and Nokian Hakkapeliitta 5
As for another most popular winter model, the situation here is largely similar. For their budget model, Finnish engineers have identified all the best that the “prototype” had and tried to remove everything that was superfluous, which increased the cost of the tire.
So, for example, the design and composition of the rubber compound, the developers left the same, with all the time-tested solutions, except for the fact that the raw materials for the rubber compound are now Russian.
But the spikes have become different. Instead of the "original" square stud on the Hakkapeliitta 5, the Nordman 5 now has a regular round stud. Moreover, this was done, among other things, because the tetrahedral spike wore out rather quickly and turned into a round one.
What else you need to know about Nokian Nordman and Nokian Hakkapeliitta
It is worth saying that for Nokian itself, sales of premium tires from the Hakkapeliitta line bring much more income than sales of economy tires from the Nordman line.
Accordingly, to increase their own profits, the marketers of the Finnish company take one tricky step. The number of tires produced under the Nordman brand is underestimated, while the number of tires under the Nokian brand is increasing.
Therefore, buyers should keep in mind that Nordman tires tend to run out very quickly in stores, and if you have a desire to purchase them, it is better to take care of this in advance, without waiting for the first snowfalls.
Today, Nokian Tires is the world's largest tire manufacturer. Read the history of Nokian development, what place the Finnish company occupies in Russia and what are the advantages of their products.
Nokian Tires, or in the original version Nokian Renkaat, is Scandinavia's largest tire manufacturer. The concern originates from the small Finnish city of Nokia, where its "headquarters" is located today. Nokian manufactures summer and, to a greater extent, winter tires for cars and trucks, as well as special wheeled vehicles. In addition to the Scandinavian countries, the main markets for Nokian Tires products are also other European and North American countries with snowy winters.
history of the company
Nokian Tires is almost 120 years old. It all started with the fact that in 1898 in the Finnish capital, the city of Helsinki, a group of experienced merchants and industrialists led by Eduard Polon founded a factory specializing in the production of rubber products, mainly shoes. They decided to name the company "Suomen Gummitehdas Osakeyhtiö" (Finnish Rubber Factory).
As demand for the factory's products grew, the factory needed a larger production site, but expansion within Helsinki was problematic. In this regard, in 1904 the factory was relocated to the town of Nokia, located in southwestern Finland. It was here that the factory first began to produce products under the Nokia brand.
In the early 1930s, the rubber industry in Finland experienced a period of active centralization. As part of this process, the Rubber Plant bought out many small enterprises operating in this area. In the same period, Thorsten Westerlund replaced Polon as director of the company.
At the end of the 1930s. the rubber plant was firmly among the twenty largest enterprises in Finland.
In 1958, Ensio Salmenkallio became the new director, and the company itself changed its status to LLC. Since Finland was experiencing a period of rapid motorization at this time, revenues from sales of car tires began to outstrip revenues from sales of shoes.
In the 1960s, the company went through a series of mergers, acquisitions, and renamings that brought together tire and rubber shoe, electronics and cable manufacturers, a woodworking factory, and an electrical company under the same legal umbrella of Nokia Corporation. In fact, it was a huge conglomerate of separate enterprises, each of which had its own director.
In the late 1980s, due to the pan-European economic downturn, Nokia Corporation was experiencing financial difficulties. To overcome them, among other things, a business restructuring was carried out, within the framework of which the production of tires was withdrawn from the corporation and became an independent enterprise. Today, Nokian Tires, which produces the famous Finnish tires, has nothing to do with the no less famous manufacturer of Finnish electronics and mobile phones, Nokia.
History of Nokian Tires winter tire technology
Being one of the largest modern manufacturers of winter tires, Nokian maintains its leadership in the industry primarily due to the constant desire to be at the forefront of progress. On the eve of the First World War, when the company's management was just beginning to think about how to master the production of tires, the technology had to be adopted abroad, in particular in the United States.
This process turned out to be quite lengthy. All the 20s were spent on preparing calculations and purchasing test molds. As an intermediate step, in 1925, Nokian mastered the production of bicycle tires, and in 1931, the process of coordinating and patenting its own tire production was finally completed. The first batch of new products was released in 1932.
At first, the Nokian manufacturer produced only summer car tires, since at that time such a thing as “winter” tires simply did not exist. All year round, the cars drove on the same tires, which in the cold and snowy Finnish winter was a certain inconvenience. And here the Finns surpassed their teachers by offering the world new technologies of their own design.
The first truck tire designed for driving at low temperatures was produced in 1934 at the Finnish plant in Nokia. And two years later, its significantly improved version for passenger cars appeared, called Nokia Hakkapeliitta. Subsequently, this particular brand has become a symbol of high-quality winter tires all over the world.
Over the next ten years, the demand for winter tires in Finland and the neighboring Scandinavian countries grew rapidly, and in 1945 the company opened a new, largest tire factory in northern Europe.
The next major milestone in the development of the Nokian tire range was the release in 1956 of the Haka-Hakkapeliitta tire, which used a reinforced double tread design that significantly improved handling on winter roads. And in 1963, a new revolutionary tire was launched on the market, in the design of which carbide studs were used. This model was called "Kometa-Hakkapeliitta".
In general, the 50-60s. can be considered a period of rapid growth and expansion of the Nokian company, including the conquest of markets outside Scandinavia. The furor that their winter tires caused during the rally in Monte Carlo helped the Finns in this. Cars with Finnish winter tires under the control of Finnish pilots turned out to be invincible on snowy tracks.
By the beginning of the 60s, Nokian products were already supplied to two dozen countries, including England and the USA. In the following decades, the concern continued to set the standard in the winter tire segment, regularly releasing new and increasingly progressive tire models. The rest of the tire manufacturers had to follow in the wake of the Finns.
Today, the Nokian Tires concern produces tires at two of its own enterprises (one in Finland and one in Russia). In addition, Finnish tires are also produced under license by factories located in the USA, China, Indonesia, India, Spain and Slovakia.
Nokian in Russia
In most of the territory of our country, winters are quite severe and snowy, and therefore the issue of using high-quality winter tires is relevant for all motorists. It is not surprising that Nokian products are in high demand in our country. At the moment, almost all Nokian brand tires sold in Russia are produced in our country.
One of the largest and most modern tire factories in Europe, the manufacturer Nokian opened in 2005 in the city of Vsevolozhsk, not far from St. Petersburg. It is interesting that the enterprise launched in Russia is even larger than the Finnish plant in the city of Nokia. Today, production lines in Vsevolozhsk provide about 80% of the production of all Nokian tires for passenger vehicles. Since the beginning of the work of this enterprise, more than 70 million units of products have been produced.
In 2012, Nokian Tires opened another plant next to the already existing plant in Russia. Gradually putting into operation more and more new production lines, the Finnish concern brought the volume of production in Russia to 15 million units per year.
As in Finland itself, in Russia the plant is extremely automated and manual labor is practically not used, which guarantees the high quality of the products. At the same time, the manufacturer Nokian subjects each produced tire to a double quality control: the check is carried out by both automation and a living person.
Since the Russian Nokian plant is today de facto the main concern for the concern, the products manufactured here go not only to the Russian market, but also to other CIS countries, Europe and even Scandinavia.
High-quality "shoes" of a motor vehicle are the basis of confidence and safe driving. Therefore, car owners strive to purchase the best tires for the car, despite the limitations of their wallet. The tires of the Finnish company Nokian are the case when quality is above all.
About the manufacturer
ATTENTION! Found a completely simple way to reduce fuel consumption! Don't believe? An auto mechanic with 15 years of experience also did not believe until he tried it. And now he saves 35,000 rubles a year on gasoline!
The first Finnish tire appeared back in 1932, and two years later the first winter tire was released. The main reason why Nokian products are in great demand is the quality of the material used. In addition, Finnish developers have always looked for ways to improve the manufacturing process when creating new models. So it was in 1977, when the Finns first used steel wire to reinforce the side cord on winter tires. And after another 14 years, winter tires without studs Nokian NRW, the first Velcro, were introduced. This event has become like a breath of fresh air in some European countries where spikes are banned.
Few people know the fact that the Nokian tire factory is a subsidiary of the previously well-known Nokia company for the production of mobile phones and accessories for them. In 1988, it was decided to allocate part of the production capacities from the company and direct them to the production of tires. The idea was not in vain and today we use world-famous car tires.
The company has two factories: one is located in its native Finland, and the second - in Russia (Vsevolozhsk). By the way, several times received an award as the best enterprise in Europe.
Peculiarities
Nokian tires are constantly being improved, offering the buyer really perfect products, both for winter and summer trips. Each new model is developed using a unique technology in strict accordance with environmental and technological requirements. This feature enables the company to successfully sell its products in countries, such as the United States, where there are quite enough of their own manufacturers in this segment.
Finnish winter tires are available in two basic versions: with and without studs.
- The non-studded Nokian tire has a special composition, and a large number of sipes allow the car to stop instantly when the brake is lightly pressed. At the same time, the trajectory of the car does not change.
- The Nokian studded tire is considered one of the best among other European representatives. Of course, it is a little more expensive, but it meets all safety requirements and has high performance, according to experts.
An important requirement for summer tires is comfort and wear resistance for long-term use. The tread pattern and depth ensure efficient vehicle movement in bad inclement weather during emergency braking.
When creating a model, software methods are used, taking into account local harsh climate conditions.
Models and dimensions
Nokian Tires Corporation manufactures tires for passenger cars, commercial and truck use, special tires for construction equipment.
Nordman RS2. The model was created specifically for use in harsh winter conditions.
Some salient features of the model:
- good grip on snowy road surfaces and ice surfaces;
- special silicone-cryosilane basis of the tire material allows the tires to be used in conditions of very low outdoor temperatures;
- the installation of additional lamellas in the shoulder blocks significantly reduced the braking distance;
- an increase in the number of lamellas helps to improve the grip of the car.
Hakkapeliitta 8. This representative of Nokian tires is especially popular with owners of SUVs and urban crossovers. Winter tires have excellent traction on snowy roads due to the symmetrical V-shaped tread pattern. The car easily and confidently keeps on any surface. This is due to the central rib with triangular sharp edges. Equipping rubber with S-shaped lamellas, which are directed in different directions, as well as the installation of tetrahedral spikes, made it possible to achieve maximum adhesion to the ice crust on the road surface.
Hakka Green 2. The model is designed for summer trips. Installing tires effectively improves the vehicle's traction at higher speeds. There is also a reduction in fuel consumption. Transverse grooves in the shoulder area quickly remove moisture from the surface of the tires. It is worth noting the low noise level.
Hakkapeliitta 9 SUV. Suitable for serious SUVs. With it, you can be sure that the car will easily overcome icy sections of the road that are open from snow. Tires absorb vibration and reduce noise while driving. Products are quickly cleaned of excess moisture and dirt due to sipes, and brake boosters on the tread provide a quick response during heavy braking.
Hakka Blue 2. Another representative of summer tires. It combines low cost and good workmanship. The elasticity of the material is not lost when using tires in different temperature conditions. The tire material does not heat up under high loads due to the addition of pine oil to the rubber composition. A tread with a hard breaker provides good vehicle handling. The only drawback of the model is its rapid wear.
Dimensions
The range of Nokian tires has several dozen sizes. The cost of tires ranges from 2,500 to 23,000 rubles.
| Name | Size | price, rub. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hakka Green 2 | 175/65 R14 | 86T | 2700 |
| Nordman SX2 | 95/65 R15 | 91H | 2800 |
| 185/65 R15 | 92T | 4000 | |
| Hakka Green 2 | 175/65 R14 | 86T | 2700 |
| 205/65 R16 | 99V | 4600 | |
| Hakka C2 | 235/65 R16 | 121/119R | 10000 |
| 275/50 R22 | 115T | 22000 |
Tests
The results of numerous tests of Nokian brand tires have confirmed their reliable handling, effective grip, and economy. At the same time, the car behaves confidently both on a snowy road and on open areas of asphalt covered with an icy surface. The test vehicles showed smooth running, fuel economy, and the absence of significant noise during movement.
Hydroplaning resistance is also excellent. Tires showed themselves well when operating in adverse conditions (rain, mud, ice). The wheels immediately respond to the action of the steering wheel. There were no problems with driving the car.
Pros and cons, is it worth buying
If you carefully consider the advantages and disadvantages of Nokian tires, then there are not so many of the latter. The first problem is the weak sidewalls of some summer models. Rubber in these places should be more durable. The second drawback is that with sharp fluctuations in outside temperature, the air pressure in the tires changes significantly.
Otherwise, all tires manufactured by Nokian have no flaws. Car drivers who choose tires of this brand guarantee excellent handling, safety and reliability during the trip. Another important feature of Nokian tires is good grip on the road surface. Also, a significant reduction in braking distance can be added to the list of advantages. Each of the developed tire models of this brand is drawn on a computer, the tread pattern is carefully worked out, this guarantees excellent adhesion to the road surface.
The tread pattern provides for the presence of special grooves, thanks to which the tires receive excellent water-repellent properties. Thus, driving on wet asphalt will not be accompanied by drifts to the sides, due to the fact that water will be removed from the places of contact with asphalt.
Having considered the quality of Nokian tires, we can say that they are all of excellent quality; among the models presented by the Finnish manufacturer, you will not find options of medium or poor quality. Remember that the effectiveness of tires depends on the degree of operation of the car and the accuracy of driving.
Nokian has 2 factories around the world, one is located in Finland in the town of Nokia, near Tampere and was opened in 1925. The second in Russia in Vsevolozhsk, Leningrad Region, which was launched in 2005. Tires are also made at other factories in small volumes, such as trucks Nokian tires, makes Bridgestone according to Nokian parameters. Working in the auto business, I constantly heard the question, where can I find tires exactly Finnish production. I will answer in Russia they are not. The fact is that it is the Russian Nokian plant that is the main one and produces 70% of tires of the total volume, which is more than 2 times more than the Finnish one. Tires that are made in Russia are sold in 38 countries, including Finland. There was a scandal at first, why they should ride on Russian tires. At one time, they even carried out tests at test sites comparing one model of production in Russia and Finland. The test showed that the quality is the same.
How do the representatives of the companies explain the difference between the plants. The profitability of production here is higher than in Finland. Average one tire made in Russia, costs the company 10 euros less in terms of cost than the same tire made in Finland. There is a difference in a number of factors of production: it is not only the labor force, but also the cost of energy. Plus, our plant has greater productivity than the Finnish one, due to the fact that it is new, it has the most modern technologies, and a high level of automation. Therefore, when it came to the need for a rapid increase in capacity for the concern, it was decided to do it here. In Finland, in principle, there is physically nowhere to expand geographically. There, the plant can increase its capacity only by upgrading existing equipment.
It should be noted that the Nokian Russian plant is the most modern tire factory in Europe and the largest in Russia. In general, these are actually 2 factories located nearby. Another striking feature of this plant is the presence of the Hakkapeliitta Village, which consists of multi-storey buildings with spacious apartments, and workers live there, who received them on credit on special terms.
Well, it is impossible without a drop of tar. In 2011 there was a scandal associated with the Russian plant. Its essence is that people are crippled and do not receive anything. And to be crippled because the motivation of work is such that it needs to be processed in order to earn the result of overwork and accidents. The trade union said that every month they are crippled, and the plant management said that in 4 years there has not been a single accident. In general, you be the judge.
Nokian tire factory in Finland
Tire factory Nokian in Russia
Hakkapeliitta Village
