Nokian Tyres plc

Nokian Tyres is the largest tyre manufacturer in the Nordic countries and the most profitable company in its industry world-wide. The company develops and manufactures summer and winter tyres for cars and tyres for a range of heavy machinery. In addition, Nokian Tyres runs the Vianor tyre chain with ovat 500 outlets across Finland, Sweden, Norway, Baltic countries, Central Europe, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Armenia, Russia and USA.

Nokian Tyres primarily operates in the replacement markets. Key success factors include the continually upgraded product range and innovations that deliver genuine added value to the customer. The company has two factories, one in the town of Nokia in Finland and the other one in Vsevolozhsk in Russia. The Russian factory is a new one; the operations started in the spring 2005.

In 2008, Nokian Tyres booked net sales of EUR 1 080 million and employed 3 800 people. The Russian factory employed 684 people.

Nokian Tyres' key markets include Nordic countries, Russia and other CIS countries, Eastern Europe and North America. Russia and other CIS countries are the most rapidly growing tyre markets.

Nokian Tyres plc was founded in 1988 and it was listed on the Helsinki Stock Exchange in 1995. The company's roots go back all the way to 1898, when Suomen Gummitehdas Oy, or the Finnish rubber factory, was established. Passenger car tyre production began in 1932 and the company's best-known brand, the Nokian Hakkapeliitta tyre, was launched in 1936.

History:

1898:The Finnish Rubber Works is founded

1904: Factory in town of Nokia, Finland

1932: Car tyre production starts

1934: First winter tyre in the world

1936: First Hakkapeliitta tyre is manufactured

1967: Nokia Corporation is established - Rubber, Cable and Paper Divisions

1988: Nokia Tyres Limited is established as a joint-venture company

1995: Nokia Tyres Limited ' Nokian Tyres plc; shares to float in Helsinki Stock Exchanges

1999-2000: Own tyre chain expanded to Finland and Estonia the whole chain was called Vianor

2003: Nokia Corporation ownership in Nokian Tyres ended; Bridgestone became the biggest owner

2005: New tyre factory starts in Vsevolozhsk in Russia

2006: Sales company in Ukraine

2007: Sales company in Kazakhstan

2007: Vianor expands to Switzerland and USA

2007: Expansion of Nokian Tyres Vsevolozhsk factory in Russia started

2008: Vianor expands to Eastern Europe