At IAA Transportation 2026, Hankook officially presented the first pre-production tyre manufactured at its new truck and bus tyre production facilities in Rácalmás, Hungary, which will start with the production of truck and bus tyres this October.
New Hankook Plant in Hungary
Hankook has invested 540 million euros in the plant expansion, which will have an annual output of more than 800,000 units. Jongho Park, President and COO of Hankook Tire Europe, stresses the strategic importance of the new production facilities for Hankook in Europe.
“The expansion of our European production plant with a new line for truck and bus tyres is yet another key milestone for Hankook in Europe. The central location of the facilities in Hungary and their proximity to the core European markets is a key locational advantage. It will enable us to supply our European customers with premium commercial vehicle tyres even more reliably and quickly, and to respond to their needs with the greatest possible flexibility.”
Until the expansion of the Hungarian plant, Hankook has manufactured its truck and bus tyres for the European market exclusively in Korea and China. With the new production line, Hankook significantly shortens part of its delivery routes, which will increase security of supply and shorten delivery times. At the same time, CO₂ emissions in logistics decrease because long transport routes from Asia are partially eliminated.
Europe is one of the most important markets for Hankook, representing around 45% of the company’s global sales. Since 2007, Hankook has already invested approximately 856 million euros in the Hungarian production site in three expansion stages, with the third stage completed in spring 2015.
Today, the Rácalmás plant has the capacity to produce up to 17 million tyres, including commercial vehicle tyres, annually. The now fourth expansion stage includes the new truck and bus tyre line with a further 540 million euros invested. Since 2024, Hankook has constructed around 66,000 square metres of new production and ancillary buildings as part of this expansion project.
The new production line is also creating more than 450 jobs locally, with Hankook globally maintaining eight production sites with a capacity of up to 100 million tyres per year, employing around 20,000 people.
“This expansion project was one of the largest industrial development projects ever undertaken at the site in Hungary,” says Ho Taek Lim, Vice President and Managing Director of the plant in Rácalmás. “The new truck and bus tyre production facilities will transform the plant into a comprehensive production site of significantly greater complexity and with a higher level of automation.”
The new production facilities are designed and built as a highly automated plant, with automated logistics systems supporting the entire process, from semi-finished products right through to tyre storage. Autonomous automated guided vehicles (AGVs), as well as logistics management and real-time tracking systems, control the flow of materials and warehousing, while automated testing systems ensure consistent product quality and high production efficiency.
The plant uses energy-efficient systems, optimised supply systems and modern process control systems to reduce energy and water consumption. As early as 2023, the plant was awarded ISCC PLUS certification.
The new production plant will initially focus on 22.5-inch tyres for trucks and buses, while Hankook stated that it will gradually extend the production line-up as capacity increases and further specifications are approved, aiming to cover a broader range of commercial vehicle types and customer requirements.
