Hankook is celebrating its 85th anniversary in 2026, marking its evolution from Korea’s first tyre manufacturer into one of the world’s leading tyre companies.
85 Years of Hankook
Founded in 1941 as Chosun Daiya Industrial, Hankook now employs around 20,000 people worldwide and operates eight production facilities across five continents. The company has a presence in more than 160 countries, supported by seven regional headquarters, five research and development centres, and 39 subsidiaries.
Over its 85-year history, Hankook has become a major original equipment supplier, maintaining around 50 OEM partnerships with leading vehicle manufacturers worldwide. In 2026, the company was also recognised by Auto Bild as “Top Manufacturer of the Year” in the summer tyre category.
Hankook has strengthened its position in global motorsport through its role as exclusive tyre supplier to the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship and, since 2025, the FIA World Rally Championship. Hankook is also the exclusive tyre supplier for the Lamborghini Super Trofeo and became a Global Partner of the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile earlier this year.
Hankook highlighted sustainability as a key pillar of its future strategy. In 2025, it received an “A” rating from the Carbon Disclosure Project for climate change performance for the second time.
Financially, 2025 was a record year for the company. Global consolidated sales reached KRW 21.2 trillion (approximately €13.2 billion), while operating profit totalled KRW 1.84 trillion (approximately €1.15 billion). Tyre sales alone rose 9.6% year-on-year to KRW 10.3 trillion (€6.4 billion), surpassing KRW 10 trillion in annual tyre sales for the first time in the company’s history.
Today, Europe is Hankook’s largest market, accounting for approximately 45% of global sales. The company employs nearly 4,000 people across the region and continues to expand its manufacturing footprint. Construction began in 2025 on a €540 million expansion of its Hungarian plant, which will add a truck and bus tyre production line with an annual capacity of up to 800,000 tyres by 2027 and create 450 new jobs.
