Nexen Tire has announced the establishment of a dedicated winter tire testing center at the UTAC proving ground in Ivalo, Finland. The new testing center will serve as a foundation for winter tire performance testing and research and development.
With the launch of this testing center, Nexen plans to intensify performance testing and R&D for winter tires. Rubber hardens at low temperatures, limiting grip, necessitating the use of specialized rubber compounds and customized tread patterns. As a result, rigorous testing in specialized facilities is critical, and the new testing facility serves as a foundation to bolster these efforts.
Nexen has been using the UTAC testing facility in Finland under short-term contracts. However, with rising demand for test site reservations, securing sufficient testing time has become challenging. To address this, the company is building a dedicated testing center, ensuring stable winter testing throughout the season. This expansion extends the winter tire testing period from one month to up to four months. Nexen intends to expand its R&D skills by establishing dedicated test tracks.
Located within UTAC, the center is situated 300km north from the Arctic Circle, offering an ideal environment for testing tire performance under extreme winter conditions. The facility will feature research and development offices, workshops, and snow and ice tracks spanning an area equivalent to 20 football (soccer) fields (approximately 2,000m in length). UTAC will oversee the construction and operation of the center, which is expected to begin full operations in December 2025.
The center will also conduct tests to obtain the 3PMSF (Three-Peak Mountain Snowflake) label, which is the standard certification for winter tires in Europe. This capability will further enhance Nexen Tire’s competitiveness in the European market. Nexen also operates winter tire testing centers in Taebaek, South Korea, and Wanaka, New Zealand, where tire tests are conducted under various winter conditions throughout the year.
“As winter tire standards are being strengthened in Europe, this investment is a crucial step to secure our technological competitiveness,” said Travis Kang, global CEO of Nexen Tire. “The testing center will not only reduce our development periods but also enhance the performance of our winter tires through core technology research, further solidifying our presence in the European market, which accounts for approximately 40% of our total sales, while laying the groundwork for future growth in global markets.”
“We are delighted to welcome Nexen Tire to have their own establishment at our Finnish proving ground,” said Connor McCormack, CEO of UTAC. “We have a long-lasting partnership now and we are proud to support the development work of Nexen and their participation to leading mobility toward a safer future.”
