Hankook moves U.S. HQ to Nashville

Apr. 19, 2016 – South Korean tiremaker Hankook has announced it is relocating its North American headquarters from New Jersey to Tennessee.

Company and state officials said in a ceremony at the state capitol that 200 jobs will move to downtown Nashville, about 40 miles southeast of Hankook’s new tire factory in Clarksville. Hankook broke ground on the plant in 2014, and it is expected to be completed this year.

“By moving our America headquarters to Nashville we will benefit from the synergies provided by having our sales and production facilities in close proximity to each other,” said Hankook CEO Seung Hwa Suh. “It will an opportunity for Hankook to step up and expand in the U.S. market.”

Haslam said the move underscores the increasing role the automotive sector plays in Tennessee, where General Motors, Nissan and Volkswagen have assembly plants. Nissan also has its American headquarters in suburban Nashville.

— With files from Erik Schelzig, The Associated Press