Originally established in 1942 as Heung-A Tire, Nexen Tire has over 60 years of tradition as a respected leader in the tire industry. Acknowledged as Korea's first tire company, Nexen first began car tire production in 1956.
Over 30 years later, in 1985, the company was expanded through the construction of a radial tire factory in Yangsan, Korea. Six years later, Nexen Tire furthered their technological know-how and manufacturing capabilities through an alliance with a Japanese company OHTSU Tire & Rubber.
In an effort to reflect their dedication to quality and continued leadership, the company changed the name in 2000 from Woosung Tire to Nexen Tire Corporation. The name Nexen is a combination of two future-oriented words; next and century. That same year also saw Nexen Tire listed on the KOSPI 200 Index future market.
Nexen Tire practices constant improvement and restructuring to sustain growth and anticipate market demand. For example, they closed their BIAS tire plant in 2003 due to low revenues and invested instead in the opening and operation of a second manufacturing plant. By 2004, they introduced Ultra High Performance tires and developed High Performance SUV tires.
In 2005, Nexen Tire was awarded a patent for the technology to manufacture rubber/stratified silicate nano-composite tires. By 2006, they had completed development on the new UHP and Winter LTR/SUV pattern. To accommodate increased global demand for the Nexen brand, the company opened yet another tire manufacturing plant in Qingdao, China in 2007.
Due to their commitment to quality products, friendly service and exceptional value, Nexen's domestic market share has increased from 8% to 20%, with annual sales now exceeding $600 million dollars. The company employs over 2,000 employees, each dedicated to building a superior product. Nexen Tire currently exports to 120 countries. Standing behind each and every tire, Nexen believes that such achievements are just their path toward the future, not the ultimate destination.