NEU-ISENBURG, Germany—Hankook Tire Europe GmbH, the European subsidiary of Hankook Tire Co. Ltd., is expanding its original equipment involvement with Daimler A.G.
Hankook's Ventrus S1 evo2 was selected as original equipment fitment for the Mercedes-Benz C Class. It is the third Mercedes-Benz model for which the tire company supplies original equipment tires—joining the S and E Classes.
“(This partnership) thereby documents our recognized and consistently high performance both in development as well as production,” said Ho-Youl Pae, Hankook's chief operating officer. “We are particularly proud that our Hankook Runflat System is able to satisfy the high demands of the Mercedes-Benz engineers when it comes to safety, driving dynamics as well as comfort.”
The tire maker will supply both the standard version of Hankook's Ventrus S1 evo2 and a version adapted with Hankook's Runflat System, which the firm said is being used for the first time in the premium original equipment segment. Hankook said the system has been adapted especially to fit the typical Mercedes aspects of safety and comfort for the new C Class.
Hankook manufacturers high-performance radial tires for passenger cars, light trucks, SUVs, RVs, trucks and buses in addition to motorsports. The firm said it employs more than 20,000 worldwide and sells its products in 180 countries.
It operates European branches in Germany England, France, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Hungary, Russia, Turkey, Sweden and Poland. The firm said the European and CIS regions account for more than 30 percent of its global sales.