SEOUL, South Korea—Industrial materials and chemicals supplier Kolon Industries has started production at a new tire cord manufacturing plant in Vietnam's Binh Duong Province, located north of Ho Chi Minh City.
The facility will have the annual capacity to produce 16,800 metric tons of polyester tire cord fabrics, bringing the group's overall production capacity to 93,800 tons globally, Kolon said in an blog post Sept. 18.
The new plant, which is about a two-hour drive north of Ho Chi Minh City, will supply to tire makers in the region including Hankook Tire Co. Ltd., Kumho Tire Co. Inc. and Nexen Tire Corp.
The Vietnam facility marks Kolon's ninth overseas production base in addition to plants in China, Indonesia and Mexico.
The company, which also supplies to other leading tire makers, including Michelin, Goodyear and Bridgestone Corp., said the Vietnam base would provide additional capacity with "best technology and price competitiveness."
Kolon invested $1 billion in an airbag and automotive fabrics production plant in Binh Duong in 2016.The new tire cord plant is the company's biggest investment in Vietnam since, according to the company.