Less than six months after opening, Nokian Tyres’ factory in Dayton earned ISO 9001 certification earlier this year. The achievement affirms that the company has implemented rigorous quality management processes at the facility that enable it to craft premium products that meet the demanding needs of North American drivers.
Nokian Tyres embarked on the audit process immediately after opening the factory in order to give dealers and drivers confidence that the products crafted there meet the premium standards associated with the brand.
While achieving ISO 9001 certification is not uncommon in the tire industry, earning it so quickly after construction is noteworthy. The intensive process includes audits by an independent, external certification body and by internal staff trained for the process. All three of Nokian Tyres’ global factories have now achieved ISO 9001 certification.
“At the Dayton factory, we want to make high-quality tires that are the safest on the road, and we are happy that the audit reflects the successful processes we’ve put in place,” said Dayton Factory Quality System Coordinator Glenn Kilgore. “An experienced auditor certified that our quality management system resembles that of a much older operation.”
ISO 9001 certification is one step in Nokian Tyres’ quest to cultivate a world-class operation in Dayton. During its ramp-up process, factory leadership instilled Nokian Tyres’ values of safety and sustainability; the company is putting the finishing touches on a solar-powered administration building, and it recently funded college scholarships for a pair of Rhea County students.
Nokian Tyres currently employs just over 100 members at the Dayton factory but will ultimately employ as many as 400 workers there. It is the company’s third global production facility, alongside factories in Nokia, Finland and Vsevolozhsk, Russia.
Founded and headquartered in Finland, Nokian Tyres invented the original winter and all-weather tires and continues to craft premium products in all major passenger segments, including the all-season tire market. The company invested in the Dayton factory to fill expanding North American demand.
The company is preparing to introduce new products for North American drivers in the coming months and years.
More information about the facility is available at NokianTires.com/DaytonFactory.