HANKOOK TIRE’S DEDICATION TOWARDS TECHNOLOGY LEADERSHIP

At Hankook Tire, a global leading tire company, the competitiveness behind the strides of success lies in the technological leadership. Under the strategy dubbed ‘Quality Level Up’, Hankook Tire has been committed to broad scale investment in R&D and aggressive strategic movements, and it has consistently introduced leading technology and solutions to meet the future demands for safety, performance, durability, and quality excellence.

Since 1982 when Hankook Tire constructed its main R&D center in Daejeon, South Korea, R&D has grown to become one of Hankook Tire’s core business sectors. Furthermore, Hankook Tire built a global R&D network by introducing several R&D centers including in the U.S, Germany, China and Japan. Hankook Tire’s research centers consist of high-tech research equipment to ensure Hankook Tire’s products to fulfill needs of customer from all around the globe.

As new technologies such as electric vehicles and self-driving cars prevail, the automotive industry faces new challenges. Hankook Tire plans to lead the changes in the automotive industry by strengthening global R&D capabilities and by incorporating new corporate culture. In the midst of all the changes, Hankook Techodome plans to take the center stage.

Hankook Technodome represents a significant step for Hankook Tire’s R&D infrastructure in order to build a higher level of technology leadership and quality competitiveness in the future. Hankook Tire plans to achieve sustainable growth by strengthening research on original and applied technologies to enhance future technology and finally become global top tier tire company to lead the automotive industry.

SOURCE OF NEW CORPORATE INNOVATION THROUGH HIGH-TECH ARCHITECTURE

Hankook Technodome was designed by Foster + Partners, an architectural firm founded by Sir Norman Foster, to reflect innovation and technology leadership. Hankook Tire’s commitment in high-tech architecture, is well represented by incorporating the latest technology and materials with architecture design. Hankook Technodome will be able to exhibit Hankook Tire’s vision and culture through architecture and design.

Hankook Technodome is an outcome of a total investment of KRW 266.4 billion. Located in Daeduk Innopolis, Daejeon, Korea, the R&D center stands in six floors, built on a massive floor space of 96,328㎡ and a total land area of 70,387㎡.

LEADING SUSTAINABLE FUTURE THROUGH REALIZATION OF ECO-FRIENDLY VALUE

Hankook Technodome is an eco-friendly and high-tech research center built with sustainability and eco-friendly value at heart from selecting the site to design and construction process.

Eco-friendly materials were used including recyclable building materials. The R&D center is not only equipped with a water-saving facility, but also with recharging system utilizing geothermal and solar power amongst other alternative energy sources in order to reduce dependency on fossil fuel electricity. Also, it has an energy recycling facility designed to minimize energy consumption with natural light and high-performance insulation. It is equipped with a carbon dioxide sensor that alerts when it exceeds certain standard in order to improve the indoor air quality and to conduct active air-conditioning. Special parking areas are prepared for high-efficiency automobiles with low exhaust gas emissions. Parking spaces are located on the basement floors to minimize pavement process and to reduce thermal island effect, which preeminently increases the temperature of concentrated areas compared to the surroundings.

Through the efforts, Hankook Technodome achieved green certification, LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design). LEED is one of the most prestigious green building certification system by USGBC (U.S. Green Building Council), U.S.-based non-profit organization. LEED encourages alternatives for sustainable life and suggests design guidelines, setting objectives of the optimal building management process. Hankook Technodome received the Gold certification, after following a series of thorough monitoring process and strict guidelines. Hankook Tire will be continuously committed to building a sustainable future by realizing environmental value.

CREATION OF INNOVATION THAT LEADS PROACTIVE CULTURE

Hankook Tire is leading the ‘Proactive Culture’, which represents a corporate culture characterized by active and innovative agents of work. Hankook Tire achieved space optimization to enable employees to achieve their best in a creative environment through effective communication and interaction.

Communication is one of Hankook Technodome’s core values. The flow of human traffic at the R&D center was carefully designed to facilitate optimal communication among researchers to realize proactive culture. Under the ‘One Company Concept’, 10 independent offices and laboratories are housed under the same roof to symbolize that all the offices are of one company. Also, the center arena was created for employees to enjoy comfortable and active communication.

The innovative work environment enhances employees’ pride and concentration. The newly introduced ‘Tire Workshop’, is an area designed to create a pleasant research environment without the need of bringing tire specimen to desks. The ‘Focus Box’ located in the office area helps employees concentrate on work and perform personal duties without distraction.

Furthermore, the new R&D center will help achieve work and life balance by offering various education and medical facilities along with welfare facilities. ‘The Residence’ is a residential area for unmarried R&D employees, visiting clients and trainees. ‘Play Lounge’ is a café and relaxing area and ‘Proactive Lounge’ is for entertainment such as movies. ‘Dongeurami Daycare Center’ is for children of employees, and ‘Fitness Center’ will provide healthy lifestyle for employees. ‘Korean Medical Care Room’ will offer oriental medical services and ‘Mind Therapy Room’ for psychotherapy.