Hankook Tire’s R&D center acquires three additional safety management certifications

- Hankook Technodome received ‘Certification of Exemplary Laboratories in Safety Management’ issued by the Ministry of Science and ICT
- A total of five laboratories now recognized as the most exemplary laboratories in the field of safety management
- Newly approved laboratories working on tire technology improvement including noise reduction and wear prediction

Seoul, Korea, January 13, 2022 – Global leading tire company Hankook Tire acquired three additional ‘Certifications of Exemplary Laboratories in Safety Management’ for its state-of-the-art R&D center, Hankook Technodome. Hankook Technodome now has a total of five laboratories recognized with the government’s certificate awarded for excellent safety management.

The Ministry of Science and ICT under the government of South Korea grants the certification to laboratories that pass the assessment by experts in the field. The certificate program aims to strengthen the safety management capabilities of science and technology laboratories at research institutes as well as to discover and promote a standard model for laboratory safety management.

Hankook Tire had already acquired the two ‘Certifications of Exemplary Laboratories in Safety Management’ with its Flat-trac CT+ Laboratory and Chemical Analysis Laboratory. As its Tire Noise Measuring Lab, Friction Energy Test Lab, and Viscoelasticity Test Lab gain additional certifications, Hankook Technodome now proudly owns five certificates.

The Tire Noise Measurement Laboratory is equipped with semi-anechoic chambers for measuring and analyzing tire noise under various conditions. Arduous research on noise reduction technology that can be adopted to original equipment tires for leading car makers is currently underway.

The Friction Energy Test Lab facilitates the analysis of tire wear that occurs from friction created between grounding surface and tire tread pattern. Through extensive studies, Hankook Tire is improving technology for prediction and reduction of tire wear.

The Viscoelasticity Test Lab conducts research on the strength and relative size of viscosity and elasticity of rubber, a main material used in tires. It helps predict performance of a tire including fuel economy, braking power, tire wear, and performance at low temperatures.

"Safety matters to Hankook Tire not only in terms of tires but also in terms of working environment. This is why we put efforts into measures for preventing human, physical, and R&D losses at our laboratories." said Bonhee Ku, Executive Vice President and CTO of Hankook Tire. "As Hankook Technodome plays a key role in strengthening the company's R&D capabilities and is a symbol of our commitment to making the highest-quality tires, we will continue to strengthen its safety management capabilities and research environment."

Opened in 2016, Hankook Technodome is an eco-friendly, high-tech R&D center with state-of-the-art infrastructure. The facility stands on a massive floor space of 96,328m2, with an R&D building six stories high including two basement floors. A residence building consists of eight stories including one basement floor. Hankook Tire is undertaking R&D innovation at Hankook Technodome to continue delivering world-class technology and product quality, based on which the company plans to continue expanding partnership with premium car makers and showcase its technological leadership and brand value.