Nexen Tire to build a bigger tech centre than it has and that too, in the US
Published On 04-Jun-2016
South Korea-based Nexen Tire has outgrown its current tech centre located in Richfield, Ohio and therefore, the company will be starting the construction of its new and larger tech centre elsewhere in the village. Operations at the the new centre is likely to start later this year or early 2016.
The current tech centre employs 16 people on the Highlander Parkway in Richfield. At the upcoming facility, Nexen expects to employ 30 local employees over the next several years. A four-acre vacant land in the south side of Weatley road has been chosen for this location. The current Nexen employees will shift to the new location in late 2016 or early 2017, depending on how soon the company receives the remaining approvals from the government and how fast the building is constructed.
“We just signed a contract to purchase the land,” said Don Lee, Director of Technology at Nexen’s Richfield operations. "We are expecting it will take nine to 11 months to complete the building. This is a local research and development facility where we develop tyres for North and South America,” he added.
According to Don Lee, the company established a tech center in the Akron area because of its expertise in tyres, rubber and polymers makes it a perfect place to hire technical employees.
The total cost of building a new tech centre is estimated at $7 million, which includes $4.6 million for the building and the rest for the land and other miscellaneous things.
Frantz, Planning and Zoning Director, said, "We are excited about it. It is a nice project for the village and it is a big win for the village."
The roots of Nexen Tires can be traced back in 1942 as Heung-A Tire and then Woosung Tire in South Korea. The corporate name of the company was changed to Nexen in 2000. Although the company does not manufactures tyres in United states, it does have its corporate headquarters in Diamond Bar, California.