• Front page
• Nokian Tyres
  • Letter from the CEO
  • Board of Directors
  • Management
  • Investor information
• Strategy
  • Success factors
  • Values
  • Market leadership: Vianor Ukraine
• Profit centres
  • Car tyres
  • Heavy tyres
  • Vianor
  • Truck tyres
• Sales and distribution
  • Nokian Tyres globally
  • Expertise in seasonal logistics
• R&D and testing
  • A selection of new products
  • Guardians of safety
• Environment and safety
  • Your tyre choice matters
  • Competence development
• Financials
  • Key figures
  • Income statement
  • Financial Position
  • Cash flow statement

Heavy tyres

The key product groups are forestry tyres, special agricultural tyres and industrial tyres. Majority of the products are manufactured at the Nokia factory. Key markets in addition to the Nordic countries include Central and Southern Europe, the USA and Canada. Nokian heavy tyres are sold in the original equipment and replacement markets. Product development concentrates on narrow and growing product niches. The company is the market leader of the global forestry tyre market. Co-operation with the machinery and equipment manufacturers is active and the share of original equipment is more than 40% of the heavy tyre net sales. Nokian Heavy Tyres is known for its professional and flexible customer service, the best in the industry.

The leading forestry tyre manufacturer

Demand for forestry tyres and other special heavy tyres fell significantly in the first half of 2009 following exceptionally slow machinery manufacture. Reduced sales raised a need for quick and dramatic production streamlining measures to address the high stock levels.

Cost savings achieved from production restructuring together with a simultaneously decreasing raw material cost started to clearly improve profitability in the second half of the year. After hitting the bottom in the summer the order book began to show gradual signs of improvement due to customers’ low stocks and a slight improvement in confidence across the markets. The recovery of sales enabled some increase in production volumes, which improved the utilization of capacity and therefore productivity. The average price increased slightly due to the sales mix, altough the market became more competitive in some product groups.

Nokian Heavy Tyres was able to strengthen its position in key product groups by accelerating its product development programmes. The company retained its position as the world’s leading forestry tyre manufacturer. The products are succesfully sold in any location where there is professional harvesting.

Focus areas in 2009, besides streamlining measures and product development programmes, included new customer acquisition and launch of more effective logistics and customer service concepts.