Mon March 4 03:00 pm 2019 in category Company news

Leader of Nokian Tyres Dayton Factory: Success Comes from Investing in People

Operations Director Peter Chia will lead 400 employees with a people-first approach

Peter Chia is passionate about numbers. As operations director at Nokian Tyres' new factory in Dayton, Tennessee, he has to be. When the facility starts producing tires in 2020, the global tire company will define success by figures like production volume, cost per unit and yield percentage.

But there's one number that means more to Chia than any other: the number seven. That's how many employees under his leadership have risen to plant management roles of their own.

"Building amazing products starts with investing in people," Chia said. "If we don't value relationships above everything else, we're missing valuable opportunities for personal and business growth."

A people-first approach is vital to Chia, even at one of the most advanced tire production facilities in the world.

"Even the most magnificent machines don’t run without a power source, and each day is a new opportunity to empower every colleague we encounter," Chia said, "whether they’re cleaning the bathrooms or they invented the toilet."

In Chia’s three-decade career, he's succeeded not only by treating people well, but also by challenging them to reach their potential. The key, according to him: involving them in important decisions and processes.

"Access breeds understanding," Chia said. "I need access to my employees, and they need face time with me. When they participate in strategic decisions, they feel empowered. And I get to informally measure how their analytical skills are expanding."

Nokian Tyres plans to hire 400 people to build tires at its first North American production facility -- as many as 250 of them by the end of 2019. Chia wants each worker to feel valued and challenged.

"The minute we become secure in our success or afraid to adjust our approach, we’re vulnerable," Chia said. "And that’s true in our relationships, not just with our products and processes. Just as we can always make a better tire, we can always find better ways to relate to
the people around us."

Chia recently spoke about his management philosophy at the awards banquet for Chattanooga Engineers Week. His message: Success comes from connecting with others.

“Whether we’re instilling life lessons in our children or breathing life into robots that will make millions of tires a year, one principle remains the same,” Chia said. “When it comes down to it, InterDH success doesn’t really come from the processes or the rules by which we abide. Success starts with the people and the relationships that allow us to thrive.”

For more information about Nokian Tyres’ Dayton Factory or to apply for jobs there, interested parties can visit NokianTires.com/DaytonFactory.

For more information:
Nokian Tyres plc
Wes Boling, Marketing Communications Manager
[email protected]
629.204.0702