Thu June 30 07:10 am 2022 in category Product news

Savings from Solar Energy at Nokian Tyres’ Dayton Factory Equivalent to One Million Miles Driven, Two Million Pounds of Coal

Nokian Tyres operates one of the most eco-friendly tire factories in the world in the heart of Southeast Tennessee

DAYTON, Tenn. – In the first half of 2022, Nokian Tyres saved the energy equivalent of one million miles driven or two million pounds of coal by using solar power at its North American production factory. It’s the latest example of the impact the tiremaker has achieved through commitment to one of its core values, sustainability.

Nokian Tyres’ three-megawatt solar panels fully power the administration building at its Dayton, Tennessee campus and power a portion of production, which is ramping up to full capacity. In the first half of 2022, that solar energy helped the Dayton Factory conserve the equivalent of:

  • 1,074,469 miles driven by an average passenger vehicle
  • 2,024,350 pounds of coal, or
  • 55,313 gallons of gasoline

The solar panels have produced more than five million kilowatt-hours of energy since monitoring began in 2021, an average of 10,300 kilowatt-hours per day. That amounts to savings equivalent to more than 11,000 pounds of coal each day.

“Sustainability is a core value of our company, and our production facility is a strong example,” said Nokian Tyres Dayton Factory EHS Manager Darren Bakkestuen. “We remain committed to minimizing our environmental footprint while making safe, sustainable tires at a world-class facility.”

The Dayton Factory is the only tire production facility in the world to earn LEED v4 Silver certification. The administration building on the production campus earned LEED v4 Gold certification last year. The latter is fully powered by energy generated by onsite solar panels and features employee amenities such as a sauna, gym and canteen.

Last October, Nokian Tyres received the Tennessee Governor’s Environmental Stewardship Award, the highest sustainability honor in the state, for its extensive environmental efforts in Dayton. And the Chattanooga Regional Manufacturers Association awarded Company of the Year honors to Nokian Tyres in 2021 as a tribute to its workforce impact, safety policies and sustainable practices. The tiremaker is a member of the Natural Treasures Alliance of Thrive Regional Partnership, an organization that supports responsible growth in the Greater Chattanooga region.

The company makes sustainability a priority in its products, too. Nokian Tyres was the first tire company to remove high-aromatic oils from its tire compounds, and around 90 percent of its tires are in the lowest categories of rolling resistance, helping reduce emissions and maximize fuel efficiency.

Nokian Tyres began producing tires at the Dayton Factory in 2020 to better serve its customers and craft tires tailored to the needs of North American drivers. At full capacity, the Dayton Factory will produce nearly 4 million tires per year. The company employs approximately 350 workers at the facility.

To learn more about Nokian Tyres’ presence in Southeast Tennessee, visit NokianTires.com/DaytonFactory. For more information about the company’s commitment to eco-friendly practices and products, visit NokianTires.com/Sustainability.