Nokian Tyres has confirmed its Oradea, Romania plant produced its one millionth tyre on 20 December 2025, matching the site’s first-year output plan. The facility, inaugurated in September 2024 and shipping since March 2025, focuses on premium passenger car tyres for European customers. The milestone marks rapid industrial ramp-up and underscores the company’s push to localise capacity in Europe with low-emissions manufacturing.
The Oradea plant is billed as the world’s first full-scale tyre factory operating with zero CO₂ emissions, running without fossil fuels and using high-efficiency process technology. In practice, that supports lower embedded carbon for European shipments and provides a clear audit trail for buyers navigating tightening sustainability requirements under EU climate policies. The company expects further energy and process optimisation as lines stabilise. For context on regulatory direction, see the European Commission’s climate-neutrality framework (external).
Production began with premium passenger car lines, including the Snowproof 2 winter tyre. As output stabilised, the factory added Seasonproof 2 all-season and Powerproof 2 summer fitments to serve replacement demand across continental markets.
Nokian says Oradea currently employs more than 500 people. When construction completes around the end of 2027, the site is planned to become the company’s largest factory, supplying about 40 per cent of total capacity. That would rebalance manufacturing alongside Nokia, Finland and Dayton, United States, and reduce logistics exposure on key European lines. The company expects phased equipment installation and validation through the build-out period.
European fleets and retailers continue to ask for security of supply, predictable lead times and lower lifecycle emissions. Year-one output at Oradea gives Nokian local production for core passenger sizes ahead of peak winter and summer changeovers. The company says this improves responsiveness to regional demand and supports European sales programmes built around seasonal availability windows and label-grade consistency.
“I am very proud of our entire team for their hard work in reaching this milestone,” said Paolo Pompei, President and CEO of Nokian Tyres. “It is a strong testament to our commitment to customers across Europe, enhancing our service level and delivering innovative products that ensure safety and comfort for drivers in all conditions.” The rapid start-up also demonstrates the viability of zero-CO₂ operations at industrial scale, according to the company.
The plant’s output mix will widen as additional curing and compounding assets come online. Nokian has indicated further product introductions are planned for Oradea, with European-focused passenger tyres prioritised. Buyers should expect a more diversified SKU plan through 2026, alongside incremental productivity gains as the workforce and processes mature.
Tagged with: Nokian Tyres Romania, Oradea tyre factory, zero CO₂ emissions, passenger car tyres, Snowproof 2, Seasonproof 2, Powerproof 2, European production, sustainable manufacturing, tyre plant capacity
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