Nokian Tyres Launches North American Research and Development Presence

DAYTON, Tenn. – Nokian Tyres is extending its research and development capabilities to North America to better support the local market and serve its growing customer base in the United States and Canada. The North American Research and Development unit is a local function working in close collaboration with Nokian Tyres Finland-led R&D activities.

To lead North American R&D, Nokian Tyres has promoted Marcus Hancock to serve as Senior Manager of Research and Development in North America, effective October 1.

“Marcus has deep technical knowledge that will help us serve dealers and drivers like never before,” said Nokian Tyres Senior Vice President of North America Chris Ostrander. “He will help us continue strengthening our product portfolio in the U.S. and Canada by incorporating feedback from our customers and partnering with our global team.”

The new R&D role allows Nokian Tyres to double down on sales and product development efforts in the North American market, which it has identified as a key growth area.

“As our presence grows in North America, it is more important than ever to tailor our tires to the demands of drivers in the region,” said Nokian Tyres Vice President of Innovation and Development Teemu Soini. “Marcus is deeply qualified to help us incorporate the needs of American and Canadian customers into our product development process.”

Hancock has more than 35 years of experience as a tire design engineer, technical expert and global leader. He spent the formative years of his career at Cooper Tire, where he rose from a technical assistant position to General Manager of Cooper’s European Technical Centre over a 19-year tenure.

He transfers to the role after working as Quality Manager at Nokian Tyres’ North American factory in Dayton, Tennessee, since July 2023. Nokian Tyres set production records during his tenure at the award-winning facility, where it makes all-season and all-weather tires for the American and Canadian markets.

Nokian Tyres’ new R&D efforts are part of a broader growth initiative in North America. The company recently announced a nationwide partnership with American Tire Distributors (ATD), as well as the hires of Ostrander and Vice President of Sales Matt Leeper, among other investments in its sales operations.

In recent years, Nokian Tyres has introduced several new products it exclusively sells in North America. They include the all-season Nokian Tyres One, the all-terrain Outpost Family and the all-weather Remedy WRG5. Every latest-generation tire it produces for the North American market is infused with puncture-resistant Aramid fibers and comes with a Pothole Protection warranty.

New products are helping the company raise awareness in North America and beyond. Brand Finance named Nokian Tyres the fastest-growing tire brand in the world in its May 2025 report.