State-of-the-art testing technology

The new state-of-the-art testing center will be located south of Madrid in Santa Cruz de la Zarza, and it spans some 300 hectares. Versatile test tracks and modern test equipment make the new testing center a perfect place for conducting demanding tire testing.

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The center will include an over 7-kilometre oval track that encircles the area. The track with banked curves enables us to test our summer and winter tires with high speed ratings at speeds of up to 300 km/h (186 mph).

Inside the oval track, there will be several shorter tracks to study the behavior of the tires in terms of aquaplaning, wet braking and handling. These tracks will also be used for tire approval tests, such as noise testing.

Along with the test center, Nokian Tyres will also build an educational center where launches for new products as well as internal and external trainings will be held in the future. It will also serve as a place to welcome visitors and cooperation partners to the tracks.

Boosting summer tire expertise

The warm climate of Southern Europe suits summer tire testing very well. The new Santa Cruz de la Zarza testing center reinforces our commitment especially to summer tires.

"There is a demand for tires with a high speed rating especially in Central Europe and North America, the two areas where we are currently seeking strong growth." — Antti-Jussi Tähtinen, Vice President, Marketing, Nokian Tyres plc

Nokian Tyres uses approximately 50% of its annual product development budget on testing. Continuous product development and thorough testing in the laboratories and real-life environments ensure that our products work in the best possible way. Read more about tire testing

New eco-friendly raw materials to be experimented

In addition to the tire testing, the testing center will be a great platform to develop future innovations. One of the development areas is the guayule plant. We are currently growing it in the test plants and studying it together with the local university as one possible source of high-quality natural rubber. The plantation is managed by local farmers.