Hankook: Turning Tyre Waste into Supply Chain Innovation
South Korea-based tyre maker Hankook produces more than 100m tyres each year and now places supply chain sustainability at the centre of its operations.
Its 16th ESG Report for 2024/25 outlines how waste from manufacturing and end of life tyres is reused to create new products while raw material sourcing shifts towards recycled and renewable inputs.
Hankook’s Co-CEOs Jong Seon Ahn and Sang Hoon Lee write: “Uncertainties over sustainability management will only heighten due to the spread of global protectionism, intensifying geopolitical risks and the adoption of ESG regulations.
“Nevertheless, Hankook Tire & Technology remains confident that ‘sustainability’ will serve as the greatest competitive lever and a new opportunity for us amid the evolving landscape.”
Recycled raw materials in tyre supply chains
Hankook says its research and development focuses on introducing renewable and recycled feedstocks into its supply chain. This includes recycled steel sourced from scrap metal for use in tyre manufacturing.
The company confirms it has created a tyre made from 81% recycled and renewable raw materials and now pursues the goal of reaching 100%.
The company partners with Solvay Silica to recover silica, a key raw material used for tyre reinforcement, from industrial waste.
The plan is to bring this process into mass production by 2030. Silica is critical in tyre compounds because it improves grip and fuel efficiency, so securing it from waste streams reduces dependence on virgin supply chains.
In 2024 Hankook launched the iON GT, an electric vehicle (EV) tyre made from 77% ISCC PLUS-certified raw materials.
This certification relates to traceability standards across complex supply chains.
Hankook says that this proportion of sustainable content is the highest available in the tyre sector.
EV tyres represent an important product line because electric cars are heavier due to their batteries and exert more torque on tyres.
Hankook’s supply chain therefore adapts to these technical requirements while integrating recycled compounds. Its iON evo tyre already incorporates 45% sustainable raw materials and is used on the Porsche Taycan sports car.
Technology and lifecycle impacts
Hankook reports on lifecycle assessment (LCA) findings from its Tennessee production facility. LCA is a method that evaluates environmental impacts across each stage of a product’s life.
The company finds that the use phase of tyres contributes most of the overall footprint, especially in EV tyres where noise-reducing foam and resin compounds increase emissions due to higher material and energy demands.
To cut waste in production, Hankook applies metal 3D printing in its mould-making process. By fabricating ultra-thin and complex tread patterns in this way, the company achieves a 60% cut in waste material and lowers energy consumption by more than 80%.
This demonstrates how advanced manufacturing processes can reduce both upstream supply chain waste and factory-level energy demand.
Upcycling projects beyond tyres
Hankook’s upcycling initiative re:move brings together partners across footwear, outdoor and sporting goods supply chains. The company works with shoe brands to create outsoles from waste compounds and displayed these products at the 2025 Seoul Half Marathon.
In partnership with Checkerspot, Hankook developed a longboard constructed from a combination of eco-friendly wood, recycled rubber and wheels made with algae oil-based bio polyurethane.
The longboard includes a rubber cushion from tyre waste that reduces shock and noise, demonstrating how secondary raw materials flow from Hankook’s core manufacturing process into consumer goods supply chains.
Hankook also collaborates with camping gear firm Helinox to produce ball feet for portable chairs. These components are engineered using compounds recovered from high-performance racing tyre production that would otherwise be discarded.
Through diverting this specialised rubber into new markets, Hankook reduces waste and extends the lifecycle of its supply chain inputs.
Hankook’s supply chain strategy positions sustainability as both a material sourcing challenge and an opportunity for product diversification. By linking tyre manufacturing with consumer goods through upcycling, the company maintains value across waste streams that would typically be discarded.
Its focus on recycled steel, silica recovery, 3D printing and end-of-life reuse illustrates a supply chain model where waste minimisation aligns directly with commercial innovation.
