The South Korean company, which is on the list of the largest tire manufacturers. It was founded in 1960 in the city of Gwangju, on the territory South Korea. Already 6 years after the creation of the company's products entered the international market. The company has 7 factories in different countries:
- South Korea - 3 plants;
- China - 3 factories;
- Vietnam - 1 plant.
In 2007, Kumho Tire developed a prototype Formula One tire. The annual output of Kumho Tire is between 60 million .
Kumho tires include a number of popular lines.
Kumho Ecsta
This includes summer stamps tires Ecsta PS31 and Ecsta HS51.
Exsta PS31 - car tires designed for use in warm environments. Ecsta PS31 belongs to sports brands. It features a unique new pattern for a comfortable ride. A distinctive feature of tires - a high level of balancing, stability and maneuverability at high speed. While driving, good stability is ensured due to the placement of a rigid rib in the middle of the tread.
Most of the feedback from users on these tires are positive. Of the advantages, there is a high-quality grip and braking during active driving, minimal noise. The disadvantage is the low wear resistance. Soft tires are sensitive to pavement, and get out of the loop.
Ecsta HS51- car tires intended for use on passenger cars. This brand is designed for use in the warm season. The category of tires belongs to the "comfort" class, but exceeds the necessary characteristics, and is equivalent to the sports class. The main advantage lies in the light dynamic handling provided by the highly elastic steel cord. Good handling is maintained at high speed due to the central stiffeners. There is minimal noise while driving.
Most user reviews for this brand are positive. Of the pluses, softness during the ride, stability on the road rut, good balancing and braking are noted. The list of disadvantages includes: slight drift in corners, sharpness of control and braking is reduced due to softness.
Kumho Ecowing
Ecowing KH27- tires for the warm season, designed for use on passenger cars vehicles. Using these tires saves on fuel. They differ in average cost. With a small weight, they are able to withstand mechanical damage.
Reviews on tires are mixed. Among the advantages noted: high wear resistance, minimal noise while driving, good handling on wet roads. Some users noted a number of shortcomings, including: soft sidewall, balancing difficulties, problems with cornering. The described type of tires is not recommended for off-road driving.
Ecowing ES01 - summer tires for cars, with a characteristic asymmetric tread pattern. Tires belong to the class "medium". They are recommended for use on small and medium passenger cars, crossovers. In almost all characteristics, this brand has average results. There is good braking on wet roads. Small remarks relate to the level of noise and smoothness of the ride.
The tires received mixed reviews from users. Most of the buyers noted that this brand is represented standard tires for normal use. From negative sides It was found that braking on a wet surface is worse than on a dry one.
What we know about Kumho tires
In January 2020, PartReview had a positive opinion about Kumho tires.
PR score - 82 out of 100, based on 90 reviews and 278 votes. 72 reviews are positive, 7 are neutral, and 11 are negative. The average rating for reviews is 4.1 (out of 5). The votes were distributed as follows: 230 - for, 48 - against.
Users also gave an opinion about the qualities of Kumho tires:
- Wear resistance - a property of a spare part that determines the wear rate - is evaluated positively. 3.6 points out of 5.
- Noise - the property of a part to produce noise - is evaluated positively. 4.3 points out of 5.
- Controllability - the property of a spare part to influence the controllability of a car - is evaluated positively. 4.3 points out of 5.
Kumho tires in auto ratings
Here you can find out the owners of which brands and models put Kumho tires on their cars. Below is a list of auto ratings in which this spare part is in the TOP-3 of the best.
Kumho Business Group was founded in 1946 by Mr. Ying-Chun Park as a small transport company with her two Ford cars Taxicab. Demand was strong and business boomed before being destroyed by the Korean War in 1950-1953. After the war, Mr. Park started his business again and created what is today the largest intercity bus transportation company, Kwang Ju Highway Lines, as well as the largest and the best manufacturer tires, Kumho Tires.
Over the years, the Kumho Group has diversified its business into many areas, some of which have proven themselves to be internationally competitive, such as Kumho Tire and Asiana Airlines Inc.
Kumho has made a huge contribution to the development of the Korean and global tire industry. Despite its short history, Kumho has achieved international recognition and success, receiving the E1 seal of approval from the European Economic Committee; The company has succeeded in developing the 45, 40, 35 and 30 series of ZR-level tires for racing and high-tech cars, as well as, for the first time, for commercial aircraft. As a result, in 1992, Kumho became one of the top ten tire manufacturers in the world. Kumho succeeded in development excellent tires for all types of vehicles, including high-tech vehicles, passenger cars, sports cars, recreational vehicles, light trucks, heavy trucks and buses, industrial machinery, agricultural machinery, mining machinery, construction machinery and airplanes. Kumho Industrial Company Limited, produces over 36,000,000 tires annually at its two factories, Kwang Zhu (built in 1974) and Koksang (built in 1989). With QS9000, ISO9001, ISO9002, Boeing D1-9000 BQS, BS7750, and ISO14001 certifications, both factories guarantee quality control, and furthermore, thanks to a strong R&D program that employs about 600 people and more than 300 test devices at research sites in South Korea, Japan, Europe and South America, Kumho holds the position and leads the world with state-of-the-art tire technology, safety and quality.
AT last years Kumho has focused its activities on participating in motorsports. Kumho has signed a five-year contract with Circiut Park Zandvoort and is the official tire supplier for the Marlboro Masters Formula III. Sports technologies Kumho, worked out in Formula 3 Racing, are used by the company in serial production tires for cars. Since 1991, the South Korean company Kumho has been one of the top ten tire manufacturers in the world, according to the officially published "Tire Business", one of the most respected tire magazines published in the United States.
The company's line of models includes sports high-speed comfort class tires, as well as first-class tires for SUVs. In addition to developments in the field of driving safety and reliability, Kumho engineers are very important role take away the design of the tire as a serious addition to the overall appearance of the car. The combination of these factors has made Kumho tires particularly attractive to car manufacturers.
Europe's largest car manufacturer, Volkswagen, has signed a contract with Kumho to supply 200,000 tires a year for the new VW Polos, which have been produced in the UK since February 2002. Kumho tires are also equipped with cars from manufacturers such as Hyundai Motors Corporation, Renault Samsung Motors Co. Part chevrolet cars Aveo is also stocked with Kumho tires.
Kumho Tires selected by Daimler-Chrysler AG as tire supplier for the second Generations of Mercedes-Benz A-class.
Kumho will supply its SOLUS KH15 in size 185/65R15 to power the new hatchback, which is being built at Daimler-Chrysler's plant in Rastatt, South West Germany. Kumho Tires is the first Korean tire manufacturer to work with the automotive giant Daimler-Chrysler. According to a spokesman for Kumho Tires, the company was awarded the contract because the products meet Daimler-Chrysler's technical and quality criteria.
The KUMHO ECSTA KH11 tires were selected by the Chrysler Group as original equipment for the Chrysler Sebring in 2007.
Kumho is supplying its tires as original equipment for the US-market version of the Sprinter van. The Sprinter, which is sold in the UK and Europe markets with the Mercedes-Benz logo, has been branded Dodge & Freightliner in the US since the first quarter of 2007.
According to the contract, Kumho Road Venture KL78 tires in LT215/85R16 dimensions will be installed on the front axle, as well as on rear axle vehicles with dual tyres.
Kumho tires are also well-deserved fame among owners of sports and tuning cars.
About company Kumho (Kumho)
Tires Kumho available in summer, winter and all-weather versions. The company produces all-season tires for both high-speed and comfortable driving, as the tire tread pattern provides low noise levels and excellent grip on the roadway. Aggressive pattern and deep tread make for a comfortable ride on the highway and off-road. The central rigid rib gives exchange rate stability. The lateral grooves and peripheral grooves of the Kumho provide excellent grip on any road. Winter tires available in several versions for different road surfaces.
The company arose after the Korean-American war of 1950-1953 from a small (two cars) transport company. Since 1991, Kumho has been a member of the top ten tire manufacturers in the world. Continuous R&D, 300 test facilities in South America, Japan, Europe and South Korea keeps the company consistently leading the world in tire technology with the most advanced technology. The fact that two plants in Korea produce 36 million tires a year speaks about the safety and quality of the products. Rubber Kumho "shoes" cars, planes, buses, agricultural and industrial machinery, racing cars. Kumho tires have repeatedly proved the highest sports performance. Today, the company claims to produce tires for Formula 1.
The reason was reports that China's Kumho plant is using too much material from waste tires in the production of new tires, which can lead to tread tears, the Chinese government said in a statement.
Kumho is one of the largest tire manufacturers in China, where the company's market share was estimated at 16% last year. China also accounts for about 30% of Kumho's total sales.
Even though Lee Han-Seop, director of Kumho China, publicly apologized on CCTV, which was the first to report the defective tires, many consumers expressed their distrust of the company, and some even demanded that responsibility of those who were involved in the production of low-quality tires. Mr Li promised that defective tires would be recalled, but did not specify when or how many tires would be recalled.
After an audit at the Tianjin plant, Kumho admitted that some internal standards were not being fully met, after which both the plant manager and the employees responsible for quality control were fired.
In a statement, Kumho said it had notified the relevant authorities about the voluntary tire recall and promised to cooperate fully with the Chinese government, adding that it would "view all product quality issues solely from the consumer's point of view."
In the same statement, Kumho at the same time emphasized that it did not use recycled rubber, but rubber residues left over from tire production, and that it does not contain chemical additives.
Kumho noted that this rubber is used by all tire manufacturers, and that it fully complies with production standards. At the same time, the company acknowledged that the Tianjin plant used more of this rubber in production than prescribed by internal standards. "The ratio of residues to new tires in Tianjin, it reached 1/2, while according to the company's internal standards, it should not exceed 1/3," Xinhua news agency quoted a Kumho spokesman.
“We acknowledge that we had some product quality issues at the Tianjin plant, but the use of rubber left over from production is not unusual in the tire industry,” a Kumho spokesperson also said.
Be that as it may, Chinese buyers were not satisfied with Kumho's explanation, and according to Xinhua, many of them postponed the purchase of a new car until all defective tires were recalled. Auto dealers in Shanghai are also complaining that their customer hotlines are overwhelmed by calls from customers concerned that their tires may also be defective.
Chinese auto companies such as Chery, Great Wall, Dongfeng, as well as local Hyundai, VW and GM, were quick to come out with claims that the Kumho tires fitted to their vehicles were not manufactured at the Tianjin plant. Great Wall said it was refusing to cooperate with Kumho at all.
Market analysts are confident that this scandal will inevitably damage Kumho's reputation in China, which is one of the most promising markets for the Korean company. However, many experts note that it is not yet clear whether Kumho will be able to regain the trust of its Chinese buyers and customers among automakers.
So far, experts note that no damage has been done to the reputation of Hyundai, one of Kumho's key partners, but Hyundai may want to prevent such a risk by switching to tires from another company, such as Hankook.
"In the original equipment (OE) sector of China, Kumho's market share (23%) was the largest, but due to CCTV reports, this position may change," Park Sang-won, an analyst at the Seoul-based agency, told Xinghua. Eugene Investment & Securities. – Kumho has a strong position in the OE sector, which usually increases sales by secondary market. Now the company can still minimize the damage to its reputation, but only on the condition that it continues to cooperate with car companies.”
“Kumho reportedly used leftover rubber rather than recycled materials, and if the misunderstanding is cleared up, the situation may not hurt the company as much,” added Lee Sang-hyun, an expert at NH Investment & Securities. “As for Hyundai, this company will not be hurt, as it could easily start buying tires from other manufacturers if Chinese buyers are more suspicious of Kumho products.”
Kumho tires have already settled quite firmly on the shelves of Russian stores, their sales are slowly but surely growing every year.
However, many Russian car owners are wondering - who is the manufacturer of Kumho tires, where are they produced and where do they get to Russian stores?
From this article you will learn:
The Tire First site has collected all the information about Kumho tires.
Brand and positioning
Korean tire brand appeared immediately after the war on the Korean Peninsula in 1960, was founded by businessman Park Icheon. Today, Kumho Tire sells its tires on all continents and is one of the 20 largest tire companies in the world.
Kumho's tire lineup includes both "economy" and "premium" tires designed for SUVs, heavy executive sedans and very fast sports cars. In addition, the Korean concern produces tires for aviation and various special vehicles.
Today, as evidence of the high quality of its products, the famous Korean tire brand Kumho can boast of the fact that 25% of sports cars produced worldwide are equipped with its tires even on the assembly line.
Where are Kumho factories located?
The main production sites of the Korean tire giant are concentrated in Asian countries. The concern has three plants in its homeland (in the cities of Gwangju, Kokson, Pyeongtaek), three plants in China (in the cities of Changchun, Nanjing, Tianjin) and one in Vietnam.
Most of the tires that hit the shelves in Russia are imported from South Korea and China.
The tire concern also has several research centers where new tire models are being developed. The main center is located in the homeland, in the city of Gwangju, three more centers are located in the USA, Britain and Germany and one more in China.
Technologies and developments
The Kumho tire concern has been cooperating with all kinds of automotive competitions for many decades, including the famous Formula 1, thanks to which it has accumulated a lot of experience in the development of sports tires.
What is worth is the fact that the world's first mass-produced sports tire with a diameter of 32 inches appeared under the Kunho brand.
Thanks to its five research centers, as well as solid experience in the development of sports tires, the Korean concern regularly pleases its customers with new sports models tires adapted for daily use.
At the same time, the tires of the Korean brand from the "economy" line also do not go unnoticed. They contain solutions that have already been “run-in” on more expensive models, which adds “economy class” tires under the Kumho brand in the eyes of potential buyers.
Benefits for buyers
Kumho tires already have a whole army of fans in Russia. In many ways, this was facilitated by the company's success in the field of motorsport, as well as very thoughtful tire models, a combination specifications which were very attractive to many car owners.
It must also be said that the Korean concern has always led (and now leads) a very thoughtful pricing policy for your products. The cost of Kumho tires has almost always been lower than the cost of good tires. famous brands with a hundred years of history. However, the quality of the tires was quite comparable.
Today, when buying the products of the Korean tire concern, the car owner receives very high-quality and well-thought-out tires, which contain a lot of modern technical solutions. But at the same time, it pays noticeably less than if you chose tires from a brand from the top 5.