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Clarksville Mayor Kim McMillan congratulates Hankook Tire

City of Clarksville - Clarksville, TNClarksville, TN – Clarksville Mayor Kim McMillan congratulated Hankook Tire on its gleaming new $800 million Clarksville manufacturing plant during a grand opening celebration Tuesday.

“I’m just so proud and happy that Hankook Tire put its faith and trust in our community and decided to build its first North American production plant right here. That says so much about the quality and character of our community,” Mayor McMillan said.

Clarksville Mayor Kim McMillan thanks Hankook Tire for putting “faith, trust” in Clarksville.
Clarksville Mayor Kim McMillan thanks Hankook Tire for putting “faith, trust” in Clarksville.

“From the bottom of my heart, I want to thank Hankook Global CEO Seung Hwa Suh and his entire company for choosing to make this huge investment in Clarksville. It’s clear you’ve done a great job building this new plant. Congratulations!” stated Mayor McMillan.

Hankook Tire also hosted Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam, U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn, state and local lawmakers and hundreds of dignitaries and well-wishers for the grand opening of its first manufacturing facility in the United States.

The Clarksville plant is Hankook’s eighth worldwide. The plant’s first phase will produce 5.5 million tires annually. The plant has already brought nearly 1,000 jobs to the local economy, a total that is expected to climb to 1,800 as infrastructure expands. In addition, Hankook moved its American headquarters to Nashville last year and hired more than 100 local employees.

“Hankook Tire’s new plant brings tremendous economic growth and opportunity for Tennesseans,” Governor Haslam. “Hankook’s presence has already brought significant contributions to the local community through job creation and its community outreach.”

Clarksville Mayor Kim McMillan at Hankook Tire.
Clarksville Mayor Kim McMillan at Hankook Tire.

McMillan thanked Haslam for his efforts to bring Hankook to Clarksville.

“Those were some pretty dark days back in 2013, when Hemlock decided not to open that big plant they had built at our Megasite. We were wounded, no doubt,” Mayor McMillan said. “But the governor and his team had our back. They cared about Clarksville. They believed in Clarksville. And they invested the resources and effort to help make this great day possible. Gov. Haslam, on behalf of the people of Clarksville and Montgomery County, I say thank you!”

Mayor McMillan also focused her remarks on the dramatic impact Hankook will have on the lives of citizens and families in Clarksville.

“I look at this giant plant and I see people. I see my friends and neighbors and fellow citizens. I can see the faces of the workers who are proud to have a good job at Hankook Tire in Clarksville. I can see their families, people with hopes and dreams for more successful lives” Mayor McMillan said.

“This is the real beauty of the world-class economic and community development that we are seeing in Clarksville. It’s all about the substantial positive impact it has our citizens, real people whose lives are improving. This level of investment and new jobs shows that the City of Clarksville is living up to its commitment to be a great place to live, work and raise a family.”

McMillan told the crowd she was impressed with the huge gleaming plant, but that she was just as thrilled by the awe-inspiring opportunities it will create for people who call Clarksville home.

“So thank you Hankook for being a huge contributor to a stronger Clarksville, and a stronger state of Tennessee,” McMillan said. “Thank you, too, for being a manufacturer of not only great tires, but also a builder of a stronger community, a builder of stronger families, and a builder of successful people for generations to come.”

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