Hankook’s associate brand Laufenn is marking its 10-year anniversary in Europe with significant developments, including expansion into original equipment supply and further diversification of its tyre portfolio. The brand, launched in 2015 to offer high-value passenger car tyres, has since grown its presence across more than 100 countries and broadened its product range significantly.
In 2025, Laufenn will begin supplying original equipment tyres for a European car manufacturer, a key milestone demonstrating the brand's progress in gaining industry recognition. This move follows a steady expansion of Laufenn’s replacement tyre range, which now spans 341 passenger car sizes and 18 commercial vehicle sizes across the region.
Jongho Park, President and COO of Hankook Tire Europe, highlighted that Laufenn offers products benefitting from Hankook’s extensive expertise, providing customers with safety and quality at competitive value points.
Initially focused on summer tyres for performance and touring segments, Laufenn’s portfolio now covers winter, all-season, and commercial vehicle tyres. Notable additions include the X Fit Van, i Fit winter series, and the studdable i Fit ICE for Northern and Eastern Europe.
In the commercial vehicle sector, Laufenn introduced truck and bus treads in 2020 aimed at small to mid-sized fleet operators. The range will expand in 2025 with new trailer tyre sizes, including 265/70 R19.5 options for LF95 and LR02 patterns.
The introduction of the "Laufenn365" digital platform for commercial customers in the UK will also offer support for accidental damage claims, with future rollout planned for other European markets.
Laufenn’s S Fit EQ+ summer tyre was recently recognised in the 6 March 2025 edition of Auto Bild, making the final round of testing and earning praise for braking distances, aquaplaning resistance, comfort, and low rolling noise. It ranked among the top ten in evaluations for rolling resistance and price-to-performance ratio.
Hankook plans to increase marketing investment for Laufenn and introduce new summer and winter tread generations. The brand development strategy includes the launch of Optimo, a new associate brand targeting emerging demand segments, reinforcing Hankook’s multi-brand approach in Europe.
Since 2021, Laufenn has also served as an official sponsor of the UEFA Europa Conference League, supporting brand visibility in strategic markets.
As Laufenn expands into original equipment supply and enhances digital services like Laufenn365, it highlights how tyre brands are adapting not only to customer expectations for quality and value, but also to digitalisation trends and evolving fleet management needs. The move also reflects a broader multi-brand strategy trend among global tyre makers aiming to capture a wider market spectrum.
Tagged with: Laufenn, Hankook, Laufenn tyres, European tyre market, commercial vehicle tyres, passenger car tyres, OEM tyre supply, multi-brand tyre strategy
Sign up for our weekly briefing on key developments across the sector.
