Hankook Tire wins International's top supplier award for quality, delivery
Tennessee-built Smart AH37 and DH37 tires cited for consistent performance, communication, and adaptability in OEM partnership.
Hankook Tire received International's Diamond Supplier Award on August 19, recognizing the tiremaker's quality, delivery performance, and engineering support. The award is International's highest supplier honor, reserved for partners that consistently exceed expectations across quality, delivery, technology, and sustainability metrics.
What tires does Hankook supply to International?
Hankook supplies the Smart AH37 steer tire and Smart DH37 drive tire to International for factory fitment. Both are manufactured at Hankook's Clarksville, Tennessee plant and carry EPA SmartWay verification, meaning they meet federal rolling-resistance thresholds that help fleets qualify for certain fuel-efficiency programs. The AH37 and DH37 are positioned as mid-tier commercial radials targeting durability and mileage in line-haul and regional applications.
"Hankook is deserving of the International Diamond Supplier Award because of their consistent communication, adaptability, and strong commitment to quality," said Sanjay Goel, Vice President of Global Strategic Sourcing, Cabin & Electronics at International.
The award ceremony took place at the Tennessee plant, where International representatives toured the production line. Hankook opened the Clarksville facility to support North American OEM partnerships and reduce lead times for truck and bus radial orders.
Why OEM tire awards matter for fleets
OEM supplier awards signal which tire brands meet automaker quality gates and delivery schedules, but they do not guarantee aftermarket performance. A tire that ships on time to the assembly line may still face casing durability issues or uneven wear in real-world service. Fleets should track their own retread rates and removal mileage rather than rely on OEM endorsements alone.
That said, SmartWay verification is a concrete spec. Tires carrying the label must meet EPA rolling-resistance limits (6.0 kg/ton or lower for steer tires, 4.7 kg/ton or lower for drive tires as of the current standard). Lower rolling resistance typically translates to 3 to 5 percent fuel savings compared to non-verified tires, though actual gains depend on duty cycle, terrain, and tire pressure discipline.
Hankook's Tennessee production gives the company a logistics edge over Asian imports. Domestic manufacturing cuts ocean-freight delays and tariff exposure, which matters when a fleet needs replacement tires in 48 hours or when trade policy shifts. The Clarksville plant also allows Hankook to respond faster to OEM spec changes, a factor International likely weighed in the award decision.
What this means for fleets running International trucks
If you spec new International tractors, the AH37 and DH37 may arrive as factory fitment. Track first-removal mileage and casing condition at your shop. Compare those figures to your baseline for Michelin, Goodyear, or Bridgestone in the same positions. OEM partnerships do not override your own data.
For fleets already running Hankook tires, the award suggests stable supply and consistent quality control at the Tennessee plant, which reduces the risk of batch-to-batch variation. It does not change the tire's wear rate or retreadability, both of which you should already be measuring.
If you are evaluating Hankook as an aftermarket buy, the SmartWay label and OEM relationship are useful signals, but request removal data from other fleets in your region and duty cycle before committing to a full trailer set. Rolling resistance matters, but so does whether the casing makes it to a second or third retread without zipper ruptures or belt separation. The award does not answer that question.
