Korean company Hankook is perhaps best known in automotive circles for the supply of high quality tyres, however, it is also an innovator in smart energy provision and as part of this it is a major global aftermarket and original equipment supplier of vehicle batteries. 

Last year the company formed a strategic partnership which has seen its battery range distributed in Ireland by Somora Motor Parts. This agreement has proved very successful with Hankook batteries gaining a strong foothold in the competitive aftermarket battery sector in Ireland. 

Somora Purchasing Manager James Keegan comments, “Right from the start we found the team at Hankook to be very knowledgeable and professional. The market feedback has also been first class, with garages fitting Hankook batteries very impressed with the quality and performance.”   

The positivity surrounding the range will comes as little surprise to anyone who knows the pedigree of Hankook in the battery sector. It can trace its origins back to 1944 and was the very first automotive battery producer in Korea. The founding company was acquired by the Hankook Corporation in 1977, which was then well established as a leading tyre producer. The battery arm of the company now operates as a subsidiary, Hankook AtlasBX Co., Ltd., with the Hankook brand sold globally and AtlasBX catering for the Korean domestic market.  

Throughout its long history of battery development and manufacturing, Hankook has been a true innovator in its field, pioneering maintenance free batteries in Korea in 1982 and the first AGM battery in 2005. 

The company now has manufacturing facilities in Korea and North America where it produces the aftermarket range as well as original equipment batteries for manufacturers including General Motors, Nissan, Renault and Tesla. This provides a good indication of the high-performance, high-quality batteries that are produced, which have been developed through continuous research and development, as well as a rigorous quality philosophy which helps to maintain very high levels of customer satisfaction. 

Somora offers a complete range of automotive, light commercial and commercial vehicle batteries as well as a developing range of leisure and garden batteries. The automotive range includes highly reliable, maintenance free starter batteries as well as AGM and EFB batteries for start stop applications. Hankook AGM batteries have proved especially popular with garages as they offer 4x the battery life compared to regular batteries, strengthened cranking power with advanced X-Frame technology and fast charging time via dynamic charging control technology. This provides a premium quality option which also represents excellent value.  

The Hankook commercial battery range includes; EFB, SHD and HD options to cater for everything from long haul trucks to tractors and construction equipment. 

Sangil Lee and Dooho Lee from the Hankook European Sales team recently visited Somora to discuss how to build on the excellent progress the two companies have made in the Irish market. Sangil Lee commented, “We have been delighted with the fast progress the brand has made in Ireland since we first started working with Somora. It is a company that shares our values in terms of product quality and consistency and this appears to have also struck the right note with both motor factors and garages in Ireland.”

Consistency and reliability are two criteria when it comes to battery choice for garages and in Hankook a fast growing number appear to have found these important qualities. With vast experience in the battery sector, a highly efficient logistics operation, including a European distribution centre and excellent back-up and support, Hankook looks set to be a major force in the battery sector for many years to come.   

Hankook batteries are distributed in Ireland by Somora Motor Parts and are available from motor factors nationwide. For more information visit somora.ie.