Hankook & Company Group, led by Chairman Hyunbum Cho, used the Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo in Las Vegas to push further into the U.S. aftermarket with a combined display of battery, thermal management and tire technologies.
Hankook & Company, Hanon Systems and Hankook Tire & Technology exhibited together for the second consecutive year, Nov. 3 to 5, in the Underhood Section on Level 2 of The Venetian Expo, according to a company announcement. At the front of the booth, a single vehicle mock-up brought together batteries, thermal systems and tires from the three companies. The group said the companies also used the show to hold business meetings and pursue new partnerships through their customer networks.
The Auto Care Association projects the U.S. automotive aftermarket, including parts, repair and maintenance, will grow 5.4 percent year over year to $599.7 billion in 2026 and reach $676.5 billion by 2029. The association also says the average age of passenger cars and light trucks in the United States has reached a record 12.9 years, a trend it ties to higher demand for maintenance and repairs.
Hankook & Company's Energy Solution division showed Hankook brand lead-acid batteries, including AGM, EFB and MF products, and featured an Electrified AGM concept battery. The company said that in North America it works through its U.S. sales subsidiary and Tennessee plant, with manufacturing in Daejeon and Jeonju in Korea and in the United States, and that it is developing lithium-ion batteries as well.
Hanon Systems presented its aftermarket lineup under the slogan "Driven by OE Expertise," including mechanical and electric compressors, radiators, condensers, cooling modules, electronic water pumps and blower motors. The company exhibited the production version of its Highly Integrated Cooling Entity (HICE) module for the first time. Hanon said the module, first applied in the BMW iX3, integrates an electric compressor, electronic expansion valves, a water-cooled condenser, an internal heat exchanger and a chiller into a single unit. It is a finalist for the 2026 Automotive News PACE Awards, with winners scheduled to be announced Nov. 17.
Hankook Tire exhibited the EV-specific iON evo SUV, which was also fitted to the vehicle mock-up, along with the i-Flex intelligent airless concept, which the company ties to future applications such as robotaxis, and Concept S, an airless concept that reflects Hankook Tire's vision for tires made from 100 percent sustainable materials by 2050. Hankook Tire also exhibited at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas the same week.
"At AAPEX, our three companies showcased the Group's technological and business strengths to customers worldwide for the second consecutive year. We will combine our companies' expertise to create new business opportunities and further strengthen the global presence of Hankook, our unified brand," said a Hankook & Company Group spokesperson.
