Fresh off a trade mission to drum up more business from Asia, Governor Bill Haslam attended the grand opening South Korean tiremaker Hankook's new plant in Tennessee.
Hankook broke ground on the $800 million plant in Clarksville in 2014.
The company later announced it would move its North American headquarters from New Jersey to Nashville, about 40 miles (64 kilometers) from the new factory.
When the 1.5 million-square-foot plant was announced, Hankook said it planned to create 1,800 jobs at the facility.
Company officials have projected the factory will make around 11 million tires per year. South Korean appliance maker LG Electronics Inc., broke ground at nearby site in Clarksville in August for a $250 million washing machine plant.
Haslam and Tennessee officials visited Japan and South Korea last week.
