Hankook streamlined training across languages, devices, and locations to empower a fast-moving workforce.

How Hankook’s L&D Thrives in a Multilingual, Fast-Paced World

As a global leader in automotive battery manufacturing, Hankook & Company prioritizes safety and compliance in every aspect of its operations. Eddie Carlson, the company’s sole learning and development (L&D) specialist, faced the challenge of delivering meaningful training in a fast-paced, multilingual, and high-turnover environment. Innovation and precision aren’t just hallmarks of Hankook’s products—they define its approach to learning and development too. By leveraging OpenSesame’s Simon, Hankook streamlined training across languages, devices, and locations, empowering its dynamic workforce to stay ahead in a rapidly evolving industry.

A multilingual workforce and the need for speed

At Hankook, success starts on the shop floor. With a diverse team spanning languages and backgrounds, good communication is critical to ensuring safety and productivity. Eddie recalls the challenges of their previous training processes:

“Translating content into Korean and other languages was painstaking. It took hours to get just one video translated and formatted, and that slowed everything down,” Eddie shared. “It was even harder when we needed to respond quickly for OSHA-related incidents.”

In a manufacturing environment where every moment counts, Eddie needed a solution that streamlined translations, delivered training faster, and freed his time for strategic projects. That’s where Simon came in.

The Simon effect: Transforming multilingual training

Simon’s seamless multilingual capabilities revolutionized Hankook’s training workflows. Now, what once took hours of manual effort—juggling tools for translation, formatting, and audio—happens in a fraction of the time.

“Simon turned a 3–4 hour translation process into something I can do in under 30 minutes,” Eddie explained. “It handles everything—subtitles, audio, and formatting—with just a few clicks. It’s drag-and-drop, and the tool does the rest.”

Simon’s AI-powered narration adds a human touch, ensuring that translated content sounds natural and engaging. Employees across Hankook’s multilingual workforce can now access training that feels tailored and accessible, no matter the language they speak.

Speed meets simplicity: Safety and compliance made easy

In a high-stakes manufacturing environment, OSHA compliance training must be fast and efficient, particularly after workplace incidents. Eddie highlights how Simon has transformed Hankook’s response times:

“When leadership says, ‘We need this training distributed company-wide,’ I can drop in the clips, adjust the order, and hit publish. It’s intuitive and fast. What used to be a long, stressful process now takes minutes,” Eddie said.

Simon’s simplicity means Eddie can focus on creating meaningful content rather than navigating complicated tools. The platform’s ease of use ensures that even with limited resources, Eddie can maintain training quality while responding to other business needs.

Making every moment count: A culture of learning on the go

Hankook’s workforce thrives on flexibility, and Simon delivers. Employees can access training across devices, whether on the floor, during downtime, or in a computer lab. This accessibility has become a cornerstone of Hankook’s onboarding process, blending classroom sessions with self-paced, mobile-friendly content.

“Employees are getting trained and onto the floor sooner,” Eddie noted, “but they also have resources to return to when they need a refresher. It’s scalable and fits seamlessly into our workflows.”

Empowering a one-man operation to focus on the future

As Hankook’s sole L&D admin, Eddie values Simon’s efficiency. By automating time-consuming tasks like translations and formatting, Simon frees Eddie to focus on higher-impact initiatives, like envisioning the future of training at Hankook.

“I’m the only one running training, so knowing that Simon is so intuitive gives me peace of mind,” Eddie explained. “If I need to shift focus, I can train someone else to use it in no time.”

Eddie’s future plans include creating virtual tours of restricted areas to enhance employee awareness without risking safety. He’s also exploring using Simon for dynamic, video-based plant tours to replace static onboarding materials.

Results that speak volumes

Hankook’s adoption of Simon has delivered tangible outcomes:

• 80% time savings: Translating courses now takes less than 30 minutes.
• Faster compliance: OSHA-related training can be deployed company-wide in minutes.
• Enhanced accessibility: Training is available across devices, increasing engagement.
• Strategic focus: Eddie now spends more time on impactful, forward-thinking projects.

“It’s the best tool I’ve ever used for training,” Eddie said. 

A future built on innovation

With Simon, Hankook is poised to scale its learning programs and explore new possibilities. From virtual training to enhanced onboarding experiences, Simon lets Hankook build a culture of learning that’s fast, flexible, and future-ready.

“Simon lets me do more than just create OSHA trainings—it lets me improve the entire learning experience for our team. I’d tell anyone: Just jump in and use it. It’s that easy.”