Toyo Executives Officially Open European Office

Having established its new European offices on 1 January, Toyo Tire invited guests to an official opening that fused European and Asiatic cultures. Dignitaries present included Toyo president and chief executive, Yoshio Kataoka and the Herbert Napp, the Mayor of Neuss, the German city where the new offices are based.

The move may have only amounted to a total of 600 metres but, for residents of Neuss, it meant a lot that the company relocated from neighbouring Duesseldorf. That’s why Mr Napp was pleased to join Mr Kataoka in the symbolic opening of a barrel of Sake, saying: “Toyo fits well with Neuss.”

The motivation behind the amalgamation of Toyo’s two offices in Germany, was summed up by the company president: “Our goal is to standardise our marketing activities in Europe,” said Mr Kataoka. Takeo Suzuki, president of Toyo Tire Europe went on to explain that Europe belongs beside Japan, the USA and China, as one of the company’s most important markets. He added that the company is watching the new markets in Eastern Europe, citing Romania and Bulgaria as examples.

42 people are currently working from the new European centre, with another eight staff due to arrive shortly. These employees are said to be mainly from the Japanese head office in Osaka, and will be responsible for overseeing the unification of pan-European marketing that Mr Suzuki described.

In addition to Toyo, well-known companies including Yamaha and Rover have bases in Neuss.