Yokohama Launches Grand Design 100 Plan

(Akron/Tire Review) Yokohama Rubber Co. has launched a “grand plan” for the next dozen years leading up to its 100th anniversary, a three-phase management scheme that calls for 10 per cent in operating profits by 2018.

Called “Grand Design 100,” the new management dictate calls for achieving net sales of 1 trillion yen, operating income of 100 billion yen, and operating return on sales of 10 per cent by the year to March 2018. The first phase goal is to boost net sales by 24 per cent and increase operating income by 60 per cent by 2009. That means Yokohama plans to sell some 56.6 million tyres per year worldwide by 2009.

Grand Design 100 also covers the company’s non-tyre businesses, including sporting goods and industrial rubber products.