Yokohama to Increase Production Capacity in Thailand

In addition to its plans to treble capacity at its Shinshiro-Minami factory in Japan, Yokohama has released details of its intention to boost production capacity for passenger car and light commercial vehicle tyres in Thailand. Yokohama Tire Manufacturing (Thailand) will expand capacity in the number two plant at its 420,000 square metre Rayong Province factory, the Yokohama Group’s largest tyremaking facility, to 2.8 million tyres in the 2009 financial year.

As part of this second stage of expansion at their number two plant, Yokohama Rubber will employ a small-scale integrated manufacturing system like that previously introduced in the first stage of expansion. This system will shorten the timeframe between the beginning of plant construction to when operation start-up begins requires a smaller-size investment. This second stage expansion program will take one year and 7 billion yen (£29.3 million) of investment.

The number two Yokohama plant in Rayong Province has been in operation since November 2006. The First facility on the site, the company’s truck and bus tyre manufacturing plant, was established in January 2004.