Yokohama to Increase Capacity in Thailand

Production capacity at Yokohama’s passenger car and light truck tyre factory in Thailand is to be increased by almost 54 per cent, with the additional production commencing next April. Through a 9.7 billion yen (£72 million) investment an additional 1.4 million units of annual capacity will be added to the Yokohama Tire Manufacturing (Thailand) plant in Raying Province, pushing total annual capacity up to 4 million tyres.

Passenger and light truck tyre production began in Raying in November 2006, a year and a half after the start of truck tyre production there. Initial production capacity was 1.4 million tyres per annum, and in March 2007 plans were put in place to expand capacity to 2.6 million tyres during the fiscal year ending March 31, 2010. Recent global uncertainties led to completion of the project being postponed until April 2011. As of March 2010, the plant’s annual production capacity stood at 1.9 million tyres.