Tyre makers, suppliers update operational status in Japan

A number of tyre manufacturers and materials suppliers have updated their progress towards resuming normal operations in Japan.

Bridgestone Corporation reports that its Nasu factory, which produces passenger car and motorcycle tyres, is still out of operation. The plant was initially scheduled to restart production on March 16 however some sparks and smoke were detected within the plant that day, necessitating a further delay in production commencing. All other plants have restarted production.

Toyo Tire & Rubber has announced that regular production at its Sendai factory in the Tohoku region remains suspended due to power outages. Test operations at the plant began on March 18 following the restoration of some power and steam generation capability, and a partial resumption of tyre production is expected to begin in the week beginning March 21. Toyo states that output from the Sendai plant “will be limited for the time being” due to oil and raw materials shortages plus transport and roading issues. The tyre maker says it will increase output “in accordance with such an infrastructure improvement.”

Yokohama Rubber states that all its tyre manufacturing facilities are currently in production, however it says capacity utilisation at the plants “remains below the level required to fulfil its annual production plan.” Company management is said to be “tentatively confident” of restoring capacity utilisation to the required level should the plants retain access to electric power and to raw materials. The sole Yokohama Rubber factory still facing some difficulties is the Ibaraki plant, which is located 90 kilometres northwest of Tokyo and produces rubber hoses and related materials. Yokohama reports that plant inspections revealed “some damage” to the plant buildings and equipment, however the necessary repairs have been made and the company is gradually resuming production at the plant while monitoring safety carefully. The production of high-pressure hoses is already resuming gradually at the Ibaraki Plant, but problems in securing reliable access to raw materials continue to limit output. Output is hoped to increase on March 21. Work is also under way to restart the Ibaraki Plant’s production of Hamatite sealants and adhesives.
 
Cabot Corp. reports the safety of all employees in Japan and the occurrence of only “minimal physical damage” at its facilities there. The company’s carbon black manufacturing facility in Chiba resumed operation after a short suspension after the earthquake, however Cabot states that “supply chain and infrastructure disruptions” are likely to impact its “ability to operate” over the coming weeks. The company’s Shimonoseki carbon black facility remains in regular production.