The 2017 Geneva International Motor Show begins next week, and Yokohama Rubber says it will unveil the latest additions to its passenger car range at a press conference on 7 March. A number of other new products will also be on display at the Yokohama booth (Hall 4, no. 4231).
A reshuffling of senior management at Yokohama Rubber Co. Ltd. and its Alliance Tire Group (ATG) subsidiary will occur at the end of March. Hikomitsu Noji, who has served as the company’s president since 1 October 2016, has been appointed chairman of ATG. He begins in this role on 30 March 2017, taking over from Toru Kobayashi, who has held the position of chairman of the Yokohama Rubber Co. Ltd. subsidiary since its acquisition on 1 July 2016. Upon handing his Alliance Tire Group responsibilities over to Noji, Kobayashi will become an advisor to Yokohama Rubber.
In less than 11 months, Yokohama Rubber will achieve the venerable age of 100. The Japanese tyre, wheel and rubber products manufacturer, which began life on 13 October 1917, has unveiled a new logomark for its centenary year. Yokohama Rubber says the logomark’s design “expresses the company’s pride in its 100-year history as well as its appreciation of its many customers, business partners, and other stakeholders around the world who have helped make this 100th anniversary possible.”
Last year’s acquisition of Alliance Tire Group by Yokohama Rubber has now been followed up by the purchase of a further off-road tyre specialist. An agreement was reached today on Yokohama Rubber’s planned acquisition of Aichi Tire Industry Co., Ltd. Shareholders of the Japanese industrial tyre manufacturer have consented to Yokohama Rubber’s purchase of all shares for an undisclosed sum, and Yokohama plans to complete the acquisition by March 2017. After this date, Aichi Tire will be a wholly-owned subsidiary of Yokohama Rubber.
It is 20 years since Yokohama Rubber established its Yokohama Tire Philippines, Inc. (YPTI) passenger car tyre manufacturing and sales subsidiary and commenced work on a new plant.
Masataka Yamaishi has been appointed president of Yokohama Rubber Corporation’s Tire business. Yamaishi was promoted to this role effective 1 October and succeeds Hikomitsu Noji, who had held the position since its creation five years ago. Noji remains president of Yokohama Rubber and a member of the company’s board.
As of this year, the Sepang 12 Hours race in Malaysia will run on control tyres supplied by a single manufacturer, and Yokohama Rubber has been selected for this role. All competitors will take to the circuit in vehicles fitted with the Yokohama Advan A005 race tyre or, depending on conditions, the Advan A006 wet weather tyre.
On 1 July, Yokohama Rubber completed its acquisition of the Alliance Tire Group. The Japanese company’s new subsidiary is now headed by Toru Kobayashi, formerly assistant to Yokohama Rubber president Hikomitsu Noji, who has been appointed Alliance Tire Group chairman.
A number of factors led to sales and income declining at Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd. in the first quarter of 2016. The Japanese manufacturer reports that decreased vehicle production in Japan, lower global tyre prices and yen appreciation more than offset the benefit brought by cheaper raw materials. This was reflected in a 6.8 per cent year-on-year drop in net sales, which amounted to ¥129.3 billion (£822.4 million) in the three months to 31 March 2016. Sales within Yokohama Rubber’s tyre segment fell 6.9 per cent to ¥100.8 billion (£641.0 million).
In response to rising international traffic, Yokohama Rubber has switched its corporate website to a new domain. Effective 25 April, the existing yrc.co.jp/global/ domain has been superseded by the new http://www.y-yokohama.com/global/ address. The introduction of this new domain follows the addition of further language options to Yokohama Rubber’s main site.
On 25 March, the Yokohama Rubber Co. Ltd. announced it has reached an agreement with global investment firm KKR and three other parties to purchase all shares in Alliance Tire Group (ATG) for an agreed equity value of US$1,179 million. The transaction is expected to be finalised on 1 July 2016, after the completion of all necessary closing procedures, including regulatory approvals.
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