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New UK OE Fitments for Yokohama

The UK distributor for Yokohama tyres, Yokohama HPT Ltd, has announced several key new original equipment fitments in the Japanese manufacturer’s range for the UK market. The latest brand to select Yokohama as the tyre of choice is Volkswagen, for its new Touareg model. The choice follows Porsche, which recently adopted the Advan Sport model on its high-performance SUV, the Cayenne. The new Volkswagen model leaves the factory with both 19 and 20-inch wheel options fitted with Yokohama’s Advan Sport, sized 275/45R19 and 275/40R20 respectively.

6th March 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Yokohama Announces Senior Management Changes

On February 13 Yokohama Rubber made public the management changes agreed upon by the company’s board of directors. These corporate officer and board member changes take effect as of April 1, 2008.

Tooru Kobayashi, currently director and corporate officer in charge of the Off-the-Road Tire & Aircraft Tire Division, Tire Logistics Division and general manager of Tire Planning Division, has been promoted to the position of director and managing corporate officer and president of the Multiple Business Group.

13th February 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Yokohama Reports 88% Increase in Net Earnings

Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd. has reported an 88.1 per cent increase in net income. According to official financial results, the company generated a total of 25.7 billion yen (£123.5 million) net income in the first three quarters of its current financial year, ended 31 December. Increases of 80.2 per cent in operating income, to 30.8 billion yen (£148 million), and 11.4 per cent in net sales, to 409.7 billion yen (£2 billion) underlined growth in post-tax earnings.

Operating income nearly doubled in Yokohama’s Tire Group, climbing 98.8 per cent, to 25.6 billion yen (roughly £123.5 million), on sales growth of 13.1 per cent, to 312.5 billion yen (£1.5 billion). Improved profitability at Yokohama’s subsidiaries in the US and in Asian nations outside Japan is said to have “amplified” unit sales gains.

12th February 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Yokohama Subsidiary Gains ISO Certification

Yokohama Rubber reports that its US subsidiary engaged in the manufacture of rubber hoses for vehicle air conditioning and power steering units, SAS Rubber Company, became ISO 14001 certified in December 2007. According to Yokohama, the ISO 14001 certification of the Ohio facility comes as part of the company’s Grand Design 100 plan (GD100), first announced in April 2006; under the principles of GD100 all Yokohama group companies have been working on acquiring ISO 14001 certification, and all eleven of the company’s production bases in Japan and the corporate head office have already done so. Of Yokohama Rubber’s 13 overseas locations, nine, including SAS Rubber Company, have also been certified. The remainder, Yokohama reports, are working to complete the process at the earliest possible time.

8th February 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

TyreSafe Welcomes Toyo to its Ranks

Toyo Tyres (UK) has become the latest tyre company in the UK to pledge support to TyreSafe. The company adds its name to a growing list of organisations from both within and outside the tyre industry to sign up to support the organisation’s tyre safety activities.

“We have been impressed with the impact that TyreSafe has had in the area of tyre safety – an area important to the Toyo sales & marketing programme. And so we felt that we should offer our own help and support to raising the awareness of this vital road safety subject”, said Martin Sutherland, Toyo Tyre’s general manager – Sales.

5th February 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Yokohama Enters Partnership with Mazdaspeed

Mazda’s motor racing support operation in North America, Mazdaspeed Motorsports Development, has announced Yokohama Tire as a new partner for the B-K Motorsports Lola B07/46-Mazda MZR-R LMP2 team as of 2008. The multi-year partnership is, according to Mazdaspeed, more than just a sponsorship arrangement, with Yokohama acting as a key contributor to the team’s overall programme in terms of technical and marketing collaboration. The announcement of Yokohama’s partnership was made simultaneously to a similar agreement with BP.

31st January 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Barrick to Fund Yokohama OTR Tyre Expansion

Further to the January 30 announcement that Yokohama Rubber has signed an OTR tyre supply agreement with Barrick Gold Corporation, the mining giant disclosed it has provided Yokohama with financial assistance to upgrade its facilities in preparation for supply.

The 5 billion yen (£23.57 million) expansion includes a new building, production line, and related equipment, and according to a statement released by Barrick these additions will be primarily funded by a US$35 million loan made available by the company. Start up, Barrick adds, is scheduled for late in the fourth quarter of 2008.

31st January 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Yokohama Signs OTR Supply Agreement with Barrick Gold

Yokohama Rubber announced on January 30 that it has signed a long-term contract with Barrick Gold Corporation for the supply of OTR tyres. Under the terms of the contract, Yokohama Rubber shall deliver approximately 1,300 tyres a year to Barrick for ten years, from 2009 to 2018. To meet this new demand, Yokohama began building the third plant at its Onomichi facility in Japan’s Hiroshima Prefecture in October 2007. The Onomichi plant specialises in the manufacture of OTR tyres and the additions to the facility currently under construction are scheduled to begin operation in January 2009. Yokohama Rubber plans to invest approximately 5 billion yen (£23.57 million) into the third plant’s construction.

Headquartered in Toronto, Canada, Barrick Gold Corporation is the world’s largest pure gold mining company, and owns approximately 30 mines around the world. The company is expanding its mining operation to meet a fast growing demand for gold from the decorative and industrial use markets, thus needed a secure tyre supply in the current environment of global shortages.

30th January 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Yokohama Sponsoring NBA Teams

Yokohama Tire Corp. signed sponsorship deals with three National Basketball Association (NBA) teams, according to Dan King, Yokohama vice president of sales – the San Antonio Spurs, Boston Celtics, and the Golden State Warriors. Yokohama’s latest sponsorship move follows partnerships with three NFL teams, the Baltimore Ravens, Cleveland Browns and Atlanta Falcons, plus UCLA and USC college football. Yokohama also sponsored two minor league baseball teams last season, the Triple-A Columbus Clippers and the Double-A Reading Phillies. (Tire Review/Akron)

23rd January 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Yokohama Initiates Patent Proceedings Against Hangzhou Zhongce

The fortunes of Hangzhou Zhongce in the US have received another blow. Only seven months after the beginning of the now notorious Foreign Tire Sales recall of the company’s Westlake, Compass and YKS branded tyres, the Chinese manufacturer is facing legal action regarding the tread pattern used on some of the tyres it produces.

On January 17 the Yokohama Rubber Company filed an intellectual property infringement complaint with the Miami office of the Florida Southern District Court. The document filed by Yokohama claims that Hangzhou Zhongce has copied the tread pattern design from its S.drive tyre range, a design patented in the US by Yokohama in November 2005. The alleged copycat tyres are marketed under the Sumo brand name, the private brand belonging to Singapore’s Stamford Tyres, and the models in question are the Sumo Firenza ST-08 and Sumo Akina ST-08.

23rd January 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Yokohama Signs European Proving Ground Agreement

Yokohama Rubber has signed a contract with Spain’s IDIADA Automotive Technology SA, permitting the tyremaker to preferentially use the new IDIADA test track, which is scheduled to commence operation in April 2008. The term of the contract is 15 years, from 2008 through 2023. The purpose of entering such an agreement, reports Yokohama, is to achieve better evaluation performance and faster tyre development for European markets; an aim greatly facilitated by the preferential use of a test track that can be used to evaluate tyres even in winter.

17th January 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Yokohama Pumped Up for Big Screen Role

Yokohama has announced it has concluded a product placement agreement for the latest Hollywood film by Matrix directors the Wachowski brothers. The film, written and directed by the brothers, is titled Speed Racer and is scheduled for release in major international markets in May 2008.

Under the agreement, Yokohama will supply tyres for the technological star of the film, a car named “Mach 5,” and upon the film’s release the tyremaker also carry out extensive promotional activities in some 40 countries where it operates overseas subsidiaries and affiliates. Yokohama reports that it looks forward to the opportunity to further enhance global recognition of the ‘Yokohama’ brand name through association with this film.

11th January 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Simpson Joins Yokohama

Yokohama Tire Corp. has hired human resources veteran Rex Simpson as its new vice president of administration. Simpson replaces Steve Kessing, who retired in December 2007 after 17 years with the company. Most recently, Simpson held a number of HR posts with American Honda Motor. (Tire Review/Akron)

10th January 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Yokohama Gives ZPS Run-Flat UK Debut

Yokohama has shown its latest run-flat technology and the specially designed A13C 245/50 R18 tyre it produces as OE for the Mitsubishi Lancer EvoX at this year’s Autosport Show. By exhibiting the Yokohama Advan ZPS tyre, the manufacturer was giving an indication of what’s to come. According to company representatives the ZPS will be available from dealers, from “later in the 2008” which means the tyre is expected to be stocked from the middle to the end of the year.

On the subject of OE, Yokohama’s A13C tyre will be factory fitted to the Mitsubishi Lancer EvoX in sizes 245/40 R18. Developed in conjunction with Mitsubishi engineers, the A13C has been created to provide “the perfect combination of grip, longevity, safety and comfort,” according to Yokohama.

10th January 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Yokohama HPT Stand to Tempt Autosport International Visitors

According to Yokohama HPT, there are a number of good reasons for visiting the company’s stand at Autosport International 2008. One of the greatest drawcards will naturally be the cars on display, and the Yokohama HPT stand will feature two notable specimens – the Lotus 2-Eleven, factory fitted with Yokohama Advan A048 tyres and the Yokohama Advan-shod, WTCC-winning BMW 3-Series driven by Andy Priaulx. The man himself will also put in appearance at the Yokohama HPT stand; visitors to the show can meet Andy Priaulx at 11.00am on Saturday January 12.

9th January 2008/by Tyrepress Editors