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Yokohama HPT Clinches Another Championship

The UK distributor for Yokohama tyres, Yokohama HPT, has helped clinch another motorsport championship this year. Tristan Pye has won the Group N class of the BTRDA Rally Championship with two rounds to go, in his Yokohama-shod Subaru Impreza N11 rally car. The series is currently in its 54th year and comprises three awards split across a range of classes. This season is Tristan’s second using Yokohama tyres. So far he has taken class wins on five of the seven events he has competed in and is now uncatchable in the Group N category of the series.

Pye cites the Yokohama tyres as a major factor in his success this year. “I’ve been running Yokohama tyres this year as well as last year and find they work very well. I have tried other tyres but to be honest, even if I wasn’t supported in my efforts by Yokohama, I’d pay to use their tyres!

“It’s not only the tyres themselves which impress though; the back-up I get from Yokohama HPT is second to none. The pre-event work, as well as the input from the specialists who go to every event is invaluable to us on the stages. They always seem to know which tyres will work best.”

11th September 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

S.drive OE for Beefed up Smart

Yokohama’s S.drive tyres have been approved by smart-Brabus GmbH as OE for the new “smart fortwo Brabus” – just as similar tyres have been used since 2002 on the model it replaces. The current tyres are the latest additions to Yokohama’s sport-oriented S.drive series, and are being supplied in 175/50R16 77T for the front and 225/35R17 86Y (reinforced) for the rear. The “smart fortwo Brabus” was developed by smart-BRABUS GmbH, a joint venture between DaimlerChrysler AG and leading German tuner Brabus GmbH, on the basis of the already unique “smart fortwo”. The Brabus version, with its brand-new 98hp/72kW turbo engine, is the high-end model and combines outstanding driving dynamics and low fuel consumption. It will be available in Europe, Australia and Japan as of October 2007.

Yokohama, who has been in a technical partnership with Brabus GmbH since 2005, states it is proud to have met the high technical standards required in the process of development with smart-Brabus GmbH. The new generation fine-tuned S.drive tyres for smart-Brabus offer outstanding kinetic performance and improved wet grip.

7th September 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Yokohama to Build Factory in Romania

Romania’s national press agency Rompres has released information that indicates Yokohama Rubber intends to establish a factory in the nation’s Calarasi region, east of Bucharest. CEO Fumiro Nishi announced during a meeting on September 6 that the Japanese tyremaker is seeking a site close to the capital that offers easy road and rail access plus the added bonus of transportation via waterways.

Calarasi is situated between the Danube and the motorway linking Bucharest with the Black Sea port of Constanta.

‘We suggested sites that are available in the region, and the Japanese now need to draw up an investment plan if they want to set up in Calarasi,’ said Cornel Coman, deputy head of the regional administration.

7th September 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Yokohama Donates to WWF Japan

(Akron/Tire Review) Yokohama Rubber Co. donated more than 1 million yen to the World Wild Fund for Nature Japan, an amount matching the total of admissions paid by visitors to LIVE ecoMOTION, a charity music event held on July 29 in Shibuya and contributions collected at the event.

Yokohama has been a corporate sponsor of WWF Japan since October 2006.

The Yokohama-sponsored LIVE ecoMOTION communicated the importance of preventing global warming, the company said, and attracted some 1,700 visitors.

30th August 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Yokohama Rubber Given OK to Construct Proving Ground in Thailand

Yokohama Rubber announced on August 22 that it has received approval from the Thailand Board of Investment to go ahead with the construction of a large proving ground. The company has already secured a 1.69-million square metre site in Thailand’s Rayong Province. The proving ground, to be built at an estimated cost of 2.5 billion yen (£11 million) should be complete by the end of March 2009.

For the new proving ground, Yokohama Rubber will construct a high-speed circuit with a total road length of 4.1 kilometres and a 1 kilometre section of straight track. The company also plans to construct various test courses for the proving of driving stability, fuel efficiency, durability, noise, vibration and driving comfort. Rayong Province was chosen both due to its close proximity to the facilities of Yokohama Tire Manufacturing (Thailand) Co., and the availability of suitable land in the area.

23rd August 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Conti Opens First “Full-Scale” Engineering Centre in Asia

In a move that acknowledges the importance of Asian manufacturers to global vehicle production, Continental AG’s Automotive Systems Division has opened its first full-scale integrated engineering centre in the region. The facility, located in the Japanese city of Yokohama, has been established as part of the Continental Automotive Corporation (formerly known as Continental Teves Corporation) joint venture between Continental AG and brake assembly and component manufacturer Nisshinbo.

Upon the opening of the 11,000 square metre Continental Engineering Center, Continental Automotive Systems reiterated its commitment to Asia, stating that it aims to raise its commitment and investment in the Asia market to the “next level” following decades of successful operation and development in a region Conti says is seen to be “key for the future of the global automotive industry.” Indeed, the very reason for establishing the Engineering Center in Yokohama was to bring the company’s products and services even closer to Japanese and Korean OEMs.

The centre incorporates the company’s engineers and testing equipment from existing company facilities in Yokohama, Chiba, Hamamatsu, and Hiroshima. One of Conti’s first priorities following the establishment of the new centre is to expand the Automotive Systems business by focusing on Advanced Drivers Assistant Systems, its Hybrid and Electronics business, as well as its core business of Electronic and Hydraulic Brake Systems.

22nd August 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Yokohama Launches New Ads in US

(Akron/Tire Review) Yokohama Tire Corp. is launching a new multimedia advertising campaign in the US, centring around its Advan UHP line and Yokohama’s “environmental stance.”

According to marketing communications director Fred Koplin, the new ads will appear in national and regional consumer magazines and on regional cable TV.

“These bold, new ads are directed at specific audiences,” said Koplin. “The
Advan ads are aimed at luxury consumers. They’ll appear in a select list of
national publications, such as Forbes, Golf Digest and National Geographic
Traveler that reach a very affluent audience, and in eight regional luxury
lifestyle publications.”

Ads will also run in enthusiast magazines like Road and Track, AutoWeek, Car and Driver, Roundel, Porsche Panorama, and Grassroots Motorsports.

The TV spots will run in the US on ESPN, Discovery, Fox Sports, TBS, TNT and the History Channel.

16th August 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Yokohama HPT Partners With MK Dons Football Team

The UK distributor for Yokohama tyres and TSW, MAK plus a range of marque-specific replacement alloy wheels, Yokohama HPT Ltd, has become a partner to the Milton Keynes-based football team, the MK Dons. The partnership will see Yokohama logos displayed at the MK Dons’ brand new 31,000-seat stadium in Milton Keynes and will allow Yokohama HPT to support the team from its own box at the stadium during home games.

The MK Dons are eagerly anticipating the start of the new football season this weekend and with it, the commissioning of the brand-new multi-million pound StadiumMK. Situated within strolling distance of the Yokohama HPT offices, thus the relationship between the team and the company is a logical one, and reflects Yokohama HPT’s commitment to the local community.

The MK Dons are currently situated in the Second Division but a series of high-profile additions to the team structure over the winter have strengthened its chances of gaining promotion this season. The former Manchester United and Liverpool player and England captain, Paul Ince, has joined as Manager and brings with him a wealth of experience of top level football, both in the UK and abroad.

13th August 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Yokohama Q1 Results ‘Stronger than Expected’

Yokohama Rubber posted a 150.2 per cent increase in net income, to 3.1 billion yen (£12.8 million), in the three months ended June 30 (the first quarter of the present fiscal year) compared with the same period in 2006. The company’s operating income increased 130.6 per cent to 4.3 billion yen (£17.7 million) and net sales rose by 13.8 per cent to 121.6 billion yen (£502.3 million). The company reports that the overall rise in sales was led by growth in markets outside Japan and in Yokohama Rubber’s Multiple Business (diversified products) Group.

Operating income in Yokohama’s Tire Group tripled in the first quarter, to 3.1 billion yen (£12.8 million) on the back of a 15.9 per cent increase in sales to 90.7 billion yen (£374.7 million). Leading the sales growth were gains in North America, Europe, and Asian (excluding Japan) markets. The sales growth, coupled with the weakening of the yen and price increases for Yokohama tyres, more than offset the continuing upward trend in prices for natural rubber and other raw materials.

10th August 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

£35,000 Bedfordshire Tyre & Wheel Haul

Thieves stole over £35,000 of tyres and wheels from a Bedfordshire warehouse last week. According to a report on the NTDA website, the haul includes over 150 top-of-the-range alloy wheels and a selection of high performance Yokohama tyres of all sizes including the Geolander light truck range plus over 40 Z-rated performance tyres. Anyone dealers who think they have been offered any of the stolen stock should contact the NTDA for a complete list of the stolen items.

8th August 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Yokohama Advan Sport OE for 3 AMG Models

The world-renowned official Mercedes Benz tuner, Mercedes AMG, has selected Yokohama’s Advan sport tyres for OE on three models – the CL 63 AMG, CL 65 AMG and ML 63 AMG. The CL 63 AMG and CL 65 AMG will ship with the Advan Sport V103 with 255/35ZR20 XL (Extra Load) size fitted the front and 275/35ZR20 XL for the rear. The 4×4 ML 63 AMG will come wearing the Advan Sport V103A, with 295/40ZR20 106Y size rubber fitted to both front and rear wheels.

Yokohama state they are proud to have met the high technical standards set out in the process of development with Mercedes AMG and are confident the selected tyres meet the AMG requirements of high-speed stability, comfort, handling and braking in wet and dry conditions. “MO” (Mercedes Original), which indicates approval of the tyre by Mercedes-Benz, is stamped on each one.

3rd August 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

MRF Joins Rubber Group’s Panel of Associates

The International Rubber Study Group (IRSG) has released a statement outlining the addition of India’s largest tyremaker, MRF, to the Group’s Panel of Associates. The Wembley based IRSG, an intergovernmental organisation providing a forum for the discussion of issues affecting the supply and demand of both natural and synthetic rubber, stated it was “pleased to have MRF as one of its members, thereby expanding the good cooperation with the Indian rubber sector, one of the major growth areas in the world.”

The IRSG Panel of Associates includes a number of global tyre majors, including Bridgestone, Goodyear, Pirelli, Yokohama and Continental. MRF, however, is the first Indian tyremaker to add its name to the list. All companies or organisations participating in the rubber industry are eligible to join the Panel of Associates, and the IRSG believes members benefit from the interaction between industry and the Group’s Secretariat.

1st August 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Official Ceremony Marks Opening of Yokohama India

International News

The Yokohama Rubber Co. took a further step into the Indian market on July 27 when it officially marked the opening of its new subsidiary, Yokohama India. Company, industry, governmental and media representatives assembled at a hotel in New Delhi commemorate the occasion. Yokohama Rubber board director and senior managing corporate officer Takashi Sugimoto and board director and corporate officer Tooru Kobayashi represented the parent company at the ceremony.

Prior to this year Yokohama Rubber marketed passenger car tyres in India through its Singapore based tyre distributor. The transition to an India based operation began with the founding of Yokohama India in April 2007, and from now onwards the company plans to transfer sales activities to the new subsidiary, from where it will implement its own independent sales strategy. The company reports that Yokohama India will kick things off with an emphasis on the high performance passenger car market, an area in which the company believes to be a particular area of strength. This initial activity will include the Indian launch of the company’s premium ADVAN brand and other high-performance tyres and an intense supporting advertising campaign through car magazines and other media. From here Yokohama India will broaden its focus to the wider market.

1st August 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

WTCC Goes Green in Sweden

In anticipation of the FIA World Touring Car Championship’s switch to the use of bio-ethanol control fuel for 2009, the upcoming round at Anderstorp in Sweden will see a one-off outing in the championship for Volvo, with the Polestar-run, ethanol-powered S60. The car will be driven by Robert Dahlgren, who has already won two rounds of the Swedish Touring Car Championship and will be the first time a car running to the FIA’s Super2000 regulations will use the fuel in the WTCC.

A development programme will take place throughout the 2008 season, the third using Yokohama Advan as control tyres, which have recently been confirmed as control tyres for 2008 and 2009. Every manufacturer, with the support of Yokohama and other sponsors and partners, will help evaluate different fuel options to determine the ideal solution to reduce the fossil-fuel component, before approval by the FIA.

26th July 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Tiger Automotive Not Affected by TiWheel Complications

Wheel and tyre wholesaler/retailer Tiger Automotive, who operates in both the UK and South African markets, is reportedly not vulnerable to any possible claims made by creditors of Tiger Wheel. According to company CEO Keith Rivers, “When Tiger Automotive was unbundled from Tiger Wheel Limited in December last year, the separation was complete. As far as I am aware there were no cross guarantees.”

TiWheel shares were suspended from trading on July 11, and the company’s recent financial results have been disappointing. However Rivers states that Tiger Automotive is in good shape and looking forward to a slight increase in year-on-year earnings to end June. He added that two ‘constraints’ to Tiger Automotive had been resolved – the 16.5 per cent anti-dumping duty on Chinese tyres has been removed, and problems regarding deliveries to Yokohama South Africa from Japan have been almost totally overcome.

13th July 2007/by Tyrepress Editors