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VW; YokohamaSilence and comfort with Yokohama’s EV tyres
Vehicle manufacturers’ accelerated development of battery and hybrid technology to significantly reduce vehicle emissions is being supported by tyre manufacturers. Tyres influence fundamental characteristics, such as the efficiency, the range, and the low running noise of electric vehicles, so tyre-makers are innovating quickly to address these key performance characteristics, while not compromising on the tyre’s core safety functions. Yokohama states that it has played a key role in developing its range of tyres to meet the requirements of this next generation of vehicles.
Torque from the Top: David Seward, managing director Yokohama HPT
DaimlerThe latest in our ‘Torque from the Top’ series of interviews with leading tyre industry executives features David Seward, MD of Yokohama’s UK distributor, Yokohama HPT. As you will read later, the company was established in 1988 and Seward has been with the company from the beginning, which must make him one of (if not the) longest-serving MD of any UK-based international tyre company. But first, a brief look at the history of the parent company.
Yokohama Rubber donates to flood-affected football club
Yokohama Europe GmbH, the Yokohama Rubber Group’s European regional headquarters, has donated €10,000 to the youth division of the Ahrweiler BC Football Club in Ahrweiler, Rhineland-Palatinate, the German state that suffered extensive flood damage last month.
Yokohama-backed Chelsea FC secure more major silverware
Yokohama has congratulated Chelsea on its victory over Villareal on penalties in the European Super Cup. The tyre manufacturer has backed Chelsea since 2015, commencing with a multiyear shirt partnership worth around £40 million per season. Since the end of the initial deal, Yokohama has continued its relationship with the London club, becoming its official tyre partner in 2020. Since Yokohama launched its relationship with Chelsea, the club has also won two Premier League titles, the European Champions League, the Europa League, and the FA Cup, giving both the club and Yokohama major worldwide exposure.
Yokohama opens new distribution centre in Texas, USA
YokohamaYokohama Tire Corporation’s new 430,000 square-foot distribution centre in Wilmer, Texas is now officially open. The facility, which is located 15 miles southeast of Dallas, is LEED-certified, verifying that it’s sustainable building credentials. It will initially be used to distribute Yokohama’s passenger car/light truck tyres, followed by commercial truck/bus products in 2022, according to Rick Alonzo, Yokohama Tire’s vice president of supply chain and logistics.
‘Highest ever’ – Yokohama H1 2021 financial results
The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd. could phone up the team at Guinness World Records, were it so inclined. Each and every one of the company’s earnings figures for the six months to 30 June 2021 were the highest ever for the first half of a fiscal year.
Yokohama and The Classic return to TV
Yokohama returned as official tyre partner to The Classic, the world’s biggest classic motor racing festival hosted by Silverstone, this year. The tyre manufacturer, whose flagship Advan range has wide-ranging motorsport and classic car models and fitments, welcomed both classic car enthusiasts and families to the event, presenting a range of eye-catching rare vehicles at its stand and co-hosting the Chelsea FC Skills Zone. The football club held football skill sessions for 250 children with coaching by the Chelsea FC Foundation and giveaways and prizes. Action from the track is making it to TV screens this week on ITV4, with highlights broadcast tonight (11 August) at 8pm and on Thursday (12 August) at the same time and channel.
$171m investment: Capacity at Yokohama OHT’s new plant to double
With an additional investment of US$171 million, Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd. intends to more than double the production capacity for off-highway tyres at its Visakhapatnam plant in India. The new plant is scheduled to begin operations in the first quarter of 2023 with a planned daily production capacity of 55 tonnes; this extra investment will lift daily capacity to 123 tonnes during a second project stage, which is scheduled to start in the first quarter of 2024.
Pikes Peak: 2 division wins for Yokohama
Cars running on Yokohama Advan tyres have finished first in two open tyre supply divisions of the 99th Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, which took place in Colorado, USA, on 27 June. The division champions were Raphael Astier, driving a 2015 Porsche BBI Turbo Cup in the Pikes Peak Open Division, and Randy Pobst, driving his 2021 Tesla Model S Plaid in the Exhibition Division.
Rare Toyota Supra TRD equipped with Yokohama high performance tyres
A rare and valuable Toyota Supra Mk4 TRD 3000GT featured in a hit YouTube video has been fitted with Yokohama’s high performance Advan A052 tyres. With a view count over 900,000 in a few weeks, motoring journalist Mat Watson gives the striking Advan-liveried car and its tyres a thorough workout in a series of tests which showcase the car’s capabilities.
Yokohama supports 7 cars in 4 teams at Nürburgring
Yokohama is supplying its Advan racing tyres to seven cars entered by four teams in the 49th Nürburgring 24-Hour Endurance Race (3-6 June). Supported teams include Walkenhorst Motorsport, a BMW customer racing team that entered into a partnership agreement with Yokohama Rubber last year. Four Walkenhorst machines will run on Advan tyres, including three BMW M6 GT3 cars competing in the top-level SP9 class. The cars will use the Advan A005 for dry conditions and the A006 for wet conditions.
Tire Industry Project launches sustainability roadmap
The eleven leading tyre manufacturer members of WBCSD’s Tire Industry Project (TIP) have launched a Roadmap to accelerate tyre value-chain impact on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDGs were adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015 to address some of the world’s most pressing issues by 2030. The members of TIP, in alphabetical order, are: Bridgestone, Continental, Cooper Tire, Goodyear, Hankook, Kumho Tire, Michelin, Pirelli, Sumitomo Rubber, Toyo Tires, and Yokohama Rubber.
Yokohama Rubber: Funds from HQ sale to “support aggressive investment in strategic domains”
At the end of March, Yokohama Rubber sold its headquarters building in central Tokyo. The company is now preparing to shift its headquarters functions to its Hiratsuka factory, which is located some 40 miles south of Tokyo, in Kanagawa Prefecture. It will gain 20.8 billion yen (£134.9 million) from the sale of the headquarters building – and will use the funds to fuel growth in key areas.
Yokohama buys Polish tyre distributor from Itochu
EMISOn 6 May 2021 Yokohama Europe GmbH, signed an agreement to acquire 100 per cent of Poland’s ITR CEE Spółka z.o.o., a wholesale distributor engaged in the import and sale of Yokohama tyres in central and eastern Europe. The acquisition is scheduled to be concluded on 14 May 2021, after which the Polish company’s name will be changed to Yokohama CEE Spółka z.o.o.
