Yokohama Rubber Co. has made an agreement to acquire all of the shares of the Japanese industrial tire manufacturer, Aichi Tire Industry Co., strengthening Yokohama’s place in the industrial tire market.
Headquartered in Komaki, Aichi, Aichi Tire manufactures press-on and solid tires for industrial machinery such as forklifts and has an extensive clientele of industrial machinery manufactures in Japan, Yokohama said.
Expanding its commercial tire business is part of Yokohama’s tire strategy in Phase IV (2015–2017) of Yokohama’s medium-term management plan, Grand Design 100.
Other parts of Yokohama’s strategy include opening a truck and bus manufacturing plant in Mississippi in October 2015 and acquiring the off-highway tiremaker, Alliance Tire Group in July 2016.
The Aichi Tire acquisition will be finalized by March 2017.