The Yokohama Rubber Co. is celebrating the 20th anniversary of its passenger car tire manufacturing and sales subsidiary Yokohama Tire Philippines Inc. (YTPI).
In celebration of 20 years, YTPI in invited employees, Yokohama leadership and local government officials to a ceremony at the Quest Hotel in the Clark Freeport Zone near its headquarters. During the ceremony 100 wheelchairs were presented to local welfare organizations and many employees were recognized for 20 years of service.
YTPI was built in 1996 and was the first Yokohama Rubber plant built outside of Japan. When production began in 1998, annual capacity was 1.2 million tires. Today YTPI has an annual capacity of 11.9 million tires.
The company is currently expanding its production capacity and hosted an opening ceremony for a new factory, the West Plant, at its Clark complex prior to the anniversary celebration. The factory offers Yokohama’s second largest tire-producing capacity, and brings YTPI’s production to 12.5 million passenger car and SUV tires a year from 2017, the tiremaker said.
Tadanobu Nagumo, chairman and representative member of the Board of Yokohama Rubber, said YTPI is a strategic and vital subsidiary of Yokohama Rubber, and is essential to the global distribution of Yokohama tires.
Tires produced at YTPI facilities are sent to Europe, North America, and ASEAN countries for the replacement market and to carmakers in North America and Asian countries for original equipment.
