The world was transfixed this past weekend with information and images from Japan, a country devastated by a record earthquake and tsunami that literally leveled everything in its path for miles.
Power outages and other obvious challenges have made it quite difficult to get information about specific individuals and companies, even for the U.S. subsidiaries of Japan-based companies. Through various news reports and first-hand reports to Tire Review, company by company here is what we know right now:
Toyo
The company has a tire plant in Sendai, much of which was flattened by the tsunami. However, the parent company in Japan, over the signature of Toyo CEO Kenji Nakakura, issued the following statement late on Saturday:
“To the many victims and victims’ families of the earthquake of March 11, 2011, we wish to express our deepest condolences.
“Within the Toyo Tires group, our facility in Northern Japan (Sendai) was directly affected by this earthquake. Immediately following the earthquake, the company established an emergency crisis center. Currently, the center is verifying the safety and welfare of all of our employees and their families, and taking appropriate steps to respond to this crisis.
“At the present time, neither the Sendai nor our other manufacturing plants in Japan have been affected by the tsunami, and there has not been any significant earthquake damage to our plant building or facilities. However, due to a power outage, the Sendai plant has temporarily been shut down. Once power is restored, and the safety of the plant facility has been confirmed, the company plans to restore operations, but it is not yet clear when this will happen.
“Likewise, it is not yet known what the company’s financial losses or the impact to business results will be from this earthquake. The company will provide periodic updates as it achieves an understanding of the situation.”
Bridgestone
Bridgestone Corp., which is headquartered in Tokyo, vowed to donate some $3.5 million in cash, bicycles and clothing to aid victims of the disaster. The company claimed no major damage or injuries at any of its 24 facilities in Japan, five of which were in the northern part of the country. However, Bridgestone said it had suspended operations at some of its Japan plants to conduct safety inspections.
Bridgestone Americas said that all employees currently in Japan on business have been accounted for and are safe.
In two Twitter posts on Friday, Bridgestone Americas reported: “Update: teammates at Tokyo headquarters said doesn’t appear 2 b critical damage to the facility. Will update as we get more info” and later “Update: Good news! No reports of injuries to teammates at headquarters, and all BSAM teammates currently in Japan are safe.”
Sumitomo
Sumitomo Rubber Industries said its Shirakawa factory in hard-hit Fukushima prefecture had been shut down due to a loss of power. The facility was being inspected for damage, and no injuries were reported. Other reports said that the plant sustained some damage, but the extent was unknown.
Power outages in Tokyo left some Sumitomo employees stranded in that city for part of the weekend.
Yokohama
Yokohama is headquartered near Tokyo and has several facilities in that area. As of early Saturday, officials at Yokohama Tire Corp. here were still seeking confirmation of the status of company facilities and family members.
Michelin
Some Michelin North America employees were in Japan on business, but the tiremaker reported that they were safe and accounted for. Groupe Michelin facilities in Japan did not sustain significant damage.
