Yokohama Rubber plans to expand motorsports tire production capacity at its Mishima Plant in Mishima City, Shizuoka Prefecture in Japan. Yokohama Rubber will invest about ¥3.8 billion (approx. $24.2 million) in a new line that will produce 18-in. and larger motorsports tires, expanding the plant’s capacity for motorsports tires by 35%. Construction will begin in the third quarter of 2024, and production on the new line is planned to begin near the end of 2026 and be brought up to full capacity in the third quarter of 2027, Yokohama Rubber said.
Yokohama Rubber said it is expanding sales of its Advan tires in motorsports tire markets in Japan and other countries. The company said high market evaluation of Advan tires has led to a strong increase in orders that has created a chronic order backlog. Yokohama Rubber therefore has decided to expand production capacity to meet current demand and an expected increase in demand in the future. The capacity expansion is expected to support increased sales of Advan tires, including the Advan A052, which has received particularly high evaluations from the motorsports market, Yokohama Rubber said.
The consumer tire strategy in Yokohama Rubber’s new three-year (2024–2026) medium-term management plan, Yokohama Transformation 2026 (YX2026), aims to maximize the sales ratios of high-value-added tires by expanding sales of Yokohama’s global flagship Advan brand, the Geolandar brand of tires for SUVs and pickup trucks, winter tires and 18-inch and larger tires, according to Yokohama Rubber. The company said it also is implementing “Product and Regional Strategies” focused on strengthening the development, supply and sale of tires that respond to specific trends in each regional market.
