Japan’s Yokohama has announced its plan to expand motorsports tyre production capacity at its Mishima Plant in Mishima City, Shizuoka Prefecture. It will invest about 3.8 billion yen in a new line that will produce 18-inch and larger motorsports tyres, expanding the plant’s capacity for motorsports tyres 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 adds it is expanding sales of its high-performance Adcan tyres in motorsports tyre markets in Japan and other countries. The high market evaluation of Advan tyres has led to a strong increase in orders that has created a chronic order backlog.
Therefore, the firm 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 tyres, including the Advan A052, which has received high evaluations from the motorsports market, it claims.
It is also looking at expanding the Geolander brand of tyres for SUVs and pick-up trucks, winter tyres, and 18-inch and larger tyres.