Yokohama Tire Philippines, Inc. (YTPI), a passenger car tyre manufacturing and sales subsidiary of Japan-based tyre company Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd., will be increasing its tyre production capacity starting 2017 with the completion of its West Plant located in the Clark Freeport Zone. The announcement came as the company celebrated the 20th anniversary of its establishment in the country.
YTPI is currently expanding its production capacity and prior to the anniversary ceremony held the opening ceremony for a new factory (the West Plant) within its Clark complex.
Established in April 1996 as a production center for tyres to be exported around the world, YTPI began production in 1998 with an annual capacity of 1.2 million tyres. YTPI has since continued to expand
increasing annual capacity to 7 million tyres in 2006, 10 million in 2014, and its current capacity of 11.9 million tyres.
With the recent completion of the West Plant, YTPI plans to produce 12.5 million tyres a year from 2017. Its output includes passenger car tyres and SUV tyres, the majority of which is exported to Europe, North America, and ASEAN countries for sale in the replacement market, with the remainder being shipped for use as original equipment by car makers in North America and Asian countries.
YTPI celebrated its 20th anniversary with a ceremony attended by some 230 guests, including YTPI employees; Tadanobu Nagumo, Chairman and Representative Member of the Board of Yokohama Rubber; YTPI business partners; representatives from local government agencies; Noel Manankil, President and CEO of Clark Development Corporation (CDC), which manages the Clark Freeport Zone; and CDC employees.
The anniversary ceremony featured a video presentation of YTPI’s 20-year history and the presentation of awards to several employees for 20 years of service at the YTPI. In addition, about 100 wheelchairs were presented to local welfare organizations.
In his commemorative address, Chairman Nagumo noted that YTPI was the first Yokohama Rubber plant to be established outside of Japan. He said that YTPI is a strategic and vital subsidiary of Yokohama Rubber, essential to the global distribution of high-performance and high-quality Yokohama tyres.
He also noted that the opening on the same day of YTPI’s new West Plant factory gave YTPI the second largest tyre-producing capacity in the Yokohama Rubber Group.
Chairman Nagumo also told the audience that YTPI will continue to strive to develop products that are safe and reliable and contribute to the development of the Philippine economy. YTPI will also endeavor to protect the local environment and help enhance welfare and services for the surrounding community.