Yokohama's US OTR unit managers set out strategy

ERJ staff report (DS)

las Vegas, Nevada -- Yokohama Tire Corp. has issued a lengthy press release in which its director of off-road sales Gary Nash and US sales manager Nelson Richards, "candidly discuss the inner workings of Yokohama's ORT department, the marketplace and the future of OTR."

Asked about the tyre shortage, Nash said, "There's still a shortage of off-the-road products in some sizes. There's still a big backorder for large and extra large tires. And it looks like this will go on for probably several years, maybe as long as five to 10 years. There's still a shortage of some sizes of small and medium tires. However, it seems to have caught up somewhat other than your niche market tires such as special construction tires. There seems to be a pretty good supply of radial products in the smaller sizes. And there seems to be a decent supply of the small and medium bias tires, with the exception of select sizes. "

he added, "The 3rd Onomichi plant expansion has already been completed. It will begin production in November this year and the first tires will be received in January 2009. It's right on target and at the same time that the Barack joint venture is going on, we are doing a third expansion of underground mine and individual factory. And then Phase 4 will be the continued radial products, the 27/49s and sizes 24/35, 18/33s that will continue into November 2009."

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Read the interview at Yokohama Tire