Tanigawa appointed CEO of Falken Tyre Europe

Offenbach/Main, Germany – Mitsuteru Tanigawa has been appointed CEO of Falken Tyre Europe, replacing Masatsugu Nishino who has moved to head up Sumitomo Rubber Industries’ manufacturing facility in Turkey.

Tanigawa, joined Sumitomo Rubber Industries (SRI) in 1980 and has developed a significant knowledge of the rubber industry with particular expertise in tires, said a company announcement.

His career includes being director of SRI’s Indonesian tire manufacturing operation and leading sales activities in China, from 2005 t0 2013.

Since 2012, Tanigawa has worked for SRI’s Sports division that manufactures sporting goods, such as golf clubs and tennis racquets.

There, he was mainly responsible for the golf brands XXIO and SRIXON. In March 2017, four years after first becoming a board member of the division, Tanigawa was appointed managing executive officer.

Tanigawa will lead Falken’s expanding European operations from its headquarters outside Frankfurt.

“Alongside the growth in OE business for the Falken brand, Tanigawa will oversee the expansion of Falken’s distribution network, that has accelerated thanks to the acquisition of Micheldever Tyre Services in the UK in 2017,” said the company.

“Falken is still a young brand” commented Tanigawa. “Thanks to the efforts of the dynamic team in Europe, it has become an established and trusted brand for consumers and the automobile industry.

“I am looking forward to sharing my experiences with my colleagues in Europe and continuing to expand Falken’s presence in the region.”