Yokohama opens new passenger tire plant in China

Tokyo – Yokohama Rubber Co (YRC) has held an opening ceremony for its new passenger car tire plant in Hangzhou, marking the group's first facility completed under the “1-year plant” strategy.

Construction on the €460-million smart tire project began in December last year and the plant reached start-up in November, one month ahead of plan, said YRC 1 Dec.

The facility in the Qiantang district of Hangzhou, in the eastern Chinese province of Zhejiang, will have a total capacity of 14 million passenger car tires, to be constructed in two phases.

The initial phase will have the capacity to produce 9 million units of tires, including high-inch and EV-fitment products, with full-scale production scheduled for the second quarter of 2026.

Speaking at the opening event, president & COO Shinji Seimiya said the new site was “a very important project for Yokohama Rubber’s sustainable growth.”

YRC, he said, will work to “quickly achieve mass production and deliver high-quality, high-value-added products to the Chinese market.”

As previously reported by ERJ, the new facility is part of a factory relocation process within Hangzhou.

YRC’s old plant in the city had a capacity to produce 6 million passenger car tires annually.

The project forms part of YRC’s medium-term management plan, Yokohama Transformation 2026 (YX2026), which aims for “low-cost, speedy development of quality products.”

It also supports YRC’s consumer tire strategy under YX2026, which targets higher sales ratios of premium tires, including Advan, Geolandar, Winter (AGTW) lines, and 18-inch-plus products.

The Japanese group said it was also pursuing regional strategies to strengthen development, supply and sales aligned to local market needs.