Yokohama Rubber opens new R&D centre in China

Hiratsuka, Japan – Yokohama Rubber Co. (YRC) has established a new research and development centre in Hangzhou, China, in order to strengthen localised product development and speed up response times in the market.

The new facility, named 'Yokohama China technical centre', began operations in May within the company’s new passenger car tire plant in Hangzhou, which started production in November 2025. (ERJ report)

In an 11 May statement, YRC said the centre would enable it to complete the full development cycle for products aimed at the Chinese market locally.

“With the establishment of the new centre, YRC aims to build a system that can initiate and complete the R&D of new products for the China market locally,” it said.

The facility, said YRC, will consolidate R&D functions for both the tire business and multiple business division in China, which produces conveyor belts, hoses and couplings.

Activities will include tire development, raw material analysis and evaluation, supplier audits, and the development of new raw materials and suppliers within China.

YRC currently operates tire plants in Hangzhou and Suzhou, alongside MB production facilities in Hangzhou and Weifang in China.

The Japanese group said the centre supports its “Yokohama Transformation 2026” medium-term management plan, which focuses on strengthening regional product development and improving speed and production efficiency.