Yokohama Tire Corp. (YTC) has initiated a company-wide restructuring designed to improve quality systems and customer focus.
The reorganization will include the following changes:
* The Corporate Planning Division will establish management groups responsible for planning, scheduling, strategic marketing and technical research and support. Executive Vice President Jeff Takenaka will head up the division.
* A new department will establish business systems for quality assurance and fully integrate the quality systems of Yokohama Tire, Yokohama Rubber Co. Ltd. and YTC's tire manufacturing facility in Salem, Va. Department heads will report directly to CEO and President Koji Ikawa.
* The new Business Division will be run by Executive Vice President James MacMaster. He will have total responsibility for sales, distribution, sales administration and operations.
* Dan Hunter, vice president of sales, will assume all responsibilities for consumer, commercial and OTR tire sales.
In addition, a group of engineering and technical support advisors will be stationed in the Salem facility.
"The reorganization is designed to improve financial and product performance, while delivering our customers with the same intimate service they have come to expect from Yokohama," said Ikawa.
