For the fourth time, Yokohama Rubber Co. Ltd. is expanding its Onomichi, Hiroshima Prefecture OTR tire plant in Japan. The company will invest six billion yen into the facility in order to increase its monthly capacity by 600 tons.
By the end of its 2011 fiscal year (March 31, 2011), the plant will produce 2,500 tons annually. While Yokohama initially planned to achieve this capacity by the end of its 2012 fiscal year, the company has moved up its schedule by one year because of "vigorous" OTR tire demand.
The expansion will increase Yokohama's production of OTR tires for use in mine development and port cargo handling. The company predicts increasing demand for these tires will continue for at least the next 10 years.
