Toyo Tire & Rubber Co. Ltd., parent company of Toyo Tire (U.S.A.) Corp., will install a new passenger and light truck tire production process at its Sendai, Japan, factory during the first half of 2002.
The process will be implemented in other Toyo facilities on an ongoing basis, according to Toyo officials.
Toyo says the new system will improve the quality and productivity of its small lot manufacturing process.
It "also will result in lower inventories as small quantities can be produced more often."
Toyo declined to reveal further details.
The Toyo brand enjoys 1.5% of the United States replacement passenger tire market and 2.5% of the U.S. replacement light truck tire market, according to Modern Tire Dealer statistics.
