Yokohama Rubber Plans New OTR Tire Plants in India, Mexico
Key Highlights
- Yokohama Rubber will build new OTR tire plants in India and Mexico as it integrates production from Goodyear’s OTR business.
- The two projects represent $245 million in planned investment and nearly 20,000 tons of annual production capacity.
- Both plants are scheduled to begin construction in the third quarter of 2026, with production expected to start in 2028.
Yokohama Rubber Co. Ltd. will build two new mining and construction machinery tire plants — one in India and one in Mexico — as it works to integrate the OTR tire business it acquired from Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.
The new plants are designed to take over a portion of OTR tire production currently outsourced to Goodyear plants in Europe, the United States and other regions. Yokohama Rubber also plans to install new production equipment at the plants to increase capacity for giant, ultra-large OTR tires.
Together, the two projects represent $245 million in planned capital investment and nearly 20,000 tons of annual production capacity, based on rubber weight.
The investment follows Yokohama Rubber’s February 2025 acquisition of Goodyear’s OTR tire business, which the company has identified as one of the strategic investments supporting its Yokohama Transformation 2026 medium-term management plan.
India plant to open in 2028
Yokohama Rubber’s new greenfield plant in India will be built in Gopalpur in Odisha.
The company plans to invest $130 million in the facility, which will produce tires for mining and construction machinery. The plant will have an annual production capacity of 9,150 tons, based on rubber weight.
Construction is scheduled to begin in the third quarter of 2026. Production is expected to start in the third quarter of 2028.
The India plant will assume a portion of the OTR tire production Yokohama Rubber currently outsources to Goodyear plants.
Mexico plant to expand existing site
Yokohama Rubber also will build a new brownfield OHT plant in Saltillo, Coahuila, Mexico, on the same site as a passenger car tire plant currently under construction.
The new OHT plant will be part of a Phase 2 expansion of that site. Yokohama Rubber plans to invest $115 million in the project.
The Mexico plant will produce tires for mining, construction and agricultural machinery. It will have annual production capacity of 10,650 tons, based on rubber weight. That total includes tires for agricultural machinery that were previously produced at Yokohama TWS’ Spartanburg plant until March 2025.
Construction is scheduled to begin in the third quarter of 2026, with production expected to start in the second quarter of 2028.
Like the India plant, the Mexico facility will take over a portion of OTR tire production currently outsourced to Goodyear.
Yokohama builds out OHT network
In addition to the two new plants, Yokohama Rubber says it is gradually transferring OTR tire production from Goodyear plants to an OTR tire plant in Romania that it acquired in May 2025, as well as to existing production sites in Japan, the Czech Republic and India.
The company says the expanded production network is designed to help it capture more value from the Goodyear OTR acquisition while strengthening its position in OHT tires.
“By building a strong product lineup and expanding its production and supply capacity in all OHT categories, including OTR tires, Yokohama Rubber aims to strengthen the market position and competitiveness of its OHT business and increase its overall corporate value,” the company said.