Toyo Tire Corp. is elevating its Americas business within its global organization as the tiremaker looks to strengthen execution of its growth strategy in one of its most important markets.

Effective Oct. 1, Toyo’s Americas Sales Division will become the Americas Business Headquarters and will report directly to Toyo Tire Corp. President and CEO Takashi Shimizu. The company says the restructuring is intended to strengthen execution of priorities contained in its five-year Mid-Term ’26 Plan.

The move comes as North America continues to generate a significant portion of Toyo’s revenue. During the second quarter, North America was Toyo’s largest revenue-generating region, with sales of $1.27 billion, up 4.9% from the same period in 2025. Toyo recorded $1.8 billion in total second-quarter net sales, up 0.3%.

The company’s tire business generated $1.5 billion in second-quarter revenue, though tire unit sales declined due to weak markets and operating income in the tire segment dropped 22.6% year over year to $230.7 million. Toyo also lowered its full-year sales forecast to approximately $5.7 billion.

Developing its Americas business

As part of the restructuring, Toyo will also rename its Americas Sales Department the Americas Business Development Department and move it into the new Americas Business Headquarters.

Kenji Kubo, currently division general manager of Toyo’s Americas Sales Division, will become general manager of the Americas Business Development Department.

Tatsuo Mitsuhata, a senior corporate officer who currently serves as chairman and CEO of Toyo Tire Holdings of Americas Inc., will become vice president of the new Americas Business Headquarters. He will also become representative director and CEO of Toyo Tire Holdings of Americas while continuing as president and CEO of Toyo Tire North America OE Sales LLC.

The organizational changes come as Toyo continues to invest in its North American manufacturing and product portfolio.

Earlier this year, Graber told MTD that Toyo has begun renovating its tire plant in White, Ga., as part of an investment designed to increase capacity and enable the company to manufacture more premium tires for the U.S. market. Toyo also operates an R&D center at the site.

“We’re trying to use that plant to make high-quality, high-value tires for the U.S. market,” Graber told MTD in June, adding that additional investment in the plant is underway.

The White plant recently produced its 100 millionth tire.

Toyo navigates a softer tire market

The added focus on the Americas also comes as Toyo works through softer replacement tire demand.

Graber told MTD at mid-year that tariffs and broader economic pressures were weighing on demand and contributing to consumers moving toward lower tire price tiers. He also said dealers were closely managing inventories to conserve cash. Despite those pressures, Toyo had maintained its market share and was gaining share in the all-terrain and mud-terrain light truck segments.

Toyo has continued to position itself primarily as a tier-two consumer tire brand, while Graber said the company views its Open Country light truck products as competing at a tier-one level.

The company also has been expanding its North American product lineup. Toyo introduced the M165 commercial van tire for last-mile delivery applications earlier this year and has been preparing launches of the Proxes Sport R extreme-performance tire and a broadline grand touring tire.

Leadership changes at Nitto

The restructuring also includes changes within Toyo’s North American subsidiary network.

Keiko Brockel, currently president and CEO of Nitto Tire U.S.A. Inc., will become president and CEO of Toyo Tire Holdings of Americas Inc. Angelo Naval, currently Nitto Tire U.S.A.’s vice president of sales and business strategy, will succeed Brockel as president and CEO of Nitto Tire U.S.A.

The changes also take effect Oct. 1.