BUNGOTAKADA CITY, Japan (Dec. 15, 2008)—Tokai Rubber Industries has opened a plant in Japan to make automotive anti-vibration rubber and resin hoses.
The company invested about $92 million in the facility at the Oita Northern Core Industrial Park in Bungotakada City, Oita Prefecture.
Using the latest equipment, TRI Kyushu Ltd. aims to be Tokai's most advanced production site, and is said to be competitive with low-cost countries. The site continues Tokai's eco-friendly stance and serves as a model plant to realize technical innovation. Its operation techniques will later be extended to the entire TRI Group.
The unit has a floor area of 188,400 square feet, and Tokai expects to generate about $110 million per year in sales from the unit. It plans to employ 200 in the next three years.