LIPETSK, Russia—The Yokohama Rubber Co. Ltd.'s Russian manufacturing and sales subsidiary, L.L.C. Yokohama R.P.Z., held a ceremony earlier this month in which about 1,700 trees were planted.
The ceremony, a first-stage planting that is part of the Yokohama Rubber Group's worldwide Yokohama Forever Forest Project, was held at the plant's grounds in the Special Economic Zone of Lipestk. Six varieties of trees were planted, suitable to the Lipetsk region.
Among the 283 who attended were local government and business officials, supporters of the special economic zone, company employees and their families.
The project dates from 2007, with the goal of planting 500,000 trees at domestic and overseas production sites by the company's 100th anniversary in 2017.
The tree-planting method used by the company was developed by Akira Miyawaki, plant ecologist and professor emeritus of Yokohama National University. The Lipetsk planting at brings the total number of trees planted under the Yokohama Forever Forest Project to 315,000 as of October 2013.
L.L.C. Yokohama R.P.Z. was established in December 2008 to initiate tire production in Russia. It has been manufacturing tires since the completion of its plant in May, 2012. The plant produces passenger car and studded tires, both of which are available in 13-18 inch diameters and are sold in Russia.