Yokohama investing $24 million to increase motorsports tire capacity

HIRATSUKA, Japan—Yokohama Rubber Co. Ltd. will invest $24.3 million to expand motorsports tire production capacity at its Mishima plant in the Shizuoka Prefecture of Japan.

The investment will support a new line that will produce 18-inch and larger diameter motorsports tires, expanding the plant's capacity by 35 percent, according to the company's May 14 news release.

Construction is slated to begin in the third quarter of this year with production on the new line beginning near the end of 2026, Yokohama said. It anticipates the line will be brought up to full capacity in the third quarter of 2027.

The decision to expand motorsports capacity, Yokohama said, was brought on by a "strong increase in orders that has created a chronic order backlog" as the company expands its sales of its high-performance Advan tires.

"Yokohama Rubber, therefore, has decided to expand production capacity to meet current demand and an expected increase in demand in the future."

The tire maker added that the expansion will support increased sales of its Advan tires, including the Advan A052.

In Yokohama's latest three-year consumer tire strategy, "Yokohama Transformation 2026" (TX2026), the tire maker disclosed plans to "maximize the sales ratios of high value-added tires." This includes expanding sales of the Advan- and Geolander-branded tires for SUVs, pickup trucks, winter tires and 18-inch and larger tires.

The company also is focusing on "strengthening the development, supply and sales of tires that respond to specific trends in each regional market."