Yokohama Rubber has announced plans to expand the motorsports tire production capacity at its Mishima Plant in Mishima City, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan.
The company will invest approximately ¥3.8bn (US$24.5m) in a new production line dedicated to manufacturing 18in and larger motorsports tires. Construction is set to begin in the third quarter of 2024, with production on the new line expected to commence by late 2026 and reach full capacity by the third quarter of 2027.
Yokohama says this expansion is set to increase the plant’s motorsports tire production capacity by 35%.
The decision to expand comes in response to a strong increase in orders for Yokohama Rubber’s high-performance Advan tires, which have received high evaluations in motorsports markets both in Japan and internationally. This surge in demand has led to a chronic order backlog, which Yokohama says has prompted the company to increase production capacity to meet current and anticipated future demand for Advan tires, particularly the highly regarded Advan A052.
