Tokyo - The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd., today announced that its U.S. affiliate YH America, Inc. would significantly enhance its power steering (PS) hose business in the U.S.

In the changing U.S. automotive market environment, no company can survive the PS hose market without high product quality and cost competitiveness. Recognizing this situation as an opportunity for improving its position in the market, YH America increased its production capacity in May of this year by leasing a plant in South Carolina. This move is expected to achieve the top position in the ranking of PS hose market in the U.S.

Headquartered in Kentucky, YH America assembles and sells power steering hoses, air-conditioning hoses and make and sell adhesives for automotive window frames and lamps to the Big Three and Japanese automakers in the U.S. It employs approximately 400 Americans and recorded sales of approximately 63 million dollars in 2008.