Yokohama Hydex Co., a subsidiary of The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd., has reached an agreement with Manuli Automotive International S.A., a subsidiary of Manuli Rubber Industries S.p.A., an Italian company that makes and sells automotive and hydraulic hoses, to develop automotive hoses and metal fittings that are based on common specifications. The agreement is to respond the needs expressed by a general trend in the car industry toward global sourcing through international partnership. The two companies plan to expand the scope of their collaboration in the automotive sector in the future.

Yokohama Hydex is the leading company of automotive and hydraulic hoses in Japan and operates in collaboration with Yokohama Rubber that makes rubber hoses. In addition to its two Japanese plants that make metal fittings and assembly them with hoses, Yokohama Hydex has a plant for metal fittings production and their assembly in the United Stases and an assembly plant in Thailand and is building up an international supply chain.

Manuli Automotive S.A. is a company specialized in the production and sale of automotive metal fittings and hose assemblies. The company is ranked number one in terms of market shares for automotive hoses in Europe and supplies its products to major European car manufacturers. It has a hose plant in Italy, metal fittings and assembly plants in Italy, France, Holland, Poland and assembly plants in Spain and Brazil.

The tieup between Manuli Automotive S.A. and Yokohama Hydex allows the two companies to have a partner respectively in Europe and in Japan strengthening their capability of supplying products internationally.

Paid-in capital: 490 million yen (as of March 31, 2001)
Net sales: 21.3 billion yen (FY2001)
Representative director:Takeshi Takao
Founded: 1973
Ownership: 100% by The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd.
Line of business:Development of hydraulic hoses for automobiles and construction
machinery; Manufacture, assembly and sale of metal fittings
Headquarters: Tokyo
Plants: Japan (2), The USA and Thailand
Website: www.yrc.co.jp/hydex

Paid-in capital: 5.017.905,72 euro (as of March 31, 2001)
Net sales:359 million euro (FY2001)
Representative director: Aldo Occari
Founded: 1935
Ownership:100% by Manuli Rubber Industries S.p.A., a company which is listed at the Italian Stock Exchange
Line of business:Manufacture, assembly and sale of hydraulic hose and metal fittings for automobiles
Headquarter: Milan, Italy
Plants: Italy (3), France. Spain, Holland, Poland and Brazil
Website:www.manulirubber.com