Tokyo - The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd., today announced that its subsidiary Yokohama Tire Manufacturing (Thailand) Co., Ltd., held the grand opening ceremony on July 15 at its new plant. This subsidiary manufactures and sells truck and bus steel radial tires. Production began in April 2005. The official opening was timed to coincide with the start of shipments. Around 200 people attended the ceremony. They included representatives of Japanese and overseas tire sales companies and Japanese automakers, and Tadanobu Nagumo, president of The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd.

Mr. Nagumo said in his speech that: "The new facility's mission will be to fulfill our commitment to provide the best products at competitive prices and on time. We will accordingly cultivate Yokohama Tire Manufacturing (Thailand) so that it becomes our largest comprehensive tire production base outside Japan."

Yokohama Tire Manufacturing (Thailand) was established in January 2004. The first phase of construction finished on schedule in April 2005, resulting in an annual production capacity of 350,000 tires. The facility will export these products to replacement markets outside Japan, including Europe, North America, and Oceania. A second-phase expansion plan will expand production capacity to 700,000 tires a year.

In December 2004, Yokohama Tire Manufacturing (Thailand) purchased adjacent land to double its plant site area. The goal is to build a plant with an annual capacity of 1.4 million passenger car and light truck tires by November 2006. Second and third stage expansions are planned thereafter.

January 2004

1.5 billion yen (95% from The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd. and 5% from T. Siam Commercial Co., Ltd., a distributor in Thailand)

Hisakuni Yamashita (from The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd.)

Amata City Industrial Estate, Rayong Province, Thailand

417,427 square meters

Truck and bus steel radial tires

350,000 tires annually

300 (by end of 2005)

5.5 billion yen (for first phase of truck and bus steel radial tire plant)