Tokyo – The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd., announced today that its Italian marine hose subsidiary, Yokohama Industrial Products Italy S.r.l. (YI-IT), will begin production and sales of the Company’s Seaflex brand marine hoses used during marine transport of crude oil and petroleum products. The plant was recently certified as compliant with GMPHOM 2009, a standard established by the Oil Companies International Marine Forum (OCIMF) in its Guide to Manufacturing and Purchasing Hoses for Offshore Moorings, 5th edition (2009). Production and sales by the Italian subsidiary will reduce exposure to foreign exchange risk, strengthening the hoses competitiveness in Africa and the Middle East, where the YI-IT plans to expand sales. The Italian plant becomes the second Yokohama Rubber plant to receive GMPHOM 2009 certification, with the other being the Company’s Hiratsuka Factory in Japan.

Yokohama Rubber’s Multiple Business (MB) Group is endeavoring to expand overseas sales of its products, which include hydraulic hoses, conveyor belts, and marine products such as hoses and pneumatic fenders. The MB Group plans to raise its overseas sales ratio to 50% by fiscal 2017. As part of that plan, the group is currently constructing a marine products plant on the island of Batam in Indonesia. This plant will manufacture marine hoses and pneumatic fenders and plans to obtain local certification of the Seaflex brand during 2016, making it the third Group plant to receive certification and establishing a global supply structure for Seaflex brand hoses with production and sales bases in Japan, Italy, and Indonesia.

The Company acquired the Italian marine hose manufacturing and sales company Parker MHP S.r.l. from its U.S. parent company Parker Hannifin Corporation in September 2014 and changed its name to Yokohama Industrial Products Italy S.r.l. (YI-IT). The acquisition included the ISOLA brand of marine hoses, which Yokohama Rubber continues to manufacture and sell through its overseas sales offices.