Yokohama Rubber Co. Ltd. (TYO:5101) has released its business results for the combined first three quarters (January–September) of the fiscal year ending Dec. 31, 2017, showing strong performance. For this period, the company reported 466.79 billion yen ($4.12 billion) in net sales, up 13.8 percent year-on-year, and 26.38 billion yen in operating profit, up 39.7 percent. Meanwhile, ordinary profit was...
Tires
New Volkswagen Polo Comes With Falken Tires
Sumitomo Rubber Industries Ltd. (TYO:5110) recently announced that Volkwagen AG has chosen a range of Falken tires as OEM for the sixth-generation Polo, which launched last month. The tires being supplied are the Azenis FK453, Sincera SN832A Ecorun, Ziex ZE914A Ecorun and Eurowinter HS449. Commenting on this OEM business, Christian Stolting, Key Account Manager OE at Falken Tyre Europe GmbH,...

Bridgestone’s Foamed Rubber Technology Driving Force Behind Blizzak Studless Tires
Bridgestone Corp.’s (TYO:5108) Blizzak studless tires have for the 16th consecutive year been the most popular tire choice for passenger cars in five major cities within the Hokkaido and Northern Tohoku regions, which see heavy snowfall. The tires possess overwhelming market strength in these cities, where they are installed on approximately half of all passenger cars. At the core of...
Sumitomo Rubber Displays Airless Tires at Tokyo Motor Show
Sumitomo Rubber Industries Co. (TYO:5110) is exhibiting concept tires under the Dunlop and Falken brands at the 45th Tokyo Motor Show 2017 held at Tokyo Big Sight. One of these tires, seen right, is the company’s airless Gyroblade tire, which has a tread pattern and unique zig-zag spoke configuration designed for the special characteristics of concept cars. The tire reduces...
Sumitomo Rubber Supplies Subaru With Tires for New Crosstrek
Sumitomo Rubber Industries Ltd. (TYO:5110) has begun supplying Falken Ziex ZE001 A/S tires to Subaru Corp. (TYO:7270) for use as factory-standard tires on their new model Crosstrek, known as XV in Japan, which went on sale in the North American market in September. The Falken Ziex ZE001 A/S is an all-season tire that has been developed to maximize the performance...

Michelin Japan Receives Good Design Award for Studless Tire
Nihon Michelin Tire Co. Ltd. announced that it received the 2017 Good Design Award (G Mark) for the Agilis X-Ice commercial vehicle studless tire as chosen by the Japan Institute of Design Promotion. Michelin has been studying weather conditions in Japan for 35 years as part of continued studless tire development. The experience and proven results Michelin has cultivated over...