Yokohama launches made for India tyres, the Earth-1

In an effort to increase its footprint in important developing markets, Yokohama has launched its first ‘made for India’ range of tyres, dubbed the Earth-1. The Japanese tyre maker claims to have studied typical Indian road conditions extensively before developing these tyres to offer optimum durability, fuel efficiency and comfort. The sidewalls are thicker to offer better durability and have been developed using special compound rubber that enhances efficiency. The shoulders have been designed to take battering from broken roads besides making the tyres quieter, while the grooves feature a special design to offer better grip in wet conditions.

The tyres are available in as many as 25 sizes for 13-, 14- and 15-inch wheels across the country. Currently the tyres are being manufactured in the Philippines and imported into the country, but Yokohama plans to manufacture them locally July 2014 onwards at a brand new plant to reduce costs and boost growth. Construction of phase 1 of the new manufacturing unit has already cost Rs 275.4 crore and Yokohama is expected to use this plant to produce more made-in-India, for-India tyres. The factory will have an initial capacity of 2,000 tyres per day though at full capacity, the facility will be able to churn out seven lakh tyres annually.