OREANDA-NEWS. In a move to further strengthen its global presence, the Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd., announced that it will establish a sales subsidiary in Singapore. The wholly-owned subsidiary, named the Yokohama Industrial Products Asia-Pacific Pte. Ltd., will serve as the sales and marketing base for the company’s Industrial Products Group in the Southeast Asia, Pacific and South Asia regions. Operations are expected to start in April of this year.

The new subsidiary will provide dedicated market-based activities for industrial products including conveyor belts, marine hoses, pneumatic fenders, hydraulic hoses and sealants for construction. The new firm will be comprised of area-focused sales and technical services teams, improving Yokohama’s customer satisfaction and expanding business across the thriving regions of the world.

Prior to Yokohama Industrial Products Asia-Pacific Pte. Ltd. in Singapore, Yokohama Rubber had two other sales subsidiaries outside of Japan: the Yokohama Industrial Products Sales - Shanghai Co., Ltd., established in China in 2011 and the Yokohama Industrial Products Europe, GmbH established in Germany in 2009.

In its mid-term management plan called the Grand Design 100, Yokohama Rubber aims to increase the overseas sales ratio within its entire non-tire business, which includes industrial products, aircraft fixtures components and golf equipment, from 33% to 50% by 2017. The establishment of the three overseas companies will serve as a platform for achieving this business goal.