OREANDA-NEWS. The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd., announced today that its Chinese tire manufacturing and sales subsidiary, Hangzhou Yokohama Tire Co., Ltd., was certified as a Hangzhou City Environmental Education Base by the authorities in Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province, on November 26.

About 300,000 companies presently have operations in Hangzhou City, but only 30 of these companies have been certified as Environmental Education Bases. Moreover, it is very unusual for a manufacturing company to receive the certification; the Yokohama Rubber subsidiary is now one of only four manufacturers in this elite group. Moreover, this marks the second time in two years that Hangzhou Yokohama Tire's efforts to protect the environment have been recognized. In 2013, the company was certified as an Environmental Education Base by the Hangzhou Economic and Technological Development Zone, where the company's facilities are located.

One of the basic policies of Yokohama Rubber's current medium-term management plan, entitled "Grand Design 100", is for the company to "assert world-class strengths in technologies for protecting the environment". As a result, all group companies in Japan and other countries are striving to achieve higher levels of environmental management. In line with this policy, Hangzhou Yokohama Tire has stepped up its own efforts to contribute to a sound environment.

Since 2011, Hangzhou Yokohama Tire has cooperated with Hangzhou City's environmental protection policy, investing more than RMB20 million in environment-friendly facilities, including the introduction of deodorizing and dust emission purification equipment to the mixing and vulcanization process lines at the tire manufacturing plant and the construction of on-site sewage treatment facilities.

On World Environment Day 2014 (June 5), Hangzhou Yokohama Tire held an external event to promote environmental protection, with the specific theme of "Protecting the cleanliness of our rivers". Meanwhile, inside the company, they started a "recycle water" project to promote reduced use of water at the plant's production lines and at employees' homes. The project has succeeded in reducing water usage by 10,000 tons during 2014. In addition, Hangzhou Yokohama Tire is educating local residents and students about the environment. The company's employees designed and constructed the "Yokohama Tire Garden" as a facility where plant visitors can learn about the environment while enjoying the garden's facilities. The company's programs for local students include a video introducing the tire manufacturing process and the creation of an environmental education program.

Hangzhou Yokohama Tire was established in January 2002 and began tire production in May 2003. The company manufactures and sells OEM and replacement tires for passenger cars and SUVs. In January 2015, its total tire output since the start of operations is expected to reach the 30 million milestone. Hangzhou Yokohama Tire employs 1,350 people as of December 2014.