ONE of Clark Freeport’s leading manufacturing firms has pledged to donate tires for the emergency service vehicles of host communities to support the Covid-19 and emergency response during this time of pandemic.
As part of the celebrations for its 25th anniversary, Yokohama Tires Philippines Inc. (YTPI) will also be donating printing materials to nearby public schools that are currently under the modular learning system due to the pandemic.
“YTPI has come so far in the past 25 years. I am humbled and grateful for the support the company and our team have received over the years. Despite the global pandemic, I feel blessed that we have grown YTPI into a business that can give back,” said YTPI President and CEO Tetsuya Nagao in a statement.
Nagao, joined by YTPI Executive Vice President for Administration Division Kazutoshi Morimoto and Vice President for Administration Division Angelina Casasola recently paid a call on Mayor Crisostomo Garbo to announce their support in the city’s management and fight against Covid.
Mabalacat provides majority of YTPI’s 3,000 workers being the host city. YTPI has also conducted various Corporate Social Responsibility programs not just for this city but also for adjoining Angeles City.
“We are thankful to Clark locators like Yokohama as they not only provide jobs to local communities but they also join hands with us in this fight against the pandemic,” Garbo said.
During its early operations, YTPI first been producing 5,000 tires per day, increasing this to 27,000 tires at current level. It is considered one of the largest tire manufacturers in the Asia-Pacific region. It has become a strategic and vital subsidiary of Yokohama Rubber Corporation of Japan. YTPI is essential to the distribution of high-performance passenger car radial and recreational vehicle tires locally as well as in North America, Europe and other parts of Asia.
Over the years, tire demand and industry growth have resulted in YTPI’s several business expansions marking the company’s focus to proceed in several phases. On June 9, 2003, Phase II expansion started to ramp up production to 10,000 tires per day. Two years after, the company started the construction of its Phase III expansion, increasing production by 70 percent. 2008 was a banner year as YTPI set a record by producing 22,000 tires in a day.
In 2011, YTPI officially started building the West Plant. The expansion move increased the company’s total land area from 16.5 hectares to 44.7 hectares. It also ramped up production resulting in a huge increase of the company’s manpower. By 2014, the second and last phase of YTPI’s West Plant Expansion was finally completed.
Despite the fire that razed its East Plant on May 14, 2017, YTPI has been resilient and has since rebuilt and boosted its tire production. A year after the unfortunate event, YTPI manufactured its 100,000,000th tire.
“Credit goes to every diligent employee who gave their all day in and day out. Their commitment and dedication to build quality tires that people can trust can only be matched with an unquenchable thirst for success,” said Nagao.
The tire manufacturer has also obtained ISO 9001 in 1998 for the Quality Management System and ISO 14001 certification in 2000 for the Environmental Management System. Moreover, in 2010, the Occupation Health and Safety Management System (OHSAS 18001) certification was given to the company. A tire produced from YTPI guarantees that it has been manufactured abiding by the international standards of quality, and safety.