By Denna Bowman

Yokohama has replaced Avon as the new tyres supplier for FIA Formula 2 Championship.

The news, which was announced at the AUTOSPORT International Show yesterday, means that the partnership between F2 and Avon - which has supplied rubber for the past three years - has come to an end.

Jonathan Palmer, series chief, said: “We’re delighted to confirm our new partnership between Formula 2 and Yokohama.

“Given the impressive results achieved in testing so far we’re confident our new tyres will deliver enhanced performance both in terms of pace and also consistency, which is crucial in maintaining the completely equal environment of F2.

“We’re now looking forward to working with Yokohama on further developments ahead of the season opener at Silverstone in April.”

Series champion Mirko Bortolotti, who has carried out tests on the new tyres, added: “The car felt good and performed really well. The new tyres perfectly suit the car and react well offering increased grip, even at Barcelona which is very hard on tyres.”

With environmental issues becoming increasingly important to consumers, Yokohoma is exhibiting its eco-friendly range of tyres at EVER Monaco 2011 - the Ecological Vehicles and Renewable Energies International Conference and Exhibition.

The Japanese tyres manufacturer is displaying the BluEarth-1, the first product in its new eco tyres series BluEarth, which will be released in Europe next month.

According to Yokohama: “BluEarth-1, the flagship model of the series, delivers performance friendly to people, including a more comfortable, quieter ride and reduced tire noise outside the car, in addition to high levels of both environmental performance and safety.

“Based on its environmentally, human and socially friendly concept, the BluEarth series aim to reduce specific burdens on drivers, passengers and surrounding living environments while realising both improved fuel efficiency through reduced rolling resistance and superior safety performance. Yokohama Rubber plans to expand its marketing of the BluEarth series worldwide.”

EVER Monaco, which runs from March 31 through April 3 in the Principality of Monaco, was launched in 2006 with the support of HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco.

It consists of an eco car section displaying electric vehicles (EVs), hybrid cars, fuel cell electric vehicles and related parts, and a renewable energy section featuring technologies using natural energies.

Last year, about 70 companies and organisations exhibited, drawing about 10,000 visitors.

Denna Bowman, Head Office

By Denna Bowman

Tyresafe, the UK’s leading online tyres safety organisation, is proud to announce that Yokohama has extended its commitment to their cause.

The tyres manufacturer has upgraded from being an associate member of the group to taking a more active role as a full member - which includes taking a seat on the TyreSafe board.

Stuart Jackson, chairman of the not-for-profit group, said: “We are delighted that Yokohama has upgraded to full membership of TyreSafe and we look forward to their increased involvement.

“Their decision shows that TyreSafe is making a genuine contribution to improving road safety and delivering fantastic value for its members. With its wealth of knowledge and sector expertise, I am confident that Yokohama’s involvement will help our campaigns become even more effective.”

Yokohama’s experience will be used to assist and support a wide range of campaigns from TyreSafe.

While it is best known for its motorsport and high performance tyres, it also develops products for vans, 4×4s and produces a range of ‘green’ tyres.

Its products have been chosen as original equipment by some of the world’s leading vehicle manufacturers such as Lexus, Mercedes-Benz, Toyota and Volkswagen, who are all also members of TyreSafe.

David Seward, managing director of Yokohama HPT Ltd, paid tribute to the safety organisation. He said: “Tyresafe has quite rightly gained an enviable reputation, delivering the message of tyre safety to a wide audience and as a consequence, our roads are a safer place.

“Yokohama is therefore proud to have become a full member and we look forward to our increased participation.”

By Denna Bowman

Yokohama has revealed it received an “‘excellent response” to its winter tyres which were released in the UK last year.

The W.drive V902A was being warmly received by British motorists even before the cold snap last November, according to the company’s UK distributor Yokohama HPT.

A report published by Tyrepress.com explains: “The consensus among those companies selling winter tyres into the British market seems to suggest that this year has seen significant growth, a development predicted in tyrepress.com articles since last year’s cold snap.

“While last winter’s snowy and icy conditions left many drivers stranded and while the early snow and ice also caused problems last November, motorists were more prepared than ever before. This was borne out by what YHPT terms “the excellent response to the introduction of the W.drive range to the UK.”

“The company has begun its attempts to differentiate its winter range from other seasonal products, stating that the W.drive are designed to give drivers “much more traction than a comparably-sized summer equivalent” in “all conditions”, not just when there is snow and ice on the roads.

“Yokohama says its winter tyres’ advanced compound responds to a wide range of temperature zones, providing better performance under various winter conditions. The tread pattern is designed to cope with wet and dry surfaces as well as snow and ice.”

The W.drive V902A has received plaudits from the German motoring organisation ADAC and luxury car manufacturers, including Audi, Bentley and Mercedes AMG have all adopted Yokohama winter tyres as original equipment.

By Denna Bowman

Yokohama tyres are celebrating winning another original fitment for Audi.

This time the Yokohama Advan Sport is being fitted on the new Audi A7 Sportback. The premium luxury, four-door coupe will be supplied with size 265/35R20 99Y XL tyres on the front and rear.

The Audi A7 Sportback was released in Europe in autumn of 2010 and will be available worldwide in 2011.

It is the fourth Audi model to have Yokohama tyres fitted as original equipment, joining the S6 and S8 in Audi AG’s top-class S series, and the Audi Q7, a large, high-performance SUV.

The Advan Sport is also OE on the Porsche 911 Carrera 4 and Cayenne; the Bentley Motors Continental series; and Mercedes-Benz AMG models.

Yokohama Rubber Co. Ltd. developed the Advan OE tyre jointly with Audi and it bears the mark “AO” (Audi Original) on its sidewall, indicating the approval of the tyre by Audi.

Well done to Yokohama tyres which held its annual LIVEecoMOTION charity event in partnership with MTV to raise funds for the World Wildlife Fund for Nature Japan.

The tyres manufacturer and the music and entertainment company held the “one coin” live charity show on 1st October.

The event - which gets its name from the fact it only charged an admission fee of a single 500-yen coin - raised nearly 500,000 yen in admission fees and another 37,280 yen in on-site contributions.

Held annually since 2007, Yokohama said the event “provides time and motivation to think about ecology together with participating artists, and the total of admission fees and collected donations is given to WWF for its activities.”

In addition, an event t-shirt autographed by all of the artists who participated in this year’s event will be presented to three contributors chosen in a draw.

The proceeds donated to WWF will be channeled into the organisation’s activities aimed at combating global warming.

Denna Bowman, Head Office

By Oliver Hall

Yokohama has announced it returned to profitability in its first trading quarter of 2010.

The Japanese tyres manufacturer posted a net income of 1.6 billion yen on net sales of 117.4 billion yen for the period ending June 30, 2010, compared to a net loss of 1.8 billion yen on sales of 95.1 billion yen for the same period last year.

The results account for a recorded net income of $18 million on net sales of $1.3 billion for the first quarter.

According to Yokohama, “a strong turnaround in operating profitability” drove the company’s return to prosperity, thanks to “strong growth” in tyre unit sales.

The company stated: “Profitability improved as an upturn in capacity utilisation and progress in cutting costs more than offset the adverse effects of rising raw material costs and the appreciation of the yen.”

Tyre group sales rose 25.5%, to 92.6 billion yen. Yokohama’s unit sales in Japan increased in the replacement and original equipment markets; the company also posted unit sales gains in overseas tyre markets, led by growth in North America and Asia.

By Denna Bowman

Yokohama winter tyres are available in the UK for the first time, according to Tyres and Accessories magazine.

The range of W.drive winter tyres have already been adopted by vehicle manufacturers, including Audi, Bentley, Lotus and Mercedes AMG, as winter options.

Their popularity is further endorsed by recommendations from motoring organisations around Europe.

The W.drive range is designed to provide grip and safety on snow and ice and allow drivers to maintain control in all conditions.

The W.drive (V902) has been developed specifically to deal with snow and ice conditions, providing drivers of passenger cars and SUVs with the levels of grip and safety expected from Yokohama in these most tricky of road conditions.

The tread patterns, construction and compounds have been created to provide grip on snow and ice – two very different conditions from a tyre’s point of view. The inner tread blocks provide grip on snow, while the radial grooves help to clear loose or slushy snow, enabling the tyre to contact the road directly where possible.

The design of the sipes, or smaller grooves, creates lots of edges that generate grip on ice while the larger outer tread blocks provide grip and stability on dry or wet roads.

Yokohama claims the result is a tyre that provides the driver with confidence and security throughout the winter whatever the conditions. It adds that the W.drive outperforms the company’s previous winter tyre in all respects and its low rolling resistance fits within Yokohama’s commitment to improving the environment by reducing vehicle fuel consumption.

The W.drive is available now in the UK in a range of sizes for 15 to 20-inch rim diameters, including the 16-inch run-flat option for the Mini. Prices start at £50 excluding VAT.

By Oliver Hall

Yokohama has announced that its tyres plant in the Philippines has achieved what it describes as ‘comprehensive zero emissions’ in June 2010.

The company’s site for production and the sale of passenger car tyres was subjected to on-site
investigations of all contractors commissioned to dispose of waste from the plant (based on the disposal flowchart of each contractor), confirming achievement of “complete zero emissions.”

By Yokohama’s reckoning, “complete zero emissions” means no waste is subject to direct landfill disposal.

The company began efforts towards “zero emissions” – which translates as landfill disposal of less than 1 per cent of total waste - in 2006. The campaign began with the recycling of paper waste from offices, and the company carried out Recycle Collection Events of recyclable resources that grew to include PET bottles, plastic containers and used cans, separated and collected by each department or manufacturing process.

In November 2009, a team of Zero Emission Responsible Officers (ZERO) representing each department and manufacturing process was formed to promote zero emissions activities, including monthly patrols. In this way, the entire company, with the participation of each of its employees, worked to achieve the goal via thorough, affirmative separation of recyclable resources.

The next target is to achieve “100 per cent waste recycling”, which means no waste generated in the course of business activities is subject to landfill disposal or incineration “without effective utilisation.”

By Oliver Hall

Yokohama is the latest tyres company to announce it is increasing prices on consumer tyres in the US.

The tyres manufacturer is hiking prices by up to 8 percent, effective from 1 June due to the escalating costs of raw materials, manufacturing and transportation.

The price rise affects passenger, performance and light truck tyres.

Shawn Denlein, Yokohoma director or sales, consumer products, said: “Raising prices is always a difficult decision.

“We’ve been doing our best to contain our costs but the continued rise in raw materials, energy and transportation must, unfortunately, be reflected in Yokohama’s pricing.”

“We work hard to keep costs down while bringing the best products to market at competitive prices,” added Jim MacMaster, Yokohama executive vice president and COO.

“Even with our operational efficiencies, environmental procedures and the latest technologies, today’s tough business climate makes it a challenge to contain costs.”

Bridgestone, Continental, Goodyear and Michelin have already announced similar rises earlier this month due to the rising cost of materials.