The Yokohama Rubber Co Ltd has entered into a share purchase agreement with the Swedish-based Trelleborg AB to acquire all outstanding shares of Trelleborg Wheel Systems Holding AB (TWS), a company engaged in the manufacture and sale of off-highway tyres (OHT) for agricultural and industrial machinery. TWS’s enterprise value is EUR 2,040 million. 

Yokohama Rubber said in a statement that the acquisition is scheduled to be completed in the latter half of 2022. The acquisition’s impact on Yokohama Rubber’s consolidated financial results is currently under examination, it said. 

Yokohama Rubber is currently implementing its Yokohama Transformation 2023 (YX2023) medium-term management plan for fiscal years 2021–2023.  

The TWS acquisition will contribute to the expansion of Yokohama Rubber’s OHT business, which YX2023 has positioned as a future growth driver for the company’s commercial tyre business. The ratio of consumer tyres to commercial tyres in today’s global tyre market is 1:1, but Yokohama Rubber’s tyre business sales are more heavily weighted toward consumer tyres, with a 2:1 ratio versus commercial tyres, the release pointed out. To bring the sales composition of its tyre business more in line with the overall market and secure the business’ stability and earnings growth, one of the key challenges facing Yokohama Rubber’s commercial tyre business is the growth of an OHT business capable of securing stably high earnings. The TWS acquisition will not only help Yokohama Rubber’s tyre business achieve a more optimal sales composition, but it will also strengthen the company’s commercial tyre business in each of the four thematic areas set forth in YX2023—product lineup, cost, service, and DX, the company said. 

TWS sales in fiscal 2021 totalled about YEN 129.0 billion, accounting for about 30 per cent of Trelleborg AB’s consolidated sales. Over the past 10 years, TWS has expanded its sales by 2.6 times and more than tripled EBIT (earnings before interest and taxes). While expanding sales it has sustained stably high profitability, with its EBIT ratio continuously above 10 per cent, the release said. 

Of tyres manufactured and sold by TWS, agricultural tyres account for about 60 per cent and industrial tyres about 20 per cent, with the remainder being tyres for construction machinery and motorcycles. TWS has 14 manufacturing plants in nine countries — seven in Europe (Italy, Latvia, Serbia, Slovenia, and three in the Czech Republic), two in the United States, one in Brazil, and four in Asia (two in China and two in Sri Lanka). About 70 per cent of its sales are in Europe. (TT)

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Prinx Chengshan took part in the SHACMAN Group Worldwide Partnership Conference in Xi'an on 15–16 October, where dealers, key accounts and industry partners from across the globe gathered. The company attended as a core strategic partner of SHACMAN and acted as exclusive tyre sponsor of the vehicle stunt show, joining domestic and international customers to examine fresh opportunities in the global commercial vehicle sector and help shape a new model of collaborative industry growth.

Cooperation between the two firms has deepened since 2024, centring on original equipment fitment for flagship high-end models including the Delong X5000 and X6000, with products offered domestically and overseas. Dependable product quality and supply chain assurance have enabled Prinx Chengshan to grow into a core tyre supplier to SHACMAN, consistently furnishing tyre solutions for its flagship ranges.

A dedicated stunt driving segment formed part of the conference, with Prinx Chengshan as sole tyre exhibitor backing the performance vehicles. Cars fitted with Chengshan XSTANCE PRO S10 and CDR621 tyres carried out sustained drifts, high-speed turns and other demanding manoeuvres, remaining stable even under extreme conditions such as tyre burnouts and showing strong wear resistance.

Li Wenli, a three-time national truck racing annual finals champion known as China's top heavy truck driver, rated the tyres highly for grip, durability and handling stability. Live demonstration in place of specification presentations made technical strengths tangible, letting partners observe stability under extreme friction and high-torque loads.

The conference allowed the company to strengthen mutual trust and communication with SHACMAN and to showcase its commercial vehicle tyre capabilities; at its 50th anniversary milestone, Prinx Chengshan reiterated its commitment to keep improving its global service network, advance alongside SHACMAN on a new globalisation journey and help build an industrial ecosystem defined by mutual benefit and collaborative development.

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Michelin has opened a 1,000 sq ft tyre and service store in Jammu in partnership with Maha Shakti Auto, expanding its retail presence in the northern Indian city.

The Michelin Tyres & Services (MTS) outlet is located in Main Bazar, Gumat, in Jammu’s commercial district. It will serve customers in the city and surrounding region, offering tyres for passenger cars, two-wheelers and commercial vehicles.

The store stocks Michelin’s Primacy, Pilot Sport, Latitude Sport and LTX Trail tyre ranges. Its facilities include wheel alignment and balancing systems, automotive accessories, and mechanical repair and maintenance services.

The outlet was inaugurated by Benjamin Coesnon, Marketing Director for India at Michelin, alongside the Maha Shakti Auto team.

Shantanu Deshpande, Managing Director of Michelin India, said “Jammu is an important market in Michelin's growth in North India. Its role as a regional trade and transit hub is creating steady demand for safe, reliable and high-performance mobility solutions. Our new Michelin Tyres & Services store brings Michelin's globally benchmarked products and services closer to customers in the region. Building on our recently launched Made-in-India Primacy 5, we will keep delivering mobility solutions tailored to the evolving needs of Indian consumers."

The company said the store was designed to address driving conditions in the region, where steep gradients, sharp curves and changing weather make tyre grip, braking stability and durability important considerations.

Maha Shakti Auto has 30 years of experience in Jammu’s automotive aftermarket, according to Michelin. The partnership combines the local business’s technical expertise and market knowledge with Michelin’s tyre technology and product range.

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The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd. has announced that the No. 77 BMW M4 GT3 EVO, fielded by Schubert Motorsport and fitted with the company's ADVAN global flagship tyres, secured the NLS Speed Trophy series championship. The award goes to the team accumulating the most points across all classes throughout Germany's Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie (NLS). As the series champion in the NLS premier SP9 Pro class, the No. 77 also claimed a KW Team Trophy, presented to the car and team with the highest points total in each class.

This season marked Yokohama Rubber's role as an official partner of BMW M Motorsport in the NLS, with the No. 77 BMW M4 GT3 EVO carrying ADVAN colouring. Across the 10-round campaign, the ADVAN-shod No. 77 produced consistently strong results, earning two overall victories and two second-place finishes. The ADVAN A005 for dry conditions and ADVAN A006 for wet conditions supplied the grip and durability needed to contend in fiercely competitive races across varying weather. ADVAN-equipped cars had previously taken the NLS Speed Trophy in 2020 and 2023.

Beyond the NLS, Yokohama Rubber partnered with BMW M Motorsport at May's ADAC RAVENOL 24h Nürburgring. The No. 77 ADVAN-coloured entry placed 8th overall and 7th in the SP9 class, while BMW M Motorsport's No. 81 BMW M3 Touring 24H, also on ADVAN tyres, took 4th overall and 1st in the SP-X class.

Under its three-year (2024–2026) medium-term management plan, Yokohama Transformation 2026 (YX2026), the company's consumer tyre strategy seeks to maximise sales ratios of high-value-added tyres by expanding the ADVAN and GEOLANDAR brands, winter tyres and 18-inch and larger products. Yokohama Rubber views motorsport participation as vital to strengthening ADVAN and GEOLANDAR, and continues to compete in a wide range of events worldwide, from top-category to grassroots racing.

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Prinx Chengshan presented its Chengshan brand at the 140th China Import and Export Fair, which opened in Guangzhou on 15 October. The Canton Fair, known as China's leading trade event, has a history of nearly seven decades and functions as an indicator of the country's foreign trade while offering Chinese brands a platform to demonstrate innovation and meet international buyers.

At the fair, the company highlighted products including the ET16 wide-body dump truck tyre, whose wide and deep transverse tread grooves provide strong traction for smooth starts on soft, uneven mining terrain and help lower risks such as wheel slip and vehicles becoming stuck. The ELD12 loader tyre was also featured for its wear resistance and load-bearing capacity across demanding conditions, with resistance to excessive deformation under heavy loads supporting stable and safe equipment operation.

The participation coincides with Chengshan Group's 50th anniversary and Prinx Chengshan's accelerating global expansion. Founded in Rongcheng, Shandong Province, in 1976, the company now operates three production bases, two R&D centres, three sales centres and four technical centres worldwide. On 9 October, its Malaysia plant produced its first tyre less than 11 months after construction began, marking progress in overseas production and supply chain resilience.

Prinx Chengshan has also increased investment in the off-the-road tyre segment, operating a green and smart OTR tyre factory in Shandong and achieving mass production of giant tyres in sizes including 27.00R49, 30.00R51 and 33.00R51, while rolling out its first 57-inch giant tyre, size 46/90R57. Its OTR products serve mining, construction, ports, airports, agriculture and industrial operations, offering system solutions for global agricultural mechanisation, engineering projects and resource development.

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