Yokohama Rubber to expand hydraulic hoses business in China

Tokyo – The Yokohama Rubber Co. (YRC) is expanding production capacity for high-pressure hydraulic hoses at its manufacturing plant in Hangzhou City, Zhejiang, southeastern China.

The company is investing Yuan76 million (€9.7 million) in the project, which will see the production of spiral wire hoses tripled by September 2022, Yokohama Rubber announced 14 May.

The hoses, said Yokohama Rubber, are mainly used in construction machinery, including hydraulic excavators and construction cranes.

Demand for such machinery has seen a sharp recovery in recent months, following a steep decline in 2020 in the wake of the Covid outbreak, Yokohama added.

The decision to expand the Chinese operation is part of Yokohama Rubber’s transformation 2023 programme, which was launched earlier this year.

The plan envisions that Yokohama’s rubber products ‘multiple business’ will concentrate its resources in its two strongest domains – i.e. hose & couplings and industrial products.