TREADLINES
EMPLOYEE
NEWSLETTER
VOL.55 | 2023
As many of you know, I’m a huge sports fan. Being a lifelong New York Yankees fan is currently yielding a great deal of disillusionment as there hasn’t been much to cheer about there this year. And since moving to southern California, I’ve adopted the Angels as my surrogate favorite west coast team—boy do I know how to pick winners, huh? Like all sports fans though, hope springs eternal so I’ll be turning my attention to hockey very shortly. With the NY Rangers’ season about to begin, and the improvements made in the off-season, we should be in for a better 23-24 season.
That’s one of the things I love about sports. The chance to course correct; identify weaknesses, fortify strengths and seize opportunities. This is what we do in our business every day and, just like in business, rarely are those course corrections one thing or one player. Instead, they’re a lot of different things working together for the overall benefit of the TEAM. Now that I think about it, my absolute favorite team is this team. Our team. Team Yokohama.
For a team to be successful, each of the individual parts must work to benefit the whole. Our company is no different and at the executive level we use the term, “interdependencies.” This means that the success of one department is at least partially reliant upon the success of another, and more often many others. For example, the sales team can’t earn the business without great product. The product team can’t deliver great products without the development team moving technology forward. That technology can’t be realized without production efficiencies and enhancements in manufacturing. The list goes on and on and if you were to think about the links that your department shares with other departments, you too will begin to see just how much we count on each other.
GO TEAM!
BY JEFF BARNA, YTC PRESIDENT & CEO
I’m proud of how well our team works. That is to say that the handoffs between our departments appear seamless and highly effective. So, whether we recognize the interdependencies or not, we are collectively performing at an extraordinarily high level.
In the pages that follow, you’ll see this work in action from the success on the track to the launching of new products, to the achievements within manufacturing. As you read, I encourage you to think about what other departments had a hand in securing these accomplishments. I have a high degree of confidence that many of you will find a personal connection to many of these milestones.
For the Yankees, there’s always next year. For Team Yokohama we’re in the closing stretch of what should be another tremendous success. With your ongoing commitment and resolve I know we’ll reach our goals again!
TREADLINES
Mandy Hernandez: Mandy.Hernandez@yokohamatire.com
Bill Groak: Bgroak@sweetspotmedia.tv
Samantha Gonzales: Samantha.Gonzales@yokohamatire.com
LeAnn Hatling: LeAnn.Hatling@yokohamatire.com
Dakota Shrewsbury: Dakota.Shrewsbury@yokohamatire.com
Tommy Stevenson: Tommy.Stevenson@yokohamatire.com
Kathryn Brown: Kathryn.Brown@yokohamatire.com
Candace Cogan: Candace.Cogan@yokohamatire.com
Alan Holtschneider: Alan.Holtschneider@yokohamatire.com
Editors:
Art Director:
Contributors:
Publisher:
Have any news, photos or stories you'd like to share? Send them to Mandy Hernandez: Mandy.Hernandez@yokohamatire.com.
STAFF
EVENT RECAP
PIKES PEAK
INTERNATIONAL HILL CLIMB
Read More
YTC and Robin Shute are king of the mountain again! Together they continued their absolute supremacy at the 101st Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb in June. Shute drove YTC to its second straight overall title (and third in the last four years), piloting his 2018 Wolf GB08 TSC-FS fitted with specially produced ADVAN® tires– made with increased usage of sustainable materials – to a winning time of 8:40.080 in the Unlimited division.
And, as they did last year, YTC’s other drivers totally decimated the field, tallying five division wins, 10 podium finishes and five of the top 10 overall finishers in the 12.42.-mile legendary “Race to the Clouds” at Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Along with Shute, YTC’s other first-place winners on ADVANS included:
- David Donohue: He repeated as Time Attack 1 division champ, driving his 2019 Porsche GT2 RS Clubsport (on A005™/A006s tires) to a division record time of 9:18.053.
- Codie Vahsholtz: He was also a repeat winner and broke a division record, taking the Open Wheel division in his 2013 Ford Open (A005/A006™ tires) in 9:19.192.
- Tanner Foust: The veteran racer captured the Exhibition division in his 700-horsepower Radford Racing Pikes Peak Special Edition Type 62-2 (on A005/A006s tires) in 9:37.326.
- Hayden Bradley: The rookie won the Porsche Pikes Peak Trophy By Yokohama division in his 2020 Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport (on A052s) in 10:48.387
Placing second for Yokohama were:
- Randy Pobst: Exhibition division, Unplugged Performance 2021 Tesla Model S Plaid, 9:54.901.
- Nuno Caetano (Pikes Peak rookie), Porsche Pikes Peak Trophy by Yokohama class, 2020 Porsche Cayman Clubsport, 10:50.741.
Along with obliterating the competition, YTC also scored another win before the race. YTC’s annual presence at the Fan Fest event, which took place on Friday in downtown Colorado Springs, was a roaring success. An estimated 40,000-plus fans attended and many flocked to the Yokohama display where they were greeted with free t-shirts, games and a chance to meet/greet all YTC drivers and get autographs and photos.
LIGHTNING STRIKES TWICE
YTC ELECTRIFIES PEAK AGAIN
We are very happy to continue our winning streak on the mountain, now with our fourthKing of the Mountain title on our belt,” Shute said after earning his third straight overall title. “We battled with slick conditions on an incredibly dusty track, yet the Yokohama A005 Super Formula tires were able to orchestrate a record-setting pace before some other issues slowed our run. We look forward to showing what this car and tire package can really do next year!
It was another dominating day on the mountain and we couldn’t ask for more,” said YTC’s Drew Dayton. “Last year was a tough act to follow but Robin was once again invincible and Tanner, Codie and David all came through. Hats off to them, their crews and all our drivers who showed what our ADVAN tires can do in challenging conditions.
For more details on the Pikes Peak race, visit https://ppihc.org/.
PIKES PEAK:
MOTORSPORTS BY THE NUMBERS
KING OF THE MOUNTAIN OVERALL WIN
8:40.080 (3rd fastest in history)
Robin Shute 2018 Wolf TCS - FS
Highest
mountain share of any tire brand
39%
(26/66)
Greatest
number of podiums of any brand
50%
(9/18)
Quickest
3 of the top 5 fasted cars
60%
(3/5)
Winning
1st place in 5 of 6 classes
83%
(5/6)
Dominant
Most Class wins by tire manufacturer 2019-2023
50%
(15/30)
Superior
Most Overall wins by tire manufacturer 2019-2023
39%
(26/66)
OFFICIAL PIKES
Open Wheel
9:19.192
Cody Vahsholtz
2013 Ford Open Vahsholtz Custom
Time Attack 1
9:18.053
David Donohue
2019 GT2 RS Clubsport
Electric Modified Car
9:54.901
Randy Pobst
2021 Tesla Model S Plaid
PEAK RECORDS
Read More
BUSINESS
TIRE
YOKOHAMA BRINGS NEW TIRES
Yokohama launched the Geolandar A/T XD, a commercial-grade, all-terrain addition to the lineup, earlier this year.
Editor’s Note: This is a reprint from Executive VP of Sales Stan Chandgie’s Q&A with Tire Business.
Yokohama Tire Corp. has been busy so far this year, releasing a number of new products to the market as the company focuses its mission on future growth. Stan Chandgie, executive vice president of sales at Yokohama, discusses the company's plans in our Mid-Year Q&A.
MISSION TO BUSY 2023
How would you describe business thus far in 2023? What segments have been strong, and what has been sluggish?
Business was a little slower through the first quarter of 2023, compared with what we had become used to over the course of the previous 24 months, but we're confident that the relative slowdown can be traced to a few specific reasons.
From a segment standpoint, original equipment has been fairly consistent, while our commercial business lagged a bit behind consumer replacement in terms of year-over-year comps, but again, we've seen a turn in both business units and remain optimistic for the second half of the year.
Regardless, we were still able to outpace the market through the first quarter and the sell-out of our brand to the end-user remained strong. As we moved into April, we saw a marked uptick in sales and that trend continued in May.
How have outside disruptions — inflation, war in Ukraine, etc. — affected the company this year?
We deal with a variety of outside factors every year, but the goal is to not allow them to become disruptions. So, while we can talk about inflation and how this might affect higher-end products, we still saw strong sell-out and good demand as a result of some product actions and programs that we put in place late in 2022.
North America never consumed tires directly out of our Russian facility, so I would say that the biggest impact was that we saw some additional truck/bus tire supply for the U.S.in 2022. This supply was originally destined for the Russian market, but was rerouted here and we were able to realize that benefit. As tragic as the war is, we are not forecasting any resulting challenges for this market.
What kind of effect has the war in Ukraine specifically had on business in North America? More than a year in the war, how have you navigated those changes?
How is the supply chain improving? Raw-material prices?
We've definitely seen an easing of the port constraints, which impacted all types of industry, so that has really helped our supply and subsequent fill rates for anything produced off-shore.
We've seen the biggest improvement in the reduction of ocean freight rates and spot rates are nearing pre-pandemic, dare I say "normal" levels. However, as soon as the situation seems to improve, we now see some labor challenges in West Coast ports on the heels of increased traffic. Again, we take it upon ourselves to not let outside factors become "disruptions."
What is the biggest benefit you see from the acquisition of Trelleborg Wheel Systems? Will it mean any changes for the rest of Yokohama's business?
Trelleborg represents a complementary business to the Yokohama Rubber Group portfolio that should allow for more balance in terms of margin optimization and protection against potential segment downturns in the future. The business will be operated independent of Yokohama Tire Corp. in the U.S., so we don't foresee any changes to our local business. To the extent that there are common customers, we will make every effort to create sensible programs and work with this new arm of the company to exceed our customer's needs. We took a similar approach when ATG (now YOHTA) was acquired.
What is your current EV strategy? How much focus is put on the development of those tires? What's the status of the UHP all-season EV tire that you will launch? What is the timeline?
We believe there is a window of opportunity for EV-specific tires in the present and near future. While all of our tires are suitable for most EVs, there is an unmet consumer need in the market and our intent is to meet that need, above and beyond what current OE tires deliver. By the beginning of next year, we'll have our first UHP all-season EV- specific tire in the market.
What was the thinking behind divesting Friend Tire Co.? Why was Southern Tire Mart a good fit?
The divestiture of Friend Tire Co. was a strategic decision for us here in the U.S. market, allowing us to focus solely on our core business. From a manufacturer's point of view, our attention continues to be on providing the best service to our customers and this move allows for increased attention in that area. Ensuring that it went to a trusted partner was important for us.
What is the most compelling initiative/product that your company has or is taking to address sustainability?
I think it's safe to say that sustainability is not only a focus, but a commitment moving forward. We continue to use motorsports as a proving ground, and this year we'll debut specially produced ADVAN race tires at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. These tires are made with increased usage of sustainable materials from various naturally derived compounding agents, including oil produced from oil palm nuts and orange peels, as well as recycled iron and rubber recycled from waste tires. As a result, sustainable materials account for about 33% of all materials used in these tires.
Additionally, we'll again use ADVAN race tires utilizing biomass butadiene rubber made from sustainable materials that made their debut in 2022. These tires replace the petroleum-derived butadiene rubber with biomass-derived butadiene rubber and have achieved a high recyclable material content.
Do you expect to roll out any additional products in 2023? What will they be and what sector will they serve?
2023 is a fairly busy year in terms of new product introductions. We've already launched our GEOLANDAR A/T XD®, which is a commercial-grade, all-terrain tire, and we're expanding our existing GEOLANDAR X-AT into several Eurometric sizes. We have the aforementioned UHP EV tire coming out as well as a couple of customer exclusives.
On the commercial side, we introduced our 114R regional trailer tire at the end of the first quarter and have the 907W winter drive tire to replace our SY767 set to hit the market later this year. In addition to a number of expansions, we're also looking to launch a new fuel-efficient drive tire by year-end or early next year.
If you look at the last few years and what we're set to do in 2023, you can see that we remain committed to managing our productportfolio and attacking incremental segments when and where appropriate.
What do you want tire dealers to know about the company and what's happening at this point?
Tire dealers should know that we continue to prioritize their needs and look for better ways to serve them on an ongoing basis. We unveiled new mission, vision and values statements earlier this year. At their core is our desire to be an indispensable partner to our customers and exceed their needs with unmatched values. It's what drives our organization every day.
The six-city, 10-round, adrenaline-filled series is underway and headlined by the Group E class, which features the world’s fastest electric race car, the FC1-X. Nitrocross events integrate enormous jumps with massive, banked turns on a variety of track surfaces all in a single lap. These innovative tracks test the skill and bravery of some of the world’s best drivers like Yokohama-sponsored athlete Travis Pastrana.
The GEOLANDAR X-AT is known for offering the ultimate off-road performance without sacrificing any on-road comfort, making it a great performance upgrade for pick-up trucks and SUVs, no matter how or where they’re driven, and features a dual-sidewall design, which allows drivers to choose the appearance they like the best.
The new X-AT Euro/hard metric sizes are backed by a 50,00-mile limited treadwear warranty, while the LT-metric sizes will continue to have a 45,000-mile limited treadwearwarranty.
GEOLANDAR X-AT ANNOUNCED
NEW SIZES FOR
The Euro/hard-metric sizes allow drivers with a highway all-season tire to upgrade to a more aggressive all-terrain tire with similar load capacity and tire pressure as their OE tire specifications
BENEFITS FOR THE
GEOLANDAR X-AT INCLUDE:
Over 80 15-inch to 22-inch Euro/hard metric and LT metric sizes, including load rangeF sizes for heavier carrying capacities.
Gripping off-road traction is achieved by dynamic, large shoulder blocks that are varied in length to create a biting edge and promote mud- and stone-ejection. Also, the angular center blocks provide extra strength and grip
Off-road durability and improved puncture resistance are assured thanks to Yokohama’s GEO-SHIELD™ technology, which features multiple sidewall plies, a high turn-up carcass and a full nylon cap.
A quiet, comfortable ride is guaranteed due to the zig-zag grooves that interrupt airflow to limit pattern and road noise.
Long tread life is a lock with Yokohama’s HD2 compound. It’s made of a special triple-polymer blend engineered for reliable long tread life and impressive cut- and chip-
resistance.
REPORT
MOTORSPORTS
Read More
YTC RETURNS AS THE EXCLUSIVE SPEC TIRE
FOR ALL THE NITOCROSS CLASSES
YTC is back as the Official Tire Supplier of Nitrocross (formerly Nitro Rallycross). Purpose-built ADVAN® race tires will once again be the exclusive spec tires for the premier Group E Nitrocross class.
The six-city, 10-round, adrenaline-filled series is underway and headlined by the Group E class, which features the world’s fastest electric race car, the FC1-X. Nitrocross events integrate enormous jumps with massive, banked turns on a variety of track surfaces all in a single lap. These innovative tracks test the skill and bravery of some of the world’s best drivers like Yokohama-sponsored athlete Travis Pastrana.
Wall added that the ADVAN A054® is being used in the NEXT class, while the GEOLANDAR® A/T G015 tire is campaigned in the SXS class. Besides Team Yokohama member Pastrana, who headlines Group E, fellow Team Yokohama memberand six-time X Games gold medalist Leticia Bufoni returns for her second season in SxS.
For the 2023-2024 season, the Group E class is running a specially developed ADVAN® A005 slick tire,” said YTC’s Patricia Wall. “It’s designed to withstand the huge amount of torque applied by the 1055 horsepower, all-wheel-drive FC1-X. The tires feature blue tire stickers signifying the tire is E+, part of our line intended for electric vehicle use.
Yokohama are the perfect partner for Nitrocross and have been for over six years. From the day the concept was founded to the evolution of our new FC1-X vehicles, they’ve been the greatest supporters every step of the way. Beyond their technical support, their commitment to supporting drivers in the series from our star athletes to the young and upcoming drivers, content development and fan activation is second to none.
Brett Clarke, president of Nitrocross, said: "Nitrocross is a punishing environment. Through multiple seasons, Yokohama has embraced that challenge, collaborating with drivers, teams, and track crew to innovate and create new designs, like the A005 slick, that not only handle these conditions, but truly let cars fly and tracks thrill."
For more on Rallycross, visit https://www.nitrocrossracing.com/. Livestream the action at https://rumble.com/c/Nitrocross.
Manager, Motorsports YTC
Patricia Wall
Brett Clarke
Nitrocross President
ADVAN A053s
NEW SUBARU MOTORSPORTS WRX RALLY CAR RIDES ON
Subaru's rich rallying history, which goes back to the early 1990s, continues...and YTC is along for the ride—literally. The new WRX-based rally car is fitted with 15-inch ADVAN A053s. The 320-hp car, built by Subaru's technical partner Vermont SportsCar, debuted in the Open 4WD class of the American Rally Association (ARA) Championship at the OjibweForests Rally on August 24-25.
Subaru also announced that Team Yokohama member and extreme sport legend Travis Pastrana will join in a second car in the 2024 ARA season.
Read More
REPORT
YTMV
30
YEARS
15
YEARS
Lauralyn Sims
Jason Shelor, Thomas Trotter, Jr.
25
YEARS
Ricky Boothe, Charles Brown III, Travis Bryant, James Clark, DouglasColley, Justin Cook, Brian Davis, Gerald Franklin, Denna Eden-Gill, Marc Gore, Chad Jenkins, Lonnie Johnson, Michael Kiger, Howard McQuilkin, Darren Meadows, Kenneth Mullins, Paul Nguyen, Darryl Peery, Richard Plaugher, Kevin Preston, Timothy Ratcliffe and Robert Slough
10
YEARS
Derrick Cale, Jorrel Davis, Zachary Ellis, Christian Erickson, JonathanFisher, Burton Franks, Alexander Leonard, Roger Parrish, Jr., Jeremiah Roche, Jesse Sexton, Justin Short, Brandon Taylor and James Woodliff
Thomas Ewald and Ronald Stanley
YEARS
5
YTMV SERVICE AWARDS
MEET YTMV’s
USTMA AMBASSADOR
James “Jimmy” Gusler has had many functions at YTMV during his 9-year-plus career at the plant. Now he can add a new one: United States Tire Manufacturers Association (USTMA) ambassador. Each USTMA member company, including Yokohama, selects a “tire manufacturing ambassador” to represent tire manufacturing facilities around the country on Capitol Hill. The annual program sends the ambassadors to Washington, DCto meet with members of Congress on issues of importance while also spotlighting talented and passionate individuals like Gusler who work in the tire manufacturing industry.
Gusler has built his career at YTMV and within the Roanoke Valley on a foundation of consistent work ethic, determination and ambitious goals. He has an impeccable track record of perfect attendance and progressive growth from a production worker to a leadership role which he currently serves.
The Roanoke Valley has been home to Gusler since his childhood. He attended GlenvarHigh School where he built lifelong friendships through being an avid and accomplished multi-sport athlete, receiving accolades such as making the All Three Rivers District andAll Region Teams. He then attended Eastern Mennonite University, where he continued his baseball career and studied Business Management. He started working in a production facility environment in 2010 which led him into a defense contract position in which he worked closely with the U.S. Armed Forces abroad. It was after this, in 2014, that he then began his career with YTMV.
Gusler’s first role within YTMV was as a tire builder, after which he was quickly promoted to technical service technician. It was not long before he was again recognized for his hard work and performance by being promoted to a personnel supervisor in the tire building process. In 2021 he was added as a member of the continuous improvement group, where his responsibilities included an ongoing effort to improve safety, quality and efficiency of the production processes.
In September of 2021, Gusler was again promoted to the position of technical supervisor of tech services where he formerly worked as an on-floor technician years prior. In this role, Gusler oversees a team of employees that closely work with production associates to ensure the compliance with specifications for our material, processes, and end product for the consumer. He is responsible for reporting and improving our daily outputs. Additionally, he is responsible for achieving the waste budgets for both production material waste and cured waste within YTMV.
YTMM is now presenting special roundtable discussions for women. “Each quarter, YTMM will host a roundtable that encourages, engages and empowers women with the tools necessary to succeed in manufacturing,” said YTMM’s Philip Calhoun.
According to Calhoun, the roundtables offer an invaluable opportunity to network with peers and participate in discussions on key challenges facing women in the manufacturing industry
Each roundtable discussion will feature a proven leader who will share best practices that can be adapted and implemented within one’s current role or in everyday life.
WOMEN'S ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION
YTMM OFFERING QUATERLY
These events are ideal for managers, supervisors, generalists or any person who aspires to succeed in an ever-changing manufacturing environment, Calhoun added. In addition, the events provide attendees with timely information and interactive discussions on critical workforce development topics specific to leadership in the manufacturing industry.
YTMM held its first one recently, with local WCBI TV news anchor Aundrea Self (and host of Mid-Morning with Aundrea). More than 40 women attended.
YTMM
REPORT
Read More
Together we can be part of the solution, creating new opportunities, improving equity and closing the skills gap.
- Philip Calhoun
YTMM PREPARES THE
LEADERS OF TOMORROW
YTMM launched a summer program, ITIRE, to introduce high school students to career opportunities in manufacturing. Out of over 300 applicants, 35 students were accepted into the program, which aims to increase talented innovators through hands-on experiences. YTMM’s Philip Calhoun emphasized that Mississippi offers good job opportunities and high wages, contrary to the common perception of “brain drain.” Participants in the program praised the experience, citing the valuable knowledge gained about the manufacturing process, the friendly atmosphere, and the competitive pay. Time management and discipline were also emphasized in the program.
See TV coverage here: https://www.wcbi.com/yokohama-tire-manufacturing-prepares-leaders-of-tomorrow/.
Royshon Agnew, Quinteryon Baity, Tyrone Bender, Kimberly Bibbs, Michael Bishop, Krystal Boswell, Joshua Brewer, Cassandra Calmes, Kevin Cannon, Doronisha Chewe, CalebChisholm, Damontrell Clayborn, Corey Cockrell, Dishoune Cooperwood, Ladarien Crawfood, Jonathan Crowley, Anthony Cunningham, James Davidson, Olajuwon Dismukes, LakeshiaDobbs, Kenny Drake Jr, Shania Elliot, Corland Emerson, Jeromy Ervin, Andre Evans, George Fields, Brittney Ford, Kishyia Foster, Tristin Fulgham, Kemp Garrett, Destin Gladney, DylanGordon, Ty Gulledge, James Hannah, Jamal Harrison, Marcus Hinton, James Holliday, Tyshun Holman, Meoshis Holmes, Charlie Hornburger, Jemeali Howard, Shawanna Ingram,LeJayvios Ivy, James Jenkins, Quintin Joiner, Angela Lanier, Shakedia Logan, Donesha Macon, Tavious Mallard, Kassie Martin, Calvin Matthews, Cyntyla McAllister, Kabresha McCleod,Dalton McDonald, Kentavios McMillian, Tevin Morris, Kantassa Overstreet, Charles Pannell, Earnest Parker, Braylan Payne, Dione Payne, Rafael Payne, Sandra Pippins, Tramiyah Poe,Helen Potts, Devonte Prowell, Jonathan Rainey, Jonathan Ray, Sherry Rice, Jeffrey Richardson, Evin Roark, Kerie Roark, Renetta Robinson, Mareio Robinson, Trakala Robinson, JoshuaRouse Jr, Christian Russell, Jeanna Sanders, Curtis Shamley, Roderick Smith, Kelbe Stewart, Tiesha Stewart, Xavier Sykes, Ashley Tate, Tatiyona Tatum, Jashun Taylor, Kevin Taylor, JoeWard, Siamone Washington, Archie Williams, Shabria Williams, Dillon Womble and Tanisha Young.
WELCOME NEW YTMM EMPLOYEES!
Team members receiving their black hat have demonstrated they are ready to work at YTMM. Operators receiving their black hat have passed both a subject matter test and observation tests.
Lavina Calhoun, Chase Elmore, Eric Ford, Kellie Gill, Jonathan Hazzard, Jackie Hubbard, Moses James, Cameron Latham, Tony Lenoir, Sam Mitchell, DanielMunn, Todd Phillips, Wendi Rogers, Tommy Stevenson, Monshay Thompson, Trina Williams and Sean Wright.
CONGRATULATIONS TO YTMM'S NEW "BLACK HATS"
5 YEARS: Yalonda Brown, Ladarius Brooker, Jason Brooks, Latonya Chandler, Bradley Davis, Lacorsha Deanes, Sherry Dexter, Chanston Foard, Kadeem Gray, Leshelton Mason, KelvisNelson, Lemarcus Petty, Kelvin Saul and Wakeena Spain.
YTMM SERVICE AWARDS
NEWS IN BRIEF
YTC
Read More
YTC has helped out a community in need…again. This time it was for the folks in fire-ravaged Maui, Hawaii. “Yokohama would like to express our deepest sympathies to everyone in Maui, whose lives have forever been changed due to the recent crisis,” said YTC President and CEO Jeff Barna. “Our deepest condolences go out for the people who have lost their families, homes, and employment.”
As a company, YTC has a long commitment of giving back to communities and supporting crisis relief efforts. “To do our part, YCNA has partnered with the American Red Cross who provides disaster relief supplies, financial support, mental health and spiritual care during times of disaster,” Barna said. “They also have local shelters in the area for those needing a safe place to stay and have a warm meal.”
A HUGE SUCCESS!
AID FOR MAUI FIRE VICTIMS
Barna encouraged all employees to support the effort to provide much needed services for all who have been impacted by announcing an employee/company donation program. Any amount donated by employees was matched one-to-one by Yokohama.
As usual, everyone responded enthusiastically. “I would like to sincerely thank you for your generous donations to the Maui Relief Efforts,” Barna said. “Over the past few weeks, employees donated $5,070 to the American Red Cross. With the company match, the total donation from Yokohama is $10,140! Thank you, again, for helping the company achieve our commitment to our community, our customers, and our world.”
VETERAN RACER TANNER FOUST
HOSTS LATEST TIRE TIPS VIDEO SERIES
In conjunction with the U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association’s National Tire Safety Week initiative in June, YTC produced six new, educational Tire Tips videos hosted by veteran racer and Team Yokohama member Tanner Foust.
The 30-second to one-minute videos explain to consumers various aspects of tire safety and care in a fun, fast-paced presentation They can be found on Yokohama’s social media channels and posted on YTC’s website under Tires 101.
We believe having a motorsports legend like Tanner – who has raced just about everything – explain to viewers the importance of tires and tire safety in an amusing, easy-to-follow format will really help get the message across,” said YTC’s Alan Holtschneider. Tires influence the braking, steering, comfort, handling, safety and fuel efficiency of the vehicle, and they are also the only parts that actually touch the road.
Tire Tips topics include:
- Tire Pressure
Proper tire pressure is one of the most important aspects of tire maintenance. Air gives a tire its strength and not only can help prolong the life of the tire but can also help with irregular wear and even fuel mileage. - Tire Rotation
Regularly rotating tires every 5,000 miles can help with irregular wear and assist with longer tread life. - Tire Alignment
Having a vehicle aligned on a regular basis ensures the tires are rolling in a straight line and on the tread as they were designed to be. This helps combat irregular wear and can help increase tread life. - Choosing the Right Tire
Ultra high-performance, high-performance, all-season or winter: choosing the right tires based on drivers’ needs helps to ensure they can get the traction needed in the driving conditions they’ll encounter. - Tread Depth
Replace tires when they reach 1/8” tread or when the top of Lincoln’s head is visible on a penny. Tires with reduced tread depth will underperform in inclement conditions such as rain and wet surfaces. - TPMS
Most modern vehicles employ a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) to warn if one or more tires are significantly under-inflated, creating the possibility of unsafe driving conditions. The TPMS is a yellow symbol that illuminates on the dashboard to alert drivers.
YTC EARNS SUBARU OF
INDIANA AUTOMOTIVE SUPPLIER AWARD
With overall supply chain conditions and production levels stabilized, this is a fitting time to recognize suppliers that have distinguished themselves by providing exemplary quality and delivery. It’s great to know our suppliers share the vision and quality commitment that Subaru customers count on.
YTC was recognized by Subaru of Indiana Automotive (SIA) for exceptional performance as a supplier over the past year. YTC’s stellar work earned the company an Excellent Performance Award, an achievement SIA honors for safety, quality, cost and delivery.
SIA is Subaru’s only manufacturing facility outside of Japan and currently makes the Ascent, Crosstrek, Legacy and Outback models for North America.
Scott Brand
Executive Vice President at SIA.
THE JAPANESE AUTOMOTIVE INVITATIONAL
ADVAN-SHOD CARS FEATURED AT
YTC’s ADVAN tires were featured on three Japanese classic cars at MotorTrend’s recent Pebble Beach event. Held during Monterey Car Week, YTC was one of the sponsors of the Japanese Automotive Invitational (JAI), a gathering of some truly iconic cars that have in recent years ascended into the highest echelons of collectability and even value.
All three vehicles displayed were matching white JDM sports cars with a variety of ADVAN products on all different drivetrains, highlighting ADVAN on the many different performance uses. ADVAN-shod vehicles on display at JAI included:
1999 Nissan Skyline GT-R V-Spec (AWD)
ADVAN Apex – Competition-inspired tread design and advanced compound, the ultra-high-performance street tire designed to redefine grip and dominate U.S. roads.
ADVAN A052 – Competition-silencing one-way ticket to the podium, this race-ready extreme performance summer tire is designed to deliver physics-defying levels of grip.
1998 Acura Integra Type-R (FWD)
ADVAN Neova AD09 – YTC’s newest street-legal sports tire features an iconic tread pattern delivering ultra-high performance on both the street and at the track.
1986 Toyota Corolla (RWD)
Along with the classic cars, YTC built upon its most recent popular merch drop with CHRNCLS (ADVAN x CHRNCLS Heritage Capsule) by releasing a limited amount of 100 T-shirts at JAI in a special Limited Edition “Asphalt Gray” Final Release colorway.
JEREMY KAHRS
PROMOTED TO VP OF R&D AT YDCA
Longtime Yokohama employee Jeremy Kahrs has been promoted to vice president of research and development at the Yokohama Development Center America (YDCA) facility in Cornelius, North Carolina. Jeff Barna, YTC’s president and CEO, made the announcement.
In his new role, Kahrs will report directly to Barna.
Barna also announced that former YDCA VP Tom Kenny will take on an executive technical advisor position to define and oversee strategic projects and continue to support YDCA development. “Tom has been instrumental in establishing YDCA as a true technical center for the U.S.,” Barna added. “In this new capacity, he will continue to work closely with the development team to make recommendations on future development, product testing and quality improvements.”
According to Barna, Kahrs, who was YDCA’s senior director of R&D, takes over all daily operations for YDCA. “Jeremy’s technical expertise, along with his passion for engineering, and his strong dedication to support the R&D team have greatly contributed to YDCA’s success,” Barna said.
The Chronicles (CHRNCLS) started over a decade ago as a small blog where friends and enthusiasts shared their love for car tuning before a time of social media growing into a valuable resource documenting the JDM automotive tuning culture worldwide. Behind the brand is JoeyLee, a one-man operation who photographs, writes and vlogs. He also designs, produces andf ulfills merchandise himself. Originally focused more heavily on Honda he has since expanded to the entirety of JDM tuner culture including tons of ADVAN content in Japan. Learn more at https://stickydiljoe.com/.
ADVAN has always been Joey’s favorite tire brand filled with rich heritage that is synonymous with his primary focus of documenting all Japanese car culture globally.
The CHRNCLS line launched in June at BOWLS, a men’s store situated in the heart of the Little Tokyo District of downtown Los Angeles.
“Joey put his own twist on the details for this initial collab capsule paying homage to the heritage of ADVAN but focuses on modern day ADVAN without disrupting the natural flow and celebrating the 45th anniversary of pure legacy,” said YTC’s Alan Holtschneider.
YTC has launched its second line of ADVAN® Heritage retro clothing products, which honor YTC’s early high-performance racing days. The new, limited-run, unisex retro products are a collaboration with CHRNCLS, and include vintage jackets, hoodies, shirts, beanies, duffle bags and more, are now available at the Consumer E-Store at https://merchandise.yokohamatire.com/collections/chrncls.