Q&A with Yokohama Tire Mexico President Gary Nash

Yokohama Tire Corporation’s (YTC) new subsidiary, Yokohama Tire Mexico (YTMX), officially began importing consumer, commercial and off-the-road (OTR) tires in Mexico on May 1. Incorporated in Silao, Guanajuato, Mexico, the company says YTMX is squarely positioned to give YTC long-term strategic advantages. In this Q&A, YTMX’s President, Gary Nash, discusses what those advantages are, the long-term vision for the company and the positive impact dealers can expect.

Question: What was the reason to finally put a stake in the ground in Mexico and establish a subsidiary?

Nash: It’s the fastest-growing market in North America. It’s the fifth largest country, 12th largest economy in the world and has the second highest GDP in Latin America. It has the largest bus fleet globally, the eighth largest truck population and the seventh largest truck market. Overall, it offers more potential growth than the U.S. in all three tire categories.

Plus, with YTMX, we have become the importer of record. This means we can build up inventory, warehouse them locally and deliver them directly to our dealers. For Yokohama, this creates a much higher business efficiency and increased cost control. For the dealers, YTMX means increased responsiveness to their needs. It’s a win for both sides of the table.

Question: What is YTC’s history in Mexico and what is the strategic plan going forward?

Gary Nash: In 2008 we were chosen by our parent company, YRC (The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd.), to take over the distribution of Yokohama products in Mexico. Since 2009, we’ve been signing quite a few reputable dealers throughout the country. YTMX is the extension of our ongoing efforts to grow our presence there.

Our strategic plan includes setting up a full-fledged sales, marketing and distribution operation. We’ll start by establishing a corporate office where we will hire a general manager locally, sales manager and others who will be supported by the YTC headquarters in the U.S. until we can get fully staffed.