Yokohama Rubber Co. (YRC) has acquired the remaining 22.98% stake in its Chinese conveyor belt joint venture, Shandong Yokohama Rubber Industrial Products Co., Ltd. (YRSC), making it a wholly owned subsidiary as of 18 July. The shares were purchased by Yokohama Rubber (China) Co., Ltd., the group's China headquarters.

YRSC, based in Weifang, Shandong province, was established in 2006 as a joint venture with Shandong Yuema Rubber Co., Ltd. It produces and sells conveyor belts for customers across Asia, including Japan, and currently employs around 240 people.

The move is part of Yokohama Rubber's strategy under its three-year medium-term plan, Yokohama Transformation 2026 (YX2026), to stabilize earnings and strengthen the business's position in the Asian market. The company said the full ownership of YRSC will "speed up decision making, strengthen the administration of group management, and enable more efficient use of management resources".

It also aims to boost production and enhance sales and technical support in key growth markets such as China, India, and Indonesia.

YRC stated that it currently holds a strong market share in Japan's conveyor belt sector and is now looking to expand further across Asia.