In February 2025, Yokohama Rubber Company completed its acquisition of Goodyear’s Off-The-Road (OTR) business. This was a major shockwave to the market – bringing a new owner to the number three position in large radials that is willing to invest in the business for long term growth.
In addition to an extensive line-up of mining & construction machinery tyres with diameters ranging from 25 inch or less to large- and ultra-large sizes of 49 to 63 inch, the acquisition also brought to Yokohama the former Goodyear OTR business’ advanced technologies, known brand, and professional services provided by skilled staff who were largely retained. The acquisition was a key part of Yokohama’s effort to expand its off-highway tyre (OHT) product line-up and its production and supply capabilities in all OHT categories, as it seeks to strengthen its position in that market.
This was followed in May 2025 by Yokohama acquiring the fixed assets (land, building, and OTR tyre production machinery) of a closed plant located in Romania for US$35 million through its off-highway tyre (OHT) subsidiary Yokohama TWS Romania SRL.
The plant in Drobeta-Turnu Severin was previously operated by Eurotire which filed for insolvency in 2018 and finally went bankrupt in January 2025 but had previously supplied radial mining and construction tyres from the facility both for its own brand and in collaboration with other companies. The acquired facility will further expand on the mining & construction tyres production capacity of Yokohama.
At the same time Loic Ravasio was named President of Yokohama’s combined OTR business, reporting to Nitin Mantri, the Co-Chief Operating Officer and Head of OHT division.
Against this backdrop, at the inaugural Global OTR Conference in Antwerp, Belgium, IM Editorial Director Paul Moore sat down with Tracy Maclear, Director for Global Marketing & Strategy – OTR at Yokohama; and Stephan Renson, Senior Sales Director OTR EU Markets and Global OE at Yokohama. The purpose – to understand the potential of the combination of the two companies and brands; plus how it might change the mining tyres status quo.
IM Editorial Director Paul Moore with Tracy Maclear, Director for Global Marketing & Strategy – OTR at Yokohama; and Stephan Renson, Senior Sales Director OTR EU Markets and Global OE at Yokohama
Q: It is fair to say that Yokohama’s purchase of Goodyear’s OTR business is the most significant shift in the mining tyres market in many years – Goodyear OTR was and is number three in the big three. So where do the synergies lie in the market and in the respective product ranges?
TM: With responsibility for product management of both brands in the OTR segment – we know that the two product lines, Yokohama and Goodyear OTR are very complementary. That was clear from the outset – Yokohama knew that it was missing the ultra large segment in mining, and that was one of the primary reasons for the acquisition. There are other segments, one example being mobile crane tyres, where Yokohama is strong. Overall, Yokohama now offers everything from smaller tyres up to 63 inch radial tyres, including in mining a full range of surface and underground sizes. Yokohama has some great mid-size radial products for mining and quarrying, as well as an extensive range of bias ply tyres which perform very well. Goodyear OTR has some bias but is mainly focused on radial tyres.
Q: Now the dust has settled on the acquisition with a review of all the Goodyear OTR sites, where will the primary radial mining tyres production take place? Will the Romania plant become a new mining tyres hub?
TM: Large mining tyres currently continue to be produced in the USA under a product supply agreement between Yokohama and Goodyear; and in Japan with full ownership by Yokohama. These are still the same products with the same specifications but now being sold by the Yokohama Rubber Company. Ultimately the aim is to move out of Goodyear owned production locations. The Romania plant is one of the production facilities in our future manufacturing footprint. Yokohama is leveraging existing equipment combined with new machinery purchases and transfers. With this acquisition, Yokohama now has the combined, specialised OTR experience from both companies with two Research & Development centres: one in Japan and one in the USA.
Q: Is the medium term strategy to keep both the Yokohama and Goodyear OTR brands due to market recognition and trust?
TM: The focus of Yokohama is to satisfy our customers and ensure business continuity. In the short term, the two brands will coexist and be sold by the same Yokohama team in the field delivering excellent performance and answering market requirements. Customers continue to purchase both Yokohama branded tyres and Goodyear OTR branded tyres. Our goal is to support customers and the wider market to understand that Yokohama now proudly offers a wide range of premium, trusted OTR products, services and solutions.
Q: What has the response been like both from the mining customers but also from competitors and collaborators like tyre services companies and dealers?
SR: The mining community wanted to keep a major player in mining tyres so there was some relief that Goodyear OTR supply would continue under a product supply agreement, and that a company like Yokohama had acquired it for the long term with the willingness to make major investments for future growth. There are still some radial shortages in the mining market, so the mining companies are already seeing that the move will improve the supply situation. There was no overreaction from customers – once they knew Goodyear OTR was to be sold, they remained calm and waited to see who the buyer would be. Yokohama Rubber Company reassured them that they would have continuity of supply and consistency of product performance – that the same respected products would remain available to them. Going forward, we remain the number three with Yokohama and Goodyear OTR together, but we have the clear ambition to be number two. We will grow the business and help customers understand that Yokohama offers excellent value across a variety of applications. In only eight years, Yokohama has invested US$5 billion in its OHT business showing dedication to the off-highway business.
Q: Are there particular product lines or technologies that Goodyear OTR is known for in mining?
SR: In surface mining, the products from 39 inch to 63 inch are very well accepted in the market. They feature the latest technologies in materials, design, construction and manufacturing. Goodyear OTR started making 63 inch in radial tyres in 2010, after it had already been producing 57 inch radials since the early 1990s. We also have a very strong offer in the underground tyre market and products such as the RL-5K and RL-5S radial loader tyres continue to be renowned for their leading performance. On top of the products themselves, we have a salesforce and an engineering team that work very closely with our customers. This includes tyre inspections and mine site tyre audits as well as discussing real operational conditions – with the aim to be a true business partner. We also have a strong position in original equipment tyre supply for mining and quarrying machines like loaders and ADTs. This includes working with companies like Volvo, Bell, Liebherr, Komatsu and Caterpillar as well as Sandvik and Epiroc for underground machines.
Q: Where do things go from here from a mining point of view?
TM: Our focus is to support existing customers and work with new mining customers. Very few mines have only one tyre supplier as it is in their best interests, both strategically and logistically, to have at least two options. And there is definitely a place for Yokohama OTR there. Following the appointment of Loic Ravasio, we are now operating with a global organisational structure. We believe it is the best option for our customers to operate globally. John Black, Senior Vice President of Global OTR Sales and the team are working closely with the major mining houses. Some of these miners want a global partner as they make global procurement decisions for other key components and parts, and they want the same for large & ultra large tyres. Yokohama OTR strives to be a company that is easy to do business. A global team and strategy really helps to be clear, agile and transparent.
Q: What about digital tools including TPMS – how will your strategy there evolve?
TM: Innovations in intelligent tyre management systems that provide real-time insights to both machine operators and fleets continue to be part of our business focus. Powerful tyre management tools help extend tyre life and can support improved productivity, efficiency and safety. Yokohama offers a connected, data-based fleet management solution that constantly monitors tyre pressure and temperature for a wide range of machines and applications. The solution includes a built-in GPS allowing fleet managers to track and trace their machines. Combined with user-friendly mobile and web applications, the system supports an instant display of tyre health allowing proactive monitoring and preventative maintenance. This is complemented by the EMTrack system which enables fast and accurate collection of critical tyre data. Both solutions remain available, are well used in the market and were part of the acquisition agreement. The digital evolution is dynamic with technological advancements in many areas such as AI, sensors and automated systems. The aim is to enable improved tyre management and performance through digitisation.
