Tokai Rubber’s North American Sales Expand Nearly 40-fold in 25 Years

KOMAKI, Japan & BLUFFTON, OH--December 6, 2013: Tokai Rubber Industries, a leading Japanese manufacturer of high-polymer compounding technologies used in automotive, construction and other industries, announced today that DTR Industries, its Ohio-based US subsidiary that manufactures and sells automotive anti-vibration rubber, has grown its business by 38 times in 25 years of operation.

“This venture required a marriage of cultures between Japan and America”

The DTR Group generated about USD 600 million in the fiscal year that ended last March, or approximately one-fifth of Tokai Rubber’s earnings. Tokai Rubber credits much of this success to strong customer satisfaction based on reliable on-time delivery of high-quality products.

DTR Industries was established in 1988 as Tokai Rubber’s first manufacturing plant outside of Japan. It added plants in Tennessee and then Michigan in the United States, and later Mexico, to form the DTR Group. It has become one of Tokai Rubber’s largest sources of revenue among 102 related firms operating in 24 countries. The DTR Group provides 2,200 jobs, a huge increase compared to its modest beginning with 17 employees in 1988. Its Bluffton facility alone sprawls over 340,000 square feet, nearly quadrupling its original area of 88,000 square feet.

Looking ahead, Tokai Rubber has set a global sales goal of JPY one trillion (approximately USD 10 billion) by early in the next decade, which will be supported by further facility expansion and additional hiring in North America.

“This venture required a marriage of cultures between Japan and America,” said Tokai Rubber President Yoshiaki Nishimura. Addressing some 1,400 stakeholders, including Bluffton Mayor Dennis Gallant, employees and community members at a recent 25th anniversary ceremony, Nishimura explained, “DTR’s business grew as we worked together to meld the best of our two cultures. DTR will continuously contribute to the growth of society and automotive industries in the USA.”

“The community of Bluffton, Ohio has always been supportive of us over 25 years, helping the company to become competitive in this fierce business environment,” said Bill Yokas, senior vice president of DTR Industries. “Over its quarter-century-long presence in the US, DTR Industries has successfully established trust and confidence with customers in North America thanks to employees’ long-term dedication, unwavering loyalty and hard work.”