Sumitomo Rubber : Holds Opening Ceremony at New Agricultural Equipment Tire Factory in Thailand

In his speech at the opening ceremony, President Ikeda expressed his hopes for the new factory: "As part of our long-term Vision 2020, the Sumitomo Rubber Group has designated 'expansion into Asia with tires for agricultural machinery' as an important Growth Engine toward the accomplishment of our Group's goals. It is our hope that, with this factory producing a great number of high-quality agricultural equipment tires, our Group will be able to contribute to agricultural development in Thailand and, by extension, also play a part in eliminating world hunger."

Currently, with the rise in global food demand, the demand for agricultural equipment tires in Thailand, the world's number-one exporter of rice, is also rapidly increasing. Among other products, the new Thai Factory will produce high-quality rubber crawlers for combines that feature our latest production method, the "Spiral Method," in which steel cord is wrapped in a spiral shape to achieve superior durability and low vibration. With this new factory, the Sumitomo Rubber Group aims to enhance our ability to supply tires for agricultural equipment in the growing Thai market while also taking a major step toward further expanding our overall agricultural equipment tire business.