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    For 2017 and Beyond
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    Yokohama Rubber’s Growth Strategy for 2017
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Yokohama Rubber CSR Web site > Feature Topic > MB Growth Strategy: Making the Best Airplane Lavatory in the Skies with a Focus on Quality and Passion for Flying

Integrated Approach from Materials Selection to Production

Yokohama Rubber manufactures a number of products for the aerospace components field, including tanks and insulation, among others. One of its core products is the wash basin unit installed in commercial airplanes known more commonly by passengers as the lavatory. Due to space restrictions, a lavatory must be compact and yet easy to use. At the same time, a lavatory also needs to be light weight, flame resistant and solidly built from the standpoint of safety and lessening environmental impacts. This demands materials and manufacturing technologies that meet rigorous standards for development and production.
One of Yokohama Rubber’s advantages is that it has the Aerospace Engineering Department, which is responsible for everything from materials selection through to production. This means that everyone on the front lines of each field works in close proximity, making it possible to develop and manufacture while sharing each other’s knowledge and experience. This has contributed to Yokohama Rubber’s strength of adequately being able to respond to customer needs.
Aerospace components is known as a rather peculiar field. One reason is because commercial airplanes are used for 10- or 20-year periods and the timeline for development differs compared to consumables. This makes for rigorous demands when it comes to quality and start-overs are not acceptable. The field requires a precision that needs to satisfy not only customer requirements, but also comply with aviation laws and regulations. No matter how extraordinary a material or design may be, it cannot be used if it does not comply with the applicable laws and regulations. Therefore, persons in charge of development at Yokohama Rubber note that they have acquired the habit of devoting their attention to materials and technologies, and thinking carefully about all possibilities, by constantly questioning conventional approaches and methods.
Yokohama Rubber’s corporate culture of always pursuing the highest possible quality has made development possible under such rigorous conditions. The other advantage is the passion that employees involved in development and manufacturing have toward airplanes. Even the employees acknowledge that the Aerospace Engineering Department is full of airplane aficionados. This strong passion translates into making the impossible possible and creating ideas that have earned the trust of customers.

Pursuing People-and Eco-friendly Products that are Leaders in Their Respective Markets

Yokohama Rubbers commitment to protecting the environment and people around the world is alive and well in the field of airplane lavatories.
For example, the selection of sustainable materials that do not impact the environment. The fiberglass reinforced plastics used to make many of the interior components of a lavatory is not recyclable and can only be disposed of by crushing and incineration. By switching to a highly recyclable thermoplastic plastic material and making innovations to the design and production method, Yokohama Rubber was able to successfully reduce environmental impacts by a large margin, while maintaining the same strength, flame resistance and light weight design. In addition to including the customer’s requirement for a universal design, Yokohama Rubber occasionally pitches ideas to the customer to make the lavatory design even easier to use for any passenger. In this manner, we have created and supplied a large number of products that are eco-friendly, people-friendly, and offer a more comfortable travel environment for all passengers. We believe this culture will help us to constantly pursue the goal of developing the next number one product in the world cited in our medium-term growth strategy.

• Feature Topic
• Feature Topic 1：
  For 2017 and Beyond
• Feature Topic 2：
  Yokohama Rubber’s Growth Strategy for 2017
• MB Growth Strategy:
  Supporting the Joy of Mobility with Medi-Air Technologies
• MB Growth Strategy:
  Developing Superior Eco Conveyor Belts in Terms of Environmental Performance and Economics
• MB Growth Strategy:
  Making the Best Airplane Lavatory in the Skies with a Focus on Quality and Passion for Flying
• Tire Growth Strategy:
  Delivering Tires that Protect the Environment and People Around the World
• Tire Growth Strategy:
  Making Comfort Accessible to People and Society
• 7 Pillars of Core Subjects for Yokohama Rubber to Address
• 1. Organizational Governance
• 2. Human Rights
• 3. Labor Practices
• 4. The Environment
• 5. Fair Operating Practices
• 6. Consumer Issues
• 7. Community Involvement and Development