Yokohama India has achieved a significant milestone by having over 1000 women actively working on the shop floors of its factories in India. The Yokohama Group runs four factories in India, with one dedicated exclusively to passenger car tires and three dedicated to manufacturing off-highway tires.
Contrary to common perceptions, the diverse workforce of over 1000 women in Yokohama’s factories comes from small towns across Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Odisha, Punjab, and more. These women play integral roles across various functions, excelling as machine operators, team leaders, technicians, supervisors, and in quality control and logistics.
Yokohama’s commitment to empowering women in manufacturing operations is evident through targeted recruitment efforts, comprehensive training programs, and robust support systems. Anil Gupta, vice chairman, Yokohama India, expressed enthusiasm about this milestone and stated that the company remains committed to fostering a culture of diversity, inclusion, and opportunity for all employees. With 1000 women working on the factory shop floors, the company hopes to inspire others like them to follow in their footsteps.
Yokohama’s pioneering efforts in gender inclusion began with their first women’s recruitment drive in 2018 for the commercial Truck Bus Radial (TBR) Unit at the Dahej plant. This unit, exclusively run by women, showcased proficiency in various roles, from operating machinery to maintaining quality control.
The women demonstrated resilience and dedication to excellence, contributing to achievements such as adherence to safety protocols, zero loss-time injuries, and active involvement in continuous improvement projects. Gupta further highlighted that adherence to safety protocols, zero loss-time injuries, and active participation in continuous improvement projects have encouraged the company to hire more women on the shop floor.
