Yokohama India announced a significant achievement, surpassing the milestone of having more than 1000 women actively contributing on the shop floors of its factories in India. The Yokohama Group operates four factories in India, with one exclusively focused on 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 hails 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 programmes, and robust support systems.
Anil Gupta, vice chairman, Yokohama India, expressed enthusiasm about this milestone, stating, “As we celebrate this momentous occasion, the company remains steadfast in its commitment to fostering a culture of diversity, inclusion, and opportunity for all employees. With 1000 women standing strong on the factory shop floors, we hope they inspire others like them to tread the unbeaten path.”
The company’s pioneering efforts in gender inclusion began from the initiation of their first women recruitment drive in 2018 for the commercial Truck Bus Radial (TBR) Unit at the Dahej plant. This unit, exclusively run by women, showcased its 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 protocol, zero loss-time injuries and active participation in continuous improvement projects have encouraged the company to hire more women on the shop floor.