Toyo Tires‘ new R&D centre in Serbia will cover approximately 4,600 square metres and is located within the Serbian factory’s premises.
The New R&D Centre Is Intended to Strengthen the Proxes Brand
Toyo Tire Corporation (Toyo Tires) has held a groundbreaking ceremony for its new research and development centre in Serbia, to be built on the premises of its existing Serbia factory in the Municipality of Indjija. The ceremony, held on March 19, 2026, was attended by approximately 100 guests, including Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić and Atsushi Saito, Chargé d’Affaires ad interim of Japan to Serbia.
The new facility will cover approximately 4,600 square metres and is scheduled to become operational in January 2027. Its core functions will encompass material and composite design, the development of processing technology, the investigation and evaluation of raw materials, and information gathering. Located adjacent to the factory, the R&D centre will make direct use of the plant’s proving ground to streamline the path from development through to driving tests.
President Vučić welcomed the investment, saying Serbia “possesses the human resources, infrastructure, and determination required to support advanced technological development”.
“Today is a special day on which Toyo Tires, a Japanese friend of Serbia, sees its production base evolve into a strategic hub. Through investment and job creation, I look forward to building a strong future in partnership,” he remarked.
The investment consolidates Toyo Tires‘ European R&D operations in a single location that also hosts its production and sales functions, representing a strategic alignment outlined in the company’s Mid-Term ’26 Plan. Toyo Tires has previously established an R&D framework with the opening of a centre in Germany in 2019, alongside existing facilities in Japan and North America. The Serbian centre is intended to serve as the European hub within that global network, with a particular focus on advancing the Proxes brand’s competitive position.
“We are excited about the potential of the Serbian R&D Centre to refine cutting-edge processing technology from the ground up and to establish a European operational model that coordinates R&D, production, and sales functions. We expect this R&D Centre to serve as a core hub for the development of advanced technologies,” said Satoru Moriya, Director and Corporate Officer at Toyo Tires, during the ceremony.
