Bluffton's DTR Industries has a new name.

As of March 1 it will be SumiRiko Ohio, Inc., according to Takahisa Kato, president and COO.

DTR manufactures anti-vibration products for the automotive industry. It was established in Bluffton in 1988 and employs 600 associates.

The name change announcement, made today also stated that there is no change to DTR Industries’ ownership, management or daily operations.

Bluffton's largest employer will continue its efforts to be a global excellent manufacturing company, according to Kato.

Some background
On Oct. 1, 2014, Tokai Rubber Industries, Ltd., DTR Industries’ parent company and owner, changed its company name to Sumitomo Riko Co., Ltd.

Tokai was founded in 1929 and has developed various products for the automotive, industrial and information technologies industries based on its compounding technologies for high-polymer materials.  

Over the last 88 years, the company achieved the number one share in the global market of automotive anti-vibration rubber products and became a global corporation with subsidiaries in 23 countries and 105 business sites, including DTR Industries in Bluffton. 

The company has accelerated business development in new industries as part of a strategy to strengthen existing business. 

As part of Sumitomo Riko’s 2020 vision, the corporate focus will be on four kinds of markets:
• Automotive
• Electronics
• Infrastructure and housing environment
• medical and nursing healthcare

The new name combined the global brand “Sumitomo” with the Japanese word Riko (physics, chemistry and engineering), which represent its core technologies.

Tokai Rubber was acquired by Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd., in 1937 and has had a long and successful 80 year history with Sumitomo Electric Industries.

In keeping with this global vision, it was decided that Sumitomo Riko subsidiaries would also undergo the company name change and take advantage of global branding. 

This is the primary reason for DTR Industries, Inc. changing their company name to SumiRiko Ohio, Inc.

It is also also an effort to make common all of the different names of the 105 business sites in 23 countries that have evolved over Sumitomo Riko’s 88-year history.