Autoparts (S.Wales) Ltd.

Supported by KYB, Team Ukyo has successfully completed the Dakar Rally, one of the world's most grueling races.

The team completed the challenging 9,000 kilometre course on 21 January in 78 hours and 54 minutes, and finished 16th in its category.

Driving a Toyota Landcruiser, Ukyo Katayama (driver) and Naoya Saiki (navigator) made their contribution to protecting the environment by using a special fuel made from used tempra oil. This bio-fuel helped power the team from the start in Portugal on 6 January, through Morocco, Mauritania, and Mali to the chequered flag in Senegal 15 days later.

Team Ukyo used KYB shock absorbers to ensure they had the robust and durable suspension system needed to protect the vehicle from being shaken apart in the arduous desert conditions. A total of 515 cars, trucks and motorbikes started the rally, and Team Ukyo came 68th out of the 109 cars that finished.

With one in four new cars fitted with its shock absorbers, KYB is the largest supplier of original equipment (OE) shocks in the world, and continues to consolidate its position as a global manufacturer.