Tsubakimoto Chain Co., the largest maker of timing chains in Japan, formed a business partnership with its former rival, the German-based Ibis. Although Tsubakimoto's market is more than 70 percent in Japan and 17 percent in the U.S., its share is only 5 percent in Europe. With this partnership, Tsubakimoto can ship chains from Ibis' German plants to European automobile makers. As soon as the company completed the business partnership, it received an order from Europe. Ibis will from this partnership by using Tsubakimoto's Japanese facilities to expand into Asia.
