Goodyear to close plant in Taiwan to lower costs

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Akron, OH -- "Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. will shut its Taiwan tire plant in July and move production to less expensive countries," according to an article Tuesday in ohio.com. The factory in Taoyuan, about an hour's drive from Taipei, will close July 31, and 236 workers will be laid off, the Akron company said Monday. The Taiwan plant makes tires for automobiles, light trucks and buses for both original equipment and replacement markets. The majority of tires made in Taiwan is exported to other Asian countries, a Goodyear spokesman said. The factory makes about 3,000 tires daily, according to industry sources. Starting in 2007, Goodyear invested as much as $300 million to modernize the Taiwan plant to make premium tires. The equipment from that investment will be moved to other plants with more a competitive costs, a Goodyear spokesman said."

(Source: Rubber World Magazine)