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Goodyear Announces Topeka Expansion for Medium Radial Truck Tires

10 November 1997

Goodyear Announces Topeka Expansion for Medium Radial Truck Tires

    AKRON, Ohio, Nov. 10 -- The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
announced today plans for a $15 million expansion at its Topeka, Kan.,
manufacturing plant to meet the growing customer needs for medium radial truck
tires and steel/steel light truck tires, according John C. Orr, vice president
of manufacturing for Goodyear's North American Tire region.
    "We have a market demand for our medium radial truck tires and steel/steel
light truck tires that currently cannot be met," Orr said.  "Because of its
continuous operations and the manufacturing efficiencies you gain from
flexible scheduling, Topeka was the best choice to invest capital for this
immediate need."
    The company currently is importing tires from both Europe and Latin
America to help meet the demand, and that demand is expected to increase in
the near future, Orr said.
    H. Clay Orme, vice president for product supply worldwide, said this
expansion announcement is the first of several major moves globally to help
North America ease its supply shortage in medium radial and steel/steel truck
tires.
    "We were hoping to be able to invest heavily in our Danville, Va., plant,
but a union vote there on continuous operations failed," Orme said.  "Now,
we're exploring all options globally for supply points."
    In addition to medium radial truck tires and steel/steel light truck
tires, Topeka also manufactures off-the-road giant earthmover tires.  The 3
million-square-foot plant, which employs approximately 2,260 associates,
started building tires in 1945.

SOURCE  Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company