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Goodyear Run-Flat Technology to Receive Ohio Award

19 March 1998

Goodyear Run-Flat Technology to Receive Ohio Award

    AKRON, Ohio, March 19 -- A Goodyear engineer and a run-flat
tire technology have been selected to receive an EDI Innovation Award on
April 1.
    Inventor Thomas Oare, senior research engineer, and Marco Molinari, vice
president of sales and marketing for Goodyear North America, are slated to
receive awards for the company from the Cleveland-based business consortium.
The tire company is being recognized for its extended mobility technology and
its work to expand the run-flat tire size offering to more mainstream
vehicles.
    Goodyear's run-flat tire is capable of sustaining a major puncture,
instantly losing all inflation pressure and still being driven up to 50 miles
at 55 mph.  "No more spare tire, fumbling with a jack or changing a flat tire
on a busy road, or at night or in an unfamiliar neighborhood," Molinari said
about the breakthrough technology.
    Goodyear produced the industry's first run-flat tires designed to fit on
any standard rim, which allow the company to keep the technology affordable.
    EDI Innovation Awards recognize successful area innovators whose new
products or new concepts in servicing their customers increase the value of
the business and improve society.  Enterprise Development Inc., with Key Bank;
Deloitte & Touche LLP; Squire, Sanders & Dempsey LLP' and Carleton, McCreary,
Holmes & Co. has established the annual recognition program to honor companies
for their innovative products, processes and services.
    Goodyear's Aquatred wet-traction tire received the EDI award in its
inaugural year.
    Goodyear's first run-flat tire application came as an option on the 1994
Chevrolet Corvette sports car.  Today, similar tires come standard on the
Corvette and the Plymouth Prowler, which are both produced without a spare
tire.  Last year, Goodyear announced it would begin producing the first broad
market line of run-flat tires for the family car.
    Chairman Sam Gibara has selected extended mobility technology to play a
key role in the strategy to return Goodyear to its position as the world's
best tire and rubber company by any standards by the end of 2000.  The company
has started to convert replacement tire production capacity to EMT versions of
its broad market passenger car tires.
    In April, the company begins selling the new Eagle Aquasteel EMT run-flat
tire in sizes to fit the family car and minivans.
    Last December, Goodyear's extended mobility technology received the "Best
New Technology Award" from the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada.
Goodyear was the first tiremaker and the only non-automaker to ever receive an
AJAC award.

SOURCE  Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company