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Goodyear Moves Forward with Integration of Dunlop Joint Venture

7 January 2000

Goodyear Moves Forward with Integration of Dunlop Joint Venture

    AKRON, Ohio, Jan. 6 -- The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
today took another step in its globalization plans with the announcement that
it will integrate commercial truck tire and mold production within the
company's recently completed joint venture with Sumitomo Rubber Industries
Ltd. in Europe.
    This move, which will result in substantial cost savings and synergies for
the Goodyear and Dunlop joint venture, will involve the discontinuance of
truck tire production at the Dunlop Tyres UK plant in Birmingham, England, and
a production shift to other joint venture plants in Europe.  Mold production
will move to Goodyear's facility in Luxembourg.
    This will result in the loss of 650 jobs at the plant, which also produces
passenger and racing tires.  The workforce of the Birmingham facilities totals
1,700.
    "This rationalization is part of our plan to integrate Goodyear and Dunlop
operations in Europe," said Vernon L. Dunckel, Goodyear's senior vice
president of global product supply.  "As we combine the businesses, we will
take full advantage of synergies that allow us to become more efficient and to
grow."
    In November 1999, Goodyear announced the closure of tire plants in
Argentina and Italy as part of its global rationalization plan.
    Goodyear is the world's largest tire and rubber company.  Headquartered in
Akron, Ohio, the company manufactures tires, engineered rubber products and
chemicals in more than 90 facilities in 30 countries.  It has marketing
operations in almost every country around the world.  Goodyear, with the
addition of its Dunlop tire joint ventures, employs more than 105,000 people
worldwide.