Full speed ahead

Goodyear builds on 'stability' of its retreader network

By: Mike Manges

Joe Copeland, vice president of Goodyear Commercial Tire Systems, says fleets have responded enthusiastically to Goodyear’s fleetHQ program.

The last 12 months have been eventful for Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.’s retread business. The company signed some big-name retreaders — Texarkana, Texas-based Heintschel Tire & Service Inc. and Greensboro, N.C.-based Piedmont Truck Tires Inc.  —  and sold its Wingfoot OTR Retread Business to Purcell Tire & Rubber Co. (The Purcell transaction included two plants, one in North Carolina and one in Minnesota, both of which were shut down by Purcell Tire, which  transferred production to its home plant in Potosi, Mo.)

Goodyear, which enjoys 28% of the U.S. truck tire retread market, according to Modern Tire Dealer research, also ramped up its fleetHQ program and introduced tread rubber for some of its new Fuel Max truck tires.

In this interview, Joe Copeland, vice president of Goodyear Commercial Tire Systems, discusses Goodyear’s retread activities and other topics.

Last year, he says, was a “great one for the Goodyear network.”

CTD: Goodyear made a major move in 2009 when it sold its Wingfoot OTR tire retread business to Purcell Tire & Rubber Co. What was behind your decision to exit OTR tire retreading?

Copeland: We decided to focus our attention on offering the best line-up of truck products that we can.

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Related Topics: Goodyear, Joe Copeland, Retreading

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