Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. has ties to Japanese tire production, too. And the business impact on its joint venture agreements has been "minimal," according to Chairman and CEO Richard Kramer.
Agreements with Sumitomo Rubber Industries Ltd. (consumer tires) and Toyo Tire & Rubber Co. Ltd. (giant OTR tire plant in Tatsuno) give Goodyear a significant stake in tire production in Japan.
Kramer, speaking at Goodyear's investor conference in New York, N.Y., on March 22, said Goodyear employees and facilities in Japan are fine. They have experienced only the indirect hardships that followed the 9.0-point earthquake and subsequent tsunami -- and the damage they caused.
He added that the company is going to continue to pay close attention to what is going on in Japan.
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