Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. will discontinue most operations at its Bowmanville, Ontario, conveyor belt plant by April 2004.
The factory will cease fabric conveyor belt manufacturing and plans to relocate its steel cable belt equipment to another facility, say Goodyear officials.
It will continue to produce blended, unvulcanized rubber compounds for other Goodyear operations.
The decision "was based on an overall drop in market demand for conveyor belt systems," says Jim Pecorelli, director of global manufacturing for Goodyear Engineered Products.
"We are consolidating production to strengthen Goodyear's competitive position by aligning production capacity with current market requirements."
The phase-out will start immediately, according to Goodyear officials, and will effect more than 160 hourly and salaried workers.
