Seventy-five years after Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. first entered Mexico, the tire manufacturer has announced it will build its new consumer tire plant in San Luis Potosi, Mexico.
Richard Kramer, Goodyear's chairman and CEO, says the company will break ground in June 2015, and the plant is expected to begin production two years later, in mid-2017.
“At Goodyear we believe that the tire industry is a great industry to be in now and in the future,” Kramer says. “Demand for our premium Goodyear-branded products in Mexico is stronger than it ever has been and it continues to grow.”
This new plant will be a base “to support future growth,” and Goodyear says it will produce 6 million tires a year. It will supply Mexico, as well as Latin America and North America, Kramer says.
“The Goodyear brand is recognized around the world and we are fully committed to increasing its value. People who drive on Goodyear tires demand performance and dependability, but they actually demand more. They expect more from us, such as trust, confidence and peace of mind,” Kramer says. “We strive to earn that every day in our plants around the world and we are confident we will fulfill that trust and that expectation right here in our new factory in Mexico.”
Kramer gave thanks to President Enrique Pena Nieto, Secretary of the Economy Ildefonso Guajardo Villarreal, and the Governor of the state of San Luis Potosi, Fernando Toranzo Fernandez. Additionally, Kramer gave thanks to the Goodyear customers in Mexico, including those who attended the announcement.
“Finally I would like to say thank you to all of our customers who joined us here today. Without your partnership and without your support, today’s historic investment and our future in Mexico would not be possible,” Kramer says.
To view a video of today’s announcement, go to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0BRczGcfuoU. Kramer’s remarks begin at about the 18:30 mark.
For more information, read Goodyear seals the deal: $550 million tire factory going to Mexico.
