Continental Tire North America Inc. (CTNA) will suspend tire production at its Mayfield, Ky., plant for an indefinite period of time by Dec. 31, 2004.
"The Mayfield plant is still valuable to CTNA," say CTNA officials. "Therefore there are no plans to close the facility."
Mixing and some warehouse activities will continue at the factory.
Suspension of tire production in Mayfield will result in a work force reduction of 715 hourly and 112 salaried positions.
"This was not an easy decision, as we have been weighing our options at Mayfield for some time," says CTNA CEO and President Martin de Louw.
"Unfortunately, this was our only option, as Mayfield remains the highest cost plant for Continental."
CTNA officials add that the company will continue to manufacture tires at its other North American plants in Charlotte, N.C.; Bryan, Ohio; and Mount Vernon, Ill.
The Mayfield factory, which opened in 1961, produces 5,000 passenger and 5,900 light truck tires a day at full capacity, according to Modern Tire Dealer data.
