Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. plans to launch a new airship in the spring of 2006 to be deployed to its Pompano Beach, Fla., operation.
The new airship has been in production for the last two years as a
previously scheduled 2006 replacement for the Stars & Stripes, which has operated in Florida since 1992.
Goodyear's two other U.S.-based airships, the Spirit of Goodyear,
located near Akron, and the Spirit of America, located in Carson, Calif., recently were in New York City to support the company's meeting with financial analysts and investors.
Jon Rich, president of Goodyear North American Tire, says the
announcement of the new airship is part of the company's stepped up efforts to become more market-driven.
"The Goodyear blimps are celebrating their 80th anniversary as a company and American icon, and are a key part of our marketing strategy. Our customers love the blimps. When you think of Goodyear, you think of tires, blimps and racing. We will continue to take advantage of our differentiated products and marketing tools to become competitively advantaged."
Rich says Goodyear has stepped up its airship marketing activities in
the last two years to help drive more business through customer
activities, co-promotions and network television relationships.
The company plans to temporarily relocate the Spirit of Goodyear airship to Florida for the winter, while it builds the replacement airship at the company's Wingfoot Lake Airship hangar near Akron.
For more information about Goodyear, and history and tradition of the
airship program, visit the company's website at www.goodyear.com.
