Union City plant now 'unprotected,' says Goodyear

July 31, 2009

Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. has secured unprotected status at its Union City, Tenn., plant, Goodyear Chairman, CEO and President Bob Keegan recently told investors. The plant produces passenger and light truck tires.

Unprotected status gives Goodyear the ability to close the factory if need be, said Keegan.

On July 6, workers at the facility switched from a normal operating schedule to a five-day, three-shift schedule in an effort to align production with weak industry demand. As part of the conversion, more than 500 workers at the plant agreed to buy-outs.

The Union City plant employs more than 2,000 people. At full capacity, it can build 48,000 tires a day, according to MTD research, making it Goodyear's second biggest plant in North America from a production capacity standpoint. (Goodyear's Lawton, Okla., plant can produce 65,000 units at full throttle.)