Cooper Tire & Rubber Co. has hired Steven Zhou as general manager of Cooper Chengshan (Shandong) Tire Co. Ltd., Cooper's manufacturing joint venture in Rongchen City, China. He officially will assume his duties on Dec. 11, 2009.
In his new position, Zhou will be responsible for planning, directing and coordinating the manufacturing operations. He will report directly to Asian operations Vice President and General Manager Allen Tsaur.
The Cooper Chengshan Tire (CCT) tire, tube and truck flap manufacturing facility employs 5,000 people.
“CCT is an integral part of our company’s strategic plan,” says Cooper International Tire Division President Hal Miller. "As we continue to remold our global footprint to support the growing domestic and export markets, it is critical that the products we manufacture in Asia continue to conform to the highest quality standards and meet customer delivery requirements."
Zhou’s background includes extensive business experience in both China and the United States. His prior experience includes 12 years at the Timken Co., where he most recently served in China as general manager and as a member of the board of directors for Timken’s wholly-owned manufacturing entity in China.
Zhou will replace Chuck Taylor, who has served as CCT general manager since 2007. Taylor will become general manager of strategic planning and ERP readiness starting the first of the new year. He will relocate to Shanghai, China.
For more information, visit www.coopertire.com.
