BF Goodrich to Reduce Production of Car and Light Truck Tires in North America

Due to overcapacity in BFGoodrich Tires’ mass market passenger tire segment in North America, the company will reduce production at the Opelika, Ala. facility by approximately 30 to 40 percent beginning the fourth quarter of 2006.

The mass market tire segment has been shrinking over the past several years and is also experiencing intense cost pressure due to imports from competitors in lower-cost countries.

This production cutback will result in the indefinite layoff of 30 to 40 percent of the plant’s employees. Detailed planning is under way and more specific information will be available in the coming weeks.

The BFGoodrich Tire Manufacturing Opelika plant produces BFGoodrich, Uniroyal and private and associate brand mass market passenger and light truck tires, primarily for the U.S. market, and employs approximately 1,300 wage and salaried employees.