Cooper Tire to Produce Race Tyres in the US

Cooper Tyre & Rubber has announced that it intends to produce racing tyres at the company’s factory in Athens, Georgia. As a result of the decision the company plans to invest $11 million (£6 million) in the plant so it will be able to produce racing tyres in the factory that currently produces retread products. The conversion to motorsport tyres should begin immediately. Developmental tyre production will start in early 2005.

The factory will initially produce products including the Avon Tech R road-legal radial, manufactured by Cooper exclusively for the The Tire Rack, and the Mickey Thompson DOT ET street radial, which will be sold through the company’s Mick Thompson operation. The plant will also be able to produce other products as they are needed, in order to support the company’s overall motorsport strategy.

“The demand for our motorsport tyres in the US has outpaced our ability to produce them at our UK factory,” said Carl Casalbore, vice president of marketing and retail sales. “This is a great opportunity to bring motorsport production to the United States and to introduce an exciting new product to our Athens facility. We are confident that our customers will be pleased at our increased supply and improved responsiveness.”