Goodyear Temporarily Closes Canadian Plant

Goodyear’s Napanee plant between Belleville and Kingston in Ontario, Canada is to close for a week as the manufacturer continues to react against a stagnating marketplace. The closure, which has an impact on up to 760 jobs, will take place between 30 June and 7 July.

Company spokesman Tom Hogeboom told local journalists that the closure’s timing made relative sense, coming as it does in the week that contains Canada Day and the United States’ Independence Day, which has a predictable effect on production rates. Hogeboom stated that “it’s not a decision we make lightly but the marketplace is telling us it’s something we have to do,” adding “all of our North American plants are doing it.”

The company has told employees that they can decide whether to make the week part of their annual leave entitlement – making it essentially paid leave – or to save this vacation time and take the week off without pay. The Napanee plant is the area’s largest employer, with 640 employees and 120 full-time contractors.