Capacity Increase Planned for Cooper Tire’s Findlay Plant

A US$10 million investment is being made to increase capacity at Cooper Tire & Rubber’s Findlay, Ohio factory. The funds, says Cooper, will be directed towards increasing capacity through automation, cost improvements and retooling to support market trends. The investment will also enable up to 100 new people to be hired at Findlay.

“In addition, in 2010, the Findlay plant will play a key role in Cooper Tire’s launch of several new light truck, SUV and premium winter tyre products,” said Cooper North American Tire Manufacturing vice president John Bodart. “Taken together, this expansion demonstrates the strong impact Findlay has on the company’s strategic objectives of creating a sustainable, competitive cost position, achieving top-line profitable growth and building our organisational capabilities.”

This year, Cooper has announced capacity increases and expansions of its manufacturing facilities in Texarkana, Arkansas, and Tupelo, Mississippi, as well as in its joint venture in Guadalajara, Mexico, and the Cooper Kenda Tire joint venture facility in Kunshan, China. The company’s plant in Albany, Georgia, has been earmarked to close before the end of the year.