New Equipment to Upgrade Cooper Tupelo Efficiency

A US$9 million upgrade at Cooper Tire & Rubber’s Tupelo, Mississippi passenger car and truck tyre plant will, according to plant manager Patrick Jodon, make the facility “stronger, more flexible and more competitive.” Jodon explained that the Tupelo plant will receive new equipment that will aid in improving its efficiency; this new equipment will be installed within the next 12 to 14 months. The upgrade is expected to add 35 new jobs to the plant’s 1,300 strong workforce.

“To continue to add jobs and position our self apart from a competitive standpoint, it’s just a great feeling,” said Jodon. “It’s a feeling for our plant, our company, the city, the state of Mississippi and obviously our employees – that were so worried about whether or not there would be a future in Tupelo once the capacity study was undertaken. We’re all very excited.”

The upgrade announced on January 12 is the second in the last two years – in 2009 the company announced a $7 million expansion that added 150 jobs to the payroll.