Goodyear relocating Latin America HQ to Akron

According to a report emanating from Goodyear’s hometown, the tyre maker intends to bring its regional headquarters for Latin America back to company headquarters in Akron (Ohio, US) next year. The Akron Beacon Journal wrote on 16 December that efforts to relocate the headquarters in São Paulo, Brazil will begin early in 2015 with the transfer of senior management to Akron. Goodyear will spend several months evaluating which other positions it will move from São Paulo to the US, the Akron Beacon Journal added. The headquarters has been based in São Paulo since 2005, after it was moved from Akron.

“We will be talking to the team in São Paulo and determining what people should be offered the opportunity to relocate and working with those people on an individual basis,” the publication quoted Goodyear spokesman Keith Price as saying. “It will take a year or so to complete the process.” Price added that two key reasons for the move from São Paulo to Akron were to take advantage of the resources already at hand at Goodyear’s global and North American headquarters site, and to decrease costs while increasing efficiency in the company’s Latin America business.

Goodyear still hasn’t announced where it will construct its new tyre making facility for the Americas. The company has, however, ruled out Akron as a potential site, and therefore the prospect of 30 to 50 new jobs being created in the city through the Latin America headquarters relocation has been welcomed by local officials. “I applaud Goodyear for thinking of Akron when placing these positions,” stated Akron Council president Garry Moneypenny. “This proves Goodyear is a good ally to the city of Akron.”