China facility Goodyear’s 3rd global R&D centre

Goodyear Tire & Rubber has announced the establishment of the company’s first research and development facility in China. The new R&D centre is located at the tyre maker’s Pulandian plant in Liaoning Province and will focus on product customisation for original equipment fitments and project support services, supplementing the core tyre technology development that takes place in Goodyear’s global innovation centres in Akron (Ohio, US) and Colmar-Berg (Luxembourg). Goodyear says the facility in China will shorten the time taken to develop high-value-added tyres, particularly for China-based vehicle manufacturers.

“China is the world’s largest and fastest-growing market for passenger cars and commercial trucks, and critical to Goodyear’s growth strategy,” commented Goodyear Tire & Rubber chairman and chief executive officer Richard Kramer. “The new China development centre will be an integral part of our network of global innovation centres and strengthen our innovation leadership role in the global tyre industry.”

Goodyear says that locating the centre in Pulandian will support its market-back innovation approach. It will allow for more direct interactions between customers and designers and facilitate the build-up of local capabilities. It will also permit the company to develop new original equipment platforms in China, including for new energy vehicles.

“The time is right for us to increase our capabilities in China to ensure we remain first with our customers,” said Kramer. “We have built strong relationships with original equipment manufacturers and our investment in this new development centre will allow us to expand our new product offerings, accelerate our speed to market and increase the value we deliver to these key customers.”
In addition to the global innovation centres in the US, Luxembourg and China, Goodyear also operates development centers in Hanau (Germany) and Hebron (Ohio, US).