Titan stops production, purchases plant in Natchez

NATCHEZ, Miss. (May 2)—Titan International Inc., which reduced its Natchez tire plant to a rubber mixing facility less than three months ago, now has shut down all production indefinitely. The production halt comes on the heels of a February announcement that, due to the soft state of the U.S. manufacturing industry, the farm and construction tire plant would pare down to a mixing site. But Titan decided early in April that the mixing operation should cease as well until market conditions improve. The facility, which employed more than 200 workers four months ago, now has a skeleton crew of less than 20 doing maintenance work. The Quincy-Ill.-based tire and wheel maker also has exercised a lease option to buy the facility from the city of Natchez for $100. The firm has no plans to permanently close the plant or sell it.