Goodyear's Gibara: Comments pertaining to a possible Pirelli acquisition were 'misrepresented'

AKRON (Oct. 10)—Samir G. Gibara, Goodyear chairman and CEO, said comments he made to a German magazine regarding his firm's interest in buying Italian tire maker Pirelli S.p.A. were misrepresented, according to an Oct. 10 release. Gibara was asked by a reporter for "Wirtschafts-Woche" during a September interview about Pirelli selling its truck tire business, the release said, and he answered with "positive comments" about the company. But he did not say Goodyear was interested in buying part or all of Pirelli's tire business, as was alleged in a news release promoting an upcoming issue of the magazine. Gibara was quoted in the interview as saying "They (Pirelli) would make a good fit for us." The Goodyear chief added in the release that the two companies have not discussed the subject.