Goodyear Dunlop Tyres ponders cutting tire production

BIRMINGHAM, England (Feb. 10)—Goodyear Dunlop Tyres U.K. is considering ending tire production at its Wolverhampton factory but continuing mixing, calendering and retreading operations at the facility. The company revealed its stance Feb. 7 after a meeting between management and labor officials, requested by the union. No new proposals to improve productivity at the site were made, a Goodyear Dunlop Tyres spokesman said. "There is a market requirement for Wolverhampton products for the foreseeable future, particularly in the areas of mixing, calendering and retreading," the company said. The plant supplies compound and materials to Goodyear's other British facilities at Washington and Birmingham. However, the company still complained that cost competitiveness remains a major challenge at the plant, particularly in tire production.