INDIANA, Pa. (Oct. 5)—Specialty Tires of America Inc. plans to invest about $1 million in equipment to produce radial specialty tires in its Indiana plant by mid-2005.
Eugene Baker, general manager of sales for the Indiana-based specialty tire maker, said the move is a response to customer needs. Initial equipment will be added in January with most of the machinery online by the second quarter, he said. The radial tires will cover various segments, including drag racing tires, Baker said.
With the investment, Specialty Tires will produce about 100,000 radial tires annually at the facility, which formerly manufactured only bias-ply tires. Specialty Tires' plant in Tennessee also produces radial tires.
The company will add 40 jobs over the next three years with the expansion, according to a statement from the Pennsylvania governor's office. Wholly owned by Polymer Enterprises Inc., Specialty Tires is financing the improvements with a low-interest $1 million loan from a public-private "job bank" program.