MADISON, Tenn. (Dec. 26) — Marangoni Tread North America Inc. has embarked on a $20 million, three-year expansion plan at its Madison tread rubber plant that will double capacity.
The Alpha-Ring production facility, which makes Marangoni's Ringtread precure tread rubber, occupies about a third of a 150,000-sq.-ft. building. The firm recently purchased the building along with the adjacent 12 acres of undeveloped land to expand its manufacturing operations and on-site headquarters.
The company expects to double its capacity within the next 18 months from its current annual output of 10 million pounds of tread rubber, said President and CEO Bill Sweatman.
The company previously doubled its capacity when it expanded and upgraded the facility in August 2005. The plant produces only Ringtread, a contoured circle of precure tread used for commercial tire retreading. MTNA has 18 licensed dealerships that use Ringtread in 23 retreading plants in North America.
"2006 was a great year for us. We want to build on that momentum," Sweatman said. The company also is launching a multi-year marketing campaign.