Yusa Corp. opens a research and development facility to become more of an R&D partner with its main automotive customer, American Honda Motor Co. Inc.
Firestone Building Products Co. decides to enhance its roofing operations by building a thermoplastic olefin plant and distribution center, along with a warehouse for its EPDM roofing membranes.
Marangoni Tread North America Inc. begins a $20 million, three-year expansion at its Madison, Tenn., tread rubber factory that will double capacity and provide more space for its headquarters and warehousing.
Titan International Inc. plans to take advantage of a strong off-the-road tire market by increasing OTR capacity at two of its traditional farm tire plants.
Fenner Dunlop Americas Inc. decides to build a factory near Atlanta to replace its existing belt-making facility as part of a $50 million project that includes a significant investment in machinery.
Gates Corp. opens a facility in southwest Virginia to produce hydraulic-related products, creating 172 jobs.
Continental Tire North America Inc. embarks on a $78 million program to expand and upgrade its Mount Vernon, Ill., tire factory.
Michelin North America (Canada) Inc. commits $41.5 million over two years to increase capacity at its Bridgewater, Nova Scotia, car and light truck tire plant.
Michelin North America Inc. announces it will spend more than $1 billion to expand production capacity in the U.S. and Mexico over the next seven years, including a new plant and upgrades at several facilities.
Lord Corp. plans to invest $4 million in additions and improvements at two plants, primarily because of growth in the company's aerospace and industrial sectors.
Goodyear moves ahead with plans to make major investments to spur future growth in North America, Europe and Asia. Included are modernization projects at two U.S. tire plants and the possible addition of two factories in Eastern Europe and Asia.
Automotive rubber mat manufacturer Pretty Products L.L.C. decides to close a Coshocton, Ohio, plant and move production to two other locations, which it will expand.
Flotation Technologies Inc. moves to a new facility, almost doubling its plant size, and triples its capacity primarily in response to unprecedented demand in the offshore oil industry.
Biomaterials and medical device maker Polymer Technology Group, which specializes in polyurethane-based products, triples its research and development and manufacturing capacity.
LMI Custom Mixing L.L.C., a joint venture of Lauren International Inc. and Meteor Gummiwerke K.H. Badje GmbH & Co., adds a second mixing line and doubles capacity at its 50,000-sq.-ft. Cambridge plant to meet internal demand for rubber compounds.
Building products manufacturer Johns Manville plans to open its first thermoplastic polyolefin roofing membrane plant in Alabama sometime in the second half of 2008.
Medical components manufacturer West Pharmaceutical Services Inc. discloses it will add equipment, people and space at its Kinston, N.C., plant during the next three years to bolster specialty rubber parts production for the pharmaceutical and biotech drug markets.
Kumho Tire Co. Ltd. is looking at sites in the U.S. for a passenger/light truck tire plant that might start production as soon as 2009, according to Kumho CEO Sae Chul Oh.
Meisner Roller Co. makes a fresh start with its business by moving into a larger manufacturing facility and changing its name to Bluegrass Roller Service.
Tenneco Inc. pours $4.3 million into its Angola, Ind., plant to add a line of machinery over the next several months.