MALDEN, Mass. (Feb. 12, 2009)—GPX International Tire Corp. is restructuring its distribution network throughout the U.S. and Canada as part of a companywide initiative to improve productivity and customer service.
The most visible change of the initiative will be the closing of the Hayward, Calif., distribution facility, set for March 1. GPX will service pneumatic tire customers from its Houston branch, while solid tire customers will be serviced from a new, smaller facility to be located in or near Santa Fe Springs, Calif., according to Glenn Booth, who oversees supply and logistics for GPX.
GPX said it is reviewing its distribution network because of “unprecedented economic pressures in the market.”
In addition, Booth said, GPX's product mix changed last year after the International Trade Commission's antidumping ruling against certain Chinese off-the-road tire makers affected GPX's supply of OTR tires.