FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (April 29, 2010)—Goodyear has asked about 70 employees at its consumer tire plant in Fayetteville to apply for voluntary layoffs before April 30, a spokeswoman for the tire maker said.
The layoffs are primarily a result of increased usage of automated equipment in the plant, according to the spokeswoman.
“The type of production at the plant is increasing more on the premium brand tire side, which is built on the more automated equipment we have at the plant,” she said. “And so as a result, we will be idling some of the less automated equipment and moving some people around.”
Goodyear has not determined whether the layoffs will be permanent or only temporary.