Skip to main content
Sister Publication Links
  • European Rubber Journal
  • Plastics News
web
Subscribe
  • Login
  • Register
  • Subscribe
  • News
    • ITEC
    • Automotive
    • Tire
    • Non-Tire
    • Suppliers
    • Silicone
    • Latex
    • Coronavirus
    • Executive Action
    • Government/Legal
    • Opinion
    • Technical Notebooks
    • International Elastomer Show
    • Women in Tire & Rubber
    • HEXPOL Sponsored Content
    • Goodyear recognized by Lockheed Martin as 'elite supplier'
      EV tire advancements to help secure future
      Lambillotte: Only question on AVs is timing
      CAR official says EV future brighter than autonomous
    • Motion Industries rebrands as 'Motion'
      USW opposes Taiwan tire makers' dumping counterproposal
      Goodyear-branded transmission belts set to return
      Hot topics at virtual CES: AVs, air taxis and drones
    • USW opposes Taiwan tire makers' dumping counterproposal
      Greenergy, Haldor Topsoe tech turns tires to fuel
      India decides against extending carbon black duties
      GRI expanding ag tire capacity at 3-year-old Sri Lanka plant
    • Motion Industries rebrands as 'Motion'
      Proto Labs to buy e-commerce company 3D Hubs for $280 million
      NewAge Industries celebrates 15 years of employee ownership
      India decides against extending carbon black duties
    • Tero Peltomaki named Cimcorp CEO
      Nynas expects to be stronger after reorganization
      Synthomer CEO MacLean to step down by early 2022
      Safic-Alcan and Arkema working together on distribution deal
    • Proto Labs to buy e-commerce company 3D Hubs for $280 million
      Ace Products & Consulting partners with Wallace Instruments
      Safic-Alcan extends distribution agreement with Momentive
      Momentive aims to grow silicone presence in Asia-Pacific region
    • WCCO task force navigates pandemic, expands communications
      ASTM cancels April meetings as COVID-19 continues impact
      Paycheck Protection Program funding reopens Jan. 15
      Detroit Auto Show canceled; alternative event being planned for September
    • Tero Peltomaki named Cimcorp CEO
      Synthomer CEO MacLean to step down by early 2022
      ARP Materials adds technical sales manager
      Jack Murphy joins Akron Dispersions
    • USW opposes Taiwan tire makers' dumping counterproposal
      India decides against extending carbon black duties
      Hot topics at virtual CES: AVs, air taxis and drones
      Paycheck Protection Program funding reopens Jan. 15
    • Column: Pandemic looms over everything in life, business in 2020
      Column: Lessons from the 2020 Best Places to Work
      Editorial: Silicone hit hard by pandemic, expected to bounce back
      Column: Still far way from normal
    • Effects of multiple repurposed materials for reinforcements of standard rubber compounds
      Impact of peroxide blends on the cure rate and aged properties in HNBR
      Techniques to detect long chain branching in polymers
      A comparative study looking at effects of curing kinetics and batch variation on SBR injection molding and numerical analytics
    • Rubber Division seeks abstracts for 200th Technical Meeting
      WORD panelists say evolution, authenticity keys to success
      IEC keynote: Communication key to logistics
      IEC speaker: Specialized elastomers may reduce spread of life-threatening pathogens
    • WORD panelists say evolution, authenticity keys to success
      New video celebrates women in rubber industry
      ITEC panelists say women can thrive in tire industry
      Rubber Division planning second Women of Rubber event
    • Sponsored By HEXPOL Compounding
      Faster Access to Your Polymer Compounding Experts Around the World
      Sponsored By HEXPOL Compounding
      Take a walk thru a HEXPOL Lab
      Sponsored By HEXPOL Compounding
      HEXPOL offers a unique selection of High Performance Elastomers to match your application requirements
      Sponsored By HEXPOL Compounding
      It’s what you can’t see that makes the Difference at HEXPOL
  • Blogs
    • Products
    • Wacky World of Rubber
    • New Products: Nova thinks outside the box with sealing tech
      New Products: MonTech introduces 1,500 kN lab press
      New products: 3M introduces new durable, pliable medical adhesive
      New Products: Lanxess launches energy-efficient PU elastomer
    • Wacky World of Rubber: How Trelleborg, teens sealed a spot in the world record book
      Wacky World of Rubber: Of chicken and feet, but not chicken feet
      Wacky World of Rubber: Time to go mattress shopping
      Wacky World of Rubber: Because nothing says football like 'frunk' shrimp
  • Newsletters
    • Rubber in Automotive
    • Silicone News
    • Latex News
    • Sign Up for Newsletters
    • Motion Industries rebrands as 'Motion'
      USW opposes Taiwan tire makers' dumping counterproposal
      Goodyear-branded transmission belts set to return
      Hot topics at virtual CES: AVs, air taxis and drones
    • Proto Labs to buy e-commerce company 3D Hubs for $280 million
      Ace Products & Consulting partners with Wallace Instruments
      Safic-Alcan extends distribution agreement with Momentive
      Momentive aims to grow silicone presence in Asia-Pacific region
    • Bridgestone bets on guayule as alternative natural rubber source
      Synthomer CEO MacLean to step down by early 2022
      Jack Murphy joins Akron Dispersions
      Synthomer optimistic, raises earnings forecast
  • Multimedia
    • Videos
    • Photo Galleries
  • Directory
  • Resources
    • Classifieds & Mold Mart
    • Sponsored Content
    • White Papers
    • Sponsored By HB Chemical
      The Company Behind the Inventory
      Sponsored By French Oil Mill Machinery
      Process Improvement, Cost Reduction with Custom Press Systems
    • Sponsored By Uncountable Inc.
      Cooper Standard deploys lab informatics platform to synchronize R&D
      Sponsored By Elkem
      LSR Select™: A solution to improve your financial impact in molding applications
      Sponsored By HEXPOL Compounding
      Peroxide Cureable Silicone Injection Molding
      Sponsored By HEXPOL Compounding
      Understanding and Selecting Performance Additives for Rubber Compounding
  • Data
  • Events
    • RPN Events
    • RPN Livestreams/Webinars
    • Industry Events
    • Past Events
    • ITEC Library
    • International Silicone Conference Library
    • 2021 Healthcare Elastomers Virtual Edition
      2021 Rubber in Automotive Virtual Edition
      2020 International Silicone Conference Virtual Edition
      2020 ITEC Virtual Edition
  • Advertise
  • DIGITAL EDITION
MENU
Breadcrumb
  1. Home
  2. News
May 27, 2010 02:00 AM

Superior Tire buys site, plans expansion

Mike McNulty
  • Tweet
  • Share
  • Share
  • Email
  • More
    Print

    WARREN, Pa.—Superior Tire & Rubber Corp. has purchased nine acres and a 15,000-sq.-ft. facility, which it will expand by 50,000 square feet, to significantly bolster its growing operation.

    The property is located adjacent to Superior's present complex in Warren, which houses three facilities: its headquarters and manufacturing plant that spans 106,000 square feet; an auxiliary 750-sq.-ft. office used for some engineering and advertising personnel; and an auxiliary production site for assembly operations that spans 4,000 square feet.

    It will take up to a year for the designer and manufacturer of solid polyurethane and rubber industrial wear products to complete the 50,000-sq.-ft. addition to the newly acquired facility, President and CEO Hank LeMeur Jr. said, principally because of an extended state approval process.

    “Our move will take place in stages over the next 12 to 18 months,” he said. “Our current facilities will continue to be used at capacity.”

    The expansion probably will be the first of two. Plans are in place to add another 50,000 square feet to the acquired plant in 2013 or later, if the need arises. The company's growth, which has been steady for the last several years, will determine that, Le-Meur said.

    Superior's development laboratories will occupy the first floor of the existing 15,000-sq.-ft building, using about 4,000 square feet of usable space, he said. The remainder will house sales, engineering and technical service staff offices.

    Major upgrades

    The addition is expected to be used mainly for manufacturing that's handled at the firm's present production complex on the adjacent site.

    LeMeur said the company has made major urethane mixing equipment pur- chases for three production lines, and acquired five CNC metal-working machines, “probably at prices we will never see again in our lifetime.”

    He said the firm will rearrange work cells between the facilities to optimize efficiency, adding that some of the new machinery is operating in the old factory. The actual allocation of specific operations between the existing main plant and the new facility still is being worked out. The expected investment for the purchase and expansion wasn't disclosed.

    “The additional room also allows us to add significant capabilities in producing assemblies and systems,” Le-Meur said.

    Examples of that are heavy duty shock-absorbing assemblies for all types of industrial equipment and drive wheels, axles and idler wheel systems for agricultural, seismic and utility undercarriage equipment systems.

    The manufacturer employs about 200 but “we expect our direct work force to grow at historical levels, which is about 10 percent per year over the longer term,” he said. “We anticipate continuing to add to our technical staff in 2010.”

    The firm also produces rubber tires for specialty lines for the material handling aftermarket segment. That sector has strengthened because of a continued reduction in U.S.-based pro- duction, LeMeur said.

    “Superior has always been known as the premium domestic supplier of specialty rubber tires and wheels,” he said. “As domestic suppliers have folded or been closed, the ability to respond quickly to surging demand or technical challenges has helped us expand our rubber presence.

    “Also, we have developed off-shore partners for certain specific rubber products. These products will always be supported by U.S. production creating value for our OEM customers while ensuring absolute reliability of supply at minimal exchange rate risk.”

    Adding capabilities

    Superior's operations personnel have done an excellent job over the past three years in implementing lean practices in manufacturing and other departments, LeMeur said. He expects the new plant will allow the company to become even more cellular in improving the accountability of its production operations.

    The most important aspect of the new facility will be an open office environment that allows the sales, engineering and technical service teams to interact more effectively, according to LeMeur. “Voice mail and e-mail are great, but so many opportunities and innovations come out of direct face-to-face conversation. We feel it is necessary to improve our office structure.

    “Superior technical excellence has been the core of our company's vision for the past 10 years and this new center is a continuation of that vision.”

    He said the company has acquired and built a lot of laboratory, development and testing equipment—currently spread over three buildings—over the last several years. “Our new technical center will allow us to consolidate this and add a customer training facility.”

    Despite the poor economy, Superior was able to buy the land and building, plan an immediate expansion, and add equipment because of its strong capital position, LeMeur said. “When the great recession hit, sellers became more reasonable in their expectations and more urgent in their timing.

    “Having survived the last 20 years in the rubber industry, we have learned to live with low pricing expectations. The good news was that we could recognize a good deal when we saw it.”

    Letter
    to the
    Editor

    Rubber & Plastics News wants to hear from its readers. If you want to express your opinion on a story or issue, email your letter to Editor Bruce Meyer at [email protected].

    SIGN UP FOR NEWSLETTERS
    EMAIL ADDRESS

    Please enter a valid email address.

    Please enter your email address.

    Please verify captcha.

    Please select at least one newsletter to subscribe.

    Get our newsletters

    Staying current is easy with Rubber & Plastics News delivered straight to your inbox, free of charge.

    Subscribe Today

    Subscribe to Rubber & Plastics News to get the best coverage and leading insights in the industry.

    SUBSCRIBE
    Connect with Us
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • Twitter

    MISSION

    To serve companies in the global rubber product industry by delivering news, industry insights, opinions and technical information.

    web
    Contact Us

    2291 Riverfront Pkwy, Suite 1000
    Cuyahoga Falls,
    OH 44221

    Customer Service:
    877-320-1726

    Resources
    • About Us
    • Digital Edition
    • Contact the Staff
    • Advertise
    • Order Reprints
    • Privacy Policy
    • Privacy Request
    • Terms of Service
    • Careers
    • Ad Choices Ad Choices
    • Sitemap
    Partner Sites
    • Tire Business
    • European Rubber Journal
    • Plastics News
    • Plastics News China
    • Urethanes Technology
    • Automotive News
    • Crain Brands
    Copyright © 1996-2021. Crain Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    • News
      • ITEC
      • Automotive
      • Tire
      • Non-Tire
      • Suppliers
      • Silicone
      • Latex
      • Coronavirus
      • Executive Action
      • Government/Legal
      • Opinion
      • Technical Notebooks
      • International Elastomer Show
      • Women in Tire & Rubber
      • HEXPOL Sponsored Content
    • Blogs
      • Products
      • Wacky World of Rubber
    • Newsletters
      • Rubber in Automotive
      • Silicone News
      • Latex News
      • Sign Up for Newsletters
    • Multimedia
      • Videos
      • Photo Galleries
    • Directory
    • Resources
      • Classifieds & Mold Mart
      • Sponsored Content
      • White Papers
    • Data
    • Events
      • RPN Events
      • RPN Livestreams/Webinars
      • Industry Events
      • Past Events
      • ITEC Library
      • International Silicone Conference Library
    • Advertise
    • DIGITAL EDITION