WAKEFIELD, Mass. (Jan. 7, 2011)—Maine Industrial Tire L.L.C. plans to close its Gorham, Maine, industrial tire plant and consolidate production at its Red Lion, Pa., and Xingtai, China operations.
The restructuring, which will take out excess capacity, is aimed at reducing manufacturing and operating costs. The company said the changes will result in a financially stronger company, and by streamlining operations it will be able to provide its products at competitive prices.
The consolidation is expected to take six months to complete. Maine Industrial Tire did not give financial details of the change, nor reveal its impact on employment. The firm, as of last July, employed about 130 in the U.S. and Canada, and 1,282 in China.
The company also is realigning its sales force, combining its Brawler and conventional sales forces to create a single point of contact for both conventional and specialty products. The new structure will better reflect the growing importance of the Brawler product line and allow the company to better serve its customers, Maine Industrial Tire said.