MONTLUCON, France—Goodyear is planning to move light-truck tire production out of its Montlucon factory and convert capacity at that plant solely to motorcycle tires.
Goodyear has budgeted $16 million to carry out the capacity restructuring and said Goodyear France S.A. has opened a consultation process with "relevant employee representative bodies."
News of the proposed change comes a week after Goodyear notified workers at the Cooper Tire & Rubber Europe plant in Melksham, England, that it intends to phase out production there of motorcycle and racing tires by year-end 2023.
The company said it does not anticipate any permanent staff reduction in Montlucon. The 102-year old plant in Central France employs 700 people. Goodyear's intent is to provide training for all employees who would be redeployed to an equivalent or similar position and to support them in their transition.
Subject to the consultation process with the work force, Goodyear said it expects to be "substantially complete" with these plans by the beginning of 2024.