Goodyear announces plan to modernize plant in Amiens
Five-year investment with support of French Automotive Recovery Plan
The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company today announced a plan to modernize its tire manufacturing plant in Amiens over the next five years.
The proposed project will strengthen the competitiveness of the plant through a high degree of digitalization, automation and equipment upgrades for more sustainable and innovative production of premium, large-rim-diameter consumer tires, including those for electric and hybrid vehicles.
The plan includes an investment of €148 million, which is supported by the French government’s Automotive Recovery Plan through a loan and €44.6 million in state aid.
The Amiens plant employs about 800 workers, and the plan would preserve employment for at least the next 10 years, including an ambitious skills development training program.
“The automotive industry is experiencing unprecedented changes, which are also transforming the tire industry,” said Pierre-Jean Eraud, president of Goodyear France. “We have been working with the French authorities for more than a year on this modernization project, confirming Goodyear's commitment to promoting opportunities for our workforce and the competitiveness of the region.”
The project remains subject to consultation with relevant employee representative bodies and regulatory approvals from the European Commission.
Goodyear is one of the world's largest tire companies. It employs about 74,000 people and manufactures its products in 57 facilities in 23 countries around the world. Its two Innovation Centers in Akron, Ohio, and Colmar-Berg, Luxembourg, strive to develop state-of-the-art products and services that set the technology and performance standard for the industry. For more information about Goodyear and its products, go to www.goodyear.com/corporate.