Michelin to Shut U.S. Tire Factory

April 14, 2009
1,000 workers employed at Alabama factory.

The U.S. subsidiary of French tire maker Michelin said Monday it will shut a U.S. plant in Alabama, where it employs 1,000 people, due to an "unprecedented" slump in demand. Michelin North America said the closure of the plant in Opelika, Alabama, by Oct. 31 was part of a restructuring plan for its manufacturing operations "in response to the unprecedented drop in market demand." "The decision comes in the wake of the continuing economic crisis as consumers are driving fewer miles, purchasing fewer vehicles and delaying tire replacement purchases," the company said in a statement. The Opelika plant produces passenger car tires under brands BFGoodrich and Uniroyal. The company said it would provide separation pay and other benefits to the laid-off workers. Michelin, like many other auto equipment suppliers, is reeling from an auto sales plunge amid prolonged recession that has pushed automakers General Motors and Chrysler into government aid to prevent their collapse. Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2009

Popular Sponsored Recommendations

Learn How Manufacturers like 3M Cater to Digital Buyers to Increase Sales

Aug. 13, 2023
In this article, you'll learn how manufacturers can balance educating and guiding their buyers through their complex buying process with a digital first approach to product discovery...

Empowering the Modern Workforce: The Power of Connected Worker Technologies

March 1, 2024
Explore real-world strategies to boost worker safety, collaboration, training, and productivity in manufacturing. Emphasizing Industry 4.0, we'll discuss digitalization and automation...

3 Best Practices to Create a Product-Centric Competitive Advantage with PRO.FILE PLM

Jan. 25, 2024
Gain insight on best practices and strategies you need to accelerate engineering change management and reduce time to market. Register now for your opportunity to accelerate your...

How Manufacturers Can Optimize Operations with Weather Intelligence

Nov. 2, 2023
The bad news? Severe weather has emerged as one of the biggest threats to continuity and safety in manufacturing. The good news? The intelligence solutions that build weather ...

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of IndustryWeek, create an account today!