The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., Akron, Ohio, will eliminate approximately 500 salaried and non-bargaining unit positions at its North American Tire manufacturing locations.
The reductions will affect management and Staff positions at most manufacturing plants throughout North America. Goodyear manufactures truck tires in Danville, Va., and Topeka, Kan. However, the Topeka Capital-Journal reported in its Thursday edition that the plant there would be spared from the cuts that were announced a week after Goodyear reached a tentative contract with the United Steelworkers of America.
According to Goodyear, each location is developing its own restructuring plan for how the reductions will be achieved. When the plans are finalized within the next few weeks, local management will communicate the specific details to associates at their facilities. It is expected that the reductions will be completed by the end of September.
"When we announced our turnaround plan at the end of last year, we said that difficult decisions would be required," explained Jon Rich, president of Goodyear's North American Tire business unit. "This is one of those very difficult actions, but it is absolutely necessary to achieve our cost reduction objectives."
Earlier this year, Goodyear eliminated approximately 700 salaried positions, the majority of which were located at its headquarters in Akron, Ohio.