Goodyear closes plant in South Africa

Goodyear has announced the closure of its manufacturing facility in Uitenhage (South Africa) as part of a major business restructuring in the EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) region. The restructuring will also be carried out in regional sales, management and other departments.

The plant, which employs around 1,000 people, was launched in 1947 and produces tires for passenger and light commercial vehicles, SUVs and specialty equipment, with a capacity of up to 10,000 units per year. Goodyear will continue to operate in South Africa, and the closure process will be "transparent and fair", with the company making every effort to protect the interests of those affected.

The Goodyear plant in Uitenhage is one of four tire manufacturing facilities in the country, with the other three belonging to Bridgestone, Continental and Sumitomo.

Earlier, Goodyear announced the sale of the majority of its chemical business, the OTR tire manufacturing division and the rights to the Dunlop brand.