Petroleum Directory: American Tire looks to buy Goodyear’s Topeka’s OTR plant

In an April 21 letter to Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.’s board of directors, American Tire Corp. offered to buy Goodyear’s OTR tire plant in Topeka, Kan., at “any reasonable price.”

The Topeka operation is Goodyear’s largest OTR tire plant in the world and its only one in North America. If it’s successful in purchasing the plant, ATC plans to spend $200 million to modernize it, increase by at least 20 percent its production capacity for all sizes of OTR tires, and create more and better paying job opportunities.

According to ATC, the acquisition would not affect its manufacturing activities in Washington.

Already a well-established OTR tire manufacturer, ATC’s objective is to become the largest and best manufacturer for 63-inch and 57-inch tires.

For more information, visit its Web site www.americantire.us.