MAYFIELD, Ky.-Continental General Tire Inc. plans to boost output at its Mayfield tire plant by moving to a seven-day workweek and hiring 100 to 150 workers. In late 1993, the company claimed the cost of building a tire at the plant was $5 higher than the firm's other plants, but that gap has been closed ``dramatically,'' according to Rob Patterson, plant human resources manager.
He attributed the improvement to a successful campaign by the facility's 1,500 employees to make tires correctly the first time, thus reducing scrap.
Goodyear seeks to end FTC order
WASHINGTON-Goodyear is asking the Federal Trade Commission to set aside a 1971 consent order involving the practices of Goodyear and four other tire companies in selling or leasing special mileage commercial tires to transit companies.
The FTC had accused Goodyear, Firestone Tire & Rubber Co., B.F. Goodrich Co., Uniroyal Inc. and General Tire & Rubber Co. of trying to eliminate competition in the special mileage commercial tire market. The consent order directed the firms to cease all ``business behavior constituting unfair methods of competition and unfair acts and practices in commerce.''
Goodyear nets Chrysler award
AKRON-Chrysler Corp. has awarded its Gold Pentastar Award to Goodyear's Lawton, Okla., passenger tire plant, one of only four Chrysler supplier plants worldwide to receive the honor for the 10th consecutive year.
The award recognizes the supplier for ``world-class'' performance in quality, delivery, price and customer support/technology.
Hankook to build Akron tech center
AKRON-Hankook Tire America Corp., the U.S. arm of Hankook Tire Manufacturing Co. Ltd. of Seoul, South Korea, plans to build a 50,000-sq.-ft. technical center near Akron to house research and development operations.
Final details, including the anticipated cost of the proposed structure, still are being worked out, according Ray Labuda, vice president of tire technology.
The new facility, expected to open in February 1996, will contain offices and laboratory facilities now housed in rented quarters near Akron.
Ford recalls vans over tire lables
WASHINGTON-Ford Motor Co. is recalling 10,000 1995 Aerostar regular-length vans and extended-length wagons for incorrect certification labels regarding tire size.
Although Ford did not identify the make or size of tire, the company did say the incorrect labels may lead drivers to buy undersized rear tires for the vans, causing overload and tire failure if the vans are loaded to maximum capacity.
Some 213 of the vans are in Canada, and 18 more were shipped overseas.
Sears honors BFS as quality supplier
NASHVILLE, Tenn.-Sears, Roebuck and Co. selected Bridgestone/Firestone Inc. as one of 138 suppliers to win its Sears Partner in Progress honor for 1994.
Bridgestone/Firestone was the only tire supplier selected for the award, in recognition of its marketing support, quality products, fill-rates, customer service, field training support and distribution efforts.
The tire maker also was one of only four companies out of 10,000 suppliers to receive Sears' Chairman's Award for quality.