UPPER HUTT, New Zealand (April 11, 2002)-South Pacific Tyres Ltd. will invest about $5 million at its Upper Hutt passenger car tire plant this year to expand output by nearly two-thirds and prepare the plant for around-the-clock operation.
The expansion, to 2.4 million tires a year from 1.4 million, will absorb some capacity being phased by South Pacific in Australia. The project will create 140 new jobs, the company said. The 51-year-old plant employs 300.
In Australia, South Pacific is in the process of shutting down its Footscray commercial tire and Thomastown passenger car tire plants and consolidating the car tire output at its Somerton factory.
South Pacific Tyres is a 50-50 joint venture between Goodyear and Pacific Dunlop Ltd.