TUPELO, Miss. (Jan. 13, 2011) — Cooper Tire & Rubber Co. will invest $9 million this year to upgrade its Tupelo car tire plant to enhance flexibility.
The investment, primarily in tire-building and related equipment, is on top of a $7 million, 32,000-sq.-ft. expansion in 2009-2010. The new investment will create 35 jobs at the plant, where employment stands at about 1,300.
The investment reflects growing demand for tires made at the plant, Cooper said.
The Mississippi Development Authority (MDA) helped facilitate the project by providing funding for some local infrastructure improvements.
Capacity at the 27-year-old, non-union facility is listed as 35,100 units a day.