Wyko CEO Smith retires

Crain News Service report

GREENBACK, Tenn. (Feb. 7, 2014) — Ian Smith, CEO of Wyko Tire Technology, a subsidiary of China's Mesnac Co. Ltd., has retired after a 37-year career in the rubber industry.

Mr. Smith joined Wyko in 1981, shortly after he came to the U.S. He helped the firm establish its manufacturing operation in Greenback and guided the firm in becoming a leader in the design and development of high precision tire building tooling, Wyko said.

The Greenback facility supplied tooling worldwide to international and local tire companies.

In 2009, Mr. Smith became a joint owner of Wyco and in 2011, after Mesnac acquired the firm, he served as Wyco's CEO for the last two years.

Mesnac said Mr. Smith will leave a legacy of engineering leadership to the tire industry. He will be retained by Mesnac as a consultant and remain a director of the company's North/Latin America sales region, but with a special focus on the South Africa region, the firm said.