Goodyear, Skechers partner just for kicks

AKRON — Goodyear is touting "increased grip, stability and durability" with its rubber technology — for shoes.

The Akron-based company is collaborating with Skechers USA Inc., a California-based shoe company, a move that Goodyear said will bring its rubber technology to a broad swath of shoes.

"This collaboration is an example of two trusted brands coming together to create a high-tech product that truly will benefit our consumer," Michael Greenberg, president of Skechers, said.

"Through this effort, select products will feature Goodyear Performance Outsoles, offering that extra edge where it's needed most — be it enhanced stability on a run, excellent grip over slippery surfaces in the workplace or durability on the playground for long-lasting wear."

Goodyear communications specialist Julia Ish said via email that the company created a special polymer just for Skechers, but does not participate in the manufacturing of the outsoles itself.

The tire maker doesn't actually make shoe components. Goodyear will license its technology to Skechers in the collaboration, Ed Markey, Goodyear vice president of communications, said.

The two companies said Skechers shoes will use Goodyear-developed rubber technology that contains a special polymer that includes soybean oil, a renewable, bio-based material Goodyear uses in some of its top-performing tires.

"Goodyear always has worked to create innovative products that provide consumers with high-performance tires, and now we're using that same ingenuity to enable consumers to wear high-performance shoes," Christian Jurado, Goodyear's global director of licensed products, said in a statement.

Initially launched on three running shoes, Goodyear outsoles will expand to a wide array of Skechers sneakers through 2020, the shoe maker said.