Michelin to invest $50M to improve Indiana BFGoodrich plant

ERJ staff report (TB)

Fort Wayne, Indiana -- Michelin North America Inc. is investing $50 million to upgrade equipment and expand capacity at its BFGoodrich Tire passenger and light truck tyre plant in Woodburn, Ind.

The investment in the 1.9 million-sq.-ft. facility will add approximately 35 jobs, the tyre maker said. The plant employs 1,580.

The announcement was made today during a ceremony at the city-county building in Fort Wayne where Michelin thanked state and local officials and development agencies for their continued support of Michelin's investment in Allen County.

“We are deeply grateful to the state of Indiana, the Fort Wayne-Allen County Economic Development Alliance and the Allen County Department of Planning Services, as well as the County Council and County Commissioners, WorkOne Northeast and the Indiana Economic Development Corporation, all of whom were influential in helping to secure this investment,” said Dent Johnson, plant manager.

Mr. Johnson added that the investment enables Michelin to “upgrade the flexibility and capability of this facility to help improve its long-term competitiveness.”

Michelin did not elaborate on the size of the capacity expansion. The plant's capacity is listed as 24,000 units a day.

In December, Michelin acknowledged it was laying the groundwork for improvements to the Woodburn factory after United Steelworkers Local 715 President Jim Wetzel told the local paper the company was investing $77 million to improve the 50-year-old building. Michelin at the time declined to comment on the investment or what the improvements would be.

The facility opened in 1961. Upgrades and expansion work will begin immediately, according to Michelin.

The Fort Wayne-Allen County Economic Development Alliance compiled a competitive incentive package to help secure the investment worth more than $3 million-including a personal and real property tax abatement of $2.1 million-which was approved by the Allen County Council on Jan. 20.

The incentive offers were a cumulative effort that came from Allen County, the Indiana Economic Development Corp. and WorkOne Northeast.

From Tire Business (A Crain publication)