Giti closes TBR plant in Chongqing

Chongqing, China – Tire maker Giti closed its TBR plant in Chongqing, China in November 2015. It is also laying off 1,000 employees at the plant, leaving about 100 staff to hold the fort.

Local reports pinned environmental problems as a major reason for the shutdown.

“This is part of Giti’s overall transformation strategy under [China's] current economic conditions, not a response to environmental complaints as reported by local media,” the plant’s vice general manager Li Jianlong told ERJ.

Giti has seven tire plants across China – including the one in Chongqing – one in Indonesia and one under construction in South Carolina, with 33,000 total employees.

The Chongqing plant has 1.5 million unit/year TBR capacity but had been running at a low operational rate, according to Li. A detailed transformation plan for the plant is yet to be formed.