Goodyear to relocate Latin America HQ to Akron

Akron, Ohio — In a bid to “reduce cost and increase efficiency”, Goodyear plans to relocate its Latin America regional headquarters to Akron from Sao Paulo, Brazil, beginning in 2015.

Over the next year, 30 to 50 positions in the regional office will transition to Goodyear’s corporate headquarters building in Akron, according to a company spokesman based in Akron.

The tire maker’s regional headquarters has been in Sao Paulo since 2005, when it moved from Akron.

The spokesman said the action applies only to the Latin American regional headquarters, and the company’s Brazil country office will remain in Sao Paulo.

“We continue to be totally committed to Brazil, where we have had operations for 96 years,” he told Tire Business in an email.

Latin America represents 11 percent, or $2 billion, of Goodyear's global sales.