Michelin to build tread rubber plant in Mexico

Queretaro, Mexico - Michelin plans to build a tread rubber plant in Queretaro next to a tyre plant and headquarters facility, to meet growing demand for retreads.

Construction of the facility will begin immediately, and production is expected to start up in spring 2007, Michelin said. The factory will employ 120 and produce tread rubber for the commercial truck retread market in the North America.

Michelin currently sources retreads for the Mexican market from its Covington, Georgia, tread pressing plant. The company said that seven-year-old facility is completing an expansion begun in February, which will double its capacity.

Demand for Michelin Retread Technologies products grew 85 percent in the first quarter compared with last year, according to Eduardo Bernes, director of Michelin Truck Tires Mexico.

From Rubber & Plastics News (A Crain publication)