Goodyear to close Malaysian tire manufacturing plant by yearend

Akron, Ohio – Goodyear Tire & Rubber is set to close its tire manufacturing facility in Shah Alam, Malaysia by the end of this year, the US group has confirmed.

The move is part of the Goodyear Forward strategic plan, which was unveiled in November last year, the tire maker said in a 9 March statement to ERJ.

As part of the rationalisation strategy, it said, "we have made the difficult but necessary decision to cease operations of our manufacturing plant in Shah Alam.”

Production will end at the site by the end of June, with closure of the operation expected to be completed by December, according to Goodyear.

Goodyear said it would continue to serve the Malaysian market with products and solutions from other manufacturing sites.

Operational since 1972, the Shah Alam facility has a capacity to produce 5 million units of passenger car, light truck, agriculture and OTR tires per year.

The Malaysian plant is the Akron group's third tire production facility to be closed down under Goodyear Forward, which targets $1 billion in cost-reductions by 2025.

Late last year, the tire maker announced two factory closures in Germany, which are set to be completed by 2027. (ERJ report) 

The Goodyear Forward plan is designed to enhance the group’s footprint and portfolio, improve margins and "create shareholder value”. (ERJ report)