A planned investment of €94 million (about $108 million) will increase current capacity by approximately 25 percent, resulting in up to 1.8 million additional premium, larger-rim-diameter tires annually by 2022.
Goodyear has announced plans to expand its manufacturing facility in Slovenia to meet the growing demand for premium tires in EMEA.
“The demand for premium, larger-rim-diameter consumer tires is growing across EMEA. To ensure the sustainable growth of our business, Goodyear plans to invest €94 million (approximately $108 million US) in its plant in Kranj, Slovenia, to increase its capacity in this profitable segment,” said Henry Dumortier, Goodyear’s vice president Consumer Europe.
The investment will add 5,400 square meters to accommodate advanced tire building machines, increasing the plant’s overall capacity by approximately 25 percent. This will allow for production of an additional 1.8 million premium, A segment consumer tires annually. Production will focus on 17- to 19-inch replacement tires in EMEA.
The company expects to create about 160 new positions in Sava, mainly in the production area. The first phase of construction will begin in January 2019, with additional phases planned for 2020 and 2021 to reach full capacity.
“We are extremely proud that Goodyear decided to make this important investment here in Kranj. The decision reflects the company’s trust and confidence in our local team’s high-quality production and is a great recognition of our performance over the past 20 years,” said Matej Zavrl, managing director of Goodyear’s Slovenian entity.
