Cooper considering expanding US tire plant

Tupelo, Mississippi — Cooper Tire & Rubber is considering expanding its Tupelo passenger car and light vehicle tire factory to keep pace with growing demand for its products.

The company has submitted applications totalling $7.4 million (€6.6 million) to the city, covering upgrades to the plant's mixing department and green-tire storage area, according to recent reports in the Tupelo Daily Journal.

Cooper acknowledged that it's considering a physical expansion at the plant, but said it's "too early at this time for us to comment on this potential expansion."

The report quoted Cooper Tire spokeswoman Anne Roman as saying the Tupelo plant "is undergoing an expansion and has, year-to-date, increased the workforce at the plant. This is in response to increasing production needs."

The company last made a major investment in the 35-year-old plant in 2014. The factory is rated at 37,000 tires a day with 1,349 production workers.

Cooper was recently selected to supply a version of the Cooper Discoverer SRX premium all-season SUV/CUV tire as an OE fitment on the Mercedes-Benz GLE five-passenger SUV. The tires are produced in Tupelo.