Cooper restarting Mexico tire plant

Findlay, Ohio – Cooper Tire & Rubber Co. has announced plans to restart operations at its tire plant in El Salto, Mexico, beginning 13 April, but the company's US and European plants will remain closed for at least two more weeks.

Cooper idled production at its US and Mexican plants 21 March for two to three weeks, and then extended the closures for two more weeks on 3 April.

Cooper's plants in Europe also continue to be closed temporarily; The company's plants in China continue to operate.

Cooper said it is taking necessary steps at the El Salto factory, such as social distancing, additional cleaning and disinfecting of facilities and restricted visitor access, to protect the health and safety of employees.

The El Salto plant is rated at 19,000 tires a day with roughly 1,100 employees. Cooper became the sole owner earlier this year of the Mexican subsidiary, Corporación de Occidente SA de CV, after buying out the minority partner.

Cooper also said it will continue to monitor the situation regarding its US plants and adjust timing as necessary. 

The company believes it has sufficient supply of product in inventory, and the company's distribution centres continue to operate and flow product to customers.