14 Sep 2006
Findlay, Ohio -- Cooper Tire & Rubber Co. plans to change the work structure at its plant in Arkansas to allow it to operate more flexibly, gearing up production in times of high demand and scaling back when demand slackens.
The tyre maker designated the Texarkana plant as its "flex" plant in its recently announced "soft restructuring" because "it is best suited for future production needs," the company said in a prepared statement.
Cooper is in the initial planning stages for the change and said it would notify plant personnel of the details later this month.
Texarkana produces 36 000 passenger and light truck tyres a day.
The company intends to make more use of temporary workers in low-skilled positions and possibly set up flexible cell-based manufacturing to handle various "slow-moving" products.
From Rubber & Plastic News (A Crain publication)
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