Cooper Tire in consultation process to close UK tire plant

Melksham, UK - Cooper Tire Europe, part of Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., has begun a consultation process to close down its UK manufacturing plant in Melksham by the end of next year.

In a statement 13 Oct, the company said the proposed closure will impact 350 Cooper employees.

?“Our Melksham site has struggled to be competitive for some considerable time,” said Gavin Champion, HR director at Cooper Tire & Rubber Europe.

Keeping the plant running, he went on to say, "has become increasingly challenging in the current business environment."
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Operational since 1997, the plant currently manufactures motorbike and racing tires.

In 2019, the tire maker moved the car tire production operations from Melksham to its plant in Krusevac, Serbia, citing high manufacturing costs and strong competition from China.

At the time, the tire maker said the factory's age and location in the centre of town made it infeasible to modernise or expand for light vehicle tire production.