Goodyear to shut down Union City, Tn plant

[pphilfran]

It looks like it will continue to operate till later this year...this was an old plant that had some new technology...waste was horrendous...

I worked at the UC plant for several years...

Prior to moving to Union City I worked at the Tyler, Tx plant...Tyler was an all new technology plant that produced smaller size tires to compete with low cost imports...factory cost at the Tyler plant was higher than the retail price of an import tire at Pep Boys...it has already been shuttered...

Prior to moving to Tyler I worked at the Lawton plant...it is still the flagship...for some reason I was unable to shut the Lawton plant down....

Both plants were union plants...

When it comes to tire costs something is terribly wrong...you can spend as much on a pair of tennis shoes as you can on a pair of tires...

[Breadburner]

You can spend as much on alot of things as you can a pair of tires....If some of them Hollywood bitches were toting around Goodyears on their shoulders how much do you think a set would cost.....

[pphilfran]

You can spend as much on alot of things as you can a pair of tires....If some of them Hollywood bitches were toting around Goodyears on their shoulders how much do you think a set would cost.....

You are right on the money...every tire manufacturer has tried to get more "bling" in their tires...though no one has actually succeeded...

The bling started with white sidewall tires and moved on to tread design, sw crosshatching, even colored tread (BF Goodrich)...all have had little or no success...

Larger rim diameter drove the market for a decade or so...but now everyone has the same larger sizes so no one has a leg up on the competition...

My guess will be that fuel prices will cause us to go back to smaller tires in the future...

As long as tires are thought of as a commodity the manufacturers will have a hard tire with pricing...

[texaspokieokie]

You are right on the money...every tire manufacturer has tried to get more "bling" in their tires...though no one has actually succeeded...

The bling started with white sidewall tires and moved on to tread design, sw crosshatching, even colored tread (BF Goodrich)...all have had little or no success...

Larger rim diameter drove the market for a decade or so...but now everyone has the same larger sizes so no one has a leg up on the competition...

My guess will be that fuel prices will cause us to go back to smaller tires in the future...

As long as tires are thought of as a commodity the manufacturers will have a hard tire with pricing...

white sidewalls had success for decades. large rims (actually wheels) appear
to be successful @ this time.

i can remember when most all manufacturers (auto, not tires, altho tires had to be there too) went from 15" to 14". just a fad.

mag wheels (or mag lookalikes) was a fad that started in the 60s & continues to this day.

remember "red-stripe" tires ?? had a 68 vette that came from the factory with them. didn't really like the red stripes (don't like red stripe beer either)
but they were popular for a while.

my point is, some of these fads have been more popular & long lasting than you allow.

[The Profit]

white sidewalls had success for decades. large rims (actually wheels) appear
to be successful @ this time.

i can remember when most all manufacturers (auto, not tires, altho tires had to be there too) went from 15" to 14". just a fad.

mag wheels (or mag lookalikes) was a fad that started in the 60s & continues to this day.

remember "red-stripe" tires ?? had a 68 vette that came from the factory with them. didn't really like the red stripes (don't like red stripe beer either)
but they were popular for a while.

my point is, some of these fads have been more popular & long lasting than you allow.




Phil, my wife's home town is Fulton, KY. This will close that town, and will practically close Union City. I believe the meat packing plant is about the only other industry in that area.

[texaspokieokie]

my home town has (over many years) has lost e refinery & 2 glass plants.
that's a lot of jobs. okmulgee doesn't look as good as it did 30 or 40 years ago.

[pphilfran]

Phil, my wife's home town is Fulton, KY. This will close that town, and will practically close Union City. I believe the meat packing plant is about the only other industry in that area.

There used to be a Firestone plant in Fulton...it may also be closed...

[pphilfran]

white sidewalls had success for decades. large rims (actually wheels) appear
to be successful @ this time.

i can remember when most all manufacturers (auto, not tires, altho tires had to be there too) went from 15" to 14". just a fad.

mag wheels (or mag lookalikes) was a fad that started in the 60s & continues to this day.

remember "red-stripe" tires ?? had a 68 vette that came from the factory with them. didn't really like the red stripes (don't like red stripe beer either)
but they were popular for a while.

my point is, some of these fads have been more popular & long lasting than you allow.

They may be long lasting but everyone has the same technology....to get ahead companies have to look for new red stripe....

Rim size is about maxed out....

It is a tough business....

[OUthunder]

my home town has (over many years) has lost e refinery & 2 glass plants.
that's a lot of jobs. okmulgee doesn't look as good as it did 30 or 40 years ago.

Most small towns don't.

[okie52]

Sheet, sorry to see that. Losing a plant like that will kill a community.

Ardmore has been lucky to hold on to Michelin/Uniroyal for the past 50 years.
Hopefully Michelin continues to produce there.

[olevetonahill]

Ok All you tire geniuses, I aint heard anything about em in years But do they still do a ReCap

I remember when I was a Kid and went to the tire shop with my Dad in his 18 wheeler and they " Retreaded" the tires on that .
\
They still do that **** ?

[Breadburner]

Yup...Where do you think all them "Alligators" on the Hi-way come from.....

[pphilfran]

Sheet, sorry to see that. Losing a plant like that will kill a community.

Ardmore has been lucky to hold on to Michelin/Uniroyal for the past 50 years.
Hopefully Michelin continues to produce there.

Yep...it currently has 1900 employees...peak was just over 4k when they were producing 60k tires per day...

[pphilfran]

Yup...Where do you think all them "Alligators" on the Hi-way come from.....

From retreads...

[texaspokieokie]

yep, they still do that, especially on 18 wheelers.

[pphilfran]

yep, they still do that, especially on 18 wheelers.

Only for drive wheels....not steer...

[texaspokieokie]

yep.

[olevetonahill]

Ok, But seems i remember you could buy Recaps for yer car to.

I remember watchin the dude doing the "Retreading" that was kinda cool fer a 10 yr old to see.

[texaspokieokie]

i don't know about cars.

i remember that when WWII started, my Dad needed tires on his car. waited too long & drove on re-caps during entire war.

[The Profit]

There used to be a Firestone plant in Fulton...it may also be closed...




Yeah, its gone. First the railroad left, then the industry. The only thing left in Fulton is Ferry Morris seeds.

[OutlandTrophy]

they retread airplane tires as well

[okie52]

Yep...it currently has 1900 employees...peak was just over 4k when they were producing 60k tires per day...

That's a lot of good paying jobs for a town smaller than 40,000 people. They don't all live in Ardmore but they spend a lot of their money there.

[olevetonahill]

i don't know about cars.

i remember that when WWII started, my Dad needed tires on his car. waited too long & drove on re-caps during entire war.

Dayum Yer an old bastard :P :D

[OULenexaman]

you all sure know your rubbers...

[texaspokieokie]

Dayum Yer an old bastard :P :D

i was born during the depression, & my poor Mother never got over it.

[The Profit]

i was born during the depression, & my poor Mother never got over it.




My brother was born on Dec. 14, 1941. He used to say that the Japs scared the kid out of mom.

[delhalew]

Ok All you tire geniuses, I aint heard anything about em in years But do they still do a ReCap

I remember when I was a Kid and went to the tire shop with my Dad in his 18 wheeler and they " Retreaded" the tires on that .
\
They still do that **** ?

Yes, and they are the bane of my existence. My company uses them on trailers. I'm surprised they are legal...best reason not to tailgate a big rig. You might get a gator through your windshield.

[bluedogok]

Ok, But seems i remember you could buy Recaps for yer car to.

I remember watchin the dude doing the "Retreading" that was kinda cool fer a 10 yr old to see.
New, cheap tires priced recaps out of the market for passenger vehicles.