Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. plans to invest $125 million to modernize its commercial tire plant in Topeka, Kan., the state’s governor said.
Gov. Laura Kelly said the investment will result in the addition of 40 employees at the factory over the next five years. The workforce currently numbers around 1,600.
Local economic development entities are providing up to $585,000 in assistance to Goodyear for the new jobs at the site that pay at least $56,000 annually.
The plant, which opened in 1945, has the capacity to produce 5,500 medium truck tires a day, as well as 100 OTR tires daily, according to MTD’s 2022 Facts Issue. It is one of two domestic factories that manufacture truck tires and OTR tires in the U.S. for the tiremaker – the other being in Danville, Va.
“Our Topeka facility is integral to our operations,” Tim Davis, manufacturing director for Goodyear-Topeka, said in a statement released by the governor’s office, “and this investment will help position Goodyear to continue to meet the evolving needs of our customers.”
Most of the anticipated new jobs will be positions related to production and technical maintenance, the company told the state.
