Business Continuity process helps Goodyear minimize Hurricane Ike impact

Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.'s synthetic rubber plants returned to operation quickly following the assault of Hurricane Ike, with "no concerns" about raw material supplies for its tire production.

According to Goodyear, the effectiveness of the company's comprehensive Business Continuity process was the key to reopening the Beaumont and Houston, Texas, plants, which had been closed Sept. 13, 2008, in advance of Hurricane Ike making landfall. In addition, contingencies were put in place to obtain critical raw materials for the company's tire manufacturing facilities.

Goodyear's Business Continuity process is an integrated strategy for maintaining the company's ability to operate under adverse conditions.

"We see the management of this process as a real competitive advantage in these types of circumstances," says Chairman, CEO and President Bob Keegan.

As part of the Business Continuity efforts, the company pulled forward a limited amount of previously announced reductions in North American tire production to ease the pressure on its raw material supply chain, but continued to produce tires that were in demand by consumers.

No tire plants were damaged by the hurricane, adds Goodyear.