Goodyear to shut Australian plant

Goodyear will shut down a high-cost Australian plant in an effort to cut costs.

OHIO: Goodyear Tyre & Rubber Co. has announced plans to close a high-cost Australian plant that employs 600 people.

The shutdown of the South Pacific Tyres plant in Somerton, Victoria, by Dec. 31 will save Goodyear about $35 million a year, the company said on Wednesday.

``This completes our commitment to reduce high-cost capacity by about 25 million units and achieve annual cost savings of more than $150 million,'' Goodyear Chairman and Chief Executive Robert J. Keegan said in a news release.

The company estimated total restructuring and accelerated depreciation charges at about $125 million after taxes, including about $85 million in cash charges. Goodyear said it expects to record after-tax charges of about $75 million in the second quarter.

In April, Goodyear said it had swung to a profit in the first quarter by focusing on higher-priced tires and strong international markets. Goodyear earned $147 million, or 60 cents per share, compared with a loss of $174 million, or 96 cents per share, in the same period in 2007.

Goodyear has about 70,000 employees and makes products in more than 60 factories in 26 countries.
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Goodyear shares rose 70 cents, or 3.5 per cent, to $20.51 Wednesday, near the low end of their 52-week trading range of $19.06 to $36.90.
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