Goodyear, one of Malaysia’s longest-standing tyre manufacturers, has revealed its plans to close its Shah Alam plan after 52 years in operation. An announcement notice from the company which details the closure has been circulating social media recently, drawing a lot of attention from the public.
According to the notice, the decision to close the plant is part of Goodyear’s transformative “Goodyear Forward” program. President of Goodyear Asia Pacific, Nathaniel Madarang, explained that the closure will help optimise operations and contribute to the company’s annual cost reduction target of USD 1 billion (RM4.7 billion).
The shutdown will begin on 30th June 2024, with the entire shutdown expected to conclude by the end of the year. The closure of the manufacturing facility will impact approximately 550 employees associated with the factory. However, the fate of the 180 Goodyear Autocare locations nationwide remains unknown. This revelation also marks the end of an era as the plant has been a fixture in Shah Alam since 1972. Goodyear’s history in Malaysia dates back to 1929, when it first set foot into the country, then known as Malaya.
Despite the shutdown, Goodyear Malaysia assures customers that it will continue to serve the local market by importing tyres from its plants in Thailand, Indonesia, China and Taiwan. However, the Shah Alam plant closure raises concerns about the future of the manufacturing industry in Malaysia. Goodyear’s closure is just one of many factories shutting down manufacturing operations in Malaysia, including Sony and Panasonic.
We hope those affected by the closure can smoothly transition into new roles in the manufacturing sector or explore new opportunities in other industries. What are your thoughts about the Goodyear closure?
Source: New Straits Times
