Amiens, France – Goodyear said it will curtail production and cut as many as 500 jobs at two tire factories in Amiens because the plants aren’t cost competitive.

The company’s action follows the rejection in October by the plants’ employees of a restructuring plan, Goodyear said. The facilities employ 2,700.

Goodyear has told the trade unions of the need for the changes to make the plants competitive, so the company had no choice but to reduce its costs, said Serge Lussier, Goodyear vice president of manufacturing for Europe, Middle East and Africa.

He said the proposal the tire company presented called for an investment of about $75 million in the two plants to make them more competitive, particularly in producing high-performance tires.

The plan required a new work pattern, involving four rotating crews working eight-hour shifts, including weekends, and the plants would run for 350 days a year.

Goodyear said it will transfer the production of some tires impacted by the move to other, lower-cost factories in Europe and elsewhere, and some products will be eliminated.

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