Nation’s Oldest Tire Plant to Close: Uniroyal...

Nation’s Oldest Tire Plant to Close: Uniroyal Goodrich Tire Co. said it is closing the factory and eliminating 1,350 jobs by 1992 because of flat sales and fears of a deepening recession. The factory, which has made tires since 1916, has a $43-million payroll and is the largest manufacturing plant in Eau Claire, a city of 50,000 in western Wisconsin. The first 600 jobs will be eliminated by July, when production of radial tires ceases, plant manager John Ahnefeldt said. Production of bias-ply tires, including mini-spares, will be phased out in 1992, he said.