Goodyear expands its Debica tyre plant

The money will be spent on upgrading its Debica facility, the biggest Goodyear plant in Europe, enabling it to start production of top-end tyres to complement its existing range of  economic tyres that had so far been its specialty. Debica, Europe's biggest tyre plant according to some experts, was acquired by Goodyear in 1996 as the company sought to tap the fast-growing Polish market and develop a production base for exports. And it has been a success: exports accounted for 75% of Debica sales last year. Goodyear is also developing a chain of tyre and car servicing stations in Poland under the brand Premio. Some 45 outlets have been opened since Premio's launch eight months ago, and the number is expected to reach 80 by the end of the year. (Gazeta Wyborcza, p. 31) R.M.