Tire Industry Changes, Competition and Globalization

U.S. production of passenger vehicle and light truck tires has undergone significant change over the last two decades. What was once considered a major U.S. manufacturing sector is now part of a global industry that is largely controlled by foreign-headquartered corporations. Confronted with sharp declines in output, employment and the number of plants in the consumer tire sector, numerous members of Congress have expressed concerns about the future of tire manufacturing in the United States. This book examines the state of U.S. tire production from the perspectives of employment of skilled, well-paid manufacturing workers, erosion of U.S. manufacturing plant capacity, possible future plant closures and the outlook for growth in tire imports from low-wage countries.