Tyre and rubber company Goodyear has officially inaugurated its new high-speed production plant for passenger car tyres in Dudelange. The 4.0 factory deploys its new 3D printing process for tyres.
His Royal Highness the Grand Duke, Franz Fayot, Minister of Economy and Dan Biancalana, Deputy Mayor of Dudelange attended the event on 5 May.
Thanks to a digital 3D printing process, the new site produces ultra-high performance (UHP) and ultra-high performance (UUHP) tyres with large rim diameters, four times faster than a conventional production cycle.
“With an investment of $77 million, this new 4.0 facility is a first for Goodyear and provides an opportunity to learn, test and refine the technology as production capacity increases,” said the US tyre manufacturer.
“This new process will give us a competitive advantage by targeting global quality and responsiveness,” added Chris Helsel, senior vice president, global operations and chief technology officer. “This, combined with the new virtual capabilities Goodyear has installed at its Innovation Center in Colmar-Berg, is a key step in helping to reduce product development cycle times.
After hiring 90 employees to start the installation, the manufacturer plans to recruit 20 additional electromechanical technicians.
“The first major American company to set up in Luxembourg in 1951, Goodyear marked a new departure in Luxembourg’s industrial history and in its economic diversification,” commented Franz Fayot, Minister for the Economy.
