TEXARKANA, Ark. (AP) -- Texarkana officials are working to convince Cooper Tire and Rubber Co. to keep open its tire plant on the city's Arkansas side.
The Findlay, Ohio-based company announced last month that it is conducting a review of its facilities and will likely close one of four plants. The other plants under the notice are in Albany, Ga.; Tupelo, Miss.; and in Findlay.
"We continue to meet city, county, state and federal officials, including Texas, to find out what we can do to help make Cooper Tire more competitive," said Jerry Sparks, economic development director for the Texarkana Chamber of Commerce.
The plant has 1,400 workers.
The company said that sales of replacement tires are forecast to decline slightly and that it is under cost pressures.
Cooper Tire officials from company headquarters attended sessions with the chamber earlier this week and additional sessions are planned to discuss solutions to improve the efficiency of the plant to ensure it remains open. Local officials have emphasized the quality of the work force as a reason Cooper should stay in Texarkana.
Decreasing overall operation costs and improving the plant's efficiency is the major concern for Cooper Tire, said Texarkana Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Jeff Sandford.
"We're pleased this is a collaborative effort with so many different groups working for the success of Cooper Tire. The governor's office is helping, the steelworkers local, federal officials, regional and local people are all willing to talk and listen," Sandford said.
"The calls from the governor's office have been aggressively positive," Sparks said. A spokesman for Gov. Mike Beebe said Beebe and the Arkansas Economic Development Commission are engaged.
Cooper Tire's economic impact on the region is "easily $200 million" within a 50-mile radius from Texarkana, Ark., Sparks said.
The Texarkana, Ark., Board of Directors adopted a resolution Monday night to help the chamber in finding solutions to keep the plant open. Mayor Horace Shipp said the business is vital to the continue economic success of the Texarkana region.
"There is a very sizable and significant partnership that is being formed and it grows stronger and more involved each day. All of these are indicative of diligent and aggressive connective effort to do everything possible to maintain the jobs and commission of the Cooper Tire plant," Shipp said.
Area legislators are also involved in the effort to keep the plant open.
The plant had 1,900 workers before it was converted to a "flex" plant, one that easily adapts to changing orders.
"If we're successful, maybe this plant could become a role model," Sandford said. "The work force here is using the flex system where they never make the same tire twice instead of making the same tire every day. It speaks well for the work force who can handle the changes."
