In the early morning on April 1, 2023, a tornado struck the Cooper Tire plant in Tupelo, Mississippi as an outbreak of tornadoes ravaged large portions of the U.S.
The tornado only grazed the facility, but still caused substantial damage to the roof. Now, the plant, which was acquired by Goodyear just two years ago, has been idled and its 1,700 workers don't know when they'll be able to return to work.
However, according to Goodyear, as the company repairs the factory, every worker will be paid until the plant reopens, and they won't be charged with vacation time.
The plant has the second-highest output of any production facility in Goodyear’s 10-plant North American network, according to Modern Tire Dealer. It produces some 42,000 tires per day.
The downstream effects of the closure remains unknown, but according to the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal, the plant accounts for about a fifth of Goodyear's production.
