Goodyear Tire & Rubber.

Goodyear Tire & Rubber, Akron, OH, plans to build a chemical plant in Beaumont, TX, as part of a $600 million investment and the largest one-time expansion of its chemical business in company history. The plant will produce advanced-technology specialty polymers for the Goodyear businesses and other customers in the rubber industry. Goodyear will invest $144 million in the project and create approximately 120 new jobs for the startup of the plant, with the potential for additional jobs as the plant reaches full production. Goodyear also plans to build its Northeast Region Logistics Center near York, PA. Construction of the one million square foot, $22 million facility, which will be operated by a third-party logistics provider, is expected to be operational by March of 1999. It will employ about 100. As part of its global strategy to increase its ownership percentage in joint ventures, Goodyear Tire & Rubber has reached an agreement in principle to purchase the remaining 50% of South Asia Tyres, Ltd., a joint venture with RPG Enterprises' Ceat Tyre subsidiary. RPG Enterprises and Goodyear agreed to end their joint ownership of South Asia Tyres, Ltd., and for Goodyear to continue to operate the facility in Aurangabad, Maharashtra, Western India. Ceat will continue to be provided with a product offtake of radial passenger tires. Goodyear Engineered Products is reorganizing its technical organization to improve its ability to develop and transfer new products and technologies to customers around the world. This expansion of the company's research and development efforts will create six new worldwide technical manager positions in the company's conveyor belts, air springs, power transmission products, molded products, industrial hose and transportation hose divisions.