Full-scale Operation of Four-Shift, Three-Team System Begins on November 14
Daily Output Starts at 4,000 Tires, to Expand Up to 10,000
Kumho Tire's Gwangju plant will resume tire production six months after operations were halted due to a major fire. On November 13, labor and management announced that from November 14, the plant will officially restart production under a four-shift, three-team system.
On the morning of the 17th, Kumho Tire's Gwangju plant is conducting a pilot operation to resume production four months after the fire on May 17. Kumho Tire will test and inspect major equipment for three days starting from this day to fully resume production in October. Provided by Kumho Tire, Yonhap News Agency
On May 17, at 7:02 a.m., a fire broke out in the plant's second facility, causing a complete suspension of tire production at the Gwangju plant. The fire, which started from a spark in the oven unit during the compounding process, spread and burned 50 to 60 percent of the production facilities.
In July, Kumho Tire's labor and management resumed partial production at the first facility, which was not damaged by the fire. They also reached an agreement on a mid- to long-term production plan, which includes the construction of a new plant in Hampyeong, the sale of the Gwangju plant site, and subsequent expansion. In September, the plant completed preparations for the restart by conducting trial production runs.
About 400 out of a total of 1,854 production workers will initially be assigned to the restart, with plans to produce 4,000 tires per day. After stabilizing operations, the company aims to increase daily output to between 6,000 and 10,000 tires. Some undamaged equipment in the second facility will be used for inspection, sorting, and shipping processes.
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