Tire Tension Seems to Ease in France
Industry Minister Says Titan International Now Wants to Invest in Plant
By GABRIELE PARUSSINI and INTI LANDAURO
Oct. 21, 2013 4:22 p.m. ET
PARIS—After rounds of bitter fighting, the rapprochement?
France's industry minister, Arnaud Montebourg, said Monday that Maurice Taylor, the chief executive of U.S. tire maker Titan International Inc., TWI -0.65% with whom he sparred over the mindset of French workers earlier this year, has made an offer to invest in a French plant.
Mr. Montebourg said Titan has proposed taking over part of a factory that Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. GT -6.67% of the U.S. wants to close in Amiens, injecting money and saving 333 of the plant's 1,200 jobs.
"This offer would help preserve an industrial tool," Mr. Montebourg said as he visited an electrical-equipment company near Paris. "On top of that, it allows France to demonstrate its attractiveness, its competitiveness and its performance."
The minister might meet with Mr. Taylor in Paris on Wednesday to discuss details, a spokeswoman for Mr. Montebourg said.
A spokeswoman for Titan declined to comment. Officials and union representatives at Goodyear said they weren't aware of such an offer by Titan and haven't been invited to the possible Wednesday meeting.
Any investment by Titan in France would be seen as a surprise, about eight months after Mr. Taylor lambasted French workers, saying "they get paid high wages but work only three hours."
Titan considered buying Goodyear's Amiens plant in northern France but pulled out of negotiations in September 2012, citing a "heavy social climate" in France.
Still, Mr. Montebourg approached Titan again, asking Mr. Taylor if he might be interested. In February, however, Mr. Taylor replied in an open letter: "Sir, your letter states that you want Titan to start a discussion. How stupid do you think we are?"
Write to Gabriele Parussini at gabriele.parussini@dowjones.com and Inti Landauro at inti.landauro@dowjones.com
