Avon Motorcycle Tyres...

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350-jobs at risk as Avon Motorcycle Tyre Facility set to close​

Cooper Tire and Rubber is to close the Melksham facility which produced solely Avon motorcycle tyres in Wiltshire
Simon Hancocks's picture

Simon Hancocks
Fri, 4 Nov 2022

Triumph Rocket 3 R and Rocket 3 GT announced

350 employees are facing redundancy after news has broken that a facility that produced Avon motorcycle tyres in Melksham, Wiltshire, is set to close later this year.

The plant is operated by Cooper Tire and Rubber, itself a subsidiary of the tyre giant Goodyear, and previously saw cutbacks in 2018 when the plant ceased producing car and SUV tyres as production moved to Europe. Then production was moved to Siberia, although it is not yet known where the motorcycle tyre manufacturing side of the business will move to. The entire plant is now set to close by the end of this year.
The closure goes against reassurances given to retailers and customers in 2018, when Cooper General Manager, Jaap van Wessum claimed there were no plans to move production of the motorcycle tyre division.


350-jobs at risk as Avon Motorcycle Tyre Facility set to close


A statement from Gavin Champion, HR Director at Cooper Tire and Rubber read:
“It is with deep sadness that we have announced our intention to begin a consultation process on the proposed closure of our tyre production facility at Melksham. 
“Our Melksham site has struggled to be competitive for some considerable time and everyone involved has worked extremely hard to keep operations going for as long as possible. However, this has become increasingly challenging in the current business environment.   
“We would like to confirm that these proposals are subject to consultation with relevant employee representative bodies, and we remain fully committed to act responsibly and fairly, and to provide appropriate support for everyone affected.”
 
Those members waiting for their Avons may be waiting a good while longer. The UK is getting like the USA where pretty much everything is moved abroad to save money. The taxes in the UK and USA are high along with the hourly wage, endless permits and politics (compared to other countries) so they move. Sad but true.
 
Those members waiting for their Avons may be waiting a good while longer. The UK is getting like the USA where pretty much everything is moved abroad to save money. The taxes in the UK and USA are high along with the hourly wage, endless permits and politics (compared to other countries) so they move. Sad but true.
Same for a lot of countries...Companies will move assembly shops/factories to countries where the labor costs are a lot less...then the cost of shipping is added on which makes the product bloody expensive!...one headlight for my Triple Black was nudging $NZ1000 recently as an example!...but we have to live with it i guess...no point banging our heads on the wall from frustration...
 
Those members waiting for their Avons may be waiting a good while longer. The UK is getting like the USA where pretty much everything is moved abroad to save money. The taxes in the UK and USA are high along with the hourly wage, endless permits and politics (compared to other countries) so they move. Sad but true.
Yeah such a wise move to Siberia by Avon car tyre division....that is sure to solve their world logistics and competitiveness! ;) :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:
Well looks like it is Bridgestone Exedra rears still and a swath of front options from @1olbull reversed rear, 140 widths and or different profiles.
 
Yeah such a wise move to Siberia by Avon car tyre division....that is sure to solve their world logistics and competitiveness! ;) :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:
Well looks like it is Bridgestone Exedra rears still and a swath of front options from @1olbull reversed rear, 140 widths and or different profiles.
Right on, Ish!
I have hooned the twisties for years all over America running a number of different front tires.
By far the BEST front tire for a Rocket is the Michelin Road 5 (or now 6) 150/70R17 rear tire run backwards.
Amazing grip that is noticeably much better than all others!
 
If and when they do manufactory motorcycle tires in Siberia I wouldn't count on the price being any cheaper. In fact I would bet it will be costlier. Time to look elsewhere I guess💰.
 
I can imagine with this move Avon will lose a ton of customers. I probably would have stayed with them as I like the tires. Now that I'm forced to try something different such as the Excedras and I really like them I won't go back to Avons if available in the near future. They are forcing people to try other brands. I'm certain they know what they're doing although...do they really?
 
I can imagine with this move Avon will lose a ton of customers. I probably would have stayed with them as I like the tires. Now that I'm forced to try something different such as the Excedras and I really like them I won't go back to Avons if available in the near future. They are forcing people to try other brands. I'm certain they know what they're doing although...do they really?
Don't look back...
 
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