Ohio-based Cooper Tire & Rubber Co (www.coopertire.co.uk) has said that Cooper Tire Europe plans to re-open its UK manufacturing plant in Melksham in the first half of June, and it expects to be producing tyres there once again by 15 June.

The facility, which primarily makes motorcycle and racing tyres, has been closed since late March due to the coronavirus pandemic.

To help protect employees returning to the plant, the company has put in place a comprehensive set of health and safety procedures that include: requiring employee disclosures; increased cleaning and disinfecting of facilities and equipment; social distancing and physical barriers; visitor restrictions — and other measures.

Similar procedures have been in effect at Cooper plants in China, the USA and Serbia, all of which re-opened after temporary closures and are at various stages of ramping production back up to meet demand.

Throughout the global pandemic, Cooper’s distribution centres around the globe have continued to operate.