The former Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. plant in Gadsden is reopening more than five years after it closed.
Takkion, a logistics company that specializes in renewable energy, is now leasing the 2.9 million-square-foot facility.
When hundreds of trucks started showing up at the property this week, Gadsden residents rushed to social media to ask concerns. The site has been virtually abandoned since Goodyear stopped operations there in 2020 after more than 90 years of business.
It used to be the biggest tire manufacturing facility in the world.
What’s happening at the Goodyear? According to a comment on the What’s Happening in Gadsden? Facebook page, the parking area is packed with large 18-wheeler vehicles.
This week, Takkion started working at the location. How many individuals will work there is unknown. According to its website, the organization has 1,000 technicians and over 1,600 employees spread throughout 26 locations.
The plant is being leased by Phoenix Gadsden Industrial Investors, a division of Phoenix Investors, a Milwaukee-based company. Nearly three years ago, it bought the property.
Securing a lease of this kind gives the facility fresh life, according to Kurt Jensen, senior vice president of acquisitions and leasing for Phoenix Investors, who said it was a crucial first step toward our aim of renovating the former Goodyear complex.
The former factory will be used as a storage and handling center for renewable energy products, including solar panels, by Takkion, a company based in Wyoming.
The corporation operates in one of the world’s fastest-growing industrial areas, according to Gadsden Mayor Craig Ford.
According to Ford, having a logistics firm like Takkion in Gadsden will position us as the Southeast’s hub for distribution of the whole renewable energy sector.
According to Pete Bierden, president of Takkion, the company wants to be a good neighbor while repurposing the land for beneficial purposes.
By making sure supplies are transported and kept securely, Takkion’s effort in Gadsden advances our overarching goal of assisting wind, solar, and other energy projects in realizing their potential, he said. Our goal is to respectfully integrate into the community and make a good impact on the local economy by reviving a well-known local site.
Stories by
William Thornton
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