Goodyear is investing more than £100,000 in its Wolverhampton plant, making it the European centre for distributing its retread truck tyres, it was announced this afternoon.

Instead of running national distribution centres in Madrid, Wittlich in Germany and at the TyreFort in Erdington, tyres made in Wolverhampton will be now shipped directly from the factory to major truck dealers and fleet operators across Europe.

The news follows more than £1.5 million of investment in the Bushbury Lane factory’s retread operation over the past three years.

Although the move will not mean more jobs at Wolverhampton, where around 450 people work, Goodyear says it underlines the US-based firm’s commitment to the factory, which has seen staff in its rubber-mixing operation placed on controversial short-time working.