The decision to move all operations under one roof in Akron was made to streamline production and ensure that the company would be a competitive producer of transit and commercial flooring products well into the future.

The R.C.A. Rubber Company has notified both the Pulaski Rubber union and The R.C.A. Rubber Company union of the decision and will be meeting with each of them to discuss issues, including relocation, relating to the consolidation.

It is anticipated that production at Pulaski Rubber will continue through the first quarter of 2005.

Richard T. Reiss II, president and CEO of The R.C.A. Rubber Company, said, "Both the City of Akron and the City of Pulaski proposed very good solutions to the question of consolidation in their respective cities. On careful evaluation of both opportunities, the proposed production design in Akron offers efficiencies that will allow us to better meet our customer’s growth needs. We are a company rich in history in the Akron area… the former rubber capital of the world. R.C.A. is in its fourth generation of leadership in the city of Akron and has had multiple generations of employees call the plant ‘home.’ R.C.A. and its employees (past and present) have an attachment to the city."

Akron Mayor Don Plusquellic welcomed the decision by the company. "We’re pleased to have been able to work with R.C.A. to find answers that will allow them to remain in Akron. Our Department of Economic Development brought multiple resources to the table from the community that will preserve existing jobs, create new jobs, and assure a future for the company in our city. It is a real tribute to R.C.A. that they have leaders who are open to creative solutions, and recognize the opportunities that exist in Akron, the center of the polymer industry."

For more information, contact Jessica Price, director of business operations for The R.C.A. Rubber Company at 330.784.1291 or Jessica@rcarubber.com.

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