Michelin and Goodyear, both among the world’s foremost tire manufacturers, recently transitioned three major German production sites into a new chapter. To support this complex undertaking, Maynards Europe was appointed as a trusted partner for industrial asset realization across Europe.

Market Headwinds — Operational Momentum Through Maynards

The dismantling and commercialization of complex industrial infrastructures within tight timeframes represents a core competency of Maynards Europe. This challenge also confronted Goodyear at its Fulda tire facility and Michelin at two major manufacturing sites in southwestern Germany.

Until their closure, all affected facilities remained major production hubs with significant manufacturing capacities and long-standing industrial heritage. By the end of 2025, the final tires rolled off the production lines in the city center of Fulda as well as in Karlsruhe and Homburg. This marked the starting point for Maynards Europe to clear extensive factory premises for future use and redirect high-value industrial assets toward new applications.

A Proven Partner: Maynards Supports Goodyear Germany

Shortly after celebrating its 125th anniversary, “Die Gummi” — the local nickname for the Goodyear tire plant in Fulda — entered retirement. Left behind were more than 8,000 tonnes of machinery and materials. Maynards confidently took on the monumental challenge of professionally managing this vast scope within an exceptionally short timeframe.

Whether asset sales, dismantling, transportation, or recycling: within fewer than 150 working days, more than 170,000 square meters of cleared factory space were successfully handed over. Among the assets realized were over 80 tire presses, numerous tire manufacturing machines, as well as four extrusion lines and three mixing lines.

Industry Leader Michelin Also Places Its Trust in Maynards

Maynards Europe executed projects of similar scale for Michelin in Karlsruhe and Homburg, where approximately 1.5 million tires were produced annually. The global market leader in the tire industry likewise relied on Maynards’ specialized expertise in industrial asset realization to market high-value machinery and modern factory equipment quickly and professionally.

In addition to dismantling and logistics operations involving hundreds of machines, the expert team faced the challenge of bringing large-scale industrial assets — including various industrial furnaces and 70-tonne aluminium silos — from the production halls to market. Approximately 80,000 square meters were cleared, while the project additionally generated around 5,000 tonnes of recyclable material alongside recoverable assets.

Maynards Delivers Control — Even at the Limit

Following the production shutdowns at all three facilities operated by Michelin and Goodyear at the end of 2025, Maynards ensured fully cleared production halls by mid-2026 — while simultaneously delivering efficient and value-oriented asset realization.

The rapid execution and structured organization of projects of this magnitude are rooted in deep industry experience: Maynards Europe has already completed numerous successful industrial asset realization projects within the automotive sector, including assignments for Stellantis, Magna, and Nemak.

Keeping the Tire and Automotive Industries Moving Forward

The recent plant closures in Fulda and Karlsruhe demonstrate that the interdisciplinary expert team at Maynards is fully equipped to meet the accelerating demands of the automotive and tire industries at every scale.

A key factor behind this capability is Maynards Europe’s strong network of trusted partners, enabling seamless, comprehensive, and efficient project execution even in highly complex industrial environments — always in the best interest of the client.