More than five years after it shuttered, the former Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. factory in Gadsden is seeing new activity.
Takkion, a renewable energy logistics company, is now leasing the 2.9 million-square-foot site.
Gadsden residents took to social media this week asking questions when hundreds of trucks began appearing at the site, which has been largely inactive since Goodyear ceased operations there in 2020 after more than 90 years of operations.
At one time, it was the largest tire producing plant in the world.
“What’s going on at Goodyear? The parking lot is full of big 18 wheeler trucks‚” asked one person on the “What’s Happening in Gadsden?” Facebook page.
Takkion began operations at the site this week. It’s unclear how many people will be employed there. In all, the company employs more than 1,600 and 1,000 technicians at 26 locations, according to its website.
Phoenix Gadsden Industrial Investors, an affiliate of Milwaukee-based Phoenix Investors, is leasing the plant. It purchased the property almost three years ago.
Kurt Jensen, senior vice president of acquisitions and leasing for Phoenix Investors, said it was “an important first step toward our goal of transforming the former Goodyear complex and securing a lease of this scale brings new life to the property.”
Wyoming-based Takkion will use the former factory as a storage and handling hub for renewable energy materials, such as solar panels.
Gadsden Mayor Craig Ford said the company is in “one of the fastest-growing industrial sectors in the world.”
“Having a logistics company like Takkion in Gadsden will put us in the center of distribution for the entire renewable energy industry throughout the Southeast,” Ford said.
Takkion President Pete Bierden said the company’s goal is “to be a responsible neighbor while putting the property back to productive use.”
“Takkion’s work in Gadsden supports our broader mission: helping wind, solar, and other energy projects come to life by ensuring materials are moved and stored safely,” he said. “By revitalizing a well-known local site, we aim to contribute positively to the local economy and integrate respectfully into the community.”
