GoodYear

Community Profile: Goodyear

GOODYEAR is a suburban community, located 17 miles from Phoenix in the Southwest Valley. The city name comes from Goodyear Tire and Rubber which began cotton farming near there in 1916. Later, an offshoot, Goodyear Aircraft, built a plant and housing for the workers supplying flight decks for Navy seaplanes. Through purchases by Loral, then Lockheed Martin, the plant and nearby airport have given Goodyear a solid presence in the aerospace defense industry. Goodyear's strong economic base, access to transportation and proximity to the metropolitan area have led to the city's rapid growth. Goodyear, which was incorporated in 1946, encompasses some 115 square miles bisected by Interstate 10 and the Union Pacific Railroad line. Several large master-planned housing developments including Estrella Mountain Ranch, Palm Valley, and Pebble Creek, are adding hundreds of new residents every year. The City of Goodyear is committed to quality planned growth while maintaining open and recreational spaces for its residents.

Much of Goodyear's economic base centers around the Phoenix-Goodyear Municipal Airport. Here, Dimension Aviation provides 500 high-skilled jobs at its commercial jet modification and maintenance facility, resulting in an annual economic impact of $84 million. Lufthansa's Airline Training Center Arizona instructs commercial airline pilots from around the world. Adjacent to the airport is Lockheed Martin Tactical Defense Systems' one million-square foot campus.

New economic activities in Goodyear include 500,000-square feet of rent retail additions, plus a 120,000-square foot Synder's of Hanover pretzel facility and a 70,000-square foot Del Monte facility. Other major companies in Goodyear include Adapto Mfg. (air bag adaptors), Cavco (modular housing), Kysor Panels (commercial refrigerators), McLane Sunwest (grocery distributor), Poore Brothers (potato chips), Simpson-Norton (turf care products), Duncan's Family Farms (farm and market), and Walle (plastic labels).