Cooper Tire earns gold certification award

A Texarkana, Arkansas plant receives Gold Certification for their efforts to conserve energy.

It's part of the U.S. Department of Energy's effort to improve industrial energy performance and management practices.

Cooper Tire is now a Superior Energy Performance Gold Certified Partner.

Energy Coordinator Ken Leary says the plant had to accomplish certain requirements to earn the certification.

In order to achieve certification, facilities must improve energy performance by more than 5%.

Cooper's Texarkana Plant received the gold level certification for achieving a more than 10% improvement over three years.

While the plant recently received the award, company officials say they're committed to long-range sustainability and conservation of energy.

Cooper Tire in Texarkana is the first North American tire plant to receive the Gold Certification award.

Since 2009, the plant has also been awarded two other Quality and Environmental Certification awards.