Akron, Ohio ? The new chief executive of Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. is warning that the world’s largest tiremaker may cut jobs to reduce costs.

Goodyear will not comment on how many layoffs may be necessary or where the cuts could occur. Goodyear employs about 1,700 people at its Topeka facility.

“We have not announced anything. We don’t respond to whatever rumor is out there,” company spokesman Keith Price said Tuesday.

CEO Robert Keegan sent a letter to 95,000 worldwide employees, saying the firm may try to cut costs with job cuts, reduced production or a shift of production.

Analysts have been slashing estimates for Goodyear’s earnings and predict the company will at best break even for the year. They said serious action to cut costs was necessary.

For the first nine months of 2002, Goodyear lost $600,000 compared with a net loss of $29.6 million, or 19 cents a share, the previous year.