Titan chief makes U-turn on French tyre plant United front: Goodyear workers demonstrating against plant closures at the group's Paris headquarters this month Arnaud Montebourg, France's industry minister, has said he has received an offer to buy a tyre plant from Maurice Taylor, the head of US group Titan International, who had previously lashed out at French working practices, saying he would be "stupid" to buy the factory. Mr Taylor and Mr Montebourg - a politician who has become known for his tirades against business leaders - became involved in heated exchange in February, when the outspoken US boss responded to an appeal to rescue the Goodyear plant by asking the minister: "How stupid do you think we are?" But, on Tuesday, Mr Montebourg said that Mr Taylor had now made a proposal to take over one of two Goodyear plants threatened with closure in Amiens in northern France, saving 333 jobs out of 1,200, and investing "tens of millions" of euros to guarantee staff employment for four years. "It is a proposition made by Mr Maurice Taylor who came to see me despite the harsh words that there were," Mr Montebourg said in a television interview. The minister added the offer had been made to the government - not to Goodyear. "I am the receiver of this offer," Mr Montebourg explained. It is not for Mr Taylor or anyone else to comment. It is up to me to make it happen and convince all the parties involved. On Monday, Mr Taylor had refused to confirm or deny an offer when contacted by French news agency AFP. "I am not up to date on anything in your country of fine wines and beautiful women," he was quoted as saying. But if Titan does take over the plant, it would be a startling volte face by Mr Taylor, who is known as "The Grizz." In his February letter to Mr Montebourg, he wrote: "The French workforce gets paid high wages but work only three hours. They get one hour for breaks and lunch, talk for three and work for three. I told the French union workers to their faces. They told me that's the French way! Mr Montebourg wrote back protesting at Mr Taylor's "insulting" attack, saying it showed "your complete ignorance of our country." CGT, the communist-backed French trade union, has opposed a Titan takeover in Amiens. It called Mr Taylor a "lunatic" and not suitable "to hold the reins of a multinational" after the executive's letter was made public. Mr Taylor had written: "Titan is going to buy a Chinese tyre company or an Indian one, pay less than €1 per hour wage and ship all the tyres France needs. You can keep the so-called workers. Titan has no interest in the Amiens North factory.